separate generations generation network built normandy northern france started service finally closed modern opened horse drawn carriages started end 18th century progressively improved longer provide urban services age industrial demographic growth local officials adopted new mode transport horse drawn later steam powered electrified network spread quickly city centre districts right bank reach suburbs northern plateau hills east textile valley west crossing river serving south suburbs industrial districts left bank largest covered kilometres route longest network france contributed success events town history norman millennium festival 1920s saw slight growth traffic network expansion slowed halt private arrived end monopoly rising power buses great depression france second world war ravaged normandy condemned death stopped running seventy years service new came norman capital horse steam integrated french kingdom france annexed normandy continued largest cities kingdom prospered 19th century traditional trades alongside newer chemical industries route sea middle ages said est grand form single town high street large cities connected rail paris franco prussian war economy industrial revolution second empire growing population obliged city authorities travel facilities city centre expanding suburbs urban services horse drawn carriages profitable routes satisfy needs town numbered suburbs people city fathers commissioned study building railways connecting populous areas decree signed committing publicly owned standard gauge network horse drawn carriages lines stretching chains decreed town authorised tender construction operation contractors quickly chose candidate british citizen continental representative builders steam engines decision close railway links city great_britain remained nearly half century naturally wanted promote company machines long views known municipal authorities finally convinced authorised use steam power entering service december depot avenue provided units small light tonnes long tons short tons locomotives coupled fully covered wooden body looked normal carriage horses steam carriages enclosed lower decks upper decks open sides steam design soon appeared line horse drawn served city centre success doubts successful line soon extended place saint opening june founded des company started building new sections town hall line opened september started steam traction started june hand lines went narrow local streets remained horse drawn opened line opened october line opening december line opened february line opened september line constructed technical difficulties years locomotives horse drawn network speed steam pleased passengers speed limit mph expensive frequent stops let boilers cool coal consumption high steam power angered residents accused dirty rough riding animals scared driver horn noise trains operation totally horse drawn found charge cavalry horses depot having disposed electrification horse drawn service prospect great open april town officials think extension electrification network sent study trips france abroad councillor spent year united_states debate town accepted proposals electrification contracted company built network lines standard gauge new laid tracks longest electric france second network infrastructure works construction power station swiftly completed electric locomotive entered service january electrified network going live days ahead schedule horse drawn saw service july line troubles new mode transport considerable success transported million passengers sheds holding vehicles expanded accommodate year service classic powered motors axle room passengers popular success network completed line extension opened april 11th line constructed notre dame opened december 12th saint sea wall february lines largest electric network france cars long ran mph minute intervals public transport inspiration baron colleague proposed creation second network met numerous difficulties stranger july new company called sister company better known granted concession routes services started line january services starting year facing competition curtailed terminus monopoly second network far efficient transported million passengers route route kilometre route mile million people public transport million million disposed second network administrative problems accident monumental november considerable deficit opportunity rival took running rights finally rid competition master public transport suburbs having absorbed railway september reorganised service integrated expanded service later running extended line courses opened january opened june opened march section running local authority rails connected branch district opened august network grown largest routes including world war world war affect service short period disruption great august maintained normal service years war overcame reduced levels overtime abolition leave depot personnel nearly promoted great satisfaction end women aged reduced joined men time norm female allowed easy lines allowed steep satisfy military requirements network extended track headquarters important base built connection transport injured arriving train saint main hospitals installations constructed record time disappeared war ended operational difficulties closure recovery competition world war track rolling stock received little maintenance end war state expenses increased dramatically problem crisis fire depot november destroyed successive fare rises provided new convention december company announced reorganisation network competitor arrived bus attracted criticism limited capacity discomfort motor cars city centre accident monumental line october inevitable lost route innovation setbacks record year million journeys buses took narrow streets city centre routes low traffic circular continued going concerns started large programmes renovation dozen years world war generation rebuilt allow man operation workshops presently devised prototypes classical design double folding doors