The "Árpád" railcar. The first of these railcars, the #20
"Árpád" was built in 1934 as demonstration model, 6 others
followed. They performed express Intercity service between Budapest and Vienna.
They became the base for Ganz's South American business. During WW2 the Hungarian
Army Commanding Staff used them. 6 disappeared in the Soviet Union, one,
#23 "Tas" was that railcar the Army Headquarter used to escape from Hungary.
It was captured by the US Army and was given back to Hungary in 1947. It
served the private company GySEV/RÖEE in the '50s. Now refurbished,
it is member of the MÁV "Nostalgia" stock. It was renamed to
"Árpád" to remember the first railcar of this type, but kept
the original number #23. The photo was taken on the locomotive show on 7th
July 1993 in Budapest.
The "Árpád" railcar on a railfanning tour. The driver allowed
the kids to remain in the cab and operate the horn. He participated in the
refurbishment and told, that except the high pressure rubber tubes and the
bearings, everything is original in the machinery.
Abamot, the 600HP railcar. They were built for branchline service in the
late '50s, but used in the '60s hauling express trains double headed. Later,
in the '70s they returned to their original application field, to the
branchlines. This class was withdrawn in the late '80s.
This is a truck of the Abamot type railcar with mounted Jendrassik diesel
engine. The small angle between the rows of the V12 engine was necessary
as these engines were also mounted in the Ganz railcars delivered for the
narrow gauge Argentinian railroads. The truck has no kingpin, the carbody
suspension was arranged with wedge-like slipping blocks on both sides.
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This page was updated last time on 23th January 2005
© János Erö