Ligne du Haut-Bugey
Encyclopedia
The Haut-Bugey line (also nicknamed Lignes des Carpates) is a railway line in France. It is 65 kilometres in length and connects Bourg-en-Bresse
with Bellegarde
, travelling through the Jura Mountains
. With steep grades, tight curves, and a long poorly ventilated tunnel it was a challenging line to operate.
For a century and a quarter after its opening in 1877, it served local interests only, suffering a slow decline. However in 2006, it had a new lease of life as its renovation was chosen as the most cost effective way to shorten the journey time from Paris to Geneva. The line was closed in 2006 for complete reconstruction and electrification. The upgraded line was inaugurated on December 2, 2010 featuring 25 kV AC
electrification, replacement of 18 level-crossings with bridges, avalanche protection and daylighting a tunnel. Today the line enables a faster link between the French TGV
network and Geneva
, giving a Paris to Geneva journey time of just over three hours (a saving of nearly 20 minutes compared to the old route via Amberieu and Culoz.
and La Cluse
. This project, deemed insufficiently lucrative by the major companies was given life thanks to a law passed in 1865 allowing lines 'of local interest' to be financed by departments and municipalities. However work only began in September 1872 after delay caused by a conflict in 1870. with the (PLM) with which the DSE was becoming a serious competitor. The outcome was a requirement to share stations with existing ones on the network and to use standard gauge track to ensure interopability.
The difficult geography of the region required the line to be built in sections. The first to be opened, on March 10, 1876, was between Bourg-en-Bresse
and Simandre-sur-Suran
, about 22 km long. On July 6 of the same year, the line was extended 3 km to reach Bolozon
. These 3 km include the two significant engineering works on the line, the Racouse tunnel (1.7 km) and the Cize-Bolozon viaduct
(245m long) over the river Ain at a cost of 339,000 francs. This multi-arch viaduct is unusual in that it carries the railway line and, on a lower level, the road. Later on, three new tunnels extended the line from Bolozon
to La Cluse, including the Mornay tunnel, the longest on the line at 2.6 km. The line from Bourg-en-Bresse to La Cluse was opened on 29 March 1877 by the DSE.
After 1878, the Freycinet Plan
called for standard gauge 'local interest lines' be integrated into the national network prior to nationalization. The stated was objective was to allow the local lines to be operated by the major companies. Mr. Mangini, the founder and director of the DSE, signed the contractual agreement to do this in 1881. This contract included the construction of the rest of the line, now classified of 'national interest', to Bellegarde. This section, completing the line, was opened on 1 April 1882. On 26 May 1883, the DSE signed the sale of the line to the PLM, with an effective date of 1 January 1884. Finally, the DSE was wound up on 23 January 1884. In 1886, the Andelot to Cluse line connected it to the Dijon
to Lausanne
artery.
The Ice harvesting factory on the Lac de Sylans was one of the largest of its kind in the 19th century. The arrival of the railway in 1882 enabled it to drastically increase production by cutting delivery time to Paris and increasing the volume that could be transported out of the factory.
Several incidents have coloured the history of the line. On 1 August 1904 the passenger building of Bellegarde station went up in flames, to be rebuilt in 1913. 1922 saw the two biggest incidents on the line, a landslide and a tunnel accident. On 11 April, a huge landslide near Neyrolles station completely cut the line. On June 3 a new alignment was opened. The most difficult operational feature of the line was its longest tunnel, the Mornay tunnel. Over 1300m of the tunnel is at 2.4% gradient; running towards Bellegarde, steam locomotives had to operate at full power, filling the tunnel with smoke. The natural ventilation was poor. In May 1922, 7 members of a train crew were asphyxiated and died. Subsequently a special ventilation plant was opened in 1924, one of only two of it kind in France. It blew air into the tunnel when trains were passing through in the Bourg to Cluse direction.
In 1932 a new station was built at le Neyrolles on the new alignment. During the second world war, the line had strategic importance, as there was a lot of resistance activity in the Ain and on the Jura plateeau. Several bridges were destroyed in 1944, starting with the bridge over the Suran on July 8, followed by the Cize Bolozon viaduct on the 8th and the Reyssouze bridge on 2 September. The Cize Bolozon viaduct was only opened 5 years after the end of the war, on 14 May 1950.
