Crochat
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway equipment manufacturing |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Founder | Henry Crochat |
| Defunct | 1928 |
| Fate | Patents acquired by Decauville; company dissolved |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Locomotives, railcars with petrol-electric transmission |
Crochat was a French manufacturer specializing in railway equipment, established in 1899 by Henry Crochat. The company focused on producing locomotives and railcars equipped with petrol-electric transmission systems.
History
- 1899 – Henry Crochat founded the company
- 1908–1918 – Manufactured approximately 420 petrol-electric locomotives, mainly serving the Ministère de la Guerre and various other clients
- 1924 – Decauville obtained the company's patents
- 1926 – Henry Crochat launched Société Auxiliaire d'Entreprise (SAE)
- 1928 – The firm was dissolved
Locomotive types
- Petrol-electric locomotive variants
| Model | Mass | Number of axles | Track gauge | Quantity produced | Clientele |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 L 4 60 | 14 tonnes | 4 | 600 mm | 215 | Ministère de la Guerre, Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Maroc Oriental, Collet company (Rabat) |
| 22 L 2 N | 22 tonnes | 2 | 1435 mm | 170 | Ministère de la Guerre, Chemins de Fer du Nord, Compagnie du Gaz de Paris |
| 44 L 4 N | 44 tonnes | 4 | 1435 mm | 130 | Ministère de la Guerre, Chemins de Fer du Nord |
| ? | ? | 6 | 500 mm | 19 | Salins du Midi |
Crochat and Colardeau
Henry Crochat shared patent rights with Emmanuel Colardeau, including patent US1416611. Although Colardeau’s precise involvement in the railway sector of Crochat remains uncertain, it is possible he contributed to military vehicle designs such as the Saint-Chamond tank.
Preserved equipment
- The Crochat AT1 petrol-electric railcar from 1922, originally used on the Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury, is preserved at the Musée des transports de Pithiviers
- Five six-axle locomotives dating from 1918, formerly operated by Salins du Midi, are maintained at the Chemin de fer touristique du Tarn; one has been designated as a historical monument
- The Decauville-Crochat AT3 petrol-electric railcar from 1926 is exhibited at Le p'tit train de Saint-Trojan
- A Crochat standard gauge locomotive model 44 L 4 N is held by the Museum of Engineering in Angers but is not on public display