Narrow gauge railways in France

The French National Railways used to run a considerable number of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge lines, a few of which still operate mostly in tourist areas, such as the St Gervais-Vallorcine (Alps) and the "Train jaune" (yellow train) in the Pyrenees. The original French scheme was that every sous-prefecture should be rail connected. Extensive 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge lines were also built for the sugar-beet industry in the north often using ex-military equipment after the First World War. Decauville was a famous French manufacturer of industrial narrow gauge railway equipment and equipped one of the most extensive regional 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge railway, the Chemins de Fer du Calvados. Corsica has a narrow gauge network of two lines following the coast line, that are connected by one line crossing the island through highly mountainous terrain. The petit train d'Artouste, a tourist line in the Pyrenees, uses 500 mm (19 3⁄4 in) gauge.

Narrow gauge funiculars

1,300 mm (4 ft 3 3⁄16 in)

1,200 mm (3 ft 11 1⁄4 in)

1,100 mm (3 ft 7 5⁄16 in)

600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)

1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)

A Chemins de Fer de Provence train at Gare de Nice CP.

750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)

700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in)

600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)

In France, a 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) towing tramway ran along the Marne-Rhine Canal between Arzviller and Niderviller.[3]

  • Alpine Line; defunct
  • Chemin de Fer de la Vallée de l'Ouche;[4]
  • Chemin de Fer de Saint-Eutrope;[5] 2.5 km, defunct
  • Chemin de fer des Chanteraines; 5.5 km, operating
  • Chemin de Fer des Combes;[6] operating
  • Chemin de fer du Haut-Rhône; 4 km, operating
  • Chemin de fer touristique du fort de Villey-le-Sec; 1.3 km, operating
  • Chemin de fer du Val de Passey à Cholloy
  • Chemins de Fer du Calvados; defunct
  • Compagnie du chemin de fer de Semur en Vallon
  • Conservatoire provençal de patrimoine de véhicules anciens
  • Froissy Dompierre Light Railway; operating
  • Le petit train de Bligny sur Ouche
  • Le petit train de l'Yonne; 2.5 km, operating
  • Le p'tit train de Saint-Trojan; 6 km, operating
  • Maginot Line; defunct
  • Petit train du Port-aux-Cerises; 3 km, operating
  • Rail Rebecq Rognon
  • Tacot des Lacs; 2.5 km, operating
  • Train de Rillé; 3 km, operating
  • Train touristique du Musée de la Mine de Noyant-d'Allier; 1.8 km, operating
  • Tramway de Deauville; defunct
  • Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury; 80 km, part (30 km) operating as a heritage railway
  • Tramway de Rothéneuf
  • Tramway de la Trinité à Étel
  • Tramway de Royan
  • Tramway du Cap-Ferret; operating
  • Tramway du Touquet-Paris-Plage
  • Trianon tramway; defunct

500 mm (19 3⁄4 in)

400 mm (15 3⁄4 in)

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Zeitschrift Blickpunkt Straßenbahn (Tram Focus Magazine) - Trams of the World 2013
  2. ↑ Image of Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat funicular
  3. ↑ Towing tramways
  4. ↑ Le bulletin du CFVO
  5. ↑ Le Chemin de Fer de Saint-Eutrope
  6. ↑ France's historic train routes

Bibliography

  • Organ, John (1999). Vivarais Narrow Gauge: featuring Mallets in the Massif. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706311. 
  • Organ, John (2000). Southern France Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706478. 
  • Organ, John (2002). Northern France Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706753. 
  • Organ, John (2007). Vivarais Revisited: featuring the Ardèche and Haute-Loire regions. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781906008086. 
  • Organ, John (2014). Majorca and Corsica Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781908174413. 

External links

Media related to Narrow gauge railways in France at Wikimedia Commons

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