West Switzerland Company
Encyclopedia
The West Switzerland Company was a railway company in Switzerland
, formed 1854 and absorbed into the Western Swiss Railway in 1872. The OS built a railway network in western Switzerland and connected with France via Geneva
in 1858, although Switzerland's first railway was the French Strasbourg–Basel Railway
(French: Chemin de fer de Strasbourg à Bâle), which connected Basel
with Strasbourg
, France in 1844.
for the construction of a railway line from Lausanne
to Yverdon, with a proposal to continue via Payerne
and Murten
to Bern. The extension of the route past Yverdon was delayed by the Oron rail dispute —a dispute between the canton of Fribourg
and Vaud over the route of the railway between Bern and Lausanne. Fribourg sought a route that passed through the city of Fribourg rather than along a flatter and cheaper alignment further west and was able to delay the railway because the route through Payerne and Murten had to pass through the canton of Fribourg. A route through Fribourg was finally agreed in 1857.
In May 1855 it opened the line from Bussigny-près-Lausanne
to Yverdon and on 1 July 1855 from Bussigny to Morges via Renens
as part of the Jura foot line
. On 5 May 1856, the company opened two new sections, Renens to Lausanne and the connecing curve from Morges to Bussigny.
On 10 June 1857 a section from Villeneuve at the western end of Lake Geneva
to Bex
in the Rhone
Valley opened. The link between Lausanne and Villeneuve was operated by boat until 1861.
In order to establish a rail connection to the French Paris–Lyon–Mediterranean Railway
, the OS opened a line from Morges to Coppet
on 14 April 1858 and a line from Coppet to Versoix
on the following 21 April. On 25 June 1858 the OS connected with Geneva with the opening of the Versoix–Geneva
route of the Geneva–Versoix Railway
(French: Chemin de fer Genève–Versoix, GM). 6 days later in the Lausanne–Friborg–Bern Railway (LFB) was established; it completed a connection to Bern and central Switzerland on 4 September 1862.
On 1 November 1860 the line from Bex
to Les Paluds near St Maurice was connected to the Ligne d'italie (LI) line from Le Bouveret
to Martigny, part of its ambition to build a line to the Simplon Pass
.
On 2 April 1861, the gap on the shores of Lake Geneva from Lausanne to Villeneuve was closed.
On 1 January 1872, the Western Swiss Railway (French: Chemins de Fer de la Suisse Occidentale, SO) was formed out of a merger of the Company of West Switzerland with the French-Swiss Company (French: Compagnie Franco-Suisse, FS) and the Lausanne–Fribourg–Bern Railway
(French: Chemin de fer Lausanne-Fribourg-Berne, LFB).
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....
, formed 1854 and absorbed into the Western Swiss Railway in 1872. The OS built a railway network in western Switzerland and connected with France via Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in 1858, although Switzerland's first railway was the French Strasbourg–Basel Railway
Strasbourg–Basel railway
The railway from Strasbourg to Basel is a French and Swiss 141.3-kilometre long railway line. It is used for passenger and freight traffic...
(French: Chemin de fer de Strasbourg à Bâle), which connected Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
with Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, France in 1844.
History
In 1854, the Company of West Switzerland gained a concession from the canton of VaudVaud
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,...
for the construction of a railway line from 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...
to Yverdon, with a proposal to continue via Payerne
Payerne
Payerne is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was the seat of the district of Payerne, and is now part of the district of Broye-Vully....
and Murten
Murten
Murten is a municipality in the See district of the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.It is located on the southern shores of Lake Morat. Morat is situated between Bern and Lausanne and is the capital of the Lake District of the canton of Fribourg....
to Bern. The extension of the route past Yverdon was delayed by the Oron rail dispute —a dispute between the canton of Fribourg
Canton of Fribourg
The Canton of Fribourg is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the west of the country. The capital of the canton is Fribourg. The name Fribourg is French, whereas is the German name for both the canton and the town.-History:...
and Vaud over the route of the railway between Bern and Lausanne. Fribourg sought a route that passed through the city of Fribourg rather than along a flatter and cheaper alignment further west and was able to delay the railway because the route through Payerne and Murten had to pass through the canton of Fribourg. A route through Fribourg was finally agreed in 1857.
In May 1855 it opened the line from Bussigny-près-Lausanne
Bussigny-près-Lausanne
Bussigny-près-Lausanne is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Ouest Lausannois.-Geography:Bussigny-près-Lausanne has an area, , of . Of this area, or 33.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 17.2% is forested...
to Yverdon and on 1 July 1855 from Bussigny to Morges via Renens
Renens
Renens is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is located in the district of Ouest lausannois, and is a suburb of the city of Lausanne. It is the fourth largest city in the canton. It is considered a very multiethnic town, as more than 50% of the inhabitants are resident foreign...
as part of the Jura foot line
Jura foot railway line
The Jura foot line or Jura south foot line , also called the Swiss railway line, runs from Olten along the foot of the southern Jura range through Solothurn, Grenchen, Biel/Bienne, Neuchâtel Yverdon-les-Bains and Morges to Geneva. It is one of two routes used by intercity trains between Geneva...
. On 5 May 1856, the company opened two new sections, Renens to Lausanne and the connecing curve from Morges to Bussigny.
On 10 June 1857 a section from Villeneuve at the western end 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...
to Bex
Bex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
in the Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
Valley opened. The link between Lausanne and Villeneuve was operated by boat until 1861.
In order to establish a rail connection to the French Paris–Lyon–Mediterranean Railway
Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée was a French railway company ....
, the OS opened a line from Morges to Coppet
Coppet
Coppet is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-History:Coppet is first mentioned in 1294 as Copetum. In 1347 it was mentioned as Copet.-Geography:...
on 14 April 1858 and a line from Coppet to Versoix
Versoix
Versoix is a municipality in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland, which sits on the right bank of Lac Léman. It is the last town of the Canton of Geneva on the road northeast towards Lausanne, before the Canton of Vaud starts. It is a train stop on the SBB-CFF-FFS railway line running between...
on the following 21 April. On 25 June 1858 the OS connected with Geneva with the opening of the Versoix–Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
route of the Geneva–Versoix Railway
Geneva–Versoix Railway
The Geneva–Versoix Railway is a former Swiss railway company that existed officially for only six days in 1858....
(French: Chemin de fer Genève–Versoix, GM). 6 days later in the Lausanne–Friborg–Bern Railway (LFB) was established; it completed a connection to Bern and central Switzerland on 4 September 1862.
On 1 November 1860 the line from Bex
Bex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
to Les Paluds near St Maurice was connected to the Ligne d'italie (LI) line from Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret is a town in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions, including the Swiss Vapeur Parc and the water amusement...
to Martigny, part of its ambition to build a line to the Simplon Pass
Simplon Pass
Simplon Pass is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and the Lepontine Alps in Switzerland. It connects Brig in the canton of Valais with Domodossola in Piedmont . The pass itself and the villages on each side of it, such as Gondo, are in Switzerland...
.
On 2 April 1861, the gap on the shores of Lake Geneva from Lausanne to Villeneuve was closed.
On 1 January 1872, the Western Swiss Railway (French: Chemins de Fer de la Suisse Occidentale, SO) was formed out of a merger of the Company of West Switzerland with the French-Swiss Company (French: Compagnie Franco-Suisse, FS) and the Lausanne–Fribourg–Bern Railway
Lausanne–Fribourg–Bern Railway
The Lausanne-Bern-Fribourg Railway was a former railway company in Switzerland, formed in 1858 and absorbed into the Western Swiss Railway in 1872....
(French: Chemin de fer Lausanne-Fribourg-Berne, LFB).