Liebherr’s Air Cycle Air Conditioning In Use In France

Following a long period of experience with these air conditioning units on board ICE 3.2 EMUs in Germany, Liebherr-Transportation Systems agreed with SNCF to realise the test installation of these units on a French train. This is AGC Z 27585, used on TER services by SNCF Midi-Pyreneés on the Toulouse to Latour-de-Carol line, which is the highest 1,435 mm gauge railway in France and which offers an interesting range of contrasting weather and temperature conditions. It is ideal for the rigorous testing of the air-cycle air conditioning, which uses only decompressed ambient air for cooling, with no need for supplementary gases. Duly equipped, Z 27585 entered service on the line in mid-September 2015, and is shown here on the 24th of the month at a presentation event held at the Railway Technicentre works in Toulouse.