TEE RGP X2770 train set Roco

Original page created on 19/10/2015; updated on 08/04/2023.

Brand - Reference

Roco 63079

Type

Trans Europ Express RGP (Relation à grand parcours) single-engine X 2778 with trailer XR 7775

Coach Number Revision - Depot
Motor unit X 2778 ? - Lyon Vaise
Trailer XR 7775 ? - Noisy le Sec

Weight

Coach Mass NEM
Motor unit 360 g
Trailer 158 g 118 to 153 g

Current

0.75 A max. at slipping under 12 V

Comments

The problem of the distorted body that does not fit on the chassis (both for the motor unit and for the trailer) was known to me and reported by the seller. But the damage is worse than expected because the deformation is irregular along the walls. The good thing is that it is very easy to lift the bodies: just lift them for the chassis to fall down!

The painting, gloss, is unfortunately in “orange peel skin” (I see that at this point for the first time). On the VT11.5, the shade is almost the same, but the paint is more satin and much thinner.

Another thing: the notch in the skirt of the trailer to let the coupling moving. For other models (unified trailer for example), Roco provides a part to complete this skirt when the coupling is not in use. Other brands (LS Models for EAD, Electrotren for ABJ) do it too. So, why not here?

Concerning the interior fittings, this model is well in its age, i.e. that it is simplified to the extreme. The interior lighting is, as for unified trailers, by incandescent lamps and light guide.

There is only one driving axle per bogie — that of the front bogie has rubber tyres. It is a curious solution, which requires to pass a drive shaft all along the chassis, while it would have been easier to motorize the two axles of the front bogie, as in reality indeed!

Both vehicles are equipped on their four axles with current pickups and a bogie on the trailer is equipped with a mechanical two-pole reversing device. The pickup strips are sandwiched between the bogie frame and simply nested plastic parts, many of which can not be clamped properly, because of the large and misplaced solders of the connecting wires. Therefore, some of these holding parts are raised, and, as they furthermore serve as bearing points on the chassis, it is also raised (motor unit); on the trailer, strips have escaped and are wandering into the bogie.

There is a plug for an 8-pin decoder, and there is all the necessary space in the motor unit for its installation. But it does not control the interior lighting, constantly on, and there is nothing to control the trailer lights.

First tests, in DC: start at 4.5 V, maximum speed (at scale) under 12 V: about 170 km/h without trailer, 130 with trailer, which illustrates the strong running resistance of the trailer. The train passes over the smaller Fleischmann radius (356 mm), with a much longer elongation than strictly necessary.

Disturbing squeaks can be heard. The responsible are the bearings of the drive shaft. A few drops of oil overcome them.

Compared to that of the VT11.5 DB, the realization is much less serious, for a proportionally higher price. Without being paranoid, we must note that Roco is more concerned with their productions of German material than those of French material. It can also be seen on coaches (just compare UIC-X DB and UIC-Y SNCF!)

See:

Modifications

  • Straightening bodies by putting under cold stress with an internal template.

  • Fitting handrails, “kheops” plugs, windsscreen wipers, brake linkages.
  • Mounting of a Lenz Standard+ decoder into the power unit.
  • Train lighting with LEDs; the electrical connections (including the rear lights) are made by 1.27 mm pitch 4-pole connectors. Removal of the trailer current pickups. Replacement of the incandescent bulbs of the lamps by two-coloured LEDs and suppression of the light pipes.
  • Basic cab decoration, anti-light leakage wall installation and driver replacement.
  • Raising the motor unit by approximately 0.5 mm to eliminate the gap between bellows and to correct the difference in height with the trailer.

History

Single-engined long-haul trains (RGP 1) are Diesel trains with at least one power unit and one trailer, numbered X 2771 to 2781, built by De Dietrich and SACM in 1955/56.

Characteristics:

  • Engine power: 607 kW (825 hp)
  • Maximum speed: 140 km/h
  • Weight in service: 84.7 t
  • Length of the train: 52.16 m

Sources : Wikipedia and trains-europe.fr.

As appropriate for a TEE service, the fittings were entirely 1st class, with restoration at the place from a kitchen fitted in the trailer. But unlike foreign TEE trains, the RGP TEE did not have air conditioning. At the end of the trailer, there was a driving cab for reverse running, very narrow because it was also necessary to provide the gangway when a trailer or an additional motor unit was coupled to it.

Since 1957, these trains have carried out relations to the North, Belgium (Etoile du Nord), the Netherlands (Ile de France), Northern Germany (Parsifal, Paris - Ruhr); to the East towards Switzerland (Arbalète); to the South (Mont-Cenis between Lyon and Turin). To the North, because of their low capacity, they were replaced with PBA stainless steel trains as soon as possible. As a result, they were quickly removed from the TEE service (1965).

At the beginning of the 1960s, some motor units were equipped with a third headlamp, which does not appear in all the pictures, including the one shown here, though taken in Germany. Curiously, the trailer, although likely to run forward, was never equipped with this third light. Or perhaps the trains bound to Germany always included two motor units framing one or two trailers?

Documents

  • Le Train - Encyclopédie du matériel moteur SNCF, vol. 4, p. 18-23 - Les RGP 1.
  • Voies ferrées No. 16 of March-April 1983 - RGP : entre techniques d’hier et d’aujourd’hui.
  • La légende des TEE of Maurice Mertens, p.46-47.
  • Wikipedia’s article on RGP X 2770
  • trains-europe.fr
  • rixke.tassignon.be website, with pretty drawings of trains.
  • michaelsen-ellerau.de website
  • Video about TEE services (end of 1950s, beginning of 1960s).

    Show video.

TEE RGP train set RocoTEE RGP train set Roco

TEE RGP train set RocoTEE RGP train set Roco

TEE RGP train set

Anonymous photo on eisenbahnstiftung.de.

Motor car dimensions Actual 1:87 Model
Overall length 26 630 306.1 306.0
Body length (w/out couplings) 25 720 1 295.6 294.0
Width 2 840 32.6 33.0
Motor compartment height 3 686 42.4 42.3
Roof height 3 535 40.6 39.2 2
Pivot distance 19 000 218.4 218.2
Motor bogie wheelbase 2 850 32.8 32.5
Carrier bogie wheelbase 2 500 28.7 28.8
Motor wheel diameter 900 10.3 10.0
Carrier wheel diameter 860 9.9 10.0
  1. Dimension measured on diagram, so doubtful.
  2. 40.8 after correction.
Trailer dimensions Actual 1:87 Model
Overall length 25 530 293.4 294.2
Body length (w/out couplings) 287.0
Width 2 840 32.6 32.6
Height 3 535 40.6 40.2 1
Pivot distance 19 000 218.4 218.0
Bogie wheelbase 2 500 28.7 28.8
Wheel diameter 860 9.9 10.0
  1. 40.8 after correction.