Sousse–Kairouan Decauville railway

The Sousse–Kairouan Decauville railway was a 64 km (40 mi) long 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge Decauville military railway from Sousse to Kairouan in Tunisia. It operated from 1882 to 1896, before it was re-gauged to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in).

Sousse–Kairouan Decauville railway
Technical
Line length	64 kilometres (40 mi)
Track gauge	600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)
Route map Legend km (mi) 0 (0) Sousse 64 (40) Kairouan

History

The French army occupied Kairouan in 1881. Pioneers then built the narrow gauge railway from Sousse on the coast to the former capital Kairouan within 3½ months.^[1][2] It ran mainly on an old Roman road.^[3]

The open-sided carriages arrived before 1 January 1882 in Sousse.^[4] The first train transported wounded soldieres on 3 February 1882 from Kairouan to Sousse. The waggons were initially drawn by horses and later by steam locomotives. The railway was regauged from 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge in 1896.^[1]

External links

• La gare des Decauville