Smyrne Cassaba & Prolongements
Encyclopedia
The Smyrne Cassaba & Prolongements (English
:Smyrna Cassaba & Prolongations), formerly The Smyrna Cassaba Railway, was a railway company operating in Western Anatolia from 1863 to 1934.
to Cassaba
on July 4, 1863. The concession was awarded to an English company "The Smyrna Cassaba Railway". The railway choose to have their terminus closer to İzmir's city center. Construction began ın 1864. The rail line opened to Manisa
on October 10, 1865 and to Cassaba on January 10, 1866. The SCR then built a line to Bornova
(splitting from the main line at Halkapınar), which opened on October 25, 1866. They were going to extend the line to Cassaba, but the SCR went bankrupt during the stock market crash in 1866. The SCR recovered after a second concession to Alaşehir
. SCR completed the line to Alaşehir in 1875, however the construction was funded by the Ottoman Government. A third concession was awarded to the SCR in 1887 to build a branch to Soma
from Manisa. This was completed in 1890 but the Ottoman Government once again financed the construction. The Ottoman Government always in need of finance decided to rationalize the structure of the Smyrna Cassaba Railway. It exercised its right to purchase the concession and the part of the line it not already owned. The concession was then sold to Nagelmackers, the founder the International Sleeping Car Company on February 17, 1893. The railway operation was transferred on 12th July 1893 to a new French company, the "Société Ottomane du Chemin de fer de Smyrne-Cassaba et Prolongements" (SCP), which was founded on July 16, 1893. The SCP received a concession to build from Alaşehir to Afyon. The SCP made an agreement with the Central Railway of Anatolia (CFOA) to connect the SCP's line with theirs at Afyon. The line to Afyon was completed in 1899. The SCP continued the line from Soma to Bandırma
, which was completed in 1912. This became the shortest route between İzmir and İstanbul
via ferry connection at Bandırma. After the Republic of Turkey was formed in 1923, Turkey has nationalized all railways in the country, thus the SCP was taken over by the Turkish State Railways
in 1934.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
:Smyrna Cassaba & Prolongations), formerly The Smyrna Cassaba Railway, was a railway company operating in Western Anatolia from 1863 to 1934.
History
The Ottoman Government gave a concession to build a railway from İzmirIzmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
to Cassaba
Turgutlu
Turgutlu is a very large town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to the 2009 census, population of the district is 140,753 of which 115930 live in the city of Turgutlu.The district covers an area of and the city lies at an elevation of...
on July 4, 1863. The concession was awarded to an English company "The Smyrna Cassaba Railway". The railway choose to have their terminus closer to İzmir's city center. Construction began ın 1864. The rail line opened to Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
on October 10, 1865 and to Cassaba on January 10, 1866. The SCR then built a line to Bornova
Bornova
Bornova is a metropolitan district of İzmir in İzmir Province in Turkey. It is the third largest district in İzmir's Greater Metropolitan Area of and is almost fully urbanized at the rate of 98,6 per cent, with corresponding high levels of development in terms of industry and services...
(splitting from the main line at Halkapınar), which opened on October 25, 1866. They were going to extend the line to Cassaba, but the SCR went bankrupt during the stock market crash in 1866. The SCR recovered after a second concession to Alaşehir
Alasehir
Alaşehir, in Antiquity and the Middle Ages known as Philadelphia , i.e. " brotherly love" is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay , at the foot of the Bozdağ...
. SCR completed the line to Alaşehir in 1875, however the construction was funded by the Ottoman Government. A third concession was awarded to the SCR in 1887 to build a branch to Soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
from Manisa. This was completed in 1890 but the Ottoman Government once again financed the construction. The Ottoman Government always in need of finance decided to rationalize the structure of the Smyrna Cassaba Railway. It exercised its right to purchase the concession and the part of the line it not already owned. The concession was then sold to Nagelmackers, the founder the International Sleeping Car Company on February 17, 1893. The railway operation was transferred on 12th July 1893 to a new French company, the "Société Ottomane du Chemin de fer de Smyrne-Cassaba et Prolongements" (SCP), which was founded on July 16, 1893. The SCP received a concession to build from Alaşehir to Afyon. The SCP made an agreement with the Central Railway of Anatolia (CFOA) to connect the SCP's line with theirs at Afyon. The line to Afyon was completed in 1899. The SCP continued the line from Soma to Bandırma
Bandirma
Bandırma is a city in northwestern Turkey with 113,385 inhabitants on the Sea of Marmara. Also, Bandırma is a district of Balıkesir....
, which was completed in 1912. This became the shortest route between İzmir and İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
via ferry connection at Bandırma. After the Republic of Turkey was formed in 1923, Turkey has nationalized all railways in the country, thus the SCP was taken over by the Turkish State Railways
Turkish State Railways
The State Railways of the Turkish Republic or TCDD is the government owned, national railway carrier in the Republic of Turkey, headquartered in Ankara...
in 1934.