Mediterranean–Niger Railway

The Mediterranean-Niger-Railway (MN)[1] (French: Chemins de Fer de la Méditerranée au Niger) was a railway in Western Africa.

The Mediterrean-Niger Railway was built between the coal mining region near Bou Arfa in the east of Morocco and the Algerian rail system at Oujda, completed as standard gauge route between Gran and Oujda in 1922, while Fes was reached in 1934.[2]

In 1940/41 construction was begun on the Algerian segment of the Mediterranean-Niger-Railway as part of the Trans Saharan Railway. The line made a connection with the Moroccan segment, completed in 1931, at Bou Arfa and continued into Algeria to connect with the 1,055 mm (3 ft 5 12 in) narrow gauge line Oran - Colomb-Béchar, built in 1910.[3]

In 1963 Morocco nationalized its railroad system under the name of the Moroccan Railways (Office National des Chemins de Fer du Maroc ONCF). MN was liqidised.[4] The part of MN from the Southern border to Colomb-Béchar was closed.[5] Colomb-Béchar was still reached by the narrow gauge line.

References

  1. English name following Strack.
  2. http://utahrails.net/articles/north-africa-railroads.php
  3. see: Faur; Pottier
  4. http://france.globe24h.com/lex/jorf/008/00865/0000865263.shtml
  5. http://www.alger-roi.net/Alger/transports/bouchet/pages/8_transsaharien_bouchet.htm
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