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verification. (February 2010) |
Fianarantsoa–Côte Est | |
---|---|
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% |
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]
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]
In 2020 the FCE received 3 Spanish second hand locomotives [4] Serie_1500_de_Renfe built in 1964.
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