The company least concerned with freight matters, the Ouest, had abstained from the agreement, but in 1880 proposed merging the two Ceinture syndicates (Petite and Grande): this would allow the companies to transfer their freight traffic to the outer ring and dedicate the inner ring to passenger and Parisian-commerce-destined freight traffic. The Ouest company had opened a 'Reuilly' freight station off of its Paris-Vincennes line in 1877, and the Ceinture Rive Gauche 'Bel-Air' junction opened to freight service two years later.The Chemin de Fer de Ceinture's passenger traffic was on the rise, and it was expected to be higher for the upcoming 1878 Universal Exposition. It looks like a fun adventure. Also for the Universal Exposition, the Ceinture Rive Droite doted its line with two new temporary 'for-exposition correspondence' stations, 'Est-Ceinture' (where the ceinture crossed the lines to the gare de l'Est) and 'Bercy-Ceinture' over the gare de Lyon lines (that was dismantled after the exposition end) stations appeared, and four new permanent stations: 'Saint-Ouen', 'Boulevard Ornano', 'Pont de Flandre', and 'Avenue de Vincennes'.The Chemin de Fer de Ceinture served its military purpose when it was requisitioned by the state for the 1870 Prussian war and siege of Paris.The Chemin de fer de Ceinture Rive Gauche was still a passenger only line, but from 1874 a junction between the Ouest lines near the Ceinture 'Vaugirard' station allowed freight trains a shortcut from the bifurcation at Viroflay. We leave the world of abandoned train stations and railroads at Quirky Parisian explorers with a preference for the less known sights, we are continuously looking for new ideas and tips to bring you the best of the City of Light.Paris is so romanesque and it has so much to offer! The Grande Ceinture is currently used to swap stock and as a diversion line.When plans to reanimate Paris' tramway in a ring encircling Paris began from 1995,Access to the unused rail tracks is forbidden, but enthusiasts explore it nonetheless, describing it as a quiet, natural garden space within Paris.The Ligne d'Auteuil closed in 1985 to make way for the newly opened I - the Syndicated 'Chemin de Fer de Ceinture' (Rive Droite)II - the Ouest Company's Paris – Auteuil passenger lineIII - the Ouest Company's 'Chemin de Fer de Ceinture Rive Gauche'I - the Syndicated 'Chemin de Fer de Ceinture' (Rive Droite)II - the Ouest Company's Paris – Auteuil passenger lineIII - the Ouest Company's 'Chemin de Fer de Ceinture Rive Gauche'Action artistique de la ville de Paris 2003, p. 116.Conseil municipal de Paris (1923, Part 3) 1923, p.
Hopefully more kilometres will be opened to the public in the near future Definitely sounds like an off the beaten path way of exploring the area! Unfortunately, the access to the rail tracks in this section is opened only in few occasions, usually related to Nature festivals or events.The fence along rue André Danjon can be opened or climbed on some points.Inside Parc des Buttes Chaumont, right after the bridge which crosses the rails (on the left side), there is a little path going downhill.
Once completed, it would be placed at the disposal of a 'Compagnie de Chemin de fer de Ceinture de Paris' (not yet Rive Droite), a syndicate comprising two members of each company, for a period of 99 years, during which they would provide a service 'for freight and passengers' using rolling stock from each company.The first stretch of Parisian-station-connecting rail built wasn't part of the Ceinture concession at all, but one originating from an earlier inter-company deal which had become a separate concession of its own, an arc of rail between the Nord and Strasbourg (later: Est) lines:The Pereire-owned Ouest company requested and obtained the government railway concession that 'extended the ceinture railway through Batignolles and Auteuil' in 1852.In an effort to avoid blocking traffic (like the Ceinture Rive Droite did), it was built below ground level for most of its 9.5 km length, an endeavour that required the construction of 14 bridges across its entrenched path.From 1852 the state had continued, non-officially, their own plan-study for the Left Bank arc of rail that would complete their original fortification-provision goals, and from 1857 this became an official pre-project that Napoleon III declared 'of public interest' in 1861.It is worth mentioning that, during the above, Paris had doubled in size: from 1860, Paris annexed all the 'country communes' between its city tax walls and the fortifications, which put the formerly countryside Ceinture line within the new City limits. The last abandoned train station in this district has some cool graffiti around. Overall, its really neat to see this in Paris.Only those tunnels shown on the pictures were a little bit scary.