Line of the valley of Those

The railway line of the valley of Those , with metric gauge track, serves the valley of the Plaine, bordering between the Meurthe-et-Moselle and the the Vosges. It connects Raon-l' Étape to Raon-on-Plain, and serves the borough of That-on-Plain, from where its name.

Chronology

1902 : concession of the line.
1903: creation of the development company.
1907: opening of the line.
1914: provisional closing of the line.
1915: partial reopening (Raon-l' Stage - That-on-Plain).
1919: reopening of the totality of the line.
1940: provisional closing of the line.
1946: reopening of the line.
1950: permanent closure of the line.

History

The valley of the Flat , sheltered an important textile factory to That-on-Plain, property of Charles Cartier-Bresson. It also counted many forestry developments and sawmills. The objective of the railroad was the service road of these exploitations (14 junctions will be built) and the routing of the workmen.

The convention of concession is signed February 1902 between the prefect of the Vosges, Mr. Tallon, and Misters Marande, former general adviser of Raon-l' Étape, Charles Jeanpierre, owner with Vandœuvre, and Charles Cartier-Bresson, also mayor of That-on-Plain. He will become president of the Société of the Railroad of the Valley of Those, made up on March 21st 1903. Charles Lecuve, mayor of Allarmont, is associated.

The provisional opening to the exploitation was granted until Allarmont, on June 24th 1907, then on all the line on July 26th for the travellers and August for the goods.

In August 1914, the line is damaged during the engagements between the French Armies and allemande. She closes on August 24th and February 1915 partially to That-on-Plain does not reopen, the remainder of the valley being under German control. The reopening of the other sections is done in 1919: Allarmont (February 6th), Vexaincourt (April 12th), Luvigny (May 25th), Raon-on-Plain (June 13rd).

At the beginning of the second world war, the person in charge of the line is off-set with one of its agents and two of the three drivers. Fault of fuel and because of several destruction, the service stops in 1944. The resumption of the traffic is made on June 3rd 1946 between the station of Raon-l' Étape Transit and Raon-on-Plain. The section Raon-l' Étape parks Is - Raon-l' Étape Transit is not exploited any more.

The general advice of the Vosges decides on November 3rd 1949 to suspend the exploitation “because of the important deficit appeared following the return of road competition” and request the downgrading of the line. It closes May 1950, a last very decorated convoy going up the valley.

Complements

The line ensured 7 daily return tickets its opening in 1907. The way between Raon-l' Stage (station of the East) and Raon-on-Plain was done in 1:19 (better time) with 13 fixed or optional stops.

There were 3 daily return tickets in 1938.

After the reopening of 1946, only one outward journey and daily return are ensured, with complements the market days and Sundays and festivals.

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