A history of Cahors-Capdenac railway heritage

Tuesday, November 14, Guillaume Bernard and Fabien Cadot, heritage inventory project managers in the Lot department, gave a conference in the Henri-Martin room on railway heritage. It followed an inventory carried out in 2020-2021 along the Cahors-Capdenac line, in partnership with the general inventory of the Occitanie region.

Laure Courget, heritage director of the town of Cahors, welcomed the speakers in a packed room: “Thank you for coming in such large numbers for this fascinating subject.” And here the audience left for a journey of 68,550 km crossing 18 municipalities. This monumental project managed by the Ponts et Chaussées was declared of public utility in 1879. The work carried out from 1881 was inaugurated on July 14, 1886. Nearly 500 workers worked for the district of Cahors.

The photos scroll: thirteen tunnels including that of Galessie (42 m), Saint-Géry (the most expensive), Coudoulous (787 m), five masonry bridges with arches like that of Masseries (158 m long), four metal bridges ( Mondiès, Bouziès, etc.) and 48 culverts for paths and pedestrians and guardrails from the Fumel foundry. Then there are the level crossings (51 listed) equipped with pivoting or rolling barriers with barrier guard houses, wells and gardens. The twelve railway stations or stops were built in 1885 with toilets, lamps and passenger shelters. The Cabessut stop has a canopy.

Remains mark this track: switch arm, sound signal, a kilometer post and installations linked to the water supply of locomotives (pumping in Saint-Géry and Cajarc from 1886 to 1962). In 1980, the route was closed to passenger traffic and then to goods. From 1993 to 2000, it was partially used for tourist purposes with Quercyrail.

The exchange awakened the memory of certain participants deploring the disappearance of cast iron gates, wishing to have the precise route and to see the same work on the Cahors-Libos and Cahors-Moissac line, pointing out the Saint-Géry railway museum. Jacques Montal recalled his fight to maintain railway activity. It is important today to protect, conserve and promote this heritage which has shaped the landscapes and history of the Lot valley.