Les Aubrais-Orléans – Montauban-Ville-Bourbon railway line

	Paris – Bordeaux line from Paris-Austerlitz
118.9	Les Aubrais-Orléans	118 m
	Railway line Paris – Bordeaux to Bordeaux via Tours
	120.4
	121.1 Orléans
122.7	Railway line Orléans – Gien to Gien
124.3	Pont de Vierzon ( Loire ) (460 m)
128.1	Dhuy (56 m)
133.1	Saint-Cyr-en-Val -La Source	112 m
144.1	La Ferté-Saint-Aubin	106 m
~ 151.2	Loiret / Loir-et-Cher department
153.0	Vouzon	128 m
159.4	Beuvron (21 m)
159.9	Lamotte-Beuvron	115 m
166.6	Nouan-le-Fuzelier	113 m
178.4	Sauldre (35 m)
178.7	Salbris	107 m
179.8	Chemin de fer du Blanc-Argent after Romorantin and Argent
183.2	A 71
188.2	Rère (17 m)
1910.	Theillay	125 m
193.7	A 85
~ 194.5	Loir-et-Cher / Cher department
194.5	Tunnel de l'Alouette (1237 m)
199.0	A 20
200.8	Vierzon – Saint-Pierre-des-Corps railway from St-Pierre-dC.
201.1	Vierzon-Ville	122 m
202.1	Tunnel de la Porte aux Boeufs (222 m)
~ 203.6	N 76
203.8	Yèvre (13 m)
204.0	Grand bras de l'Yèvre (33 m)
204.2	Canal de Berry (7 m)
204.7	Vierzon Forges	105 m
	Vierzon – Saincaize railway to Bourges
206.4	Cher (93 m)
214.3	Arnon (36 m)
216.1	Chéry - Lury	109 m
~ 217.9	Cher / Indre department
220.3	Reuilly (Indre)	114 m
221.9	Théols (2 × 18 m)
225.3	Diou (Indre)	118 m
227.0	Théols (2 × 27 m)
230.1	Sainte-Lizaigne	122 m
	Railway line Saint-Florent-sur-Cher – Issoudun v. St-Florent-sur-Cher
237.0	Issoudun	128 m
249.2	Neuvy-Pailloux	154 m
255.6	Montierchaume	162 m
258.7	Déols	152 m
261.5	Indre (3 ×)
263.3	Châteauroux – La Ville-Gozet railway from La Châtre
264.1	Chateauroux	154 m
265.8	Railway line Joué-lès-Tours – Châteauroux to Tours
270.0	A 20
276.3	Luant	151 m
281.2	Lothiers	149 m
288.1	Tunnel des Roches (1005 m)
289.4	Bouzanne (244 m)
290.2	Chabenet	137 m
292.6	Port-de-Piles – Argenton-sur-Creuse railway from Le Blanc
293.1	A 20 (28 m)
295.1	Argenton-sur-Creuse	110 m
295.1	Argenton-sur-Creuse – La Chaussée to La Châtre railway line
296.1	Creuse (90 m)
304.5	A 20
305.4	Celon	206 m
307.1	A 20
316.4	Éguzon	284 m

~ 322.1	Département Indre / Creuse (3 × at 1500 m) Region Center-Val de Loire / Nouvelle-Aquitaine