safety devices compressed air prototypes electrical basis series vehicles named new trailing cars completed new rolling stock revolutionary pedal controlled locomotive built equipped disc brakes lack funds meant came 1930s saw arrival having twin advantages electrical traction tyres newcomers supplanted old saint line sheds enlarged arrival bought paris world war world war hit hard including transport network war started reduced service frequency german advance blew city bridges june bridge destroyed split network german occupation lines progressively reopened service reduced difficulties period directors mobile workshops heavy bombing raids spring particular destruction central stopped running nazi occupation ended august liberation slowly healed town wounds network circulation destroyed damaged track overhead lines mutilated depot bombed times service slowly restored thanks staff hard work passengers help trailing cars locomotives trailing cars operational despite restoration service april war struck fatal blow date equipment progressively replaced buses march municipality decided definitely close actual closure came somewhat later saturday february ran line years network service forget services rendered organising class funeral scheduled run parade honour ran depot crowds railway plateau southwest bus service linked attracted splendid pilgrims visiting shrine virgin mary early projects railway project mountain later known presented far ideas railway companies 19th century classical rail poor adherence designed granite rails embedded concrete continuous guide rail chain line terminus served steam carriages capacity places capable running public streets special track technical complexity line hugely expensive gradient requiring fewer spanning overall project soon abandoned construction finally connected world swiss engineers built railway water filled june formally declared open public ran days later june mountain railway chains long rising ran banks car hold people seated water tank filled minutes journeys way daily days ferry service terminus irregular end century dangerous rival designed steam powered changed power line built ran chains termini crossroads roads greater power counterparts motors climb steep accommodate passengers trailing car new ownership closure seventy daily journeys way brought success transported nearly passengers compared clearly dire state financially passengers figures catastrophic november sacked management mountain railway defunct local plateau operations continued took tracks december tickets sold continued fall tickets collected year daily receipts lacking passengers closed monopoly service date confused service continued february left bank start 20th century suburbs left bank quickest growing areas particular large railway town towns good public transport constructed lines serve residents wishing rapid transit suburbs city centre line central terminus place ran far roundabout edge des southern extension planned roundabout meeting point roads new districts major horse racing events took place thursday delayed man owner proprietor grew tired delays asked concession narrow gauge horse drawn connect roundabout road chains long years passed discussing project profit engineer roads construction line contractor time reflection led abandoning horse drawn favour mechanical traction moving terminus entrance vast cemetery authorities intended build close shooting range oppose line compete march small train town line service april official opening date april short chain route opened solely passenger traffic traced roundabout narrow gauge rails established trees lining road fences separating adjacent land owned service provided diesel electric locomotives built workshops room people fuel depot sited near service particularly frequent thirty journeys way day entire line took minutes traverse maximum speed mph months service meet expectations passenger numbers lower expected use catastrophic law passed weekly day rest decided january extend line chains roundabout edge popular sunday walks chain double track extension inaugurated august year diesel electric locomotives terrible noise frightened horses owners replaced traction steam locomotives headed open carriages taking passengers chimneys fitted spark prevent forest fires brief life line profitable use fell passenger numbers fell previously horse racing day sundays took forest paths went passengers high number return journeys reduced possibility making connections passengers small line wait long time roundabout connection city centre situation preoccupied january replaced driving force asked reduction service frequency proposed use car instead car busy days authorities accepted extra cars allow reduction service red tape seen extract report understood moment minimum society free place number trains necessary transport passengers present satisfy requirement proper interest guaranteed giving greater public satisfaction infrastructure instead travelling day business given lower frequency service saturdays racing perfectly accept reduction trips going forest concerning journey chief engineer keeps minimum kind abandonment line small distance possible reasonable traffic frequent departures service modifications lowered operating expenses use went dramatically months decision axe line november strategic errors wanting service independent network putting terminus town railway officially disbanded decree september rails lifted public highway restored trace remains modern largest electric france disappeared 1980s large cities decided increasing traffic jams desire public transport needed new mode public transport discussions started guidance syndicate trades grouping representing nearly inhabitants centre technique technical construction study centre forward report supporting construction modern pre project launched september led declaration public utility april construction work undertaken december line modern inaugurated
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