former Midi BB electric in the Gare de la Tour de Carol, France

Former Midi company loco BB 4208, one of the 50 of the series from 1934-1935, is seen in the station of La Tour de Carol in the area known as Cerdagne, with the original SNCF logo having replaced the Midi one, but otherwise looking as it did when built.

Builder: Alsthom
Final withdrawal: 1997
Type: Bo'Bo'
Tension: 1500 Volts DC
Traction motors: 4 x M1 Alsthom
Output (continuous): 1,210 kW
Total weight: 80 tonnes
Total length: 11.85 metres
Maximum speed: 75 km/h


The la Tour de Carol/Enveitg station (altitude 1,231 metres) is notable for being one of the few places in the world where railways of three different track gauges meet: the standard gauge line from Toulouse (see earlier post), the narrow gauge line to Villefranche-Vernet-les-Bains, known as Le Petit Train Jaune de Cerdagne, and the broad gauge Spanish line from Barcelona.

a forecourt view from the 1960s of the station

an SNCF holiday camp near the track

The French standard gauge track - to the left just visible is the Spanish broad gauge track and to the right over the platform is the metre gauge Petit Train Jaune de Cerdagne track

in the centre are railway workers houses

Carol is the name of the river, and here are towers - Tours - one of which must be the origin of the name.