Bonsoir à tous... Good evening everyone! New year, new round of suggestions for me, here on the forums! I've been thinking about French railways a lot lately... And said to myself: "Why not something Paris-based?" And here we are... Today I'll introduce you to the iconic Paris RER C, including two distinct ways to bring it into the game! Would be set in late 2024/early 2025. We're in northern France, in the heart of the so-called "Grand Paris", the Île-de-France region; also crossing the Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Essonne & Yvelines departments. Our main stretch begins in the south, arching all along the left River Seine bank, crossing some of the most central & iconic Paris places. Three more "branches" ramified to reach & "embrace" those neighborhoods/wooded areas south-west of the city. Characterized by an incredible busy & intricate rail scheme (some underground areas), packed timetables, many termini & service patterns. The real, definitive “high-density” experience in TSW? This is my Paris RER C: Juvisy, Massy, Versailles and Saint-Quentin! GENERAL FEATURES - 80km(50mi) total indicative length (chosen option mileage applies!). - Double/4 track/s (directely involved), standard gauge (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in), electrified 1.5kV DC OHLE. - 12‰(1:83) max gradient (Choisy-Massy). - 60-140km/h(37-87mph) max achievable speed. - BAL (automatic luminous Block), as signaling system. - KVB (Speed control by beacons)+Crocodile, as safety systems. - GSM-R/RST, as regards comm. Lines/network managed by: - SNCF Réseau SA (SNCF Group). Passenger service operated by: - SNCF Voyageurs SA (SNCF Group). through: - Île-de-France Mobilités(IdFM) EPA (regional transport autority). STATIONS This would feature a total of 39 active stations/stops, plus 2x as "bonus". The calls are, as follows: -RER C- - Juvisy (côté Nord) - Athis-Mons - Ablon - Villeneuve-le-Roi ----Massy-Choisy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Massy - Palaiseau (côté Vilmorin) - Massy - Verrières - Les Baconnets (RER B) - Chemin d'Antony - Rungis - La Fraternelle - Pont de Rungis Aéroport d'Orly - Orly-Ville - Les Saules ----Choisy-Viroflay--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Choisy-le-Roi - Les Ardoines - Vitry-sur-Seine - Ivry-sur-Seine - Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand --> Paris-Austerlitz (terminal) - Paris-Austerlitz (banlieue) - Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame - Musée d'Orsay Valéry Giscard d'Estaing - Invalides - Pont de l'Alma Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac - Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel - Javel - Pont du Garigliano Hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou - Issy-Val de Seine - Issy - Meudon-Val-Fleury - Chaville - Vélizy - Viroflay-Rive-Gauche ----Viroflay-Versailles----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Porchefontaine - Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche ----Viroflay-Saint Quentin------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Versailles-Chantiers - Saint-Cyr - Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Montigny-le-Bretonneux - Trappes (Transilien N/U) -Transilien V- <-> Massy - Palaiseau - Igny - Bièvres Musée français de la photographie - Vauboyen - Jouy-en-Josas - Petit Jouy - Les Loges <-> Versailles-Chantiers ROUTE PLAN Up: general view of the route, all main terminals & key hubs are indicated. Down: structural plan (to help you understand it better). POSSIBLE LAYOUTS A) Juvisy/Massy(C2)->Versailles CRG(C5)/Saint-Quentin(C7) [branched] - Total lenght: 67km(41.6mi). - Structure: yellow+creams. B) Massy(C2)->Versailles CRG(C5)/Versailles Chantiers(V) [loop] - Total lenght: 65km(40.4mi). - Structure: yellow+olive. PASSENGER SERVICE On this network the so-called "mission codes" are used: Four-letter alphabetic codes, first of which identifies the final destination, while other ones make them pronounceable. e.g. VACK-->"V"=Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche+pronounceability. JUJU-->"J"=Juvisy+pronounceability. And so on. Would be impossible to include the entire timetable here So, lets check about localized volumes (referring to regular morning rush hour): 20Tph each direction (Juvisy<->Choisy). 4Tph " " (Massy-Choisy/Versailles-Chantiers). 24Tph " " (Choisy<->François-Mitterrand). 20Tph " " (François-Mitterrand<->Champ de Mars). 12Tph " " (Champ de Mars<->Chaville). 8Tph " " (Chaville<->Viroflay). 4Tph " " (Viroflay<->Versailles CRG/Saint-Quentin). 1000+Tpd! ROLLING STOCK - Z 5600/8800 Z 2N Bi-level EMUs, RER/Transilien services. First gen units, Transilien (5600) & Carmillon STIF (both) guise. 5600 being phased-out. - Z 20500/20900 Z 2N Bi-level EMUs, RER/Transilien services. Second gen units, Carmillon STIF (20500) & IdFM (both) guise. 20500 from 2025. LAMPOIL This route would pass the DTG process with flying colors, given recent announcements regarding additional SNCF licenses. There would be virtually no problems & full compatibility. STATIONS PICS A) Massy - Palaiseau (côté Vilmorin). B) Pont de Rungis Aéroport d'Orly. C) Juvisy (côté Nord). D) Choisy-le-Roi. A) Ivry-sur-Seine. B) Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand. C) Paris-Austerlitz (banlieue). D) Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame. Please put your LIKE here first, thank you! Continue Below...
