▁opening ▁of ▁a ▁second ▁tunnel , ▁was ▁to ▁require ▁four ▁years ▁of ▁work . ▁First ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁the ▁N ou mé a - Pa ï ta ▁line ▁was ▁inaugur ated , ▁twenty - n ine ▁kilom eters ▁tra ve led ▁in ▁a ▁little ▁over ▁an ▁hour ▁and ▁a ▁half , ▁with ▁ten ▁stops ▁and ▁a ▁comp uls ory ▁stop ▁at ▁D umb é a , ▁between ▁the ▁departure ▁station ▁and ▁the ▁arrival ▁station . ▁ ▁The ▁Oper ating ▁accounts ▁were ▁bal anced ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁but ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁the ▁situation ▁began ▁to ▁decl ine . ▁The ▁reasons ▁were ▁ep ide mic ▁of ▁pl ague , ▁the ▁Great ▁War , ▁the ▁competition ▁of ▁bus es ▁in ▁the ▁tw ent ies ▁and ▁the ▁world ▁economic ▁crisis . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁a ▁decision ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁tempor arily ▁stop ▁the ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁railway . ▁The ▁N ou mé a - Pa ï ta ▁railway ▁closed ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁ow ing ▁to ▁low ▁rid ership , ▁the ▁def ic it ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁and ▁rolling ▁stock ▁and ▁tracks ▁in ▁poor ▁condition . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁American ▁ 7 9 0 th ▁Railway ▁Transport ation ▁Company ▁re open ed ▁the ▁line ▁to ▁operate ▁rail ways ▁for ▁the ▁Al lied ▁presence ▁on ▁New ▁C aled onia . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Americans ▁left ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁abandoned ▁and ▁demol ished .