The first volume of a substantial three-part work by Ludovic Claudel, containing an historical atlas of the railways of France. Includes a series of maps showing all the lines that serve or have served the featured regions of France, with all stations, halts and stopping points marked. The maps are accompanied by data tables providing information about each individual line, including line lengths, opening dates and where appropriate, electrification and closure dates.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the French rail network comprised nearly 40,000 km of main lines and 20,000 km of secondary lines, extending like a fine mesh across most of the country. The growth of road transport, combined with the economic crisis of the interwar period, wartime destruction and the decline of traditional industry has led to a huge contraction of the network. Most of the secondary lines have closed completely. Passenger traffic has disappeared from around half of the main lines and the desire to improve speeds of passenger services has led to the elimination of a large number of stopping points.
Atlas Historique des Chemins de Fer Français allows the reader to again see the French railway network at its greatest extent, but to also see the new high-speed lines that have grown up around the country in recent years, and the relationship between the two.
The maps clearly show which lines are closed and which are still open. Different weights are used to denote single, double, triple or four-track lines. Colours are used to denote different electrification voltages and markers are used to differentiate larger stations from smaller stations and halts. Every line is labelled to show the line number and the railway company that built it. High speed lines are distinguished. The maps also use colour to show altitude and several enlargements are included where necessary.
The tabulated data includes:
- Section of Line
- Line Length
- Date of Authorisation
- Date of Concession
- Date of Opening
- Date of Electrification
- Date of Closure to Passengers
- Date of Closure
The first volume brings together maps and information relating to Corsica and to the 32 departments constituting the regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. An index to all stations in the volume is included and a small number of photographs are also included to illustrate the railway atmosphere of the featured regions. 304 pages including over 90 pages of maps. French text. Hardback.