Page 2 A) Musée d'Orsay Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. B) Invalides. C) Pont de l'Alma Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac. D) Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel. A) Javel, most iconic. B) Pont du Garigliano Hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou. C) Issy-Val de Seine. D) Chaville - Vélizy, typical style. A) Viroflay-Rive-Gauche. B) Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche. C) Versailles-Chantiers. D) Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines - Montigny-le-Bretonneux. ROUTE VIDEOS Champ de Mars-Massy cabride (from 52:00) Z 20900 Z 2N EMU. Massy-Champ de Mars cabride (up to 57:10) Z 20900 Z 2N EMU. Saint Quentin-Juvisy cabride (up to 1:07:00) Z 5600 Z 2N EMU. Juvys-Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche cabride. Z 5600 Z 2N EMU. Transilien V trainspotting. ROUTE PICS A) Juvisy-sur-Orge, along Seine course. B) Infrapôle Paris Sud Ouest(Juvisy service base/sidings). C) Paris-Orly Airport(LFPO). D) Massy Atlantis, the new face of Paris suburbs. A) Technicentre SNCF PRG "Les Ardoines"(our network). B) Vitry-sur-Seine Thermal Power Plant(closed). C) Technicentre SNCF "Paris Austerlitz"(mainline). D) Duo Towers, "La Gare" new landmark. Continue Below...
Page 3 A) French National Library "François Mitterrand". B) Gare d'Austerlitz(surface terminal). C) Jardin des Plantes & Paris Zoo. D) Pierre & Marie Curie Campus(Sorbonne). A) Île de la Cité & iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. B) Musée d'Orsay, famous museum & former station. C) Hôtel des Invalides & its esplanade. D) Eiffel Tower & Champ de Mars(no introduction required). A) Beaugrenelle District, River Seine front. B) Val de Seine financial/tech District. C) Issy Viaduct(509m). D) The Seine and its course, the real rockstar here! A) Meudon Viaduct, iconic crossing point(above our line). B) Meudon Tunnel(3363m), major rail work here. C) Versailles Château & its huge parc. D) Technicentre SNCF PRG "Trappes"(our network). A) Jouy-en-Josas, rurality outside the big city. B) Villacoublay 107th Air Force Base(active). C) Upper Bièvre Valley, main Transilien V setting. D) Meudon, Versailles & Verrières State Forests. FINAL THOUGHTS Bringing this route to TSW would provide that perfect change of pace, reintroducing France in game. Its main characteristics would make it an ideal content for a wide range of players, especially those interested in intensive urban/suburban action. This country has been too long neglected and almost forgotten, so, counting on you, DTG! This could truly be that "high-density", definitive experience in game! Caravatt .
The good thing about the C is that it's large and has many branches, so even when cut into several pieces, each piece can be good However, I also suggest the Regio2N (Z 57000) for the N line between St Quentin and Viroflay even if it's a short trip and AI at Juvisy
Yeah although I would obviously like it, the scope here is way too large. Maybe we should settle for something much more limited. I remember Trainz PMP - La Verrière, something like this seems more realistic to begin with. Edit : Sorry if that sounds harsh Caravatt, as producing such a detailed post must have taken you so much time...
It's true I hadn't thought of that, it could be interesting too, we'll finally have the Corail trains Personally, I don't know if it's "too ambitious" because I think it's a good start with a loop route, varied scenery, and a fairly long route in terms of kilometers. Personally, I'd like the complete route with V line because I think it's a shame not to be able to drive on that route when you're in Versailles or Massy; it would be an alternative route without going through Paris. But after that, line C alone isn't bad either because the different train stations in Paris are magnificent
Lol, I didn't even know there was a V line ! I left Paris long ago, can't afford to live less than 100km away... Anyway, the route from Savigny-sur-Orge to Versailles via Massy is (at least was...) called Grande Ceinture, the stretch (also used by TGVs) from Choisy-le-Roi to Massy is a variant called Grande Ceinture stratégique. I think the part used by the TGVs was also refered to as barreau d'interconnexion in this context, when it was introduced as a regular route for them back in the 90s.
Well, it's about one year old (Dec 2024). A strategic shuttle, extending the T12 potential (and connect it to the new T13)! Both the "big loop" and "small" one are no longer effective to C, unfortunately. Correct, it's an extension. But the real "ceinture" runs via Valenton(overpassing Villeneuve)->Massy->Ligne V(to Chantiers)->Matelots(sidings) and finally T13 path(tram only, all the way to St-Germain now)! Same as above. Marseille-Le Havre cross-connection only (C2->V). Same stretch is covered by Ouigo Classique north (Austerlitz-Rennes/Nantes)!
There are "classic trains" (not TGVs) that go from Austerlitz to Rennes or Nantes via Massy (and Versailles) ? I'm absolutely not up to date !
Btw, it's the first time since german leave-holders trains during WWII that regular express trains do use this stretch of the GC (TGVs apart) I'm completely stunned about that !
INTEGRATIONS Happy Sunday, guys Today I'll focus on something I usually don't bother with: collectables! Given the iconic location, I thought: - Ratatouille or Jambon-beurre(stuffed baguette): assemble the dish/eat it. - Eiffel Tower Souvenir: collect statuette. - Place line maps. Fourth option could be: adding scale models (like WCMLOS) of the famous Z 5300 "petit gris" (little grays), the legendary Parisian inox railcars! Irl at Javel (1980s) Might be a bit stereotypical, but would be very effective Imho, don't you think? Hope this was helpful. Have a great weekend everyone! PS. Thanks ---DMY---, my bad !
As always, nice suggestion there Caravatt. May I suggest something more local than ratatouille for food, maybe the famous parisian sandwich jambon-beurre ? Just a thing : Z5300 EMUs have never been represented as scale models. What we see in your second picture is a Z5100 set, the only EMU of the inox family ever to have been produced in HO (if we exclude the Atlas Z3700).
To conclude this Parisian journey... Almost forgot a famous local rail landmark: the legendary "Diplodocus" Alias 317ton, 87m army rail crane, stationed at the 5th Versailles Regiment(not so far from Matelots sidings/next to the new SMR T13 depot)! Beast That's all, have a good night
