The locomotive Mallet is property of the Train Thur Doller Alsace (TTDA) located in the Haut-Rhin near Mulhouse. It circulates between Cernay and Sentheim on a ancient line SNCF (FRENCH NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY) 14 Km long. This locomotive, built in 1911 in 2 copies by Henschel*Sohn in Cassel in Germany, made all its career on the deprived line Avricourt Blamon Cirey (ABC) in Meurthe-et-Moselle from 1911 till 1966. The line ABC was exploited by east Cie then by SNCF till the end of the activity in 1966. The line was 17 km longer and contained similar banisters to those whom we can observe between Paimpol and Pontrieux. The Cie ABC possessed at the beginning 3 steam engines, a 030T N°1, and 2 Mallet 020+020T N°2 and 3. The only one having survived is the one that the TTDA possesses, what explains the ABC N° 2 marking at the period. The locomotive Mallet was saved from the scrap by CF of Abreschwiller at the end of the 60s, then was given up to the CFT of the Valley of Doller (TTDA since May, 2006) at the beginning of the 70s. Its pathetic state did not allow to put back it in service from its arrival, and it was parked during long years on the line Cernay Sentheim. As it is the unique lomotive mallet in normal way preserved in France, this one was able to be classified as "Historic Monument" in 1987, and credits of the DRAC, the Regional Council of Alsace and the General Council of the Haut-Rhin allowed to save it from its sad fate. The restoration begun in 1990, and lasted 15 years. During all these years, parts travelled almost everywhere in France: a new boiler was built in Comesse in Epinal, the axes of axles were replaced at Valdunes in the Dunkerque, the taps and all the accessories were revised to the workshops of the TTDA and the repair of the chassis and the final assembly were realized at CFTA to Gray. In June, 2005, the 1st match was struck in the boiler, and Mallet made its firsts tours of wheels after almost 40 years of immobilization. Then took place almost 1 year of development, regulations diverse and varied till the end of 2006, and the realization of the file of approval SNCF with the DRP of Strasbourg then to obtain it finally on June 2nd, 2008. It is now back in service for special trains and this summer,for the third time and following several years of hard work by volunteers, it will be used on the Paimpol-Pontrieux line. |
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