On 2 May 2003 another accident occurred in the Mornay tunnel when a diesel railcar caught fire 300m from the Bolozon portal. The train was halted in the tunnel, but there were no casualties.
After the Cluse - Bellegarde section was closed to passenger traffic in 1990, station became a cul-de-sac; the only remaining service being Bourg-en-Bresse to Oyonnax
and Saint-Claude all trains had to reverse.
A chord line was therefore laid avoiding station, which was not served any more and closed. A new station, Brion-Montreal-la Cluse was created on 1 June 1996
In 2006 the Bourg-en-Bresse - Brion-Montreal-la Cluse section was closed in preparation for “the Haut-Bugey Project”
The section La Cluse - Bellegarde is also known as .
Having considered 220 km of possible routes, the final report, delivered in September 1990, recommended an HSL starting from the Macon-Amberieu line below Polliat and entering Geneva either from the North or the South with a junction to the la Praille goods yard and a spur to Archamps to connect to the Longeray – Annemasse – Evian line. The most plausible option, at 77 km, bypassed Bourg to the North, passed through the Jura foothills in tunnels, used the Cize Bolozon viaduct to cross the Ain, paralleled the existing line at Nurieux, bypassed Nantua in a tunnel, crossed the Valserine to the North of Bellegarde, plunged through the Cret d'Eau in a 6750m tunnel, and arrived in the Geneva on the south bank of the Rhone. The crossing of existing rails at Nurieux and Chatillon-en-Michaille would have allowed construction to take place in phases.
Options that could be combined with this project were upgrading the Pont-de-Veyle - Polliat section to 200 km/h, and electrification of the Sathonay-Bourg line, with construction of two new stations, Bourg-north and Nurieux. With these additions, the Paris - Geneva journey time would fall to 2h15 and Geneva Lyon to 1h04, Paris-Lausanne in 2h50 and Paris to Evian reduced by 90 minutes. However, this option was considered to be far too expensive at 2.3 billion euros, mostly due to the extensive engineering works needed, and the project went no further. The Swiss authorities continued to push the SNCF for an alternative more affordable proposal.
Upgrading the route actually used by the TGV (via Ambérieu and Culoz), to allow tilting TGVs would only allow a 10 minute reduction for tilting TGVs and 6 minute reduction for standard TGVs. A freight route in the Albarine gorge between Ambérieu and Culoz, using two long tunnels to straighten and shorten the line wouldhave brought an 8 minute gain, but this was abandoned by the ministry of transport.
Yet another option, allowing a Paris Geneva journey time of 2h 49 minutes, was to link Geneva to the future Lyon Turin high speed line at Chambéry, by building a new Geneva - Annecy - Aix-les-Bains - Chambéry high speed line. The heavy environmental footprint, and the exorbitant cost of this option (1.3 billion euros) led to it too being abandoned on 18 September 1988.
Comparing the costs per minute saved, the Mâcon - Geneva HSL cost FF190,000/minute while the upgrading of the Haut-Bugey line cost only FF76,000/minute. The use of existing infrastructure also limited the environmental footprint.
Thus it was that the Haut-Bugey project was finally chosen.
to Geneva
. The reopened line has reduced journey times between Paris and Geneva due to both a shorter distance and higher speeds. The improved line now allows TGV trains to shorten their route to Geneva by 47 kilometres, reducing the Paris
–Geneva
journey time by about twenty minutes to just over three hours. In addition, the non-TGV services between Mâcon
and Geneva
via Bourg-en-Bresse
and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
have been improved. Following completion, the project significantly increases freight capacity on the Ambérieu–Culoz section of the Lyon-Geneva line, as passenger trains use the Haut-Bugey line instead.
The upgraded line has been electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC
, matching other high-speed lines in France. The right-of-way has been rebuilt, the infrastructure renovated, and many level crossing
s removed completely. A special effort has been made for environment protection, particularly the lakes of Nantua
and Sylans
, and to noise screening.
A new station has been created at Nurieux-Volognat
, near to the industrial basin of Oyonnax
, and substantial works have taken place at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
, including building new tracks at the north-west end of the station (to allow trains from Geneva to turn onto the Haut-Bugey line without reversing), new platforms for the Geneva-Paris TGV service and a new bus station with car park.
Unusual engineering works on the line include the road-rail Cize-Bolozon viaduct
, carrying the railway on the high level and the road on the low level and the overhead conductor rail used in the Bolozon I and Bolozon II tunnels and the open track in between. There are few examples of overhead conductor rails in France and this is the first at 25kV.
