Allan Diesel Eletric Railcar My 304

The evolution of trains has always sought to meet the objectives of increasing speed, comfort and convenience, making the services provided more profitable. Thus, the need for vehicles with greater capacity and of different types increased. The first motor vehicles - motorised passenger vehicles without using a locomotive - appeared at the end of the 19th century. Already at that time, conventional trains, composed of locomotives and coaches, implied high costs for regional services. Several European countries, such as Portugal, were making efforts to reduce these costs, by reducing the number of shunting moves, increasing vehicle autonomy and train capacity. Thus, they acquired or manufactured diesel-powered railcars, especially after the Second World War.
These vehicles combined the engine and passenger accommodation in the same unit. Railcar My 304 was part of 35 units ordered from the Dutch manufacturer Allan. With a driver's cab at each end, they were able to easily travel in both directions. Their career was long and they provided services on lines in the central part of the country - such as the West or East Lines and Cáceres and Tomar branches. Between 1999 and 2003, the Allans that were still in service were modernised, becoming the 350 series, with the exception of My 301 and My 304, which retained their original configuration.