AMTP in Pithiviers, France

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thank you for your explanations. I'm not only a newcomer to the WW&F but to a discussion forum as well. Hoboes were part of the railroad in the thirties  quite a lot of songs were written and movies shot about their lives .Maybe there were any that rode the trains  of the WW&F Railroad before it was closed down. I guess you don't have any hobo on your trains now.
In Pithiviers every passenger buys their old style tickets at the station window before boarding the train and during the return journey the conductor ask for the tickets "Controle des billets s'il vous plait !" and punch them. It's part of the the"folklore" and I have never found a faredogger. Kids love that and me too.  Does the conductor punch the  tickets on the train during the journey ?

[John McNamara]

Does the conductor punch the  tickets on the train during the journey ?

Yes, we do, using real railway ticket punches. The ticket stock is a reproduction of the original WW&F Railway ticket stock, which not only adds to the authenticity, but also provides a souvenir.
-John M

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Does the conductor punch the  tickets on the train during the journey ?

Yes, we do, using real railway ticket punches. The ticket stock is a reproduction of the original WW&F Railway ticket stock, which not only adds to the authenticity, but also provides a souvenir.
-John M

At the AMTP in Pithiviers we use small rectangular cardboard tickets marked A.M.T.P. that are much like those  used  by S.N.C.F. (the French national railroad company) until the late seventies. They are made in Switzerland and cost a lot but w'll go  on buying them because out here they also provide a souvenir. By the way what is the job of the conductor on your trains?  And when there are several trains on the main how are their runs scheduled. Who is in charge of the safety of the train running ? Is your Rule Book mandatory?
I'm interested in railroad rules and regulations because I'm the co-writter of the A.M.T.P. Rule Book that is mandatory in France.

Picsous Alain Delassus

[James Patten]

The Conductor is in charge of the train, and tells the engine crew when it's time to leave the station, where they are going, any issues that he might know about on the way ("work crew at Milepost 6").  For our normal operations we have the primary "first class" train, and a secondary "second class" train which is usually the Model T railcar.  They meet at Alna Center.

For complicated days, such as the upcoming Victorian Christmas, we'll have a dispatcher who's job it is to keep track of where everything is.  We'll be running two trains, although only one out on the line at any time.

[Stephen Piwowarski]

I should mention that our regular runs operate by timetable authority. Other trains outside of regular operations are either self dispatched (if the only train operating) or dispatched by a dispatcher.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

At the AMTP two westbound trains and an eastbound train can run on the main at the same time . The eastbound one is switching into a  passing siding called Les Carrières located around half way between Pithiviers and the end station Bellébat to wait for the two westbound trains that follow each other by 5 minutes. The engine crew and the conductors are informed of the mouvements of the trains by the dispatcher before pulling away from the station or by phone. When possible they are given writting orders. Of course there is a yearly schedule valid for sundays and legal holidays and mostly there is only one train on the main. But when a big event takes place like a Steam Festival a special schedule is set up  and it's a lot of fun for everybody.

[Bob Holmes]

Alain, what is the total length (km or miles) of the AMTP?

[Wayne Laepple]

Here's a little clip from YouTube of the railway at Pithiviers. From what I can find on-line, the railway is about 4 kilometers, or 2.5 miles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-bIIrDgWY8

[Jeff Schumaker]

That's quite a collection of locomotives. I particularly like the little diesel.

Jeff S.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 Correct the line is for the moment as long as yours but it 'll never be extended while you guys you'll reach Albion some day for sure .  The line goes through a well known area called "La Beauce" that looks like the Midwest  flat,  grain and sugarbeet fieds as far as the eyes can see  big farms  and lonely small communities   giant electricity pylones and grain elevators and for ten years wind power mills.There are quite a lot of interesting movies about le chemin de fer de Pithiviers on You Tube  and the association has fb too.