Although the project is entirely in France, one third of the budget has been provided by Switzerland, owing to the expected benefit for Geneva. The project budget was €341 million, of which €23M is for the Bellegarde station and €318M for the line, funded by
In April 2009, RFF was reported to have postponed the opening of the line to September 2010, due to a unexpectedly harsh winter. Finally, commercial service began on 12 Dec 2010
to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
. Leaving Bourg-en-Bresse station, in the town centre, the line heads South through residential areas. It passes beneath the RN75 via an underpass built as part of the renovation of the line, then the RN79 by level crossing. A bridge carries the line over the A40 motorway to the first slopes of the Revermont in the commune of Ceyzériat. The hilly nature of the terrain required the line to take a steep and sinuous course, crossing and recrossing the route départementale several times. After the villages of Villereversure
and Simandre-sur-Suran
the land flattens out. The Racouse tunnel takes the line through the second ridge of the Revermont, then the Cize-Bolozon viaduct crosses the river Ain to Bolozon station. Then comes a long climb up the slopes of Mont Berthiand culminating in the Mornay tunnel after which the line runs flat and straight to Nurieux-Volognat station. The line winds though the village of Port then along the south bank of the lake of Nantua to Nantua station. A short climb through le Neyrolles along the Sylans lake to the village of Charix, then plunges down the valley of the river Semine to Bellegarde.
Before the renovation there were 58 level crossings. In 2007 this number was reduced to 40, all of which were made automatic with warning lights and barriers.
At Bourg-en-Bresse
, there are junctions with the Besançon - Bourg-en-Bresse line and the Mâcon - Ambérieu lines. At Montréal-la Cluse, the line to Andelot-en-Montagne branches off to the North. At Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, the line joins the Lyon- Geneva line.
s were laid per kilometre. These are either monobloc, or bi-bloc depending on curve radius and specifics of the locations, although in delicate zones there are made of tropical hardwood. The rails are were laid in 180m lengths and fixed to the rails using Pandrol's "fast-clip" system. The rails are welded continuously.
cause the line to have a tight curves (down to 300m radius (292m radius in the Bolozon 2 tunnel and Bellegarde station), and steep gradients between the lowest point (altitude 240m in Bourg) and the highest (587m at Charix-Lalleyriat) The steepest gradient on the line is not in the mountains, but the road underpass near Bourg station at 35‰
There are 10 tunnels along the 65 km route, now that the la Crotte tunnel has been converted to a cutting. Their total length is 7.3 km, the longest are Mornay (2589 m) and Racouze (1689 m).
and Ceyzériat
is relatively flat and straight, allowing the maximum speed of 120 km/h. After Ceyzériat, there are tight curves and many level crossings, limiting the speed to 90 km/h. Crossing the Cize-Bolozon viaduct, the speed falls to 80 km/h, then picks up again to 90 through the Bolozon and Mornay tunnels. After that the limit rises to 120 km/h as far as Brion. The rest of the line is limited to 90 km/h except between les Neyrolles and St Germain de Joux whcich can be taken at 100 km/h.
The passing loops have 60 km/h limits, except track three at Nurieux (reserved for local 'TER' trains) which is limited to 30 km/h and the turnout to Oyonnax which can be taken at 80 km/h.
Before the renovation, the speed limits were lower: 90 km/h between Bourg and Ceyzériat, then 80 km/h to Bolozon and finally 65 km/h to Bellegarde. All stations were limited to 30 km/h.
, Ceyzériat, Sénissiat-Revonnas, Villereversure and Simandre-sur-Suran. Cize-Bolozon station, on the left bank of the river Ain just over the viaduct was opened 4 months later. The extension to la Cluse included the opening of Nurieux and la Cluse stations in 1877. The last six stations, were opened in 1882 and remained in service until 1990, when train services between la Cluse and Bellegarde were suspended. These were Nantua, les Neyrolles, Charix-Lalleyriat, Saint-Germain-de-Joux, Châtillon-en-Michaille and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
.
In 1996, since all trains now had to reverse at la Cluse on their way from Bourg to St Claude, la Cluse station was closed, and a new station Brion - Montréal-la-Cluse opened a few km to the west of la Cluse. A chord line was constructed allowing trains to proceed to St Claude without reversing.
