Nyon St Cergue Morez RailwayNyon St Cergue Morez RailwayThe Nyon-St-Cergue-Morez railway (NStCM), French: Chemin de Fer Nyon-St. Cergue-Morez, 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. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway 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 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. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway 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. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 1 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 20+5 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1916 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Sold 1982, Chemin de fer de la Mure Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 2 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 30+6 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: CGV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1936 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: 1961 ex-CFEJ No.2:Withdrawn 1986 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 3 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 18+6 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: D&B/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1924 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: 1961 ex-CFEJ No.1:Scrapped after accident 1980 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 5 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 20+5 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1916 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Sold 1986, Chemin de fer de la Mure Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 6 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 20+5 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1916 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Withdrawn 1983 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 10 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 10+5 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1918 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Sold 1992, Chemin de fer de la Mure Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 11 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: ABDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 10+5 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1918 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Sold 1992, Chemin de fer de la Mure Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 201 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Be4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 40 ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 202 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Be4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 40 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 203 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Be4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 40 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 204 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Be4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 40 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 205 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Be4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 40 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1986 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 211 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: BDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 24 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/ABB Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1991 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: baggage area but fewer seats Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 221 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: BDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 40 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1936 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Ex-LEB No.22, 1991 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 231 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: BDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 32 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/SAAS Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1953 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Ex-CJ No.606, 2003 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 232 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: BDe4/4 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 32 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS/SAAS Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1953 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Ex-CJ No.607, 2007 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 251 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: XTm2/2 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: Beilhack/Deutz Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1984 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Fitted with Hiab lifting equipment. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 261 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Tm2/2 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: O&K/Deutz Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1958 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: Type MV4A, Wks No.25845. Rebuilt 1996. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 301 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Bt Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 52 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: driving trailer Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 302 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Bt Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 52 ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: driving trailer Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 303 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Bt Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 52 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: driving trailer Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 304 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Bt Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 52 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1985 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: driving trailer Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 305 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Bt Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 52 ACMV/BBC Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1986 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: driving trailer Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 331 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: Bt Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 48 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SIG/SAAS Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1952 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: driving trailer, ex-CJ No.705 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 341 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: B Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 66 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1949 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: ex BTI B41 in 1978 ex BD B41 in 1969 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 342 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: B Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock 2nd+1st: 66 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1949 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: ex BTI B42 in 1978 ex BD B42 in 1969 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Number: 381 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Class/Type: D Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Manufacturer: SWS Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Date of Manufacture: 1913 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock Notes: 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 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Abbreviations ACMV: Ateliers de constructions mécaniques de Vevey BBC: Brown, Boveri & Cie BD: Bremgarten-Dietikon Bahn BTI: Biel-Taufelen-Ins Bahn CJ: Chemins de fer du Jura LEB: Chemin de fer Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher RhB: Rhätische Bahn SAAS: S.A. Ateliers Sécheron, Geneva SWS: Schweizerische Wagons & Aufzügefabrik YSteC: Chemin de fer Yverdon - Ste. Croix Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway 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 overline line voltage was changed from 2,200 Volts DC to the more common 1,500 Volts DC and automatic block signalling was installed. Work to modernise the infrastructure and implement the voltage change took place throughout 1984 and 1985. The St. Cergue-La Cure section was changed to the new, reduced voltage in mid-October 1985 and the Nyon-St. Cergue section followed on 5 December 1985. As part of this modernisation, new rolling stock was purchased, and arrived starting in autumn 1985. These were new automotrice (powered driving railcars) and matching voitures pilote (driving trailers). During the transitional phase in the line voltage, the old cars were able to continue in service after the reduction in voltage, but at reduced speed. The old stock ran for the last time on 20 December 1985, and from 21 December all service was operated by the new trains. 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. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway 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. Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Overview Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Type: Commuter Rail Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Locale: Vaud, Switzerland Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Terminus Stations: Nyon, La Cure Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Stations: 17 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Services: 1 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Operation Opened: 1916 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Line Length: 26.70 km (16.59 mi) Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Number of Tracks: 1 Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Track Gauge: 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3/8 in) Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Electrification: Overhead lines, 1500 V DC (since 1985) Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Operating Speed: 0 mph (0 km/h) Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Highest Elevation: 1,232 m (4,042 ft) Nyon St Cergue Morez Railway Route Nyon-La Cure 0km / 0hour Nyon 395m Gare souterraine 210m 1.1 / 0:01 Les Plantaz 420m Depot 2.4 / 0:02 La Vuarpiliere 3.0 / 0:03 L'Asse 466m Asse-Viadukt 74m 4.4 / 0:06 Trélex 501m Colline-Viadukt 110m 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 116m 13.9 / 0:24 Arzier 842 m 17.1 / 0:29 La Chevrerie-Monteret 970m 19.1 / 0:32 St Cergue 1047m Tunnel St-Cergue 99m 22.1 / 0:37 Les Pralies 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 | |||||
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