Vallorbe railway station
Encyclopedia
Vallorbe railway station is a border station between Switzerland
and France
. It also serves the municipality
of Vallorbe
, in the Canton
of Vaud
, Switzerland.
Opened in 1915, the station is the southern terminus of the Dijon–Vallorbe railway, and the northern terminus of the Simplon railway (Vallorbe–Domodossola). It is also a junction for the Vallorbe–Le Pont railway, which provides a link with the Chemin de fer Pont-Brassus in the Vallée de Joux
, built between 1886 (Le Pont) and 1899 (Le Brassus
).
The station is owned and operated by SBB-CFF-FFS
, and is also served by SNCF
and TGV Lyria
trains. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance
(class A).
project took shape, a controversy broke out in respect of access lines. The Faucille
project via Geneva gave way to the Mont d'Or project via Vallorbe.
In 1870, the Swiss railway line from Daillens
, the junction station
on the Morges-Bussigny-Yverdon railway (opened in 1855), reached the frontier at Vallorbe. In France, the intended connecting line was completed as far as Pontarlier
near Vallorbe in 1875. On 31 October 1886, the Jura–Simplon Railway
(JS) opened the line between Vallorbe and Le Pont. Its continuation into the Vallée de Joux, the Chemin de fer Pont-Brassus, was built between 1886 (Le Pont) and 1899 (Le Brassus
).
In 1915, nine years after the opening of the Simplon Tunnel, the direct Frasne
–Lausanne
line, including the Vallorbe railway station, was opened in conjunction with the piercing of the Mont d'Or. The doubling of the line was completed in 1908, and it was electrified in 1925. Since 1984, the station has been served by the TGV.
In its heyday, the station counted up to 250 employees, but that is no longer the case today. Plans affecting the station have been under discussion between the municipality, the canton of Vaud and SBB-CFF-FFS.
approach from the northeast.
The station was equipped with extensive facilities for freight traffic and a locomotive depot.
This article is based upon a translation of the French language version as at November 2011.
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....
and 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...
. It also serves the municipality
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
of Vallorbe
Vallorbe
Vallorbe is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-History:Vallorbe is first mentioned in 1139 as de valle urbanensi. In 1148 it was mentioned as de valle urbe.-Geography:...
, in the Canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Vaud
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
, Switzerland.
Opened in 1915, the station is the southern terminus of the Dijon–Vallorbe railway, and the northern terminus of the Simplon railway (Vallorbe–Domodossola). It is also a junction for the Vallorbe–Le Pont railway, which provides a link with the Chemin de fer Pont-Brassus in the Vallée de Joux
Vallée de Joux
The Vallée de Joux is a valley of the Jura Mountains in the Swiss Canton of Vaud. Located 20 miles north of Geneva and Lausanne, its mean elevation is over 3300 feet . There are three lakes in the Vallée de Joux : the lac de Joux , the lac Brenet and the lac Ter...
, built between 1886 (Le Pont) and 1899 (Le Brassus
Le Brassus
Le Brassus is a village in the Vallée de Joux in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is part of the municipality Le Chenit.-References:...
).
The station is owned and operated by SBB-CFF-FFS
SBB-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 is also served by SNCF
SNCF
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...
and TGV Lyria
TGV Lyria
TGV Lyria is service brand used for TGV lines connecting France and Switzerland. Lyria is also a corporation that runs the service using SNCF staff in France and SBB CFF FFS staff in Switzerland .-Corporate status:...
trains. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
(class A).
History
When the Simplon TunnelSimplon Tunnel
The Simplon Tunnel is an Alpine railway tunnel that connects the Swiss town of Brig with Domodossola in Italy, though its relatively straight trajectory does not run under Simplon Pass itself. It actually consists of two single-track tunnels built nearly 20 years apart...
project took shape, a controversy broke out in respect of access lines. The Faucille
Col de la Faucille
Col de la Faucille is a high mountain pass in the department of Ain in the French Jura. It connects the town of Gex in Ain to the towns of Les Rousses and Saint-Claude in the department of Jura....
project via Geneva gave way to the Mont d'Or project via Vallorbe.
In 1870, the Swiss railway line from Daillens
Daillens
Daillens is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Gros-de-Vaud.-Geography:Daillens has an area, , of . Of this area, or 65.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 19.9% is forested...
, the junction station
Junction station
Junction station usually refers to a railway station situated or close to a junction where lines to several destinations diverge. The usual minimum is three incoming lines...
on the Morges-Bussigny-Yverdon railway (opened in 1855), reached the frontier at Vallorbe. In France, the intended connecting line was completed as far as Pontarlier
Pontarlier
Pontarlier is a commune and one of the two sub-prefectures of the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-History:...
near Vallorbe in 1875. On 31 October 1886, the Jura–Simplon Railway
Jura–Simplon Railway
The Jura–Simplon Railway , was a former Swiss rail company, formed in 1890 and absorbed into the Swiss Federal Railways in 1903.-History:...
(JS) opened the line between Vallorbe and Le Pont. Its continuation into the Vallée de Joux, the Chemin de fer Pont-Brassus, was built between 1886 (Le Pont) and 1899 (Le Brassus
Le Brassus
Le Brassus is a village in the Vallée de Joux in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is part of the municipality Le Chenit.-References:...
).
In 1915, nine years after the opening of the Simplon Tunnel, the direct Frasne
Frasne
Frasne is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
–Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
line, including the Vallorbe railway station, was opened in conjunction with the piercing of the Mont d'Or. The doubling of the line was completed in 1908, and it was electrified in 1925. Since 1984, the station has been served by the TGV.
In its heyday, the station counted up to 250 employees, but that is no longer the case today. Plans affecting the station have been under discussion between the municipality, the canton of Vaud and SBB-CFF-FFS.
Location
The station is situated on the northwestern edge of the town. Paradoxically, southbound trains from France approach the station from a southwesterly direction, and northbound trains from LausanneLausanne railway station
Lausanne railway station is the main intercity and regional railway station for the city of Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland. It is often known as Lausanne CFF to distinguish it from others in the town....
approach from the northeast.
Facilities
Vallorbe railway station has three platforms. As it is a French-Swiss border station with electrified lines, it forms a break of electrification systems. The overhead wires at the station can be switched from one system to the other.The station was equipped with extensive facilities for freight traffic and a locomotive depot.
See also
- History of rail transport in SwitzerlandHistory of rail transport in SwitzerlandThe construction and operation of Swiss railways during the 19th century was carried out by private railways. The first internal line was a 16 km line opened from Zürich to Baden in 1847. By 1860 railways connected western and northeastern Switzerland. The first Alpine railway to be opened...
- Rail transport in SwitzerlandRail transport in SwitzerlandThe railways of Switzerland include and narrow gauge .*Network size: 5,063 km*standard gauge: , of which is electrified.*narrow gauge: , of which is electrified...
External links
- SBB-CFF-FFS - official site
This article is based upon a translation of the French language version as at November 2011.