Chemin de fer du Vivarais

the train going to Lamastre

The Chemin de fer du Vivarais (CFV) - also called The Mastrou - is a tourist railway in the Ardèche region of the South of France. The metre-gauge line is 33 kilometres (21 mi) long. The journey takes two hours by steam-hauled train utilising a fleet including several Mallet articulated locomotives, other steam traction, and a number of railcars.

Originally opened on 12 July 1891, the line closed on 31 October 1968, and reopened as a heritage line the following year, but is currently (2009) closed. The line runs between Tournon, in the Rhône Valley, and Lamastre in the Doux valley. From Lamastre, the original line ran a further 19 kilometres (12 mi) to Le Cheylard.

History

A network of lines was constructed around Vivarais between 1898 and 1903. The network comprised:

• Lavoûte-sur-Loire - Yssingeaux - Raucoules-Brossettes (length 39.4 kilometres (24.5 mi))
• La Voulte-sur-Rhône - Le Cheylard (length 47.5 kilometres (29.5 mi))
• Tournon - Lamastre - Le Cheylard (length 52.2 kilometres (32.4 mi))
• Dunières - Saint-Agrève - Le Cheylard (length 61 kilometres (38 mi))

When the Vivarais network closed in 1968, a group of enthusiasts decided to save part of the network and rolling stock. On June 14, 1969 a tourist operation started between Saint-Jean-de-Muzols and Lamastre. The Meyzieu Tourist Railway Company was created to operate the line, supported by the Association de soutien au Cheman de fer du Vivarais (SGVA), a group of volunteers who restore and maintain the rolling stock. It was not until February 1970 that access was restored to the railway station at Tournon, and the new Tournon - Lamastre line, 33 kilometres (21 mi) long, was officially opened on 18 April 1970.

In 1973 the CFV was forced to buy the rolling stock, track and stations, which made the company CFTM one of the only operators of tourist railways to own the infrastructure and rolling stock.

After operating without assistance for 35 years, the CFV searched for a partner. The department of Ardèche became majority shareholder of the CFV in 2004, when the realisation of the Joint Economic Society (SEM) to be substitutes resulted CFTM with the department's commitment to make a contribution of funds corresponding to the proportion of assets of CFTM. These flows of funds would be materialised in the form of investments on track and rolling stock.

However, these investments remained largely made on the equity of the company, thus creating an operating deficit. Thus, 7 km of track have been rebuilt, but the steam locomotives, very expensive to maintain, found themselves unable to move at the beginning of the 2008 season, leading to discontinuation of service.

On 18 February 2011 the Conseil Général de l'Ardèche and the new operator SNCFV (Société Nouvelle du Chemin de Fer du Vivarais) have signed an agreement to continue the service. The SNCFV was founded by 'Kléber Roussillon' (travel agency) et 'Les Courriers Rhodaniens' (road coach operator) ^[1]. The current stop Saint-Jean-de-Muzols should become the new terminus. From summer 2011 on a velo-rail service is planned between Boucieu le Roi and Douce Plage while steam service should return in 2013 on the lower section St Jean de Muzol - Boucieu-le-Roi ^[2].

Shared formation with the SNCF

Trains depart from the SNCF railway station at Tournon. Access from Saint-Jean-de-Muzols is via the SNCF Givors - Voulte-sur-Rhône section, a length of 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi). The track here is three-rail dual gauge, the only example remaining in France (in a similar arrangement, the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme utilises four-rail dual gauge track). This section includes two tunnels and a viaduct. This line was opened by the PLM in the summer of 1879.

Stations

• Tournon, altitude: 123 metres (404 ft) (all quoted distances are from Tournon)
• Saint-Jean-de-Muzols (2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi))
• Troyes (7 kilometres (4.3 mi))
• Mordane (9 kilometres (5.6 mi))
• Clauzel (11 kilometres (6.8 mi))
• Colombier-le-Vieux / Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain (13 kilometres (8.1 mi))
• Boucieu-le-Roi (18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi)), altitude: 276 metres (906 ft)
• Tincey (19 kilometres (12 mi))
• Arlebosc (22 kilometres (14 mi))
• Le Garnier (24 kilometres (15 mi))
• Le Plat-Empurany (26.1 kilometres (16.2 mi))
• Lamastre (32.6 kilometres (20.3 mi)), altitude: 373 metres (1,224 ft)

Bridges and Tunnels

The CFV has 3 viaducts crossing the River Doux:

• de Troyes, (6 kilometres (3.7 mi)) with 4 20 metres (66 ft) arches.
• d’Arlebosc, (21 kilometres (13 mi)) with 5 12 metres (39 ft) arches.
• du Garnier, (23 kilometres (14 mi)) with 6 12 metres (39 ft) arches.

... and one tunnel:

• Modane, (9 kilometres (5.6 mi)) 265 metres (869 ft) in length.

In addition, the dual-gauge SNCF section, has:

• 2 tunnels under the city of Tournon, of 640 metres (2,100 ft) and 40 metres (130 ft) length.
• 1 viaduct over the River Doux, 165 metres (541 ft) long.

External links

Supporters' and Volunteers' Official website (in French)

References

1. ^ http://ortferroviaire.canalblog.com/archives/2011/02/20/20441318.html
2. ^ http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/europeanrail/message/26668