This Bugatti railcar from 1933, referred as “presidential” in memory of its inaugural trip on the Paris-Chartres line with the President of the Republic, Albert Lebrun, was an alternative to the dominance of electric trains. After the Great Depression of 1929, the illustrious car manufacturer Ettore Bugatti was no longer able to sell his Bugatti Royales. Each car cost three times the price of a Rolls Royce! Bugatti then had the idea of manufacturing ultrafast railcars for celebrities and business men to use up their stocks. Each railcar was equipped with 4 Bugatti Royale engines, with independent wheels fitted to one axis. Although it does not have a gearbox, it is largely derived from car engine production. The shape of the “nose” of the unit makes it more aerodynamic and is similar to the shape of the TGV locomotive, of which in some ways it is the prefiguration. The passenger compartments are fitted with 24 seats with movable backrests to enable passengers to be forward-facing in either direction of travel. The windows provide a panoramic view. The Bugatti 24408 was withdrawn from passenger service in 1953. It was then converted to provide a special railcar experience in France and abroad. In 1970, it was restored for display at the Railway Museum before joining the Mulhouse collection in 1981 on the 100th anniversary of Ettore Bugatti’s birth. This railcar held the world average speed record of 196 kph (122 mph) in 1937 on the Paris-Strasbourg line. (Source Cité du Train)
