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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 5 (August 2, 1937)

Important Electrification Works in France

Important Electrification Works in France.

French railway receipts continue to show a steady improvement, and a noteworthy feature of French railway activity is main-line electrification. Two of the principal routes being converted from steam to electric traction are those between Paris and Le Mans, and Tours and Bordeaux. It is expected that the first-named work will be completed this year, while the Tours-Bordeaux project is due for completion next year. The Tours-Bordeaux electrification will enable through electric services to be run between Paris and the Spanish frontier at Irun, and so will play an important part in bettering international communications. The cost of the work is in the neighbourhood of £5,000,000, for in addition to the electrification equipment, it involves considerable track changes and new construction. Fourteen sub-stations are being installed, ten of the rotary converter type, similar to those already utilised on the Orleans-Tours electrified route; and four with rectifiers of similar design to those on the Montauban-Cette line. Through the recent amalgamation of the Orleans and Midi Railways, the common use of each of these system's electric power sources has become possible, thereby effecting marked savings.

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