Monday, April 2, 2012

tractor power on the tramway from Bélisaire to Pointe-Océan, France


Now called the Tramway du Cap-Ferret, also the Petit train du Cap-Ferret, this is a 600 mm gauge railway on the Atlantic coast of France in the department of Gironde on the Cap Ferret, a peninsular which divides the Atlantic Ocean from Arcachon Bay, and links the shores of the bay with the beaches on the Atlantic coast. The line began as three 800 mm gauge horse-drawn tramway lines with open 4-wheel coaches. The horses were later replaced by locotracteurs which were farm tractors fitted with flanged steel wheels, as per the pic. These lines closed in the 1930s. 

The line was revived in the 1950s as a 600 mm gauge line with diesel locotracteurs hauling trains of open 4-wheel coaches and Decauville-style bogie toast-racks. The line is largely situated along the roadside, is about 2 km (1.2 miles) long and connects the Bélisaire jetty on Arcachon Bay with Horizon beach on the Atlantic coast.  Ferries have always connected the Bélisaire jetty with the resort town of Arcachon on the other side of Arcachon Bay. Initially these ferries were substantial steamers which also ran sea trips. In post-WW2 years the steamers were replaced by vedettes based on the design of the local fishing vessels.

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