Failing to produce at a breakneck pace, due to a gloomy economic context, ArcelorMittal employees took the train on Saturday to celebrate the industrialist’s fiftieth anniversary, in Fos. And what a train!
The enthusiasts were enthusiastic about getting into one of the cars pulled by an electric locomotive, called “CC 6 500”, which is half a century old and has a power of 8,000 horsepower. This train, which has officially no longer run since 2005, was one of the curiosities of the weekend on the steelmaker’s site and where there was particular excitement.
Behind the industry, the heritage
2,000 people were invited and were able to tour the factory aboard this rustic but very comfortable machine, expertly looked after by the Association for the Preservation of Savoyard Railway Equipment (APMFS) which had made the trip. “It is a historic train – TVH – which belongs to us and which we maintain in order to promote the historical railway heritage”, explained François Coppa.
This enthusiast, president of the APMFS, was accompanied by volunteers delighted to see the enthusiasm of his passengers of the day. And the pleasure was all the greater as this same CC 6 500 has, in the past, carried out freight transport on behalf of Arcelor in Fos. Arriving the day before from Chambéry, the train was also equipped with a car from the 1930s, belonging to another association, AAATV CVL (Centre-Val de Loire).
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