Grosbliederstroff. A 1950s railcar saved from rust by the B. Karmann workshop.

In a corner of the workshop, the smell of heated metal mingles with that of old, sanded paint. After more than a year of meticulous work, the mechanics at the B. Karmann vintage car repair shop have just completed an unusual project : the complete renovation of the bodywork of a Billard A 80 D railcar, a rare piece dating from the early 1950s. This mission was entrusted to them by the Museum of Steam Trams and French Secondary Railways (MTVS), located in Crèvecœur-le-Grand, near Beauvais.

"We had to redo about 70% of the sheet metal," explains workshop owner Benoît Karmann, who was distracted while adjusting the engine of a 1955 Peugeot 404. "The interior and engine of the railcar will be taken care of by museum volunteers. They are all enthusiasts, ready to give it a new lease of life."

This major project has kept the team busy since June 2024. With patience and precision, the corroded sheet metal was cut, replaced, and welded. Then, piece by piece, the whole thing was reinforced. For those who love numbers, Benoît Karmann shares an anecdote that speaks volumes about the scale of the work: 7,200 rivets were installed one by one, by hand. Enough to restore the solidity of the body of this venerable railway machine.

Once the restoration is fully completed, the Billard A 80 D railcar will return to service for tourist services. A return eagerly awaited by visitors, since these railcars, built in France in the post-war period, have left their mark on the history of small regional lines. Their recognizable appearance and spartan comfort recall a time when rail still irrigated the countryside.

The association chose Benoît Karmann's workshop thanks to the Unecto network (Union of Tourist Railway and Museum Operators). This federation, which brings together between 90 and 100 operators across the country, represents nearly 1,200 kilometers of tourist routes. Each year, it attracts more than 3 million visitors, curious to travel back in time aboard steam trains, railcars, or historic locomotives.

For the workshop, accustomed to the hoods of vintage cars and the curved lines of vintage Peugeots and Citroëns, this project was out of the ordinary. But the philosophy remains the same: to preserve a rolling heritage with respect and authenticity.

"It's a different kind of work, but it's still bodywork, with its constraints and its pleasures," smiles Benoît Karmann. In his garage, the railcar's rivets now sit alongside the slightly tarnished chrome of yesterday's sedans awaiting renovation, like this 1945 Citroën U 23 military truck. A coexistence that perfectly illustrates the company's guiding principle: bringing old-fashioned mechanics back to life so that the public can still enjoy them tomorrow.