During February 1945, 700 steam engines were ordered to the USA to reconstitute the french railway fleet damaged during the war. 
The selected model was a Mikado USRA, a light model, modified for the french railway network,. 
The last in service with the SNCF (french national railway company) circulated until October 19, 1975.
More informations here : http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/141_R

One of them, the 141 R 420, was bought and restored by an association, "the Association of the 141 R 420", (http://141r420.site.voila.fr/)
 and was put in service in 1982. It was registered in the complementary list of historic buildings in July 1987.

Trips in the area (Auvergne) are organized. 
This 24th of June, the convoy made the tour Clermont-Ferrand - Murat and return. 
By chance, in this rainy June, the weather was very fine a great part of the day !
A reversal procedure of the steam engine took place at Neussargues ; the railway platform being seldomly in use (only for the snow-plough),
 the operation was a little bit laborious ... The steam engine tugged the train backwards on the few kilometers between Neussargues and Murat 
where the engine passed again in front of the train for the return way.

As usual : pause = left mouse clic ; preceding slide = right mouse clic, clic droit ; escp = quit

Good journey in Auvergne !

D.Laugier
danielaugier@free.fr


