TRAIN DE L ARDECHE is a Genuine Historical and Cultural Heritage.

USPA NEWS - Historically, the Chemin de Fer du Vivarais Network provided a service for passengers, mail and goods (mainly wood from the Haut-Vivarais and the Velay plateaux). These mixed Trains ran between the two ends of the line, travelling at an average of 23 km/h...

Historically, the Chemin de Fer du Vivarais Network provided a service for passengers, mail and goods (mainly wood from the Haut-Vivarais and the Velay plateaux). These mixed Trains ran between the two ends of the line, travelling at an average of 23 km/h. The line opened in 1891. A succession of magnificent views and fine man-made structures line the route of the Train de l´Ardèche, a genuine Historical and Cultural Heritage.

* TRAIN DES GORGES

From panoramic carriages, passengers can view the most inaccessible part of the Doux gorges. Man-made structures overhang the River along the most Mediterranean section of its route : pitons and chaotic piles of rocks provide the passengers with views of an untouched and preserved landscape.

* LE MASTROU

Le Mastrou, is the name given to the 'historical' Trips from Tournon to Lamastre which have been running for over 120 years. The day trip starts by discovering the Gorges du Doux, then the Train climbs up the Ardèche Mountain with its sweet chestnut forests to arrive in Lamastre at midday.

* TRAIN DU MARCHÉ

Since the Line opened in 1891, on Tuesday mornings a Special Ttrain stops at each station to take customers to the market in Lamastre. Without having the hassle of driving or finding a place to park, the Train du Marché is an ideal way of getting to the centre of one of the most attractive markets in the Ardèche.

* THE MALLET LOCOMOTIVES

The 200 ton train is pulled by a locomotive identical to the one designed by the engineer Anatole Mallet (1837-1919). Mallet Locomotives are articulated so that they can negotiate the tight curves in the Gorges more easily.

The four double acting pistons are operated by steam from the boiler which contains 3000 litres of water heated to 200°C under 14 bars of pressure. From Tournon to Lamastre the train consumes 700 kgs of coal and 4000 litres of water. Locomotive n°403 has been running the route since 1903.

A listed historical 'Monument', it was carefully restored in 2013 at the workshop of the Chemin de Fer du Vivarais, in Lamastre. Locomotive n°414 (1932) has joined its sister on our line in 2015.

Source : Press Trip March 30-31, 2017 - Celebration of 200 Years of Mallet Locomotives (adding together the years of the two Mallet Locomotives)

Ruby BIRD
http://www.portfolio.uspa24.com/
Yasmina BEDDOU
http://www.yasmina-beddou.uspa24.com/