Nyon–St-Cergue–Morez Railway

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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The Nyon–St-Cergue–Morez Railway French: Chemin de Fer Nyon-St. Cergue-Morez, NStCM) is a narrow gauge railway in western Switzerland which nowadays operates between Nyon, on the northern shore of Lake Geneva and the French border at La Cure, the La Cure–Morez section having closed in 1958. The railway reaches a height of 1,228 metres (4,029 feet) above sea level at the Col de la Givrine and it is the highest in the Jura Mountains.

Chemin de fer
Nyon–Saint-Cergue–La Cure
103px
File:StC205+231.jpg
Overview
Type Commuter rail
Locale Vaud, Switzerland
Termini Nyon La Cure
Stations 17
Services 1
Operation
Opened 1916
Technical
Line length 26.70 km (16.59 mi)
No. of tracks 1
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Electrification Overhead lines, 1500 V DC
Operating speed 0 mph (0 km/h)
Highest elevation 1,232 m (4,042 ft)
Nyon-La Cure
0km / 0hour Nyon 395 m
Gare souterraine210 m
1.1 / 0:01 Les Plantaz 420 m
Depot
2.4 / 0:02 La Vuarpiliere
3.0 / 0:03 L'Asse 466 m
Asse-Viadukt74 m
4.4 / 0:06 Trélex 501 m
Colline-Viadukt110 m
6.4 / 0:10 Givrins 554 m
7.5 / 0:12 Genolier 562 m
8.5 / 0:14 Sus-Châtel 598 m
9.8 / 0:16 La Joy-Clinique
11.1 / 0:19 Le Muids 715 m
12.1 / 0:20 Bassins 756 m
Tunnel Bassins116 m
13.9 / 0:24 Arzier 842 m
17.1 / 0:29 La Chevrerie-Monteret 970 m
19.1 / 0:32 St Cergue 1047 m
Tunnel St-Cergue99 m
22.1 / 0:37 Les Pralies 1146 m
23.3 / 0:39 La Givrine 1208 m
27.0 / 0:45 La Cure 1155 m
Swiss / French border
27,3 La Cure (F) 1152 m
29,5 Les Rousses 1110 m
Sous-les-Barres 940 m
Tunnel Sous-les-Barres96 m
33,8 Gouland 895 m
Tunnel Turu58 m
La Doye
Pont de la Bienne
Morez Ecole
38,2 Morez Ville 701 m
39,1 Morez SNCF 734 m
File:StC205+231.jpg
Railcars on shed : ACMV/BBC Type Be4/4 205 in 'new livery' (left) alongside SWS/SAAS Type BDe4/4 231 ex-CJ No.606, photographed at Saint-Cergue.

History

The line, built to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge, was opened in three sections, the first from Nyon, a town on the shores of Lake Geneva, to the Jura mountain resort village of Saint-Cergue on 12 July 1916, then to the French border at La Cure, opened on 18 August 1917. The third section, built by the French Company Chemins de fer électriques du Jura (CFEJ), taking the line over the border was opened to the French town of Morez on 7 March 1921 giving a total length of 39 km (24 mi). In effect this small line linked the Swiss railways main line from Geneva to Lausanne to that of the Chemin de Fer Paris, Lyon, Mediterranee (PLM) (from 1938 this was the SNCF). With the exception of the period from 1940 to 1948 this enabled direct services to operate on a daily basis, although wintertime conditions often made this a difficult feat. Because of its steep gradients the line was electrified from the outset, originally at the unusual, if not unique, 2,200 volts DC The 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) French section from La Cure to Morez closed on 28 September 1958.

The line

Originally the line commenced outside the main station in Nyon and after passing below the Swiss Federal Railways main line it climbed steadily, steeply in places taking large curves to ease the gradient, to the mountain resort of St. Cergue. From here it runs alongside the road through the Col de la Givrine, with a summit of 1,232 m (4,042 ft). above sea level, to the village of La Cure, nowadays its upper terminus. It was here the line crossed the French border and again running alongside the road, passing the village of Les Rousses it duly arrived in the streets of Morez. The line then descended steeply to terminate in front of the PLM station.

