Chemins de Fer de Provence
The Chemins de Fer de Provence is a small rail company providing a daily train service between Nice and Digne-les-Bains in Provence. Their one route, which dates from the 1890s, is known locally as the Train des Pignes.
History
Construction of the meter gauge line began in 1890 followed by a partial opening in 1892. Construction ended on 3 July 1911 and conceded to Sud-France. Lines from Nice stretched to Grasse, Puget-Théniers, Digne and Annot.After World War II, the line to Meyrargues closed and almost took the entire network with it. The Chemins de Fer de Provence closed the Gare du Sud in December 1991 and moved its terminating services to Nice CP.
On 5 November 1994 flooding of the river Var cut the line in several places and forced upon the line a total closure. A new bridge at Gueydan was built and the reopening of the line occurred on 12 April 1996.
The remaining line is long. It comprises 27 tunnels, including the Tunnel de la Colle Saint-Michel. The exit of the tunnel, Dignes-side, is at an elevation of.
The railway's terminus in Nice was until 1991 at Gare du Sud and since then Gare de Nice CP. The station is the terminus of a railway from Digne-les-Bains.
In Digne there was also a former railway line to Grenoble operated by the SNCF. The SNCF had its own station building opposite the CP station.
In Digne the former station of the CP is no longer used. The narrow gauge track and the ticket service are moved to the former SNCF station building.
Accidents and incidents
On 8 February 2014, a passenger train was struck by a falling boulder near Annot and derailed. Two people were killed and nine injured.Current operations
The railway line is not part of the Société nationale des chemins de fer. It is the Syndicat Mixte Méditerranée Alpes, SYMA, who received its concession for ninety-nine years in 1972 who owns it. The SYMA is a grouping of several authorities. It is presided by Gérard Piel, vice-président of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région and delegate of transport of Antibes. Service of the railway is assured by the CFTA a subsidiary of Veolia Transport.The workforce numbers 135.
Services
Passenger service is provided between Nice and Digne-les-Bains as well as a more frequent urban service between Nice and Plan-du-Var. Steam trains are operated during the summer season between Puget-Théniers and Annot. A postal service is also operated.Maintenance
The main workshop for maintenance and repairs is in Nice-Lingostière.Rolling stock
Currently the CP has the following rolling stock:Steam Locomotives
Diesel Locomotives
Diesel Railcars
| No. | Wheels Arr. | Builders Details | Date Built | Date out of service | Notes. |
| 211-212 | Billard | 1939 | ? | Design A150D. Bought from C.F.D. du Vivarias in 1968. Class X200. | |
| 223-224 | Billard | 1939 | ? | Design A150D2. Bought from C.F.D. du Vivarias in 1968. | |
| ZM1+ZR1-ZM10+ZR10 | B et L | 1935 | ? | For the section from Toulon to St. Tropez and St. Raphael. Sold to a railway in Spain. | |
| ZM11+ZR11-ZM14+ZR14 | B et L | 1938 | ? | For the section from Toulon to St. Tropez and St. Raphael. Sold to a railway in Spain. | |
| X301-X304 | CFD | 1971-1972 | - | Numbered SY01-SY04 until 1984. | |
| X305-X306 | CFD | 1977 | - | Numbered SY05-SY06 until 1984. | |
| X307 | ? | 1975 | ? | Acquired from Chemins de Fer de Corse in 2009. Original number X2003. | |
| ZZ1-ZZ6 | Renault | 1935, 1936 | ? | Class ABH1. ZZ2 and ZZ6 are still in service. Class X320. | |
| ZZ7-ZZ12 | Renault | 1942 | ? | Class ABH5. | |
| X351+X1351 | Soulé-Garnéro | 1984 | - | Withdrawn in 2008 after a fire, but completely reconstructed by Safra in 2012 and returned to service. | |
| CFD-Bagnères | 2010 | - | 4 ordered trainsets. Type AMP 800. Identical to AMG 800 of CFC. |