French company of the trams of Indo-China

The inauguration of the first railway lines in Cochinchine, in 1881/1885, excites the imagination of the local racketeers quickly. Very quickly, some seek to create a horse-drawn network of trams urban with Saigon, with the image of what exists then in France. A Compagnie of the tram of Saigon to Govap is born quickly, with the support of the local press: Beaucoup of people has only one faith very restricted in the traction by horses which is that definitively adopted and prefer traction vapor to him. We believe that if they had seen the application of this last systême, they would hasten to fold back much of it. The least defects of traction vapor are to give to all the houses of the way traversed a color noirâtre, to have with the passage of the trains an unpleasant smoke and an odor, a fatty and wet paving stone, without counting the panic of the horses of the chauffeur-driven cars. In the rather many accidents, the trams with vapor have the reputation deserved never not to wound anybody, but to radically kill (1)

The creation of the company

In March 1886, the company is already in possession of half of the capital intended for the construction of the future network. Europeans necessarily are not interested by the business: on the 70 actions sold with this date, 25 were it to Chinese, 15 with Vietnamese. July 27th, 1889, the governor concedes the line of Saigon with Govap with some Faboce , which quickly yields it to Bonnet . Finally, it is reassigned with some Ferret , which is already in possession of a concession for the construction and the exploitation of a tram with horse-drawn traction of Saigon to Cholon by the low road since July 27th, 1889. Once in possession of both concession, Ferret claims the substitution of traction vapor to horse-drawn traction, which justifies many complaints of the General society of the trams with vapor of Cochinchine. This one is not at the end of its surprises: January 31st, 1891, Ferret creates the French Compagnie of the trams of Indo-China . The line of Cholon by the low road is open in the months which follow.

Tariff-war with competition

Like any newcomer, the CFTI seeks to be essential by proposing tariffs gravitational than its competitor. For better fighting against its competitor, SGTVC improves a tantinet the already ancient line Saigon - Cholon by the high road and gives up the section ranging between the chechmate of the signals and the station of Cho Duï, with Saigon. In September 1894, Ferret gives up the exploitation of its own line of Cholon. It takes it again abruptly on June 1st, 1895, without same to have announced it by way of posters. The leaders of SGTVC seem scornful, estimating that the exploitation continues to present under satisfactory conditions (2).

Extension of the network

Ferret does not remain inactive. Wanting to develop its network towards the north of Saigon, he takes and obtains on December 17th, 1898 the concession of a line Govap - Hocmon. May 8th, 1899, the construction of a junction between Dakao and the third bridge of the avalanche is also authorized. The increase in the traffic which results from it requires the ordering of an important material.

The electrification

In 1911, the leaders of the company ask to substitute the electric traction for traction vapor on certain lines. In November 1913, the government authorizes CFTI to electrify the Saigon - Cholon by the low road, and to prolong this line to the market of Binh Tay. At the conclusion of this operation, CFTI see their receipts increasing by 75%. April 30th, 1916, the electrification is extended to certain loci of the center of Saigon. At the same time, the old line SGVTC of the tram of Cholon by the high road, quickly given up by the colony, is deposited and its influences recovered at once for the construction of a large rectilinear avenue linking Saigon in the center of Cholon. CFTI benefit from it to install on the roadway an electrified trunk line with double-way, which does not have obviously anything any more to see with the first railroad of Indo-China. Thereafter, the company also builds an electrified line of Go Vap with Thu Dau Mot by Lai Thieu. Another prolongation of 32 kilometers will connect Thua Dau Mot to Ben Dong So, where a correspondence is ensured with the line CFI of Loc Ninh. This section will be always exploited in traction vapor In 1939, CFTI thus has a network of a hundred kilometers length, electrified with the three quarters. The unit is fed by three sub-stations.

The material

Locomotive with vapor

CFTI have a park only composed of machines with two coupled axles. The three last will be ordered via Decauville, probably for not froisser the susceptibility of the governor to one moment when the tension with the Germany goes up in Europe.

Motorized

CFTI had electric railcars with bogies with socket-outlet by bows. They could tow from 4 to 5 cars.

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