▁from ▁Saint - Ét ienne - de - P ont - b ull ▁to ▁Andre zie ux ▁Port . ▁ ▁The ▁track ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁French ▁line ▁adopted ▁a ▁system ▁where ▁the ▁cast ▁iron ▁rails ▁were ▁ 1 . 2 0 ▁m ▁long ▁and ▁were ▁supported ▁at ▁each ▁end ▁by ▁a ▁cast ▁chair , ▁itself ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁stone ▁sle eper ▁with ▁large - head ed ▁n ails ▁driven ▁into ▁o ak ▁p eg s . ▁ ▁E volution ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁ ▁The ▁C ote au ▁- ▁André zie ux ▁line ▁▁ ▁To ▁transport ▁coal ▁Et ienne , ▁the ▁André zie ux ▁line ▁at ▁Le ▁C ote au ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 8 3 0 ▁by ▁Mel let ▁and ▁Henry . ▁In ▁the ▁Fore z ▁plain , ▁it ▁by pass ed ▁the ▁towns ▁of ▁Ve au che , ▁Montr ond - les - B ains , ▁Fe urs ▁and ▁Bal b igny . ▁From ▁there , ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁four ▁incl ined ▁plan es ▁crossed ▁the ▁threshold ▁of ▁Ne ul ise . ▁The ▁line ▁joined ▁the ▁valley ▁of ▁Gand ▁below ▁Saint - Sym ph or ien - de - L ay ▁then ▁to ▁the ▁Rh ins ▁where ▁its ▁track ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁Ro anne ▁- ▁Lyon ▁line ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁On ▁each ▁incl ined ▁plane , ▁the ▁up ▁train ▁had ▁to ▁wait ▁for ▁a ▁train ▁down ▁to ▁balance . ▁These ▁expect ations ▁were ▁scarcely ▁compatible ▁with ▁passenger ▁transport , ▁yet ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁opened