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With the French classification system for locomotive wheel arrangements, the system is slightly different for steam and electric/diesel vehicles.

Steam

With steam locomotives, there are three digits normally and more with articulated locomotives. The digits are written one after another since there are never so many axles to cause confusion.

The first digit corresponds to the number of leading unpowered axles.

The second digit corresponds to the number of powered axles.

The third digit corresponds to the number of trailing unpowere axles.

Thus:

0-6-0 becomes 030

2-6-0 becomes 130

0-6-2 becomes 031

4-6-2 becomes 231

2-8-0 becomes 140

Electric and diesel

With electric and diesel vehicles include DMUs a letter A-B-C-D replaces 1-2-3-4 for the number of powered axles, and each bogie is grouped separately.

0-4-0+0-4-0 becomes B-B (if axles connected by rods)

0-6-0+0-6-0 becomes Co-Co (if axles driven independently)

See also

• Swiss classification of railway locomotives

• UIC classification

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