After the renovation works, eight stations have been retained. Three of these are served by TGV: Bourg-en-Bresse, Nurieux-Volognat and Bellegarde. The first two are also served by TER. At the re-opening of the line and as of May 2011, there are no plans to operate a TER train from Bellegarde to Bourg.
.
The DSE used 120-T and 030-T tank engines. Later in the 19th century, the PLM used 120 and 030 Bourbonnais, some of which were still in service in Bourg in 1950. But these locos were not powerful enough for the steep grade; most trains had to be double headed. Later and up until the second war, 140B, 140F, 230A came in. After the war 140L and 140J were used. The last was scrapped in 1961. The 141Rs so prevalent on the SNCF network, saw no service on the Haut-Bugey line as their axle weight was too heavy for the rails, although they did exceptionally run up to Nantua on trains unloading rubble from the Cret d'Eau tunnel.
As of 1955, BB 63000 (ex 040-DE) were often to be found hauling both passenger and freight trains. Then came the BB 66000 (ex 040-DG) and finally the BB 67300
which handled freight services up to the mid 90s.
There was also an abundance of diesel railcars, in particular first the ABJ, 90 hp FNC and X5500/5800 classes. Several different railcars were in service from the mid 1980s. The 300 hp X3800 series 'Picassos' ran from Bourg to Bellegarde until the 1980s and were then replaced by X2100s between la Cluse and Bellegarde. They could be found coupled to X2800 (a powerful 825 hp railcar designed to haul several carriages and operate on steep gradients). These railcars were still in service up to closure of the line. Occasionally, new generation X 73500
railcars were used to complement the X2800s.
There are some records of special trains. On 25 September 1983, a Trans-Europ-Panorama railtour made up of Rheingold coaches hauled by a BB67000 and BB66000 ran through from Bellegarde to Bourg. Three preservation railcars ran most of the rail tours in the 90s and up to 2005: X3943 "Bourg-Oyonnax", Agrivap's panoramic X-4208 and above all the X-4039 ABFC's 'Picasso' X4039 which ran for the last time from Bourg to Brion on 13 February 2005. X4208 came back for a VIP tour prior to the reopening on 2 June 2010.
Since the line was reopened, three multiple units are to be seen: TGV Sud-Est
, TGV Duplex
providing 9 rotations each day between Geneva and Paris (up from 7 per day before the reopening) and one diesel B 81500 providing the TER service from Bourg to St Claude.
There has been talk of Eurostar
opening services from London to Geneva and Thalys
reopening the Brussels - Geneva service closed in 2003.
.
to Bellegarde).
The TER service between Brion and Bellegarde is only provided by buses; no regional trains runs on this section any more.
The new journey times between Paris and Geneva (3h05 to 3h17, compared to 3h35 before the reopening were not well received in Switzerland, as sub 3h times had been planned. However the journey times are expected to fall when the Geneva - la Plaine and Bourg - Macon sections are upgraded
.
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
with Bellegarde
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
, travelling through the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
. With steep grades, tight curves, and a long poorly ventilated tunnel it was a challenging line to operate.
For a century and a quarter after its opening in 1877, it served local interests only, suffering a slow decline. However in 2006, it had a new lease of life as its renovation was chosen as the most cost effective way to shorten the journey time from Paris to Geneva. The line was closed in 2006 for complete reconstruction and electrification. The upgraded line was inaugurated on December 2, 2010 featuring 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
electrification, replacement of 18 level-crossings with bridges, avalanche protection and daylighting a tunnel. Today the line enables a faster link between the French TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
network and 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...
, giving a Paris to Geneva journey time of just over three hours (a saving of nearly 20 minutes compared to the old route via Amberieu and Culoz.
History
The history of the line began in 1866. The Compagnie des Dombes et des Chemins de Fer du Sud Est (DSE), founded 1863, obtained a concession to build and operate a line linking the communes of Bourg-en-BresseBourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
and La Cluse
Montréal-la-Cluse
Montréal-la-Cluse is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
. This project, deemed insufficiently lucrative by the major companies was given life thanks to a law passed in 1865 allowing lines 'of local interest' to be financed by departments and municipalities. However work only began in September 1872 after delay caused by a conflict in 1870. with the (PLM) with which the DSE was becoming a serious competitor. The outcome was a requirement to share stations with existing ones on the network and to use standard gauge track to ensure interopability.
