Ladies and gentlemen, you're presently looking at the first high speed locomotive France ever produced: the famous BB 9004, which, in 1955, broke the fabulous record of 331 Km/h (206 mph). Of course compared to the 575 Km/h (357 mph) of the TGV (bullet train) it's nothing, but considering it took place 52 years ago... Anyway, the reason why I shot this locomotive in the middle of the street is that next week; the French Railway Company (SNCF) will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a huge exhibition in Le Grand Palais. I'll try to go and take a few pics.
That is a beeyootiful train engine. I love the porthole windows and rather art deco design. The color will look great surrounded by the green steel in the Grand Palais.
ReplyDeleteVery cool retro train. I also love the round windows.
ReplyDeleteI just caught up on yesterday's posts. Congrats to Michael for all the PDP merchandising - please keep it up (Eric, I hope you got my e-mail in response to your's).
I just love old trains, actually I just love trains. A great picture and I look forward to your photos of the exhibition!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful train. Looks a little like an old Volkswagen Bus!
ReplyDeleteThe train is cute, amazing how different they look now! I'm sure you'll be there at the exhibition to show us more Eric, as I'm sure you'll end up spotting Sarkozy plus his new girlfriend one of this days.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be everywhere!
Thought is was a double decker on the preview..NOT>.!!Hello from West Sacramento
ReplyDeleteCool pic, neat story, looking forward to the rest of it.
ReplyDeleteVery nice indeed. I remember reading something about this train the last time I was in Paris. Where was it located before going to Le Grand Palais?
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, I really like your pictures!
ReplyDeleteOh, qu'elle est belle!!! Ca, c'est de la locomotive!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the pictures you're gonna bring back from the Grand Palais! (don't forget to photograph la verriere ;)
That old engine is still faster than anything we've got in the UK now! Our railways are a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteI won't even start to tell the horrors of passenger trains in the USA, the French were 50 years ahead of us 50 years ago. Great shot of a great train.
ReplyDeleteDavid
haha yes! send it over to the UK! I think our fastest trains travel at 125 mph, well excluding the eurostar/lgv, and hey, it only took 13 additional years to finish that!!
ReplyDeleteLoco, loco, locomotive... Je me disais bien que cette photo me rappelait une chanson!
ReplyDeleteLocomotive d'or,
Aussi riche en pistons,
Aussi chargée d'essieux
Que de siècles un sépulcre,
Locomotive d'or,
Croqueuse d'un charbon
Plus fruité, plus juteux
Que l'est la canne à sucre,
Locomotive d'or,
Tchi ki kou tchi ki kou
Sans un soupçon de suie,
Sans une ombre de lucre,
Tu me fis visiter
Tes Congo, tes Gabon
Tes Oubangui-Chari,
Et tes Côte-d'Ivoire,
Où de blancs éléphants
M'aspergeaient de mémoire,
Locomotive d'or
Tchi ki kou tchi ki kou
Locomotive d'or
Ka kan ka kan ka kan
Je reluquais le rail,
Assis sur ma valoche
Et l'horloge vaquait
Dans l'espace vaquant
Le silence avouait
Quelque chose qui cloche
Quand soudain retentit
La clameur de Tarzan
Quand soudain j'entendis
Un autre son de cloche,
Tu arrivais enfin
Du fond du cœur du temps,
Tes plumes de vapeur
Sur ta face de tigre,
Tes faisceaux de sagaies,
Tes boucliers de cuivre
Locomotive d'or
Ka kan ka kan ka kan
Locomotive d'or,
De bondir à ton bord
Me donna même joie
Qu'au sexe de la femme
Mon corps ne m'aidait plus
Qu'à survoler mon corps,
Ma chair devint esprit
Et mon âme tam-tam
Oui, oui, tam-tam d'âme,
Partout dedans! Dehors!
Et de toutes ses dents,
Succulente banane,
Kenny Clarke riait
Comme un enfant s'endort
Comme un enfant s'endort
Ayant vu un miracle,
Comme un enfant s'endort
Dans l'œuf ailé de Pâques
Dans l'amour tournoyant,
Locomotive d'or...
Tout le monde va descendre
Dans la gare divine,
Dans la gare divine
Le chef de gare est aimé,
Dans la gare divine
La locomotive d'or
Va souffler
Comme un enfant s'endort
La locomotive d'or
Comme un enfant s'endort
La locomotive d'or...
(Locomotive d'or, Claude Nougaro, 1973)