Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion-Rochers-de-Naye
Encyclopedia
The Chemin de fer Montreux - Glion - Rochers-de-Naye is an electrically operated rack and pinion railway
in Switzerland
, with a track gauge of , which links the places mentioned in its title.
(GN), which linked the two places in its title and opened in 1892, and the Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion
(MGl), with which it made an end - on junction, and which opened in 1909. Prior to this opening in 1909 the GN line formed a cross -platform connection with the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
, a feature which still operates today and forms part of the station at Glion. The line operates on 850 V DC with overhead electrical pick up. The line is built to a gauge of and is totally a rack and pinion system based on that devised by Roman Abt.
In 1987 the two companies merged to form the Chemin de fer de Montreux–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye (MGN). Five years later, 1992, the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
(TG) joined the club and the company changed its name to Chemin de fer Montreux–Territet–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye (MTGN). 2001 MTGN was merged into Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR)
.
, begins to climb steeply almost as soon as it leaves the station and enters the first of many tunnel
s. The line changes direction by a series of minimum radius curves, views of Lake Geneva
alternating from side to side, before reaching the station at Glion. This is the upper terminus of a funicular
which commences opposite the main line railway station at Territet and which gave access to (the clean air of) Glion before the coming of the direct railway from Montreux in 1909. The workshops and depot are alongside the line as it leaves Glion
, the main shops accessed from a traverser
set off a loop line alongside the main line.
The line continues higher to the small village of Caux
passing through Alpine meadows which, in the Springtime, are full of wild growing narcissus, forget-me-not
s and others, before reaching its upper terminus at Rochers-de-Naye, the home of the Marmot
Paradise, a centre where seven varieties of these small mammals can be seen in a natural environment. From here there are spectacular views over Lake Geneva and across to the French Alps, well worth the trip alone.
The line, which is 7.6 km (4.7 mi) long has a vertical climb on the Montreux - Glion section of 305 m (1,000.7 ft), whilst that of the Glion - Rochers-de-Naye is 1273 m (4,176.5 ft), giving a total of 1578 m (5,177.2 ft). Passing points are situated at Glion, Caux, Paccot and Jaman.
Since 1 January 2001 the railway has been part of the MVR
and is marketed under the Golden Pass Services' banner.
Abbreviations.
and MOB
.
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, with a track gauge of , which links the places mentioned in its title.
History
The line as it currently exists was built by two independent companies, the Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-NayeChemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye
The Chemin de fer Glion - Rochers-de-Naye is a mountain railway in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland which links the places in its title, high above the Lake Geneva resort town of Montreux....
(GN), which linked the two places in its title and opened in 1892, and the Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion
Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion
The line, which links the two places in its title was built by the Chemin de fer Montreux–Glion . Opened in 1909, at its upper terminus it made an end-on junction with the Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye and across its platform with the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion. Nowadays, the...
(MGl), with which it made an end - on junction, and which opened in 1909. Prior to this opening in 1909 the GN line formed a cross -platform connection with the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
The Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet–Glion is a funicular in Switzerland, which runs between the Territet and Glion suburbs of the the town of Montreux. At its upper terminus, the funicular connects with what was the lower terminus of the Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye mountain railway,...
, a feature which still operates today and forms part of the station at Glion. The line operates on 850 V DC with overhead electrical pick up. The line is built to a gauge of and is totally a rack and pinion system based on that devised by Roman Abt.
In 1987 the two companies merged to form the Chemin de fer de Montreux–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye (MGN). Five years later, 1992, the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
The Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet–Glion is a funicular in Switzerland, which runs between the Territet and Glion suburbs of the the town of Montreux. At its upper terminus, the funicular connects with what was the lower terminus of the Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye mountain railway,...
(TG) joined the club and the company changed its name to Chemin de fer Montreux–Territet–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye (MTGN). 2001 MTGN was merged into Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR)
Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR)
The Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera was a coming together, in 2001, of two small railway companies and two funicular companies in the Montreux / Vevey area of Switzerland. Some of these companies were, themselves, formed of amalgamations which had taken place over the years...
