shorthistory3

At the beginning of the First World War in 1914, the total length of the secondary railway network in France had nearly reached its peak, at 18,000km, although it continued to grow slowly until 1928 when it reached its maximum size at 22,000 km ( 13,750 miles). This was a vast network being more than half the length of all the main lines in France

( 40,000km in 1930 ).

But it could not be sustained without subsidies, and these were gradually reduced. After the War, costs of coal and wages increased drastically, while competition in the form of motor vehicles changed the economics of the Little Trains.

After the first thirty years of development of secondary railways, two specialist companies emerged as leaders in the field of secondary rail transport; Compagnie des chemins de fer departementaux ( "CFD") and Societe Generale d'exploitation des chemins de fer economiques ("SE"). The latter company later became C.F.T.A. (Ste des Chemin de fer et transport automobile) and survives today.

The Great War had contrasting effects on the Little Trains. In the north of France, 2ft gauge lines were widely constructed and used to supply the front lines. Elsewhere, the lack of staff and resources caused services to be cut and many lines did not survive..

130 B 348 was rebuilt in 1922 upon an original structure dating back into the 19th century.

This attractive, light, simple yet robust engine survived in service until 1969 on rural lines.

It can be seen at Longueville depot, although no longer in working order.

The years beween 1918 and 1939 were challenging. Competition emerged, where none had existed before, in the form of the motor coach.using the roads, alongside which the secondary railway had often elected to share space. Although moderately uncomfortable and unreliable at first, the motor coach improved and imposed the advantages of speed compared to the steam trains, economy in conveying a small number of passengers and flexibility in serving more communities, more conveniently, and more frequently.

Some of the little trains responded to the new competition by "borrowing" the internal combustion engine and constucting diesel railcars. These were faster and more comfortable than the steam hauled mixed trains which were relegated to freight only duties. The new railcars arrived in the mid 1930's, already too late for many lines. By 1945, the secondary railway network had declined from its peak of 22,000 km to 12,000 km.

A response to the motor vehicle, these are two Billard diesel railcars built in 1937 and now restored and working on the Vivarais network at Saint Agreve. The design is typical of a kind of vehicle which could be seen on many secondary lines from the mid-1930's onwards until closure. More pictures can be found here.

During the 1930's the closures of secondary railway lines accelerated as the convenience of road transport was recognized. The railway system suffered from the extra costs of maintenance of its infrastructure; track, bridges, tunnels, whereas the competition could use the roads free of charge.

At this critical time, the surviving railway systems were particularly those in mountainous areas where the winter conditions provided an advantage to the railway.

Many traces of the Little Trains remain today, as their solidly built stations are now used for different purposes. Two examples, among many, are shown below.

High in the Jura mountains, in the department of the Doubs, at Morteau, opposite the main ex-PLM station can be found the original terminus of a 45 km long metre gauge line to Maiche and Trevilliers. Opened in 1905, the line closed in 1952. Two or three trains a day were operated, and in 1914 the journey lasted 2hrs 40 mins.

At the isolated town of Corbigny in the department of the NIEVRE, and opposite the ex-PLM station, we can see the surviving station of the S.E. line to Saulieu and to Nevers. These two lines were opened in 1903 and operated until 1939.

The Second World War was fatal for the survival of most of the remaining little trains of France. We shall see, in the third section of this short history, how a few small railway lines were saved from closure and live on.