AMTP in Pithiviers, France

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Brigadelok

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And a few minutes later indeed the Speeder

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MTP and TERRES DEJIM 2022 TDJ 2022 Following of the replies#239,249 and 254 above.
The contract signed between TDJ 2022and AMTP hartened of course the volunteers but fixed them a dead line August 31th. So a few more volunteers came forward to repair the pannels tracks and in late March 2022 0.25 mile out of 0.62  was fixed.
As the operating season started at Easter the repairs could only continue on Saturdays given that the museum was open and the trains ran every Sunday as of Easter. Moreover in early June AMTP was involved  in a three day's festival at the Chemin de Fer Touristique de la Haute Somme that celebrated its 50th Anniversary during which two MTP steam locomotives ran on their main line. A week later a big three day's Festival was held in Pithiviers to celebrate the Centennial of the railcar Crochat MTP #AT1.
As of July the train ran three days a week until late August. Fortunately it was vacation time and quite a lot of volunters spent most of it in Pithiviers to run the diesel powered scheduled trains and to work on the railyard. To complete the 0.93 mile of needed track AMTP had still to find 0.31 mile of two foot gauge pannel tracks in good repair condition. They found them at two other tourist railways that willingly accepted to lend them as long as they would not have to pay for the haulage to Outarville and back. TDJ 2022 agreeded to pay that expense.
 

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MTP and TERRES DE JIM 2022 TDJ2022 Following and end of the reply above.
In July despite the dogdays  the repairs went on. A few curved pannel tracks were made to fit the tight curves located at each angle of the rectangular loop of track wich you can partly see on a pic attached to reply #241 above. Finally in early August all the pannel tracks and the switch left Pithiviers to Outarville a small town located hardly 12.40 miles from Pithiviers where the open-field agricultural show would be held in September.
After August 15th a small crew of volunteers went to Outarville to lay the track and to save time decided to camp on the site and despite the relentless hot weather the rectangular loop of track  was laid in 5 days with the help of a  forklift lent by a farmer. In early September the rolling stock left Pithiviers easily loaded on flat bed trailers hauled by farm tractors all due to the practical loading ramp that had been built in Bellébat in Spring 2022. Several test trains ran the loop and after a few adjustments everything was OK and ready for the opening of the biggest open-field agricultural show in Europe on September 9th.
You can read the reply #239 above that tells you all about that amazing long weekend. The AMTP volunteers are proud and happy about winning that strenuous challenge. The involvement of the association in TDJ 2022 will stay one of the biggest event that occured in its 56 year long history.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Alain,

Will the MTP be involved with TDJ 2023?

Jeff S.

[john d Stone]

I really enjoy reading the news and seeing the photographs of the AMTP. You certainly have a classy operation! The locomotive fleet is fascinating and the roadside running reminds me of US interurban electric lines of years ago. The Outarville event sounded like a real challenge which was perfectly met!

[John McNamara]

I've heard that French spoken in Canada is a lot different than French spoken in France. What about written French? The reason I ask is that when the WW&F completes the Quebec Extension, it will be important that we get the signs correct. I'm hoping that our contacts at AMTP can assist us. I suppose we could practice by posting a sign or two in proper (?) French on the North side of Route 218 "Only [X] Km to Quebec."

-John M

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Thank you so much you all for your reply. I m on vacation in Perpignan located in the Midi of France. So I m far away from my computer and it  s not easy for me to reply withmy smart phone I ll do it next week when I m back.

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Replies to Jeff Schumaker John d Stone and John Mc Namara
That's it I'm back home far from the mild and sunny Mediterranean climat. Thank you so much for showing interest in AMTP.
For the mooment,Jeff ,I don't know if the association will be invoved in TDJ 2023 that will de held in Northern France but I haven't been in Pithiviers since early November. I'll get some information when I go there in mid December for the Santa's Special Weekends. I'll keep you posted.
Yes John we are happy about running such an intresting and historic tourist railway. We are especially proud of the museum  that is by now almost entirely dedicated to the history and rolling stock of the Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury ,TPT, established in 1892 that was untill 1966 the forebearer of the AMTP. The 20 mile long main line of the TPT was mostly laid on the roadside hence the name of the company ,tramway. You are right repairing 0.62 mile of track pannels was the actual challenge but AMTP is now the owner  of those ones  that can be laid on the occasion of the next TDJ or other open-field events.
Yes John French spoken language is slightly different from Quebec French spoken language but generally speaking it's a matter of accent and vocabulary it's kind of like American English and British English. Fortunately according to Wikipedia it's not the case as regards the spelling and the grammar that are the same as standard French with still a few exceptions as regards vocabulary. "only X kilometers to Quebec" would be translated in written French "Quebec à seulement X km" or "Vous n'êtes quà X km de Quebec" or "Quebec dans X  km" or " Seulement X km d'ci à Quebec".  I'm sure WW&F Ry Museum will reach Quebec someday but don't worry because once the line crosses the border you'll get plenty of new bilingual volunteers that will be eager to help you to translate.

[john d Stone]

Thank you Alain! I first heard about AMTP through some videos on youtube and then did a little bit of online research. I'm glad that your museum has preserved such a fascinating operation!

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Thank you John. Yes in 1965 it was a real challenge as well because it was the very first time in France that a non for profit association asked the authorities if  volunteers could take over a discontinued line that then was ran by the Département du Loiret that finally gave the new born AMTP 1.86 mile of track that hadn't been dismanteled yet the facilities in Pithiviers a railcar two steam locomotives ,only one was in running order, and a few boxcars. Unliked the WW&F volunteers they did not start from scratch but it was still a miracle when in April 1966 the first train went to the end of the line that was not Bellébat yet but a  siding  at the roadside gone since then. The first tourist railway of France was born. A AMTP train is heading to Pithiviers in 1966.

[Bob Holmes]

A lot of parallels in the two stories, but across the pond!

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You are right Bob. In the 60's and 70's in France like in many other countries- I assume-   tourist railways started more or less from scratch and back then the authorities did'nt support them financially. It was the first members and volunteers of those non for profit organizations that funded them out of their pocket. Fortunately those pionneer tourist railways became quickly very popular and  consequently  profitable in some extent because they were a quite new tourist attraction.

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Wow it's terribe I haven't given you news from Pithiviers for over 3 months.  But I lived unfortunately an hectic shedule since mid January. My mother ,101 years old, passed away and my wife broke her right wrist a week later. Since then I have gone through a tough time but now I start to see daylight and I'll give you soon excellent news from AMTP.

[Benjamin Richards]

I'm sorry for your loss, Alain. At 101 years your mother certainly lived a full life. Looking forward to good news!