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

No. Type Seats: 2nd+1st Builders Details Date Built Notes.
1 ABDe4/4 20+5 SWS/BBC 1916 Sold 1982, Chemin de fer de la Mure
2 ABDe4/4 30+6 CGV/BBC 1936 1961 ex-CFEJ No.2:Withdrawn 1986
3 ABDe4/4 18+6 D&B/BBC 1924 1961 ex-CFEJ No.1:Scrapped after accident 1980
5 ABDe4/4 20+5 SWS/BBC 1916 Sold 1986, Chemin de fer de la Mure
6 ABDe4/4 20+5 SWS/BBC 1916 Withdrawn 1983
10 ABDe4/4 10+5 SWS/BBC 1918 Sold 1992, Chemin de fer de la Mure
11 ABDe4/4 10+5 SWS/BBC 1918 Sold 1992, Chemin de fer de la Mure
201 Be4/4 40 ACMV/BBC 1985
202 Be4/4 40 ACMV/BBC 1985
203 Be4/4 40 ACMV/BBC 1985
204 Be4/4 40 ACMV/BBC 1985
205 Be4/4 40 ACMV/BBC 1986
211 BDe4/4 24 ACMV/ABB 1991 baggage area but fewer seats
221 BDe4/4 40 1936 Ex-LEB No.22, 1991
231 BDe4/4 32 SWS/SAAS 1953 Ex-CJ No.606, 2003
232 BDe4/4 32 SWS/SAAS 1953 Ex-CJ No.607, 2007
251 XTm2/2 Beilhack/Deutz 1984 Fitted with Hiab lifting equipment.
261 Tm2/2 O&K/Deutz 1958 Type MV4A, Wks No.25845. Rebuilt 1996.
301 Bt 52 ACMV/BBC 1985 driving trailer
302 Bt 52 ACMV/BBC 1985 driving trailer
303 Bt 52 ACMV/BBC 1985 driving trailer
304 Bt 52 ACMV/BBC 1985 driving trailer
305 Bt 52 ACMV/BBC 1986 driving trailer
331 Bt 48 SIG/SAAS 1952 driving trailer, ex-CJ No.705
341 B 66 SWS 1949 ex BTI B41 in 1978 ex BD B41 in 1969
342 B 66 SWS 1949 ex BTI B42 in 1978 ex BD B42 in 1969
381 D SWS 1913 ex-YSteC DZ 62 ex PTT (RhB) Z4° 76 ex 88 1955 rebuilt with bogies ex Z° 26 ex 321
  • all motor coaches are double cab
  • all driving trailers are single cab
  • B 341-342 are MU-wired for push-pull operation with Be4/4 201-205, BDe4/4 211 and Bt 301-305

Abbreviations

Modernisation

The earliest section to open, that in Switzerland, continued after the closure of the French section and in the 1980s was part of a modernisation programme. The voltage was changed to the more universally used 1500 volt DC and automatic block signalling installed. New rolling stock arrived on the line in 1985 with the introduction of new “automotrice” – powered driving railcars and these were followed the following year by voitures pilote - driving trailers. Plans were put forward in 1999 to extend the line some 2.5 km (1.6 mi). over the French border to the village of Les Rousses but this did not prove cost effective to the communities involved and was rejected. In 2004 the Nyon terminus was moved to a two platform underground station on the north side of the main line approached by escalators from the station underpass.

Preservation

The original “automotrice”, of which 7 were built, were heavy duty vehicles and could haul several trailer cars. Two of these have survived, restored to working order, at the Chemin de Fer de la Mure near Grenoble. Two other examples were sold to the same railway but have yet to be restored. Some trailer cars have also survived including No. B7 which has been restored at the Blonay–Chamby museum railway near Montreux and another example at the Chemin de Fer Voies Ferrees du Velay in Haute Loire. The vehicles carried a dark red livery.

Gallery

  • NStCM La Cure 1 copy.jpg
    The terminus at La Cure in 1978.
  • NStCM La Cure 2 copy.jpg
    The Swiss-French border at La Cure.
  • NStCM La Cure 1979 0201.jpg
    A motor car runs round its trailer at La Cure.
  • NStCM Nyon 6.jpg
    In 1979 NSCM trains waited in the street outside Nyon CFF station. This section has now been placed in tunnel.
  • NStCM Nyon CFF station 1979.jpg
    At Nyon in 1979 the narrow-gauge train hauls its load of vans to the CFF goods station.
  • NStCM Nyon Depot 2 copy.jpg
    Timber for pit props was the main freight traffic in 1979.
  • NStCM leaving Nyon 1979.jpg
    The La Cure trains originally left Nyon as a street tramway. This section has now been replaced by a tunnel.
  • NStCM. St Cergue 1979 001.jpg
    St Cergue was the main town on the NSCM route. Trains of 1914-16 motors pass in 1979.
  • NStCM.Nyon depot NStCM 8-79.jpg
    The main NSCM depot is on the edge of Nyon.
  • NStCM ticket.jpg
    NSCM ticket

External links

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