SNCF X4200 Autocar Panoramique

[wilwahabri]

I came across a picture of a French railcar Made by Renault in 1959. A series of 10 were produced numbered X4601 to X4610. Not a lot of information around about this railcar. What I have found is in French (I can read it). 

It redefines ugly to the point of attractiveness, rather like the Daimler SP 250!

These links should take you to pictures of it:-

https://www.ilportalehttps://www.google.com.sg/url?

https://www.blenheimgang.com/lautorail-panoramique/

Powered by a Renault V12  diesel of 800hp it could exceed 100mph. 1st class seating for 44 in the upper compartment which was sited over the engine and generator, 2nd class seating at each end, with a drivers position at each end

Apparently Jouef made one in HO in 2010, but I cannot find it in any of their catalogues around that period. Mistral did / do make a very good HO model of it for nearly 400Euro.

So does anyone know anything about this railcar? I would like to either scratchbuild one or get a reasonably priced one. I have only ever seen it referred to as "Autocar Panoramique" and I think it was the only design like this ever produced by Renault. Any documentation would be gratefully received
 

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by wilwahabri

[BernardTPM]

I don't know about Jouef catalogues of the 1960s, but this was certainly in the Playcraft Railways range. Playcraft Railways were made by Jouef, of course. There's a page on the model here.

[BernardTPM]

Found a related website on Jouef. The Panoramique is shown on this catalogue cover.

[Pacific231G]

I'm not sure how accurate the Jouef model was dimensionally but it was rather "of its time" in terms of quality . It  has become something of a collectable.

There is more about these autorails here http://www.joueftrains.com/8520.htm

Given that only ten were built, it's remarkable that four of them seem to have survived - two in tourist service with Agrivap 

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Pacific231G

[Andy Hayter]

There was a Le Train Special/Hors Series - 2004 / 3 covering the panoramiques.

 

Continental Modeller December 2007 had an article on super-detailing the Jouef model - but I would guess the Mistral model far exceeds anything you could sensibly do with the jouef base.

 

Other sources of information include Ferrovissime - April and May 2010;  and RMF 2012 October has a review of the Brassline version of the model.

[Joseph_Pestell]

11 hours ago, wilwahabri said:

I came across a picture of a French railcar Made by Renault in 1959. A series of 10 were produced numbered X4601 to X4610. Not a lot of information around about this railcar. What I have found is in French (I can read it). 

It redefines ugly to the point of attractiveness, rather like the Daimler SP 250!

These links should take you to pictures of it:-

https://www.ilportalehttps://www.google.com.sg/url?

https://www.blenheimgang.com/lautorail-panoramique/

Powered by a Renault V12  diesel of 800hp it could exceed 100mph. 1st class seating for 44 in the upper compartment which was sited over the engine and generator, 2nd class seating at each end, with a drivers position at each end

Apparently Jouef made one in HO in 2010, but I cannot find it in any of their catalogues around that period. Mistral did / do make a very good HO model of it for nearly 400Euro.

So does anyone know anything about this railcar? I would like to either scratchbuild one or get a reasonably priced one. I have only ever seen it referred to as "Autocar Panoramique" and I think it was the only design like this ever produced by Renault. Any documentation would be gratefully received
 

 

Beauty/Ugly is of course quite subjective. But I am quite surprised that anyone could not like the Panoramique.

I don't think the 2010 Jouef revamp ever saw the light of day. As others have said, the original 1960s model was OK for its time but fairly awful by modern standards. As I recall, it is not full length and modifying it to get it right would be very difficult.

 

[wilwahabri]

I didn't say I didn't like it - I do but it is bizarre somehow the front and rear end look out of proportion particularly height wise. I like the unusual, I'm an individualist!

The Mistral models do look nice but at 400 euro a pop they're pricey. some one else also had one for sale at over 500 Euro! and they are of course HO, not that is significantly different as they were built to the European loading gauge about 2 feet higher so that kind of evens out the gauge difference a bit. I'm not a rivet counter and would be happy with that. After all my Hornby Dublo Deltic is way off scale but it's still a nice model.

[Stentor]

I have come across this charming film of the Panoramique in testing and early service.

 

 

[Stentor]

This video on YouTube brings the story more up to date with plenty of shots of the Panoramique running in preservation and some other railcars.

 

 

[Darius43]

Mistral X4200.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[wasabi]

Shapeways at least used to do a bodyshell - I have one but so far have only put a light coat of paint so the body is visible.  Mine is in N and will need a lengthened chassis which will probably mean losing power on one bogie, although pick up will be better given an extended wheelbase.

 

 I've also just bought a book on the class available from Nicholas Collection in Belgium.  It is mainly photos with limited technical information and is in French.  The cost is EUR 35 plus the same for post if ordered direct - another way of paying for Brexit. 

 

Remarkably, the class only carried SNCF roundals on the ends and no other "branding", apart from those that ended up branded Auvergne.

 

 

 

[IPW]

 

[Gordonwis]

6 hours ago, wasabi said:

Shapeways at least used to do a bodyshell - I have one but so far have only put a light coat of paint so the body is visible.  Mine is in N and will need a lengthened chassis which will probably mean losing power on one bogie, although pick up will be better given an extended wheelbase.

 

 I've also just bought a book on the class available from Nicholas Collection in Belgium.  It is mainly photos with limited technical information and is in French.  The cost is EUR 35 plus the same for post if ordered direct - another way of paying for Brexit. 

 

Remarkably, the class only carried SNCF roundals on the ends and no other "branding", apart from those that ended up branded Auvergne.

 

 

 

[IPW]

 

 

Shapeways is a marketplace that produces people's 3D designs, so I suppose they are not really 'Shapeways products' as such.

 

The Panoramique railcar has been produced in N scale in various ways. There were at least two artisans who produced them in resin. 

 

I think the one available through Shapeways was the one produced by OL.D Modeles , who later stopped supplying through Shapeways, and has its own web site.