323.0	Saint-Sébastien	323 m
323.3	Railway Saint-Sébastien – Guéret to Guéret
330.3	Forgevieille	363 m
342.1	La Souterraine	368 m
344.0	Jéraphie Tunnel (704 m)
~ 351.1	Département Creuse / Haute-Vienne (3 × at 960 m)
351.6	Fromental	344 m
358.5	Mignaloux-Nouaillé – Bersac railway from Mignaloux-Nouaillé
359.0	Gartempe ( Viaduc de Rocherolles , 180 m)
362.2	Bersac	364 m
365.4	Combeau tunnel (236 m)
368.1	Saint-Sulpice-Laurière	396 m
	Montluçon – Saint-Sulpice-Laurière to Montluçon railway line
369.3	Tunnel de Saint-Sulpice ou de Laurière (796 m)
375.6	La Jonchère	411 m
383.3	Ambazac	381 m
385.4	Tunnel de Nouaillas 1 (78 m)
385.9	Tunnel de Nouaillas 2 (88 m)
389.3	Les Bardys	333 m
	Le Palais – Eygurande-Merlines railway from Meymac
392.7	Le Palais	300 m
394.7	Viaduc du Palais (152 m)
39x0.	planned LGV Poitiers – Limoges , Abzw. LGV du Palais von Poitiers
398.2	Limoges -Puy-Imbert	267 m
399.6	(Arched galleries, 52 m)
400.1	A 20

400.7	Railway line Poitiers – Limoges-Bénédictins u. from / to Poitiers u. Limoges-Bénédictins-Angoulême n. Angoulême railway line

401.2	Limoges-Bénédictins	251 m
401.6	Bénédictins tunnel (1024 m)
402.7	Limoges-Bénédictins-Périgueux to Périgueux railway line
403.4	Vienne (423 m)
404.9	Valoine (114 m)
409.1	Tunnel de Pouzol (880 m)
412.9	Solignac - Le Vigen	280 m
413.4	Viaduc du Vigen (211 m)
415.8	Gilardeix tunnel (314 m)
417.9	Roselle (73 m)
421.7	Pierre-Buffière	275 m
422.5	Briance (211 m)
423.3	A 20
427.7	Glanges	333 m
433.4	Magnac - Vicq	386 m
436.3	Petite Briance (284 m)
437.2	Saint-Germain-les-Belles	378 m
443.5	La Porcherie	433 m
~ 351.1	Haute-Vienne / Corrèze department
448.1	Masseret	411 m
452.4	Salon-la-Tour	384 m
459.8	Uzerche	322 m
	Chemin de fer du PO-Corrèze (POC) to Tulle
461.5	Bradascou (2 × 101 m)
463.7	Vézère ( Viaduc du Gour Noir , 115 m)
464.8	A 20
467.3	Tunnel de Vigeois (366 m)
468.2	Vigeois	269 m
470.0	Tunnel de Viallevaleix (552 m)
470.6	Brézou (31 m)
470.8	Tunnel du Grand Bleygeat (675 m)
470.9	Tunnel de Graterogne (238 m)
471.5	Tunnel du Petit Bleygeat (169 m)
473.6	Tunnel de Theil 1 (127 m)
473.8	Tunnel de Theil 2 (94 m)
474.5	Tunnel de Cabirol (314 m)
475.0	Comborn tunnel (658 m)
476.4	Estivaux	201 m
476.8	Freyssinet tunnel (416 m)
477.7	Vézère (45 m)
478.0	Tunnel de Biard (426 m)
478.9	Tunnel du Pouch (157 m)
479.1	Vézère (48 m)
480.0	Tunnel de Saillant (197 m)
483.5	Allassac	160 m
487.0	Clan (153 m)
488.2	Donzenac	148 m
491.6	Maumont (34 m)
492.1	A 20
492.9	Ussac	110 m
496.0	Corrèze (47 m)
498.5	Nexon – Brive-la-Gaillarde railway from Nexon
498.6	Coutras – Tulle railway from Périgueux
500.0	Brive-la-Gaillarde	143 m
500.3	Coutras – Tulle railway line to Tulle
500.4	Brive-la-Gaillarde – Toulouse-Matabiau railway line to Capdenac
501.0	Tunnel de Saint-Antoine (1097 m)
503.0	Tunnel du Planchetorte (266 m)
503.7	Viaduc de Ligniroux (93 m)
504.8	Viaduc de Lamouroux (102 m)
506.1	Tunnel de Noailles (852 m)
506.8	A 20
507.9	Noailles	201 m
510.8	Fontille Tunnel (202 m)
512.9	Chasteaux	246 m
513.2	Tunnel de Murel (196 m)