The difficult geography of the region required the line to be built in sections. The first to be opened, on March 10, 1876, was between Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
and Simandre-sur-Suran
Simandre-sur-Suran
Simandre-sur-Suran is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, about 22 km long. On July 6 of the same year, the line was extended 3 km to reach Bolozon
Bolozon
Bolozon is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:...
. These 3 km include the two significant engineering works on the line, the Racouse tunnel (1.7 km) and the Cize-Bolozon viaduct
Cize-Bolozon viaduct
The viaduct is a road-rail bridge crossing the Ain gorge in France.The viaduct was originally constructed in 1875; it was destroyed in World War 2,. and then reconstructed as an urgent post-war project due to its position on a main line to Paris. The viaduct reopened in May 1950.The bridge carries...
(245m long) over the river Ain at a cost of 339,000 francs. This multi-arch viaduct is unusual in that it carries the railway line and, on a lower level, the road. Later on, three new tunnels extended the line from Bolozon
Bolozon
Bolozon is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:...
to La Cluse, including the Mornay tunnel, the longest on the line at 2.6 km. The line from Bourg-en-Bresse to La Cluse was opened on 29 March 1877 by the DSE.
After 1878, the Freycinet Plan
Freycinet Plan
The Freycinet Plan was an ambitious public works programme, launched in 1878 by the Minister of Public Works Charles de Freycinet, principally for the construction of railways, but also for canals and maritime ports...
called for standard gauge 'local interest lines' be integrated into the national network prior to nationalization. The stated was objective was to allow the local lines to be operated by the major companies. Mr. Mangini, the founder and director of the DSE, signed the contractual agreement to do this in 1881. This contract included the construction of the rest of the line, now classified of 'national interest', to Bellegarde. This section, completing the line, was opened on 1 April 1882. On 26 May 1883, the DSE signed the sale of the line to the PLM, with an effective date of 1 January 1884. Finally, the DSE was wound up on 23 January 1884. In 1886, the Andelot to Cluse line connected it to the Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
to 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...
artery.
The Ice harvesting factory on the Lac de Sylans was one of the largest of its kind in the 19th century. The arrival of the railway in 1882 enabled it to drastically increase production by cutting delivery time to Paris and increasing the volume that could be transported out of the factory.
Several incidents have coloured the history of the line. On 1 August 1904 the passenger building of Bellegarde station went up in flames, to be rebuilt in 1913. 1922 saw the two biggest incidents on the line, a landslide and a tunnel accident. On 11 April, a huge landslide near Neyrolles station completely cut the line. On June 3 a new alignment was opened. The most difficult operational feature of the line was its longest tunnel, the Mornay tunnel. Over 1300m of the tunnel is at 2.4% gradient; running towards Bellegarde, steam locomotives had to operate at full power, filling the tunnel with smoke. The natural ventilation was poor. In May 1922, 7 members of a train crew were asphyxiated and died. Subsequently a special ventilation plant was opened in 1924, one of only two of it kind in France. It blew air into the tunnel when trains were passing through in the Bourg to Cluse direction.
In 1932 a new station was built at le Neyrolles on the new alignment. During the second world war, the line had strategic importance, as there was a lot of resistance activity in the Ain and on the Jura plateeau. Several bridges were destroyed in 1944, starting with the bridge over the Suran on July 8, followed by the Cize Bolozon viaduct on the 8th and the Reyssouze bridge on 2 September. The Cize Bolozon viaduct was only opened 5 years after the end of the war, on 14 May 1950.
On 2 May 2003 another accident occurred in the Mornay tunnel when a diesel railcar caught fire 300m from the Bolozon portal. The train was halted in the tunnel, but there were no casualties.
After the Cluse - Bellegarde section was closed to passenger traffic in 1990, station became a cul-de-sac; the only remaining service being Bourg-en-Bresse to Oyonnax
Oyonnax
Oyonnax is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.-Population:-Miscellaneous:...
and Saint-Claude all trains had to reverse.
A chord line was therefore laid avoiding station, which was not served any more and closed. A new station, Brion-Montreal-la Cluse was created on 1 June 1996
In 2006 the Bourg-en-Bresse - Brion-Montreal-la Cluse section was closed in preparation for “the Haut-Bugey Project”
The section La Cluse - Bellegarde is also known as .