.
The Line
The railway from Montreux, which departs from platform 8 of the main line Montreux railway stationMontreux railway station
Montreux railway station is the largest of the railway stations serving the municipality of Montreux, in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.All of the SBB-CFF-FFS standard gauge passenger trains operating on the Simplon railway line call at this station, which is also the western terminus of the...
, begins to climb steeply almost as soon as it leaves the station and enters the first of many tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
s. The line changes direction by a series of minimum radius curves, views of Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
alternating from side to side, before reaching the station at Glion. This is the upper terminus of a funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
which commences opposite the main line railway station at Territet and which gave access to (the clean air of) Glion before the coming of the direct railway from Montreux in 1909. The workshops and depot are alongside the line as it leaves Glion
Glion
This article is about the municipality in Canton Vaud. For the city in Canton Graubünden, see Ilanz.Glion is a village in the municipality of Montreux in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland...
, the main shops accessed from a traverser
Transfer table
A transfer table, also called a traverser , is a piece of railroad equipment. It is similar in function to a turntable, though it cannot be used to turn equipment around. The table consists of a single length of track which can be moved from side to side, in a direction perpendicular to the track...
set off a loop line alongside the main line.
The line continues higher to the small village of Caux
Caux, Switzerland
Caux is a small village in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It looks out over Lake Geneva from an altitude of 1000 meters.The former Caux-Palace Hotel in the village is the home of Initiatives of Change's conference centre, which can accommodate up to 450 people...
passing through Alpine meadows which, in the Springtime, are full of wild growing narcissus, forget-me-not
Forget-me-not
Myosotis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae that are commonly called Forget-me-nots. Its common name was calqued from the French, "ne m'oubliez pas" and first used in English in c. 1532. Similar names and variations are found in many languages.-Description:There are...
s and others, before reaching its upper terminus at Rochers-de-Naye, the home of the Marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
Paradise, a centre where seven varieties of these small mammals can be seen in a natural environment. From here there are spectacular views over Lake Geneva and across to the French Alps, well worth the trip alone.
The line, which is 7.6 km (4.7 mi) long has a vertical climb on the Montreux - Glion section of 305 m (1,000.7 ft), whilst that of the Glion - Rochers-de-Naye is 1273 m (4,176.5 ft), giving a total of 1578 m (5,177.2 ft). Passing points are situated at Glion, Caux, Paccot and Jaman.
Since 1 January 2001 the railway has been part of the MVR
Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR)
The Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera was a coming together, in 2001, of two small railway companies and two funicular companies in the Montreux / Vevey area of Switzerland. Some of these companies were, themselves, formed of amalgamations which had taken place over the years...
and is marketed under the Golden Pass Services' banner.
Locomotives
| No. | Name | Class | Builders details | Date Built | Notes. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HGe 2/2 | SLM Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works were a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur in Switzerland... /BBC/MFO |
1909 | Lost in Avalanche, 1966 | |
| 1 | H 2/3 | SLM | 1992 | Sold to BRB Brienz Rothorn Bahn The Brienz Rothorn Bahn is an gauge tourist rack railway in Switzerland, which climbs from Brienz, at the eastern end of Lake Brienz, to the summit of the Brienzer Rothorn mountain... 2005, becoming their No.16 |
|
| 2 | HGe 2/2 | SLM/BBC/MFO | 1909 | Fitted with a new "old style" wider body in 1986 | |
| 3 | Veytaux (e) | HGe 2/2 | SLM/BBC/MFO | 1909 | Received new modern body in 1976, renumbered 101. In 1998 returned to No.3. Semi-permanently coupled to snowplough. Destroyed in accident September 8 2011 |
