[ CHEMINS DE FER RURAUX DE FRANCE ]
This railway line includes several stations in traditional red brick and some mechanical signals. Since my visit, the train services are now mostly operated with X 73500 railcars of Picardy region, the green and cream EAD units illustrated are now quite infrequent. Steam loco 231 K 8 passed along the line in September 2006 from Le Tréport to Paris Nord with a special train.This line once had considerable strategic importance as it provided an alternative route connecting the Ile de France to the Marne. The western end is now electrified to Coulomiers. At the eastern extremity, the line is open from Esternay to Sézanne and beyond for cereals traffic. There is also a "tourist" train there with a Picasso railcar on summer Sundays in July/August. Call the tourist office in Sézanne for details.This double track rural line was once the main line from Paris to Reims. It is used as diversionary route in the event of trouble between Epernay and Meaux on line 4. With the introduction of the TGV Est in June 2007, the opportunities to see diesel hauled Corail trains on this line seem to have disappeared.From Paris-Est to La Ferté Milon the train services are organised by Transilien (Ile de France) even though La Ferté Milon is in Picardie.But from La Ferté Milon to Reims the rural population served is small and the transport offer correspondingly thin.This line provides access from Nancy to Mirecourt, Vittel and Contrexeville. The mineral water is transported southwards by rail from those two towns. Between Pont St Vincent and Mirecourt the single track line sweeps in gentle curves across the Lorraine countryside serving small hamlets. Mirecourt was once an important junction but in the spring of 2006, the site was drastically simplified. A few mechanical signals remain. This single track line penetrates deep into the Jura mountains. It is used by local services to and from Dôle and Dijon which terminate at Saint Claude. One of the marvels of French railway construction is to be found at Morez with its four viaducts and tunnels. Once the exclusive domaine of the X 2800 diesel railcar, this line is now operated with modern X 73500 and AGC railcars. I will revisit this line in 2008.This single track line penetrates the Jura mountains from the south via Les Cluses and the famous Cize-Bolozon viaduct. It carried traffic between Lyon, Bourg and Saint Claude/Morez.This single track line climbs steeply out of the urban centre of Besançon and crosses the "steps" of the Jura mountains before descending into the valley of the Doubs to arrive at Morteau. A few more kilometres and the line dives through a short tunnel to emerge into Switzerland.The X 2800 railcar has now been replaced by X 73500 and AGC railcars on this line, except for one daily round trip between Besançon and Le Valdahon on week days. This is the last 2800 diagram in France. As of 24th March 2008, This is one of my favourite rural rail networks to be found principally in the departments of the Yonne and the Nievre, and easily accessible by road from the A6 Autoroute du Soleil, and by rail from Paris-Bercy.The lines south of Auxerre have survived certainly due to the actions of two determined rail user groups which intervened effectively first with SNCF and then, from 2000 onwards with Bourgogne Region which then took over responsibility for the local trains.Mid 2006 was an important time for this network. On the 28th August 2006, timetables were revised and new railcars(X 73500, BGC) replaced the older EAD units.In recent years, three different organisations have been responsible for operating both passenger and freight trains and maintaining the infrastructure on the Morvan network; CFTA based at Clamecy, VFM subsidiary of VFLI, a subsidiary of SNCF, based at Autun, and SNCF itself.In 2006, SNCF decided to "rationalise" this situation. The contract with CFTA was not renewed and that company, with its blue BB locomotives, left Clamecy at the end of August 2006 after 50 years of presence. Responsibility for all freight trains on the network was given to Fertis, a low cost subsidiary of VFLI. The VFM company was liquidated and most of the employees were transferred to Fertis. The two attractive red liveried BB locomotives belonging to VFLI were moved elsewhere.As far as the infrastructure is concerned, the state of the track is not good and speed and weight restrictions are in force south of Cravant-Bazarnes towards Avallon/Autun and Clamecy/Corbigny. Repairs are being made to improve line speed for the new passenger rolling stock.During August 2007, the 16 km from Auxerre to Cravant-Bazarnes were closed for the month and the single line track was renewed. The original line speed ,110kph, has now been restored. In 2009, a similar renewal of infrastructure will be carried out on Cravant - Clamecy.A double track cross country railway linking the Bourbonnais main line with the Dijon - Lyon mainline at Chagny. Telegraph wires still present along most of the line.This metre gauge single track line (part of the TER Centre network) from Salbris through the forest of Sologne to Romorantin and on to Valençay and Luçay le Mâle retains the original atmosphere of secondary railways that once criss-crossed the country in the 1920's.Without a break, the track continues southwards from Luçay-le-Mâle for another 20 km to Argy. This section has been purchased by the local villages and a heritage association has restored old rolling stock and runs trains on summer Sundays. Their base is at Ecueillé.This line crosses the Beauce and has an interesting station at Chateaudun, still equiped with mechanical signalsThis line reaches a summit of 1,000 metres and serves the spa town and mountain resort of Le Mont Dore.There are several junctions, at Volvic with the line north to Montluçon via Fades, at Laqueuille with the short branch line to Le Mont Dore, at Eygurande-Merlines with the line to Montluçon via Auzances.Mechanical signals are present at Volvic, Laqueuille, Eygurandes and at Ussel, and all intermediate stations are protected by semaphores.In 2008, the track layout at Ussel will be simplified and much of the land sold to the town. The mechanical signals along the line (Ussel - Laqueuille) will be replaced with a modern train control system.At present, few passenger trains are running on the line between Ussel and Laqueuille. Rail services between Limoges, Brive and Clermont- Ferrand have been cut and it is necessary to take a motor coach between Clermont and Ussel. The Regions of Auvergne and Limousin have not communicated the reasons for the destruction of the through rail services between the three capitals.Mineral water is bottled near Le Mont Dore and transported by train daily Mondays to Fridays down to Clermont-Ferrand. A rail branch to a second water bottling plant near Laqueuille is planned and was recently approved.This 80 km long country line serves no large centres of population and only one return service a day is operated.The line saw a Corail express from Paris to Ussel on Friday evenings with a return working Sunday evenings. This train kept the line open until Christmas 2007 when the train was withdrawn. The line is notable for three metal viaducts and it is used by the daily Bordeaux - Lyon service.page to be created in 2008This line is clearly threatened with closure, and limited throughout to 40 kph due to state of the track. Yet it crosses the second highest viaduct in Europe at Fades.An attractive and busy little single track line through Dordogne with each station from Nexon to Périgueux protected by semaphore signals.The line carries the Bordeaux - Lyon train daily(this is now operated with X 72500 stock), but has lost the Paris - Périgueux Corail, now replaced by a Teoz to Limoges and a connection to a TER railcar.A picturesque line along the banks of the Vienne to Eymoutiers and then a climb through the forest to the Plateau des Millevaches.All the stations are under renovation financed by the Limousin Region. Passenger traffic(TER) is increasing at more than 10% per annum in this region.In the summer, a steam train operates from Limoges along the line (141 TD 840 )line page to be re-published in 2008Several new pages are planned for 2008, the first will be Longueville - Provins - Villers St Georges