Historical background

The lack of unification stated during the 1914/1918 war led the Ministry of Civil Engineering to ask for the creation of a body in charge of studying a standardization of all the pulled carriages and wagons.

The Central Office of Studies of Rolling Stock (OCEM) was founded on 21^st August 1919.

The first carriage built in 1924 was displayed in the « Arts décoratifs de Paris » exhibition in 1925. It was the first entirely metal carriage with visible rivets. It was equipped with Pennsylvania bogies type Y2 designed by the OCEM.

1036 carriages of all types were built between 1925 and 1932.

Despite their many qualities, these OCEM carriages did not meet unanimity because they were too bulky, with not enough seats in the third class, backs too fragile in case of accident, rapid oxidation of their lower parts. In addition, cleaning the parts covered with visible rivets was not easy.

To find a solution to these problems, the OCEM built new carriages without visible rivets. The first carriages were delivered in 1929.

Their design and technical qualities were recognized. The State was the main buyer (639 carriages between 1929 and 1939).

862 carriages of all types were built.

For more information about the OCEM, please read « THE TRAIN sup archives » « les archives de l‘OCEM » special issue December 2003.

The carriages and wagon of our association.

We own 8 carriages with bogies and a wagon with axles :

- A first class carriage type A8 OCEM smooth surface, built in 1932. It is equipped with bogies Y2 Dr and axles 956. By the end of 2003 this carriage was classified  « Monument historique » by the Ministry for the Arts.

The first class will be refurbished in 2005.

Five second class carriages 

 type B OCEM smooth surface built in 1938 and 1939. They are equipped with bogies Y2 Dr and axles 956 or U2R. At the end of 2003 two of these carriages were classified « Monuments historiques » by the Ministry for the Arts, one carriage after total refurbishment

One Post-office carriage

-  type PAZ with visible rivets built in 1929. It is equipped with bogies WPY MIDI and axles 967. At the end of 2003 it was classified « Monument historique » by the Ministry for the Arts.

The paintwork will be touched up in 2005 due to graffiti.

A carriage D type Sud-Est

This is an OCEM smooth surface built in 1935. This carriage is equipped with bogies Pennylvania type Y16 and axles type 966. 

 The wagon space has been tranformed into a bar.

An  OCEM wagon

with 2 axles type 1929 with visible rivets equipped with 2 axles 972.