Shortening the jouney from Paris to Geneva
Geneva and the surrounding areas have long sought to reduce the rail journey time to Paris. Before the decision was taken to use the Haut Bugey line, several other options were considered. The one with the greatest impact would be the construction of a new high speed line (HSL) from Macon to Geneva. This option was broadly supported by the cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Valais as well as the départements of Ain and Haute-Savoie, and a detailed feasibility study was done by the French group Sofrérail and the Swiss group Bonnard et Gardel.Having considered 220 km of possible routes, the final report, delivered in September 1990, recommended an HSL starting from the Macon-Amberieu line below Polliat and entering Geneva either from the North or the South with a junction to the la Praille goods yard and a spur to Archamps to connect to the Longeray – Annemasse – Evian line. The most plausible option, at 77 km, bypassed Bourg to the North, passed through the Jura foothills in tunnels, used the Cize Bolozon viaduct to cross the Ain, paralleled the existing line at Nurieux, bypassed Nantua in a tunnel, crossed the Valserine to the North of Bellegarde, plunged through the Cret d'Eau in a 6750m tunnel, and arrived in the Geneva on the south bank of the Rhone. The crossing of existing rails at Nurieux and Chatillon-en-Michaille would have allowed construction to take place in phases.
Options that could be combined with this project were upgrading the Pont-de-Veyle - Polliat section to 200 km/h, and electrification of the Sathonay-Bourg line, with construction of two new stations, Bourg-north and Nurieux. With these additions, the Paris - Geneva journey time would fall to 2h15 and Geneva Lyon to 1h04, Paris-Lausanne in 2h50 and Paris to Evian reduced by 90 minutes. However, this option was considered to be far too expensive at 2.3 billion euros, mostly due to the extensive engineering works needed, and the project went no further. The Swiss authorities continued to push the SNCF for an alternative more affordable proposal.
Upgrading the route actually used by the TGV (via Ambérieu and Culoz), to allow tilting TGVs would only allow a 10 minute reduction for tilting TGVs and 6 minute reduction for standard TGVs. A freight route in the Albarine gorge between Ambérieu and Culoz, using two long tunnels to straighten and shorten the line wouldhave brought an 8 minute gain, but this was abandoned by the ministry of transport.
Yet another option, allowing a Paris Geneva journey time of 2h 49 minutes, was to link Geneva to the future Lyon Turin high speed line at Chambéry, by building a new Geneva - Annecy - Aix-les-Bains - Chambéry high speed line. The heavy environmental footprint, and the exorbitant cost of this option (1.3 billion euros) led to it too being abandoned on 18 September 1988.
Comparing the costs per minute saved, the Mâcon - Geneva HSL cost FF190,000/minute while the upgrading of the Haut-Bugey line cost only FF76,000/minute. The use of existing infrastructure also limited the environmental footprint.
Thus it was that the Haut-Bugey project was finally chosen.
The Haut-Bugey Projet
The project has upgraded existing tracks to enable higher speeds by both TGV and regular trains. While the result of the ‘’ is not a true (HSL)—the line remains a —it will still be an important element in the TGV network, linking the LGV Sud-EstLGV Sud-Est
The LGV Sud-Est is a high-speed rail line, which links Paris' and Lyon's suburbs, in France. The inauguration of the first section between Saint-Florentin and Sathonay on 22 September 1981 marked the beginning of the re-invigoration of French passenger rail service.This line, subsequently...
to 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...
. The reopened line has reduced journey times between Paris and Geneva due to both a shorter distance and higher speeds. The improved line now allows TGV trains to shorten their route to Geneva by 47 kilometres, reducing the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
–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...
journey time by about twenty minutes to just over three hours. In addition, the non-TGV services between Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
and 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...
via Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
have been improved. Following completion, the project significantly increases freight capacity on the Ambérieu–Culoz section of the Lyon-Geneva line, as passenger trains use the Haut-Bugey line instead.
The upgraded line has been electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
, matching other high-speed lines in France. The right-of-way has been rebuilt, the infrastructure renovated, and many level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s removed completely. A special effort has been made for environment protection, particularly the lakes of Nantua
Lac de Nantua
Lac de Nantua is a lake in the Ain department of France....
and Sylans
Lac de Sylans
Lac de Sylans is a lake at Le Poizat in the Ain department, France.It is significant for the ruins of one of the 19th century's largest ice harvesting factories and the occasional outflow of water in two directions....
