The Story

A company of bersaglieri transported by the "marmifera" on the characteristic carts for the transport of the blocks

 The planned route of the "Ferrovia Marmifera" of Carrara was at last completed. So we can say that from the end of the 19^th century to the first ten years of the 20^th century a long period of success for the railway took place. Rail transport became prevalent even if there were some resistances from those who were accustomed to transport the blocks on carts carried by oxen. They even tried to mine the bridges of Vara.

 The first world war caused a stop to the expansion of the traffic, not only because of the war but also for the strikes of the quarrymen caused by the difficult economic situation of those years.The militar authorities infact took away engines and carts to use them to transport materials and soldiers. At the end of the war the traffic by train enlarged again. But at tha same time the transport by lorries entered into competition with rail transport, in particular fron the station of San Martino to Avenza towards the seaside. Instead the railway was prevailing in the Alpin tracts as there were no roads practicable by lorries to reach the quarries in the Apuan Alps. To get round this competition the marble railway society was obliged to buy some transport societies and to take on their employees or small proprietors. The year 1926 registered the largest expansion of the marble railway and the traffic of the marbles reached the 500,000 tons. During these years they thought of buying new rolling stocks and of building the branch San Martino – Fiorino which was never carried out. They wanted to get the management of the tract Avenza-San Martino.

The tavelling bridge-crane at Fantiscritti station and a modern diesel locomotive (foto archivio Bessi)

Il Comune di Carrara | La Provincia | La Regione Toscana

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