AMTP in Pithiviers, France

[Bob Holmes]

We are wrestling with the same issues here in Maine, as the Delta variant surges.  It's going to effect the WW&F, but in ways not yet predictable.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

 I wonder when we will begin to see daylight. People would better got vaccinated  instead of being up in arms over the implementation of the compulsory sanitary pass.

[Bill Baskerville]

Alain,
A picture of French people protesting the compulsory pass appeared on the front page of our newspaper this morning.

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

Alain

Check your SPAM file. I have sent you some PMs and have not heard from you.

Looked in our SPAM file and found dozen+ that should have gone through. With
no idea why they went to SPAM

Carl 

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

NEWS FROM PITHIVIERS
Hello MTP operating season will end with the Halloween Specials. In September as every year the association shared in the European Heritage Festival. On that occasion every visitor has benefited from the reduce fares-8$- plus they were entitled to a conducted tour not only of the museum but of the engine house and shop. They also watched the locomotive being oriented for its next train on the turntable. Sunday a chartered historic train  brought along to the MTP 180 passengers from Orleans on the SNCF  standard gauge line that links the two towns. Over that sunny weekend 530 people altogether rode the only train on the line powered by # 9 that ran four round trips between Pithiviers and Bellébat the end station each day. Needless to say that the 6 cars- 4 enclosed cars and 2 opens-  that were in consist were mostly packed solid. Of course Sunday evening every volunteer was happy about that big time success. Since the late opening in May around 4300 people have rode the trains so hopefully if the turnout for Halloween's ad Santa's Specials is good the association might reach 5000 visitors within the year. Time will tell. Projects as regards the refurbishment of the rollingstock don't come along as fast as at WW&F and the to-do list is long but President Sebastien Delefortrie and his crew are confident about future. The financial siutation is still fine and 2022 will be an eventful year. I'll keep you posted

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

AMTP'S DUES AND FARES
For the record membership dues are for "les membres actifs"  i e the volunteers 10.50 $ for the benefactors "les membres bienfaiteurs" 46.50 $ and for the young under 18  " les membres juniors" 12.6 $. No life member out here. There are only 100 members in the association but I don't know the allocation between the three categories. Actually a benefactor membership is as off 46.50$ and I know that quite a lot of them round off it as a way to donate. The total  amount of the dues was  4125$ in 2020. As a perk the ride on the train  is free of charge for  every member  plus they get an annual newsletter.
As regards the fares that include a round trip to Bllébat and the visit of the museum full fare ticket costs 10.50$ ,reduced fare tickets for children from 4 to 12, 8.15$ no fare under 4 of course. There are special fares for those that travel in groups. Those fares are the same even in case of big events with very few exceptions and for the European Heritage Weekend every riders pays the reduced fare. In 2020 the income from the sell of  tickets was 40970$.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

NEWS FROM PITHIVIERS
No sooner had Santa gone back to the North Pole than MTP steam locomotives were winterized and the passenger cars sheltered. Despite the pandemic and all the governmental prevention measures, it has been bringing about througout the year our railway has welcomed 5743 riders against 2895 in 2020. If the Easter Egg Hunting Specials had not been cancelled because of the third lockdown the turnout will have been over the  one of 2019 that is to say 6011 but with what-ifs... Anyway the financial position is excellent. This is all the better since it turns out that for the very next few years the rolling stock will need expensive new parts such as wheel tyres, bearings, crank pins and boiler tubes all those parts will be soon beyond repair.
Given the rocketing price of steel the retubing of the boiler of the big superheated locomotive 080 #12  will wait for better days- see reply #187. So for the next oerating season that will start at Easter, if all being well, MTP will  have yet again two steam locomotives in running order namely 260 #9 and 080 #4 Brigadelok plus 062 #3 if the boiler inspector allows it to run with a reduced boiler pressure-see reply#179.
Nevertheless the go-getting leadership and volunteers have started to prepare a few big events for 2022 but they are fully aware yet that those events will totally depend on the impredictable evolution of the never-ending C19. Time will tell.
Happy New Year but stay safe and healthy.

[Mike Fox]

Great news Alain. Happy New Year

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thanks Mike, Happy New Year to you and your family have a great evening.

[Bill Baskerville]

Alain,
Thanks for the recap of the year and that it was so positive.  It is amazing that so many wonderful people continue to come thru to bring success to AMTP and WW&F.  I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous 2022.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Bill. Thank you for your greetings. You're right Bill, AMTP and WW&F are both run by dedicated and skillfull volunteers that are keen on keeping  alive those two historic twofooters for their pleasure and for the one of all those that come and ride their trains. Happy Birthday Bill and it's my turn to wish you and your family an Happy and healthy New Year.

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

NEWS FROM PITHIVIERS
It's high time I gave you some news from AMTP. Oddly enough the off-season work cessions were mostly devoted to repairing 1.55 miles of salvaged two foot portative track pannels for an outstanding event that will take place out of the precincts of the MTP in September  I'll talk about it in due course .Good news , finally 3 steam locomotives are up and running for the operating season since the 100 year old boiler of the 062 MTP #10 has successfully undergone its yearly inspection. The kick-off day of the operating season was at Easter. Over that long weekend 587 visitors enjoyed the hoped-for return of  the Easter Egg Hunting Specials cancelled in 2020 and  2021 because of the COVID 19 crisis. Since Easter steam powering trains have been running Sundays but the ridership is poor. In June over the Withsun long weekend the first big event of the season will be held. AMTP will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the railcar built by Crochat for the Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury TPT. This one of a kind  railcar is still in running order it's powered by a gas engine Aster that drives a generator that feeds an electric engine. In 1922 that system was new and unheard and the MTP Crochat is often regarded as one of the ancestor of the diesel electric locomotives. A new guest has recently entered the museum. This is a Mallet 040+040 steam locomotive built by Koppel in 1905 for the TPT that left Pithiviers going on 60 years ago. The financial situation of the association is good and the feelgood factor is definitely back among the volunteers and the leadership.

[Jeff Schumaker]

I'm glad to hear things are looking up for AMPT.

Jeff S.

[Wayne Laepple]

Thanks for the report of good news, Alain. Any chance of a photo of the "new" Mallet?

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Thank you Jeff and Wayne for your replies but sorry I can't find any picture of the Mallet that fits the 400KB limit but  you can find pics of that locomotive on the fb page of the Musée des transports de Pithiviers posted on April 15th .