Picsou-Alain Delassus

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hi !
The AMTP's locomotive stock consists of 5 steam locomotives two diesel locomotives and a small one that looks a bit like the Brookville and a rail car.
   Steam locomotives are #4 (brown) a 080 by Henschel  in 1917 10.5 net tons .  #5 (blue) a 060 by Blanc Misseron in 1902  11 net tons .  #9 (red) a 260 by La Meuse in 1938 14.3 net tons.   #10( green for the moment) a 062 by Decauville in 1902 10.5 net tons and #12 (black) by Ateliers du nord de la France (ANF) in 1945 21 net tons. Unfortunately they are seldom up and running at the same time. Currently only #4 and #9 are in running order . Next year in May #10 will join them.  #5 and 10 are  waiting for a general overhaul and the thorough checking and test of their boilers by the local bureau of the Industry Departement that is compulsory every 10 years out here.
  Diesel side now #T11 ( grey and red ) that you can see switching on the  Youtube movie a 060 plus a driving axle by Gmeinder in 1944 17.6 net tons.  #15 (orange and brown) a 040 by Gmeinder 9 net tons and # T14 (green) a 040 by Campagne  in 1924 only 1.65 net tons but very servicable. They are all in running order.
  And to finish with the railcar  #AT1  a 040 by Crochat in 1922 5.50 net tons a one of a kind in running order.
All the steam locomotives and the railcar are listed as Monument Historique. When there is a special event ( twice a year) there often are guest steam locomotives from other two footer.
By the way the maximum steam pressure in the boiler of  your "sweet" #9 is 140 PSI  I'd like to know if it was the same  pressure when it was built in1891 or if it is the mandated pressure required by the authority that checks the boiler. Out here the maximum  steam pressure is 176.5 PSI (12 bars).

[Bernie Perch]

Alain,

Could you tell us about the railroad?  I Google mapped it and traveled the whole length from the terminal to the loop.  What is that loop area all about?  It is a spot of trees in the middle of fields.  Was it something else before this became a heritage line?  Was the line longer at one time? Were there branch lines?  Is there a map of the line if it was longer?  What was it built to serve?

Bernie Perch

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hi !
The AMTP's locomotive stock consists of 5 steam locomotives two diesel locomotives and a small one that looks a bit like the Brookville and a rail car.
   Steam locomotives are #4 (brown) a 080 by Henschel  in 1917 10.5 net tons .  #5 (blue) a 060 by Blanc Misseron in 1902  11 net tons .  #9 (red) a 260 by La Meuse in 1938 14.3 net tons.   #10( green for the moment) a 062 by Decauville in 1902 10.5 net tons and #12 (black) by Ateliers du nord de la France (ANF) in 1945 21 net tons. Unfortunately they are seldom up and running at the same time. Currently only #4 and #9 are in running order . Next year in May #10 will join them.  #5 and 10 are  waiting for a general overhaul and the thorough checking and test of their boilers by the local bureau of the Industry Departement that is compulsory every 10 years out here.
  Diesel side now #T11 ( grey and red ) that you can see switching on the  Youtube movie a 060 plus a driving axle by Gmeinder in 1944 17.6 net tons.  #15 (orange and brown) a 040 by Gmeinder 9 net tons and # T14 (green) a 040 by Campagne  in 1924 only 1.65 net tons but very servicable. They are all in running order.
  And to finish with the railcar  #AT1  a 040 by Crochat in 1922 5.50 net tons a one of a kind in running order.
All the steam locomotives and the railcar are listed as Monument Historique. When there is a special event ( twice a year) there often are guest steam locomotives from other two footer.
By the way the maximum steam pressure in the boiler of  your "sweet" #9 is 140 PSI  I'd like to know if it was the same  pressure when it was built in1891 or if it is the mandated pressure required by the authority that checks the boiler. Out here the maximum  steam pressure is 176.5 PSI (12 bars).

Erratum... Some Latin now for achange. Well #12 was actually builded by Société Franco Belge de Matériel de Chemin  de Fer . It's  a powerful locomotive 320 HP able to haul a 165 net tons train on a 2.3 % grade .It features a superheater and a generator that looks like the one of your #9. Easy to stoke up and interesting to drive It was the one I like the best.

Picsous Alain Delassus
p

[John L Dobson]

Alain,

Could you tell us about the railroad?  I Google mapped it and traveled the whole length from the terminal to the loop.  What is that loop area all about?  It is a spot of trees in the middle of fields.  Was it something else before this became a heritage line?  Was the line longer at one time? Were there branch lines?  Is there a map of the line if it was longer?  What was it built to serve?

Bernie Perch

The AMPT is a remnant of a much larger system (the TPT) that closed as a commercial business in 1964. It was an extensive agricultural light railway, constructed (I believe) around 1920 using locomotives and rolling stock from the military light railways used by both sides to serve the trenches during WW1. It used equipment from both sides. The major traffic was sugar beet, but it also carried other agricultural products. The Ffestiniog Railway's Alco 2-6-2T Mountaineer worked here for many years as TPT No.3-23, before being bought by an FR supporter after the TPT closed.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hi Bernie and John,

 Thank you for being interested in that French two footer . I'll soon tell you more about the line and the loop . In the meantime you can log onto Wikipédia Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury and the AMTP web site amtp-cfpithiviers.comwww. oramtp-pithiviers.wifeo.com to learn more about the  line builded  by the Decauville company in 1892 and the beginnings of the very first French volunteer-run scenic railroad in 1966.

See you soon.
 amtp-cfpithiviers.com
Picsous-Alain Delassus