| 4 | Brienz | Hm 2/2 | Buhler/Caterpillar Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas... |
1973 | New to BRB, No.8, sold to MGN, 1996. To Chernex 15.4.2009 for overhaul with some rebuilding inc larger engine bonnet, repaint in bright red livery, name removed, returned to service 7.09 |
Railcars
| No. | Name | Class | Builders details | Date Built | Notes. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1939 | ex ABhe 2/4, out of service (Montreux), 4/2008 Scrapped March 2011 |
|
| 202 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1939 | ex ABhe 2/4, wthdrawn scrapped April 2007 | |
| 203 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1939 | ex ABhe 2/4 | |
| 204 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1939 | ex ABhe 2/4 | |
| 205 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1939 | ex ABhe 2/4, withdrawn scrapped April 2007 | |
| 206 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1949 | ex ABhe 2/4, withdrawn scrapped July 2000 | |
| 207 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1949 | ex ABeh 2/4 | |
| 208 | Bhe 2/4 | SLM/BBC | 1966 | ex ABhe 2/4, withdrawn scrapped April 2007 | |
| 301 | Montreux | Bhe 4/8 | SLM/Siemens Siemens Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG... |
1983 | (b) |
| 302 | Veytaux (e) | Bhe 4/8 | SLM/Siemens | 1983 | (b)(c) |
| 303 | Villeneuve | Bhe 4/8 | SLM/Siemens | 1983 | (b)(d) |
| 304 | La Tour de Peilz | Bhe 4/8 | SLM/Siemens | 1992 | (b) |
| 305 | Bhe 4/8 | MOB Montreux-Oberland Bernois The Montreux-Oberland Bernois railway , is a railway operating in southwest Switzerland, one of the oldest electric railways in the country; its main line, in length, built to gauge, connects Montreux, Gstaad and Zweisimmen where passengers can transfer to a branch of the standard gauge... Chernex / Siemens |
2010 | (b)(f) Delivered to traffic w/c 30.11.10 | |
Abbreviations.
- (b) Fitted for multiple working with one other class member to form 4 car unit.
- (c) Carries "Marmot Paradis" livery
- (d) Carries "Pere Noel" livery, (marking the visit of Santa to Rochers de Naye).
- (e) No.302 carries "Veytaux" nameplate low down on cab side on front (uphill) cab. Name removed from locomotive No.3 which is now un-named.
- (f) Painted in new "Golden Pass" gold/white livery from new.
- BBC : Brown, Boveri & CieBrown, Boveri & CieBrown, Boveri & Cie was a Swiss group of electrical engineering companies.It was founded in Baden, Switzerland, in 1891 by Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown and Walter Boveri who worked at the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. In 1970 BBC took over the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon...
- SLM : Swiss Locomotive and Machine WorksSwiss Locomotive and Machine WorksSwiss Locomotive and Machine Works were a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur in Switzerland...
, Winterthur - MFO : Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon
Rotary Snowplow
| No. | Name | Class | Builders details | Date Built | Notes. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Xrote | RACO/MFO/Beilhack | 1954 | Electric rotary snowplough | |
Preserved Coaches
| Previous Company | No. | Class | Builders details | Seats | Date Built | Notes. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreux-Glion | 2 | BC | Luzern, Company not known | 56 in 7 comp. | 1908 | Built for the opening of the line |
| Montreux-Glion | 1908 | Built for the opening ot the line | ||||
| Glion-Rochers de Naye | 16 | BC | ||||
- Coaches of the Montreux-Glion Railway are restored to original red livery, usually kept at Glion and work with Locomotive No.2. During its time at the line also worked with steam locomotive No.1.
- Coach No.16 is painted a dark blue livery with lighter blue panels. Also worked with steam locomotive No.1.
Services
The line operates an hourly service in each direction; from Montreux, in the summer months to Rochers de Naye and at other times as far as Caux. The trains are timed to offer connections at Montreux with main line services of the SBB-CFF-FFSSBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
and MOB
Montreux-Oberland Bernois
The Montreux-Oberland Bernois railway , is a railway operating in southwest Switzerland, one of the oldest electric railways in the country; its main line, in length, built to gauge, connects Montreux, Gstaad and Zweisimmen where passengers can transfer to a branch of the standard gauge...
.