, and to noise screening.
A new station has been created at Nurieux-Volognat
Nurieux-Volognat
Nurieux-Volognat is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, near to the industrial basin of Oyonnax
Oyonnax
Oyonnax is a commune in the Ain department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.It is the second largest commune in the department. Its residents are known as Oyonnaxiens.-Population:-Miscellaneous:...
, and substantial works have taken place at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
, including building new tracks at the north-west end of the station (to allow trains from Geneva to turn onto the Haut-Bugey line without reversing), new platforms for the Geneva-Paris TGV service and a new bus station with car park.
Unusual engineering works on the line include the road-rail Cize-Bolozon viaduct
Cize-Bolozon viaduct
The viaduct is a road-rail bridge crossing the Ain gorge in France.The viaduct was originally constructed in 1875; it was destroyed in World War 2,. and then reconstructed as an urgent post-war project due to its position on a main line to Paris. The viaduct reopened in May 1950.The bridge carries...
, carrying the railway on the high level and the road on the low level and the overhead conductor rail used in the Bolozon I and Bolozon II tunnels and the open track in between. There are few examples of overhead conductor rails in France and this is the first at 25kV.
Although the project is entirely in France, one third of the budget has been provided by Switzerland, owing to the expected benefit for Geneva. The project budget was €341 million, of which €23M is for the Bellegarde station and €318M for the line, funded by
- €214M, France: AFITF (Transport Infrastructure Finance Agency of France) and Réseau Ferré de FranceRéseau Ferré de FranceRéseau Ferré de France , , owns and maintains the French national railway network. The trains are operated by SNCF, the national railway company, but due to European Union Directive 91/440, the French government was required to separate train operations from the railway infrastructure.Unlike other...
(RFF). - €110M, Switzerland.
- €17.45M, Rhone-Alpes Région, Department of AinAinAin is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation...
, Department of Haute-SavoieHaute-SavoieHaute-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...
, town of Bellegarde
In April 2009, RFF was reported to have postponed the opening of the line to September 2010, due to a unexpectedly harsh winter. Finally, commercial service began on 12 Dec 2010
Description of the line
Route
The Haut-Bugey line links Bourg-en-BresseBourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Bellegarde-sur-Valserine is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Geography:Bellegarde is located at the confluence of the Valserine and the Rhône....
. Leaving Bourg-en-Bresse station, in the town centre, the line heads South through residential areas. It passes beneath the RN75 via an underpass built as part of the renovation of the line, then the RN79 by level crossing. A bridge carries the line over the A40 motorway to the first slopes of the Revermont in the commune of Ceyzériat. The hilly nature of the terrain required the line to take a steep and sinuous course, crossing and recrossing the route départementale several times. After the villages of Villereversure
Villereversure
Villereversure is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:...
and Simandre-sur-Suran
Simandre-sur-Suran
Simandre-sur-Suran is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
the land flattens out. The Racouse tunnel takes the line through the second ridge of the Revermont, then the Cize-Bolozon viaduct crosses the river Ain to Bolozon station. Then comes a long climb up the slopes of Mont Berthiand culminating in the Mornay tunnel after which the line runs flat and straight to Nurieux-Volognat station. The line winds though the village of Port then along the south bank of the lake of Nantua to Nantua station. A short climb through le Neyrolles along the Sylans lake to the village of Charix, then plunges down the valley of the river Semine to Bellegarde.
Before the renovation there were 58 level crossings. In 2007 this number was reduced to 40, all of which were made automatic with warning lights and barriers.
At Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
, there are junctions with the Besançon - Bourg-en-Bresse line and the Mâcon - Ambérieu lines. At Montréal-la Cluse, the line to Andelot-en-Montagne branches off to the North. At Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, the line joins the Lyon- Geneva line.
Track construction
On average, 1666 concrete sleeperSleeper
A sleeper is a person who is sleeping. It may also refer to:-Music:* Sleeper , a Britpop band in the 1990s* The Sleepers , a punk/post-punk band active from 1978 until 1981...
s were laid per kilometre. These are either monobloc, or bi-bloc depending on curve radius and specifics of the locations, although in delicate zones there are made of tropical hardwood. The rails are were laid in 180m lengths and fixed to the rails using Pandrol's "fast-clip" system. The rails are welded continuously.
