Lyon tramway

Tramway de Lyon
Info
Locale Lyon, Rhône-Alpes
Transit type Tram
Number of lines 4
Number of stations 80
Operation
Began operation 2001
Operator(s) TCL
Technical
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in)
System map
Lyon public transport
Metro
 A  B  C  D
 Funi F  Funi SJ
Tramways
 T1  •  T2  •  T3  •  T4
Rhônexpress Airport commuter
Train
TER Rhône Alpes
Real • Ouest Lyonnais
Railway stations
Perrache • Part-Dieu • Gorge-de-Loup • Jean-Macé • Saint-Exupéry • Saint-Paul • Vaise • Francheville • Oullins • Vénissieux
Express Bus
 C1  •  C2  •  C3
Bus
 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...  Zi1 215 ...
Lyon Airports
Saint Exupery • Bron

The current tramway network in Lyon comprises four lines. Line T1 opened in 2001; T2 opened in 2001; T3 opened at the end of 2006; and line T4 opened in 2009. The tramway system complements the Lyon metro and forms an integral part to the public transportation system (TCL) in Lyon. The tramway network in Lyon was first developed in 1879, but the modern network was not built until 2001. The network is currently served by 73 Alstom Citadis 302 trams.

Line T1 extends from Montrochet to IUT Feyssine via Perrache, Part-Dieu Vivier-Merle and Charpennes. Line T2 runs from Perrache to Saint-Priest – Bel-Air via Jean-Macé, Grange-Blanche and Porte des Alpes. Line T3 goes from Part-Dieu - Villette to Meyzieu Z.I. via Vaulx – La Soie. Line T4 runs between Jet d'Eau and Cliniques Feyzin.

Contents

Original network (1879 - 1957)

Original OTL network

The first tram network was built and operated by the Compagnie des Omnibus et tramways de Lyon (OTL), founded in 1879. It consisted of ten 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) (standard gauge), horse-drawn lines with a total length of 44 km serving Lyon, Villeurbanne, La Mulatière et Oullins .

In 1894, new electrics trams are in service with these lines

The first line to open was line 5, from Place Bellecour to Vaise along the Saône river, competing with riverboats. Lines 1 and 7 followed the approximate routes of the current metro lines D and A, respectively. The network was gradually extended, by the OTL and by acquisitions of competing operators between 1894 and 1914.

OTL extensions

La Société du Tramway d'Écully

1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) (Metre gauge) lines to the northwest, acquired by the OTL in 1894.

La Compagnie Lyonnaise des Tramways (CLT)

Metre gauge, steam powered lines on the left bank of the Rhône river. Became the Nouvelle Compagnie Lyonnaise des Tramways (NLT) in 1902, then acquired by the OTL in 1906.

La Compagnie du Fourvière Ouest Lyonnais (FOL)

Fourvière and Saint-Just funiculars and trams in the west plateau. Acquired by the OTL in 1910.

La Compagnie du Tramway de Caluire (CTC)

Acquired by the OTL in 1914. Originally metric gauge, converted to standard gauge in 1925.

Tramway de l'Ouest du Dauphiné

This company reach Lyon in 1909.The meter gauge line leading to the east suburb was used on 6 km after being electrified in 1925.

History

The first steam-driven tram line, the number 12, linked Lyon and Vénissieux in 1888. The network was electrified between 1893 and 1899. Extensions to the suburbs were built until 1914. This was the height of the network - high quality service, low price, high frequency and high profitability for shareholders. The inflation after World War II made the network unprofitable. Beginning in the 1930s, tramways were progressively replaced with trolleybuses and later buses. A modernization plan, including underground sections in the city centre, planned in the 1940s was rapidly abandoned. The last urban tram ran on line 4 in January 1956 and the last suburban tram, the "Train bleu" in Neuville-sur-Saône, was abandoned in June 1957.

The current network (since 2001)

Following a decline in the 1950s and 1960s, public transit in Lyon was revived in the 1970s with the opening of the Lyon Metro. In 1996 a decision was made to build a new tram network to complement the metro. The first two lines were opened on January 2, 2001: Line T1 from Perrache to IUT-Feyssine via Part-Dieu and Charpennes and Line T2 from Perrache to Porte des Alpes via Jean-Macé and Grange-Blanche. Line T2 was extended to Saint-Priest on October 27, 2003 and Line T1 was extended to Montrochet on September 15, 2005. Line T3 (codenamed LEA) was opened on December 4, 2006 along the former Chemin de Fer de l'Est Lyonnais tracks from Part-Dieu Villette to Meyzieu. Line T4 opened on April 20, 2009, running from Jet d'eau - Mendès France to Hôpital Feyzin - Vénissieux.

Line T1

Operates from 4:52am to 12:27pm, maintained by the Centre de Maintenance de Saint-Priest - Porte des Alpes.

Line T2

Operates from 4:55am to 12:35am, maintained by the Centre de Maintenance de Saint-Priest - Porte des Alpes.

Line T3

Operates from 4:27am to 12:08am, maintained by the Centre de Maintenance de Meyzieu.

Codenamed "LEA" (Ligne de L'Est de l'Agglomération), Line T3 runs along a portion of the former CFEL (Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Est de Lyon) train line from the Gare de l'Est de Lyon to Saint-Genix-d'Aoste (via Crémieu, Jallieu et Montalieu).[1]

Line T3, which is 14.6 km long, runs largely on ballasted railroad track. It takes 23 minutes to go from Part-Dieu Villette to Meyzieu - ZI, and runs at a maximum speed of 70 km/h (60 km/h at intersections, of which 26 are equipped with crossing gates). 7 km run near residential areas and are equipped with a noise barrier.

Line T4

Operates from 4:52am to 12:45am, maintained by the Centre de Maintenance de Saint-Priest - Porte des Alpes. There are plans to extend the line from Jet d'Eau to Part-Dieu, Charpennes and IUT Feyssine by 2013.[2]

Rhônexpress

The Rhônexpress is an express line which links Part-Dieu Villette to Saint-Exupéry airport, with intermediate stops at Vaulx-en-Velin – La Soie (transfer to Metro Line A) and Meyzieu ZI. The route is served by 6 tram trains, constructed by the Swiss builder Stadler Rail. Its route consists of the existing T3 tram line, which is built with passing tracks to allow express service, and an extension of 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) of new track to the airport from Meyzieu. The total length of track is 23 kilometres (14 mi) and it takes approximately 25 minutes to go from Part-Dieu to the airport. Service runs from morning until night, with departures every 15 minutes at peak times.

Work began on October 9, 2008 and was completed August 9, 2010.[3] The Conseil général of the Rhône department franchised the operation rights for 30 years to Rhônexpress, a consortium including VINCI (28.2 %), Veolia Transport (28.2 %), Vossloh Infrastructure Service (4.2 %), Cegelec Centre Est (2,8 %) and the Caisse des dépôts et consignations.[4] Unlike the Lyon tramways, the Rhônexpress is not run by TCL. Stadler's Tangos are used as rolling stocks.

Rolling stock

The fleet is composed of 73 articulated Alstom Citadis 302 trams built between 2000 and 2009. They have production numbers N°801 - 873. And 10 articulated Alstom Citadis 402 which are on order of Lyon T3.

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. ^ Le Chemin de fer de l'Est de Lyon de MM. Domengie, Alquati, Moulin et Roze, Les Éditions du Cabri, 1996
  2. ^ Sytral page on T4 tram line
  3. ^ http://www.lyon-en-lignes.org/content/view/312/129/
  4. ^ Ville et transports - magazine, January 17, 2007

External links