Friday, December 16, 2011

the metre-gauge Departmental railways of the Tarn, France

A view of a Billard autorail from 1962 shortly before the end.

The Chemins de Fer Départmentaux de Tarn complete network around Castres and Albi totaled 111 km in metre gauge.
The works on the Albi network began after that of Castres (1904 for Albi to Valence and 1905 for Albi to Alban). This network closed on 31 March 1939.
The south branch:
Castres to Murat sur Vèbre: 75 km
Its branch from Le Boussias to Brassac: 13 km
Highest point: the Col du Plos (altitude of 902 metres)
The difficult terrain involved with the south branch (Castres) which climbed the valley of the Agout and the Guijou necessitated numerous engineering works: 7 big viaducts, numerous bridges and 21 tunnels.
1 July 1905: opening of the section Castres-Vabre.
4 April 1906: le Bouissas-Brassac.
2 June 1907: Vabre-Pierre Ségade.
20 March 1911: Lacaune-Murat.
End of operation: 31 December 1962

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