CC 6565 and 6574 : last trains for
the two last CC 6500 on freight (December 2005)





During 2005, two sets of CC 6500s were still able to show their capabilities, one on TER activity (regional trains) the other one on FRET activity (freight).

This page tells what last week of CC 6500 service to freight was like.

In this page, thanks to several contributions, we tried to group pictures of the last two CC 6500s (CC 6565 and 6574) during their last week of activity to freight service.
For CC 6574, pictures were in fact taken the week before but they are also representative of what last week was.

As an information and for posterity, we have listed all trains pulled by these two CC 6500s during their last week of activity before their withdrawal which took place on December 11th. First table is for CC 6565, second for CC 6574. In each are date, train number, its category, and places of departure and arrival.

Below is last week of CC 6565 :
Date Train N°
Type of train
From to
05/12
EVO
Dead haul
Vénissieux
Sibelin
"
75534
Freight 100 km/h
Sibelin
Dijon
07/12
75601
Freight 100 km/h
Dijon
Fos-sur Mer
"
355014
Dead haul
Fos-sur-Mer
Miramas
"
355038
Dead haul
Miramas
Cavaillon
"
439235
Dead haul
Cavaillon
Orgon
"
439235
Freight 100 km/h
Orgon
Miramas
"
58836
Freight 100 km/h
Miramas
Sibelin
08/12
EVO
Dead haul
Sibelin
Vénissieux
"
52007
Freight 100 km/h
Vénissieux
Marseille
11/12
EVO
Dead haul
Badan
Sibelin

Near  Senas, between Orgon and Miramas on December 7th 2005, CC 6565 is seen pulling four cars of liquid chalk from Orgon. Light weight for CC 6565 which on the same evening was pulling train No 58836, a part of the Miramas-Sibelin"treadmill".

That same day, same driver from Miramas took over from a colleague from Lyon on train No 75601 in Miramas, then did his all working day at controls of CC 6565 (Fos, Cavaillon, Orgon).

(Photo Fabrice Douhet)

After pulling train No 58836 from Miramas to Lyon,  CC 6565 was used on following day on container train No 52007 from Vénissieux to Marseille-Arenc. A very rare event for a CC 6500 over previous months… however it was CC 6565 last train before withdrawal.

Between December 5th and 8th, just before being taken out of service, CC 6565 will have still been to Dijon, Marseille and Miramas !
On December 10th, CC 6565 is pulled in a locomotive train between Marseille Blancarde depot and Miramas. Locomotive train is seen here passing by Saint-Chamas along Berrelake. CC 6565 is in last position.

(Photo Jean-Claude Pimor)

On December 10th 2005 in Miramas depot, a few fans of these beautiful locomotives are putting CC 6565 in the light for a very last picture of a CC 6500 in this southern depot, often frequented by this series over many years. CC 6565 was withdrawn the following day.

A year before, on December 11th 2004, the same group of people had organized a "parade" well kept in memories with six CC 6500 side by side with all pantographs up !!

(Photo Fabrice Douhet)

"Meanwhile" ... just as if this ideal scenario had been written on purpose, CC 6574 was doing its last services on the Maurienne valley line, another major place of CC 6500 activity during their freight years.
Following pictures have, in fact, been taken the week before. But they are very similar to pictures that would have been taken during last week from December 5th to 9th.

December 2nd2005 :
CC 6574 is at rest between duties at St Jean de Maurienne auxiliary depot. It is surrounded by a couple of BB 8700 (series now also withdrawn from use) and a BB 26000. All these locomotives were to be used on the “pushing” service between Saint-Jean and Modane.

(Photo Pierre Bendjouya)

 


Below is a table summarizing CC 6574 service between December 5th and 9th, last week of freight activity for CC 6500s : Intensive use on the Maurienne line and a trip up to Dijon.

Date Train N°
Type of train
 From to
05/12
Péchiney
Manoeuver
St Jean de Maurienne
St Jean de Maurienne
"
47315
Freight 100 km/h
St Jean de Maurienne
Modane
06/12
338372
Locomotive train
Modane
St Jean de Maurienne
"
pousse 44345
Freight 100 km/h
St Jean de Maurienne
Modane
"
338136
Dead haul
Modane
St Jean de Maurienne
"
pousse 44339
Freight 100 km/h
St Jean de Maurienne
Modane
"
pousse 47335
Freight 100 km/h
St Jean de Maurienne
Modane
"
338006
Locomotive train
Modane
St Jean de Maurienne
"
pousse 42383
Freight 100 km/h
St Jean de Maurienne
Modane
"
338080
Dead haul
Modane
St Jean de Maurienne
07/12
pousse 47317
Freight 100 km/h
St Jean de Maurienne
Modane
"
X 44302
Dead haul
St Priest
Sibelin
08/12
340710
Dead haul
Sibelin
La Valbonne (*)
"
91415
Freight 100 km/h
La Valbonne (*)
Dijon
09/12
482759
Freight 100 km/h
Dijon
Badan
"
EVO
Dead haul
Badan
Vénissieux

(*) La Valbonne : located between Lyon and Ambérieu.

On this same December 2nd2005 :

On St Jean de Maurienne yard tracks, CC 6574 is about to join end of a freight train to do the additional pushing assisting locomotive on head end up to Modane. The manoeuver agent has already removed red lights at the end of the train, and is about to couple CC 6500 on the train.

(Photo Pierre Bendjouya)

Driven by a Saint Jean de Maurienne driver,CC 6574 is seen ready to depart on hard 33mm/m ramps of high Arc River valley. On head end was a couple of BB 7200.

(Photo Pierre Bendjouya)

Just for pleasure and with bit of nostalgia, a very last sight of a "belle" in Miramas depot, on Saturday December 10th2005. It was the day before service switch and also the day before the last two CC 6500s dedicated to freight activity were withdrawn: CC 6565 and 6574 ...

Nice winter lighting … and sunset on CC 6500s series ...

(Photo Fabrice Douhet)

Many thanks to Fabrice, Pierre Bendjouya and Jean-Claude Pimor for information and photos they have given us to do this page.
If by any chance, a reader having followed CC 6565 or 6574 that very last week had pictures to add to this page, APCC 6570 would be grateful.
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