~ 519.2	Corrèze / Lot Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine / Occitania

520.0	Gignac - Cressensac	292 m
523.8	Tunnel de Montagnac (105 m)
526.0	Tunnel des Perriers (417 m)
529.9	Tunnel de Touron (99 m)
530.9	Viaduc du Boulet (476 m)
531.8	Tunnel du Boulet (417 m)
532.4	Tunnel de la Forge (291 m)
533.3	Viaduc du Sorbier (114 m)
535.0	Viaduc de Lamothe (Blagour) (573 m)
536.3	Railway line Souillac – Viescamp-sous-Jallès v. St-Denis-près-Martel
536.8	Viaduc de la Borrèze (571 m)
537.0	Souillac	126 m
537.8	Viaduc de Presignac (150 m)
538.4	Viaduc des Marjaudes (225 m)
~ 540.1	Lot / Dordogne department
540.4	Tunnel du Pas-de-Raysse (280 m)
541.7	Cazoulès	101 m
542.3	Siorac-en-Périgord – Cazoulès line to Sarlat
543.5	Dordogne (200 m)
543.8	La Chapelle-de-Mareuil	98 m
~ 546.2	Dordogne / Lot department
548.5	Lamothe-Fénelon	144 m
551.2	Tunnel de la Tuilerie (637 m)
554.0	Anglars-Nozac	175 m
558.8	Carsac – Gourdon railway from Sarlat
559.4	Gourdon	210 m
559.7	Tunnel de Gourdon (129 m)
565.8	Saint Clair	170 m
570.3	Tunnel de Marot (1036 m)
571.8	Dégagnac	227 m
573.4	Tunnel de Cabannes (854 m)
576.7	Tunnel de Vayrières (417 m)
577.5	Thédirac - Peyrilles	278 m
579.6	Tunnel de Roques (1761 m)
584.8	Viaduc de Saint-Denis (81 m)
585.2	Saint-Denis-Catus	210 m
585.3	Tunnel de Saint-Denis-Catus (710 m)
589.3	Viaduc de Calamane (310 m)
591.6	Espère - Caillac	150 m
592.8	Tunnel de Mercues (295 m)
593.3	Monsempron-Libos – Cahors railway from Monsempron
600.1	Cahors	120 m
601.1	Lot (193 m)
601.2	Railway line Cahors – Capdenac to Capdenac
602.4	Viaduc de Fontanet (238 m)
605.1	Sept-Ponts	166 m
605.3	Viaduc des Sept-Ponts (166 m)
610.5	Tunnel de Pouzergues (866 m)
613.0	Queyran Tunnel (118 m)
613.6	Cieurac	246 m
6160.	A 20
617.9	Lalbenque - Fontanes	240 m
619.4	A 20 (32 m)
~ 625.2	Lot / Tarn-et-Garonne department
625.7	Montpezat-de-Quercy	209 m
627.3	Tunnel de Viandes (603 m)
628.7	Viaduc de Malminot (164 m)
635.1	Borredon	138 m
639.9	Lère (19 m)
640.0	Caussade	109 m
647.0	Réalville	96 m
650.4	Aveyron (77 m)
650.7	Albias	91 m
653.3	A 20
655.9	Fonneuve	89 m
661.6	Lexos – Montauban-Ville-Bourbon railway from Lexos
662.7	Tarn (225 m)
	Bordeaux – Sète railway line from Bordeaux
663.4 205.9	Montauban-Ville-Bourbon	86 m
	Montauban-Ville-Bourbon-La Crémade railway line to St-Sulpice
	Railway line Bordeaux – Sète to Toulouse-Matabiau

The Les Aubrais-Orléans-Montauban-Ville-Bourbon line is one of the most important arteries on the French rail network . It is 544 kilometers long, has two lanes and is electrified, and is considered to be one of the last main traffic routes to be built because it was not completed until 1893. Coming from Paris, it forms the main axis and thus the shortest connection to the fourth largest city in France, Toulouse . It would become obsolete with the construction and opening of a possible LGV route to Bordeaux.

