Mont Blanc Tramway
Encyclopedia
The Mont Blanc Tramway or Tramway du Mont-Blanc is a mountain railway
line in the Haute-Savoie
department of France
.
The spectacular views of Mont Blanc
provided by the tramway make it very popular with tourists. Furthermore, mountaineers
and hikers
use the tramway because its stops provide the jumping off points for many trails, including the normal French route to Mont Blanc which starts at the tramway's terminus, Nid d'Aigle, and proceeds to the Tête Rousse Hut.
at Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Le Fayet station
to the Nid d'Aigle station at the Bionnassay glacier at an altitude of 2372 m (7,782.2 ft). The initial intention was for the line to reach the Aiguille du Goûter.
of . It is a rack
and adhesion
railway, using the Strub design to overcome a height difference of 1792 m (5,879.3 ft). The line has an average gradient of 15% and a maximum gradient of 24%. Some 85% of the line is equipped with rack rail, with adhesion being used at the foot of the line and at intermediate crossing stations
. The line is electrified using an overhead line at 11 kV
and 50 Hz
AC
.
and many ski lift
s in the Mont Blanc
region. The first section of the line, to the Col de Voza, was opened in 1907. The line reached its current terminus in August 1914 when work was suspended, because of World War I
, and never resumed. The line was worked by steam locomotives until it was electrified in 1956.
The line is worked by three motor coaches which are named Anne, Marie and Jeanne. These were the names of the three daughters of the line's owner at the time of electrification.
The journey time is 1 hour from Fayet to Bellvue with four or five trips operating per day.
The Mont Blanc Tramway is featured in the film Malabar Princess
.
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
line in the Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The spectacular views of Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
provided by the tramway make it very popular with tourists. Furthermore, mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
use the tramway because its stops provide the jumping off points for many trails, including the normal French route to Mont Blanc which starts at the tramway's terminus, Nid d'Aigle, and proceeds to the Tête Rousse Hut.
Location
The line runs from a connection with the SNCFSNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
at Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The village is best known for tourism, and has been a popular holiday destination because of its beauty and location since the Early 1900's....
Le Fayet station
Gare de Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet
Gare de Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet is a railway station serving the town Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie department, southeastern France. It is the southeastern terminus of the railway from La Roche-sur-Foron, the southwestern terminus of the Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway and the...
to the Nid d'Aigle station at the Bionnassay glacier at an altitude of 2372 m (7,782.2 ft). The initial intention was for the line to reach the Aiguille du Goûter.
Technology
The line is 12.4 km (7.7 mi) long and has a rail gaugeRail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of . It is a rack
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...
and adhesion
Rail adhesion
The term adhesion railway or adhesion traction describes the most common type of railway, where power is applied by driving some or all of the wheels of the locomotive. Thus, it relies on the friction between a steel wheel and a steel rail. Note that steam locomotives of old were driven only by...
railway, using the Strub design to overcome a height difference of 1792 m (5,879.3 ft). The line has an average gradient of 15% and a maximum gradient of 24%. Some 85% of the line is equipped with rack rail, with adhesion being used at the foot of the line and at intermediate crossing stations
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
. The line is electrified using an overhead line at 11 kV
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
and 50 Hz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
.
Operations
The line is operated by the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc which also manages the Montenvers RailwayMontenvers Railway
The Montenvers Railway or Chemin de fer du Montenvers is a rack railway line in the Haute-Savoie region of France. The line runs from a connection with the SNCF, in Chamonix, to the Hotel de Montenvers station, at the Mer de Glace, at an altitude of ....
and many ski lift
Ski lift
The term ski lift generally refers to any transport device that carries skiers up a hill. A ski lift may fall into one of the following three main classes:-Lift systems and networks:...
s in the Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
region. The first section of the line, to the Col de Voza, was opened in 1907. The line reached its current terminus in August 1914 when work was suspended, because of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and never resumed. The line was worked by steam locomotives until it was electrified in 1956.
The line is worked by three motor coaches which are named Anne, Marie and Jeanne. These were the names of the three daughters of the line's owner at the time of electrification.
The journey time is 1 hour from Fayet to Bellvue with four or five trips operating per day.
The Mont Blanc Tramway is featured in the film Malabar Princess
Malabar Princess
Malabar Princess is a 2004 French film directed by Gilles Legrand. The film is about a young boy called Tom, who is sent to live with his grandfather in the French Alps after his mother disappeared during an excursion with her husband, Pierre, in the French Alps...
.