Chemin de fer du Blanc-Argent

The Chemin de fer du Blanc -Argent is a narrow gauge railway ( 1000 mm gauge ) in central France. Originally she joined Le Blanc in the Indre about Romorantin with Salbris on the railway line to Orleans and led from there to Argent- sur -Sauldre. Today the route is limited to passenger trains in the section Luçay -le- Mâle - Romorantin- Salbris. Between Argy and Luçay -le- Mâle runs a museum railway.

History and route

The construction of the meter-gauge railway line was started in 1899, in the years 1901/1902 it was opened in four stages. Southern endpoint was shared with the PO operated above the town lying railway station of Le Blanc on the northern slope of the valley of the Creuse. In the northeast, the route initially crosses the " Pays aux mille étangs " ( land of a thousand lakes ) and crosses in Buzançais the standard gauge railway line Châteauroux- Tours. This section was shut down in 1953.

From this community station the track for freight on some kilometers to Argy was umgespurt. Remains of the narrow gauge railway were preserved after the section to Luçay -le- Mâle in 1980 was finally abandoned for passenger and 1988. Part of this route section is a listed building, has been operating since 2002 between Argy and Luçay -le- Mâle the tourist train Train du Bas- Berry. Since 2009, the - until then served by regular trains - Section Luçay -le- Mâle - Valençay closed to passenger due to technical reasons.

In the small town of Valençay station still operated in regular passenger train route part begins. A first interchange station for SNCF is located northeast in Gièvres at the track Vierzon -Tours. It is especially useful for connecting passengers to and from Romorantin importance, whereas even a standard gauge track leads ( rest of the former range Villefranche -sur- Cher Blois ), but which is used only for freight.

Romorantin is the largest town and its train station, operating midpoint of the segment. Here are the depot and the former transshipment of freight transport.

Behind Romorantin the route turns east and reached in Salbris the SNCF mainline Orléans -Montauban. The remaining portion to Argent- sur -Sauldre where connection was also on the standard gauge, had been shut down in tourist traffic in 1939. The freight was adjusted in two stages in 1951 and 1973.

In Argent- sur -Sauldre also ended which also meter gauge track from La Guerche- sur- l'Aubois. She was 98 km long and was shut down on 1 August 1948.

Current Situation

The freight traffic on the narrow gauge railway was finally closed in 1988, only at Argy a silo will continue to serve on the new standard gauge track.

Owner of the track is the RFF, SNCF operators belonging to the Compagnie du Blanc Argent. 400,000 travelers are transported every year.

The maximum speed limit was lowered in 2010 on the entire route for safety of 70 km / h to 40 km / h. 2011, a program was agreed with a circumference of 13.6 million euros to modernize the distance between the RFF and the Région Centre. Which began in April 2012, works have been concluded, the top speed is since January 7, 2013 70 km / h

Rolling stock

2003, five new diesel railcar (X 74501-74505 ) were put into service, in 2010 there were two older railcars of Class X 240 (X 241 and 242) from the years 1983/84 modernized back on track.

Railcars X 242 Romorantin

X 212 in Romorantin

Railcars in Romorantin, 1976

Railcars X 224 of the Train du Bas -Berry in Argy

Diesel locomotive 14 in Romorantin

Train du Bas -Berry

The Société pour l' animation du Blanc Argent ( SABA ) leads since 1995 by a museum traffic on the stretch of Argy after Luçay -le- Mâle. Are used steam hauled trains with two-axle tank locomotive 11 and three diesel railcars. Other vehicles, including the work-up steam locomotive located in 24 ( Four coupler ) and two Deutz diesel locomotives (formerly Euskirchener circular orbits ) complement the vehicle park. Resources point is the Écueillé station, is mainly driven on Sundays from May to September.

→ Main article Train du Bas -Berry

Gallery

Museum Railway Train du Bas -Berry in Écueillé

Freight cars and hand turnouts in Luçay -le- Mâle

BA X 213 in Valençay, 1993

Community station Gièvres, 1993

Railcars of series X 210 in Gièvres, 1993

Two gauges in Romorantin Station (on the right a standard gauge track)