The numbers 3211 to 3362 designated a total of 152 four-cylinder compound 0-8-0 locomotives built between 1892 and 1895. 25 had been built by Schneider, 60 by Fives-Lille, 35 by Cail, 20 by Batignolles and twelve by Franco-Belge. They were based on the prototypes 3201 and 3202 built in 1887 and 1889. The production locomotives had the same general layout, but their boiler had shorter tubes which were of a larger diameter.

Generally being freight locomotives, they got relatively large drivers with a diameter of 1,500 mm to be able to haul heavy passenger trains in the mountains. But usually, they were used in freight service on lines like the 900 km between Paris and Marseilles. Although this had only easy grades, it had high traffic volumes and needed powerful locomotives. The inside high pressure cylinders drove the third axle, while the outside low pressure cylinders drove the second axle. To ensure curve negotiation, the first and fourth axles had a lateral play of 25 mm.

In 1898, numbers 3261 to 3300 were rebuilt into 4-6-0 locomotives. With the new designation scheme, these became 230 D 1 to 40. The unrebuilt locomotives became 4 B 1 to 112. The last ones of the rebuilt locomotives survived until 1938 and did not get a SNCF number. Of the original 0-8-0 locomotives, 3219, the later 4 B 9, is still on static display at Carnoules.