What is this French steam loco?

Back in 1999 I took the train from Carcassone to Paris. I was surprised to see a steam locomotive, seemingly ready for service - certainly it was spotted in the midst of a very active junction. Can anyone identify this locomotive for me? From what I remember, this is on the eastern side of the main line from Toulouse to Paris. From the image data, this location is about an hour and a half north of Carcassone - we took the express train that didn't stop more than once or twice before this location, so I'd guess that this is about 150-175 miles north of Carcassone. It's also about an hour south of Cahors, judging by the data in the frame after this one.

In many European countries there are occasional Steam Specials. You don't give enough information and it is too long ago. The magazine Todays Railways might know.

Was the location Toulouse? From there it could have been going to Lourdes or Pau on the southwestern line. Or else back to Carcasonne. There are a number of other destinations possible. I suspect Bordeaux would be too far.

Oh well, that's what I figured. It didn't even occur to me that someone here might know about it until a few minutes before I posted, about six years after I took the photo. I don't even remember a particularly large forum community on the Internet in 1999 - I didn't find them until a year or so later. I was hoping that someone might recognize either the locomotive or the locality visually.

Anyway, for the record, this was taken 14-Aug-1999 at around 12:40 pm. Carcassone is about an hour north of Toulouse, and I was on the northbound train, so this location is about two and a half hours north of Toulouse.

Unfortunately 1999 was the day when a 2 megapixel image was a BIG one, and the details don't blow up well here. As near as I can tell after massive sharpening, the identification on the back of the tender says "J.a.R L125" or maybe L126.

North of Toulouse could be Limoges, a junction for a main line to Bordeaux and another to Lyon. Minor lines to Poitiers and Lyon via Clermont-Ferrand.

blw wrote:
Anyway, for the record, this was taken 14-Aug-1999 at around 12:40 pm. Carcassone is about an hour north of Toulouse, and I was on the northbound train, so this location is about two and a half hours north of Toulouse.

Unfortunately 1999 was the day when a 2 megapixel image was a BIG one, and the details don't blow up well here. As near as I can tell after massive sharpening, the identification on the back of the tender says "J.a.R L125" or maybe L126.

Carcassone is not north of Toulouse it is east of Toulouse.

A non TGV train from Carcassone to Paris goes via Toulouse - Cahors - Brive - Limoges.

The only Station it can be is Montauban Ville Bourbon where the lines from Toulouse to Bordeaux and Cahors- Limoges separate. (F*uk my English is too bad...)

The Loco is 141 R 1126 of the ACPR (Association des Cheminots pour la Préservation de la Vapeur = Society of Railway Enthusiast for Preservation of Steam Locos), former 141 R 1126 of the SNCF (French State Railway).

The fact that blw told he has read RL126 on the back of the tender makes me sure .

(F*uk my English is too bad...)

Um... yeah, can we watch the inappropriate language (swearing, cursing or "cuss words" as the locals in my hometown used to say), plese? There may be young people around.

And your English isn't that bad. At least, I could understand what you were saying. Your information is most welcome.

Just mind the bad words, please.

Thanks to Thomas. I'll have a look at the 141Rs.

As you can see, my French geography is nowhere near as good as your English! (Incidently, your English is good enough that I couldn't distinguish from a native speaker. It amazes me that people constantly apologize for their "poor" english - virtually every one of those folks has a pretty good command of english!)

blw wrote:Thanks to Thomas. I'll have a look at the 141Rs.

As you can see, my French geography is nowhere near as good as your English! (Incidently, your English is good enough that I couldn't distinguish from a native speaker. It amazes me that people constantly apologize for their "poor" english - virtually every one of those folks has a pretty good command of english!)

Only luck prevented a disaster in the English examination in my Abitur (=university-level-graduation (?))...

Well, your English is just fine. In fact, your English is better than my Japanese.

Look forward to more discussions with you in the future.