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Nouméa-Païta railway

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Nouméa-Païta railway
Former station platform of Païta
Overview
StatusSuppressed
Locale New Caledonia
Termini
Stations8
History
Opened1904
Closed1940
Technical
Line length29 km (18 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge3 ft (914 mm)
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Locomotive Marguerite

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The Nouméa-Païta railway was the only railway line serving the New Caledonia. It was opened in December 1914 between Nouméa, the capital, and Païta. The 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge tracks of the railway traveled the 29 kilometers (18 mi) between the two cities in one hour and fifteen minutes.

History

The idea of a railway connecting Nouméa to Bourail was first approved[by whom?] in 1884 with Nouméa linked to Dumbéa in 1904.

The Nouméa-Païta railway closed on 1 January 1940 due to its low ridership.

In April 1942 the American 790th Railway Transportation Company reopened the line to operate railways for the Allied presence on New Caledonia.[1][2][3]

Subsequently[when?] the line was abandoned and demolished. The remains of the former railway station of Païta remain in the north of the town. The loading platform and the ramp are well-preserved and the foundations of various buildings are still visible. A small locomotive, nicknamed Marguerite, is preserved on the former railway ground. The locomotive was used until 1940.[4] The gauge, however, was dismantled and the former railway track is no longer visible.

Route

The line counted 8 stations within 3 municipalities of the Southern Province. It started in Nouméa city centre and counted a secondary station in the ward (Grand Quartier) of Riviére Salée.[5] It crossed the villages of Auteuil and Col de Tonghoué before to enter in Dumbéa. After, the line crossed the village of Nondoué and Mount Mou, referred to the nearby mountain,[6] few km before the last station, Païta. It counted a pair of tunnels (Tunnel de Tonghoué and Tunnel de l'Erambéré) and 3 bridges over the rivers La Ouanéoué, La Dumbéa[7] and Karikouié.

  • Locomotive Marguerite
    Locomotive Marguerite
  • Former station of Païta
    Former station of Païta

References

  1. ^ "Military railway of New Caledonia" (Google Books)
  2. ^ Infos on angelfire.com
  3. ^ "The Transportation Corps" (Google Books)
  4. ^ Pierre Grundmann: Nouvelle Calédonie, p. 110. Paris 2012
  5. ^ Template:Fr icon See also: fr:Quartiers de Nouméa
  6. ^ Mont Mou on peakery.com
  7. ^ Template:Panoramio

Media related to Rail transport in New Caledonia at Wikimedia Commons

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