Nord Rapide Dd⁴s luggage van LS Models

Original page created on 09/09/2023; updated on 23/09/2023.

Brand - Reference

Type

Nord Rapide Dd⁴s

UIC number	Revision date
51 87 95-30 191-1 2	14.4.78
Home base: Le Landy

Weight

126 g (NEM: 94 to 122 g)

Comments

Dimensions well respected, apart from the length, which is a little forced. Fine engraving without more, clear and legible inscriptions.

The underside includes the usual attachments, pipes, brake linkage, dynamo, etc. A bag of parts contains brake coupling hoses and folded bellows, but without the appropriate suspensions. There are no heating jumpers, and no place to fit them, even though the drawing in the manual shows them! On the other hand, it seems that the signal holders at window level no longer existed at the time in question.

The running is good, after correcting the position of a brake shoe that was too close to a wheel. The axles spin in the metal sides used for the power pick-up. These axles are therefore in two parts joined by an insulating sleeve. Axle specifications: see table opposite.

The interior fittings are reduced to a longitudinal wall and compartmentation.

The lighting switches on at 3 V and remains constant up to 14 V (not tested beyond). A 1000 µF capacitor maintains the power supply in the event of a power cut lasting a maximum of around 2 seconds. The lights are moderately bright. My main criticism is that end 2 is not equipped, and the printed circuit does not allow for this possibility. Yet there are three switches on it. The assignment indicated on the instructions is wrong: SW1 actually acts on the interior lighting, SW2 is inoperative, SW3 acts on the lights at end 1. This order is pure fantasy. Note that all three lamps (including the small ones in the upper position) are fitted with LEDs.

To access the switches, the roof has to be removed, which is particularly difficult. Reassembly is even more difficult. Nor can the bogies be dismantled in the usual way. I didn’t insist.

All this at a price that exceeds that of coaches with much more complex equipment; I think LS Models is laughing in our face.

See Loco-Revue Forum.

Modifications

Note: the photos opposite were taken after these modifications.

Heating jumpers from Rapide Nord spare parts fitted in place of a lamp holder. This meant reducing the jumper tenon from 1 × 1 to 0.8 × 0.8 mm;
Fitting a folded bellows at the end equipped with functional lights, with suspensions also recovered from the Rapide Nord spare parts. The gangway platform is permanently attached to the folded bellows, making it easy to replace the bellows.
Half-height signal holders removed (not yet done on the photos).
Red LED added to the lamp at the non-equipped end.
Lighting strip replaced with another originally designed for the Romilly De Massini coaches. This allows the lamps and lighting to be controlled independently by three latching reed switches.

History

30 luggage vans were built: 10 in 1928 and 20 in 1929 by Ateliers de Construction du Nord de la France in Blanc-Misseron. The Second World War reduced the number to 22.

Tare: 39 t; load: 12 t; four customs compartments. Speed limit: 140 km/h. There is a side corridor allowing the train to be incorporated in the middle of the train.

Documents

Loco-Revue sheet no. 577, series 50 of 1976 (older series). Sheet preview.
Wikipedia article on luggage vans.
trains-europe.fr website

Dd4s Nord LS Models

Dd4s Nord LS Models, other view

Dd4s Nord luggage van

Photo J.-P. Demoy in Encyclopédie des voitures SNCF.

Dimension	Actual	1:87	Model
Overall length	20 254	232.8	234.0
Chassis length	18 904	217.3	218.5
Width	2 900	33.3	33.3
Height	4 000	46.0	46.2
Pivot distance	13 404	154.1	153.7
Bogie wheelbase	2 500	28.7	28.6
Wheel diameter	920	10.6	10.5
	D	B	U
	1.0	14.3 ¹	23.6
NEM: 14.5 ± 0.1.

Nord	SNCF 1	SNCF 2	UIC
Table of successive numbering
24526 to 24555	29175 to 29196	29631 to 29652	51 87 95 40 191-9 to 212-3

Nord Rapide Dd4s luggage van LS Models