Chemin de fer Nyon–St-Cergue–Morez

The Chemin de Fer Nyon-St. Cergue-Morez (NStCM) is a narrow gauge railway which nowadays operates between Nyon, on the northern shore of Lake Geneva and the French border at La Cure.
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, 1500V DC
Operating speed 0 mph (0 km/h)
Highest elevation 1233m
Nyon-La Cure
Legend
 0km / 0hour Nyon 395m
Gare souterraine 210 m
1.1 / 0:01 Les Plantaz 420m
Depot
2.4 / 0:02 La Vuarpiliere
3.0 / 0:03 L'Asse 466m
Asse-Viadukt 74 m
4.4 / 0:06 Trélex 501m
Colline-Viadukt 110 m
6.4 / 0:10 Givrins 554m
7.5 / 0:12 Genolier 562m
8.5 / 0:14 Sus-Châtel 598m
9.8 / 0:16 La Joy-Clinique
11.1 / 0:19 Le Muids 715m
12.1 / 0:20 Bassins 756m
Tunnel Bassins 116 m
13.9 / 0:24 Arzier 842m
17.1 / 0:29 La Chevrerie-Monteret 970m
19.1 / 0:32 St Cergue 1047m
Tunnel St-Cergue 99 m
22.1 / 0:37 Les Pralines 1146m
23.3 / 0:39 La Givrine 1208m
27.0 / 0:45 La Cure 1155m
Swiss / French border
27,3 La Cure (F) 1152m
29,5 Les Rousses 1110m
Sous-les-Barres 940m
Tunnel Sous-les-Barres 96m
33,8 Gouland 895m
Tunnel Turu 58m
La Doye
Pont de la Bienne
Morez Ecole
38,2 Morez Ville 701m
39,1 Morez SNCF 734m

Contents

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. 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 d.c. The French section (12 km) 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 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 1232 m. 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

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 d.c. 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. 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 line near Montreux and another example at the Chemin de Fer Voies Ferrees du Velay in Haute Loire. The vehicles carried a dark red livery.

External links