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The Fianarantsoa-Côte Est (FCE) railway is a colonial-built railway in southeast Madagascar that connects the high plateau city of Fianarantsoa to the port-city of Manakara. It is 163 kilometers long and was built by the French between 1926 and 1936 using the forced-labor program SMOTIG. The French used rails and ties taken from Germany as World War I reparations to build the line. Many of the railways still have the date of manufacturing on them dating back to 1893.[1]
| Fianarantsoa–Côte Est | |
|---|---|
 An FCE train at Manampatrana. | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Open |
| Owner | Fianarantsoa–Côte Est |
| Locale | Haute Matsiatra / Vatovavy-Fitovinany, Madagascar |
| Termini | |
| Service | |
| Type | Heavy rail |
| History | |
| Opened | 1936 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 162.8 km (101.2 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge |
| Maximum incline | 3.5% |
This line traverses some of the most threatened habitat in the world.[citation needed] In 2000, back-to-back cyclones caused 280 landslides and 4 major washouts cut service for months until a rehabilitation project was launched with help from USAID, Swiss Railways and others. A study conducted by the Project d'Appui à la Gestion de l'Environnement (PAGE) in 2000 concluded that keeping the train operational helps prevent deforestation to the tune of 97,400 hectares over 20 years.[citation needed] Interviews conducted with villagers during the temporary closure found that they would have no choice but to cut-down their tree-based crops that they shipped to market on the railway and plant rice or cassava instead.[1]
The FCE is currently running, but its aging infrastructure makes it vulnerable to service disruptions caused by broken rails, old rolling stock and landslides caused by cyclones.[citation needed]
The railway crosses the runway of Manakara Airport, one of only three places in the world where a railway crosses a runway at grade.[citation needed]
Stations edit
- Manakara - port - PK 163.270 – 4 meters
- Ambila - PK 146.267 – 12 meters
- Mizilo Gara - PK 136.850 – 26 meters
- Antsaka - PK 128.200 – 39 meters
- Sahasinaka - PK 118.300 – 39 meters
- Fenomby - PK 106.650 – 190 meters
- Mahabako - PK 99.000 – 195 meters
- Ionilahy - PK 82.700 – 211 meters
- Manampatrana or Ambinany-Manampatrana - PK 78.800 – 206 meters
- Amboanjobe - PK 71.680 – 356 meters
- Tolongoina - PK 61.900 – 390 meters
- Madiorano - PK 54.225 – 609 meters
- Andrambovato - PK 45.278 – 878 meters
- Ranomena - PK 38.520 – 1061 meters
- Ampitambe - PK 28.540 – 1064 meters
- Sahambavy - PK 21.440 – 1079 meters
- Vohimasina - PK 9.510 – 1018 meters
- Fianarantsoa - PK 0 – 1100 meters
Rolling material edit
- 3 locomotives Alsthom BB 242, 243 and 245[2] [3]
- 2 draisines YC 048 et 051[2]
- 1 Micheline ZM[2]
- 6 station wagons
- 22 freight wagons
In 2020 the FCE received 3 Spanish second hand locomotives[4] Serie_1500_de_Renfe built in 1964.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Freudenberger, Karen. 2003. The Fianarantsoa-East Coast Railroad and its role in eastern forest conservation. The Natural History of Madagascar. Steven M. Goodman and Jonathan P. Benstead (eds.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- ^ a b c "The Railways of Madagascar, 2012". www.internationalsteam.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ Le rail sur la Grande Ile...
- ^ Locomotives 2nd hand FCE
- Schoonmaker Freudenberger, Karen (2005). The FCE: Fianarantsoa - Côte Est Railway Madagascar: A Traveler's Guide (2nd ed.). Madagascar.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - "Reisen in Madagaskar - Eisenbahn" [Travelling in Madagascar - Railway]. Priori website (in German). Priori. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
External links edit
Media related to Fianarantsoa Côte-Est at Wikimedia Commons