Reseau D'Indre-et-Loire 0-6-0 Locomotives in France

Class unknown (Locobase 9235)

Data from A. Sampite, Les Chemins de Fer a Faible Trafic en France (Paris: Baudry et Cie, 1888), p. 279-280 and G Humbert, Traite des Chemins de Fer d'Interet Local (Paris: Ch Beranger, 1893) , p. 269-270.. See also [] for a history of these Freycinet Plan railways.

Beginning with his opening comment -- that this network of lines was a "disastrous conception" -- Sampite scores virtually every aspect of the construction, equipment, and operation of these three lines (pp 271-289). The longest of the three by far was the Port Boulet a Chateaurenault (103 km/64 miles) that opened in 1882 and almost immediately plunged into a deficit.

Couillet supplied five of the engines, St Leonard the other three.

Among other shortcomings that related directly to locomotive operation were the following: Such was the layout that trains were limited to 60 meters in length including locomotive. So trains were limited to 70 tons in 6-8 waggons or coaches.

Turntables were designed for locomotives with wheelbases measuring 2.1 meters (6 ft 10 1/2") and the locomotives they bought had wheelbases of 2.4 meters. Thus the engines could never be turned, running forward in one direction, backing up in the other. Drivers on these locomotives were so small that maximum speed couldn't exceed 30 km/h (19 mph) and the low-slung running gear often ran afoul of the indifferent ballast and required frequent maintenance.

Obviously strapped for cash for most of its existence, the railway made do with these engines until 1936, when they replaced by diesel-powered railcars.