Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway

Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway line

The station at Ste-Croix
Overview
Type Light rail
Status Operational
Locale Canton of Vaud, Switzerland
Termini Yverdon-les-Bains
Sainte-Croix
Stations 10
Services 1
Operation
Opened 1893
Owner TRAVYS
Operator(s) TRAVYS
Depot(s) Yverdon-les-Bains
Technical
Line length 24 km (15 mi)
Number of tracks Single track
Track gauge Metre (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Minimum radius 100 m (328 ft)
Electrification 15 kV  16 2⁄3 Hz AC overhead wire
Maximum incline 4.4%
Route diagram
Legend
 0,0 Yverdon-les-Bains 435 m ü. M.
 La Thielle79 m
 0,5 Depot and workshop
 1,1 William Barbey YSteC
 2,2 La Brinaz
 3,0 Valeyres-sous-Montagny 450 m ü. M.
 5,5 Essert-sous-Champvent 507 m ü. M.
 8,5 Vuiteboeuf 589 m ü. M.
 11,5 Baulmes 631 m ü. M.
 14,4 Six-Fontaines 705 m ü. M.
 Murets145 m
 19,3 Trois-Villes 907 m ü. M.
 Cochâble59 m
 Arrêtaz73 m
 Covatannaz153 m
 Onglettaz29 m
 24,2 Ste-Croix 1066 m ü. M.

The Yverdon to Sainte-Croix railway (French: Chemin de fer Yverdon–Ste-Croix, YSteC) is a metre gauge (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in gauge) railway line and former railway company in Switzerland. The line connects the towns of Yverdon-les-Bains and Sainte-Croix, both in the canton of Vaud, and is some 24 kilometres (15 mi) long, overcoming a vertical height change of 633 metres (2,077 ft). It is now owned and operated by the TRAVYS company (Transports Vallée-de-Joux - Yverdon-les-Bains - Sainte-Croix).

History

One of the original steam locomotives

The line was opened in 1893 by the Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway company, largely as a result of the influence of William Barbey from Valeyres-sous-Rances, who financed the building of the line. The line initially used steam locomotives to the articulated Mallet design. Because of the influence of the religious William Barbey, the line did not operate any trains on Sundays.[1][2]

In 1918, after the death of William Barbey, the line began operations on Sundays. Like many Swiss railways, it suffered from a shortage of coal during the Second World War and, in 1945, it was electrified at 15 kV  16 2⁄3 Hz AC, using overhead wires.

On February 14, 1976 two railcars collided head-to-head between Essert-sous-Champvent and Valeyres-sous-Montagny at about 50 km/h (31 mph). Seven people died and 40 others were injured. The accident was put down to human error; the two trains were scheduled to cross at Essert-sous-Champvent, but the line was not equipped with automatic block signalling that would have prevented the accident.[3][4]

In 2001, the Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway company was merged with the Pont-Brassus railway company and the Transports Publics Yverdon-Grandson bus company to form the new TRAVYS company. The company has since also absorbed the Orbe–Chavornay railway company.[5]

In 2013 and as part of a joint order with Transports de la région Morges-Bière-Cossonay, the Montreux–Oberland Bernois railway and Transports publics fribourgeois, TRAVYS ordered three new trains for the Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway from Stadler Rail. Of these, two will be used to replace older stock, whilst the third will allow the introduction of a half-hourly service on the line. The trains are due for delivery in 2015.[6]

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

No. Type Seats: 2nd Builders Details Date Built Notes Image
1 Be4/4 40 ACMV/SIG/SAAS 1981 Named "Yverdon - les - Bains"
2 Be4/4 40 ACMV/SIG/SAAS 1981 Named "Baulmes".
3 Be4/4 40 ACMV/SIG/SAAS 1981 2004 sold to Chemin de fer Bière-Apples-Morges as No.15
4 Be4/4 46 SIG/BBC 1945 withdrawn March 2008
5 Be4/4 46 SIG/BBC 1945
21 Ge4/4 YSC/SIG/BBC 1950
22 B SIG 1893Sold to Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme (CFBS)
22" Tm2/2 Schöma/Deutz 1971
23 Tm2/2 RACO/Cummins 1989
26 BF SIG 1893Sold to CFBS
27 BF SIG 1893Sold to CFBS
31 B SIG 1929Sold to CFBS
32 B SIG 1929Sold to CFBS
35 B 64 SWP 1968Wired as intermediate coach for 1-3/51-53 and 4-5/54
36 Ars SIG/RhB/Travys 1913ex-RhB B 2218, saloon "La Traverse". Rebuilt in 1960 (RhB) and again in 2002 (Travys).
51 Bt 56 ACMV/SAAS 1983 Driving Trailer for 1-3/2000-01
52 Bt 56 ACMV/SAAS 1983 2004 sold to BAM as No.54
52" Bt Stadler 2007 Driving Trailer for 1-2/2000-01
53 BDt 64SWP/SWA 1968Ex-No.33, Rebuilt in 1991 from B, driving trailer for 1-3/2000-01
54 BDt 64 SWP/SWA 1968Ex-No.34, Rebuilt in 1991 from B, driving trailer for 4
55 Bt 64 ACMV/SAAS 1981
2000Be2/6 88 Stadler/Adtranz2001 Stadler GTW
2001Be2/6 88 Stadler/Adtranz2001 Stadler GTW

References

  1. ↑ "Barbey, William". Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (in French). 5 May 2004. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Rail". Sainte-Croix/Les Rasses Tourisme. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Collision de trains sur la ligne Yverdon–Sainte-Croix: septs morts et quarante blessés" [Train collision on the Yverdon-Sainte-Croix line: seven dead and forty injured]. Journal de Genève, Genf (in French). 16 February 1976. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "L’Office fédéral des transport: une erreur humaine" [Federal Transport Office: human error]. Journal de Genève (in French). 17 February 1976. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "travys - Entreprise du mois" [travys - Enterprise of the month] (PDF) (in French). ADNV - Développement du Nord Vaudois. May 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Stadler trains for four rail companies in Western Switzerland". Stadler. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
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