history

On June 11, 1842, a law was passed that made it possible to build this line from Paris to the “interior of France”. From the beginning it was clear that this route via Vierzon would cover both Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse and thus, in the words of Friedrich Wilhelm von Redens, the "space between the two major railway lines from Paris to the Mediterranean and from Paris to the Spanish border [...] which, as the center of France, was cut off from all communication by railways ”, was supposed to open up. The plan of a commission of experts in the Ministry of Public Works recommended that the line be forks in Vierzon, on the one hand to cover the western land area in the direction of Limoges and Toulouse - which concerns this line - on the other hand the eastern part via Bourges and Clermont - to serve the Vierzon – Saincaize railway line to be able to. The majority of the Chamber of Deputies rejected a third, previously submitted proposal and passed a law on July 26, 1844 for the financing of these two routes. The total volume was 20.8 million francs , of which slightly less than half, namely 7.8 million francs, went to the Vierzon – Châteauroux section . In addition, the state was ready to build the Orléans – Vierzon line itself for 12 million francs. On October 9, 1844, a bidding company was granted the concession to operate the line for 40 years. While the state was responsible for making the necessary areas available, including routing and building the necessary structures, the partnership had the task of providing the tracks, the superstructure and the machinery. This also included fences, railings, trenches, hedges, etc.

Saint-Cyr-en-Val train station , 2005

Brive-la-Gaillarde train station

Souillac train station , 2008

Cahors train station

The company required for this, under the management of François Bartholoni , was founded at the same time on July 26, 1844 with a capital of 33 million francs, divided into 66,000 shares. It only existed until March 27, 1852 and was merged with other companies to form the Compagnie du chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans (PO) under the leadership of Bartholoni. The concession was transferred to the new company.

The first section, which enabled a continuous connection from Paris, was opened on November 15, 1847. This included the 60 km long section to Châteauroux. This was followed on May 2, 1854, the 31 km to Argenton , 106 km on June 2, 1856 to Limoges . In the meantime Toulouse could be reached by other means by train and work stalled. In addition, the PO invested more heavily in other routes, such as the construction of the topographically easier-to-use Paris – Bordeaux line . With the Freycinet plan of 1878, in which the expansion was up to position 99 of 181, the project picked up speed again. The section from Limoges to Brive-la-Gaillarde via Uzerche , Brive-la-Gaillarde and Montauban was then financially supported by the state. The agreement, which assures the PO to support the construction of the line with public funds, is signed by the Minister of Public Works and the company on June 28, 1883 and legally approved on November 20. Construction was not completed until 1893.

This line was the last of the most important French lines as it was not completed until the last decade of the nineteenth century. Later there were no openings for such long distances. The total route from Paris to Toulouse, of which this railway line is part, is 713 km.

From 1926 on, the line was gradually electrified, first between Orléans- Les Aubrais and Vierzon, in 1935 to Brive-la-Gaillarde and in 1943 the remaining section to Montauban. Today the route is also equipped with automatic block signaling (BAL).

Between 1967 and 1991 this railway line was the fastest connection between Paris and Toulouse because the 1st class Capitole trains ran here, which covered the entire distance in six and a half hours at speeds of up to 200 km / h.

traffic

Local transport is supplied by the three regional companies TER Center-Val de Loire , TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine and TER Occitanie . In addition, there are intercity trains that run both day and night. In addition, freight traffic is handled on the route.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c Friedrich Wilhelm von Redens : The railways of France: Statistical-historical representation of their formation, their relationship to the state authority, as well as their administrative and operational facilities. Mittler 1846, pages 217–220.
^ Bulletin des lois de la République française. Paris 1852, page 1070.

[Reden-1] Friedrich Wilhelm von Redens : The railways of France: Statistical-historical representation of their formation, their relationship to the state authority, as well as their administrative and operational facilities. Mittler 1846, pages 217–220.

[2] Bulletin des lois de la République française. Paris 1852, page 1070.