Profile
The line goes through several geographically different sectors. After leaving the Bresse plain near Bourg, the hilly nature of the Revermont and the Haut-BugeyBugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
cause the line to have a tight curves (down to 300m radius (292m radius in the Bolozon 2 tunnel and Bellegarde station), and steep gradients between the lowest point (altitude 240m in Bourg) and the highest (587m at Charix-Lalleyriat) The steepest gradient on the line is not in the mountains, but the road underpass near Bourg station at 35‰
There are 10 tunnels along the 65 km route, now that the la Crotte tunnel has been converted to a cutting. Their total length is 7.3 km, the longest are Mornay (2589 m) and Racouze (1689 m).
Operating speeds
The first section between Bourg-en-BresseBourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...
and Ceyzériat
Ceyzériat
Ceyzériat is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Hippolyte Paul Jayr, twice minister during the July monarchy, was mayor of the commune at the end of the 19th century.-Population:...
is relatively flat and straight, allowing the maximum speed of 120 km/h. After Ceyzériat, there are tight curves and many level crossings, limiting the speed to 90 km/h. Crossing the Cize-Bolozon viaduct, the speed falls to 80 km/h, then picks up again to 90 through the Bolozon and Mornay tunnels. After that the limit rises to 120 km/h as far as Brion. The rest of the line is limited to 90 km/h except between les Neyrolles and St Germain de Joux whcich can be taken at 100 km/h.
The passing loops have 60 km/h limits, except track three at Nurieux (reserved for local 'TER' trains) which is limited to 30 km/h and the turnout to Oyonnax which can be taken at 80 km/h.
Before the renovation, the speed limits were lower: 90 km/h between Bourg and Ceyzériat, then 80 km/h to Bolozon and finally 65 km/h to Bellegarde. All stations were limited to 30 km/h.
Stations and halts
The Haut-Bugey line has had up to fourteeen stations along its 65 km length. The five first became operational on 10 March 1876. These were Bourg-en-BresseGare de Bourg-en-Bresse
Gare de Bourg-en-Bresse is a railway station serving the town Bourg-en-Bresse, Ain department, eastern France.-Services:-References:*...
, Ceyzériat, Sénissiat-Revonnas, Villereversure and Simandre-sur-Suran. Cize-Bolozon station, on the left bank of the river Ain just over the viaduct was opened 4 months later. The extension to la Cluse included the opening of Nurieux and la Cluse stations in 1877. The last six stations, were opened in 1882 and remained in service until 1990, when train services between la Cluse and Bellegarde were suspended. These were Nantua, les Neyrolles, Charix-Lalleyriat, Saint-Germain-de-Joux, Châtillon-en-Michaille and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
Gare de Bellegarde
Bellegarde station is a train station served by TGV, TER Rhône-Alpes and Rhône Express Regional located in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, in the département of Ain, France. It hosts about 75,000 travelers per year....
.
In 1996, since all trains now had to reverse at la Cluse on their way from Bourg to St Claude, la Cluse station was closed, and a new station Brion - Montréal-la-Cluse opened a few km to the west of la Cluse. A chord line was constructed allowing trains to proceed to St Claude without reversing.
After the renovation works, eight stations have been retained. Three of these are served by TGV: Bourg-en-Bresse, Nurieux-Volognat and Bellegarde. The first two are also served by TER. At the re-opening of the line and as of May 2011, there are no plans to operate a TER train from Bellegarde to Bourg.
Gare de Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse station was opened on 1 September 1866. It is the starting point for the du Haut-Bugey line which was opened in 1876. Bourg is the administrative seat of the Ain département. The station is an important junction and consequently sees a lot of traffic. In addition to the Paris - Geneva TGV traffic using the Haut-Bugey line, there is long distance Corail traffic from Strasbourg to Marseille, Strasbourg to Lyon and several TER lines including the line from Bourg to Lyon through the DombesDombes
The Dombes is an area in South-Eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saône River, by the Rhône, E. by the Ain and N...
.
Halte de Nurieux-Volognat
The Haut-Bugey project included construction of this new halt. In contrast to a station, a station is not staffed and has only machines to sell tickets. Nurieux-Volognat, is close to the town of Oyonnax which sits at the heart of an industrial cluster specializing in plastics technology. There are over 550 companies with 12,000 employees in the trade. The only major transport link used to be the autoroute A404 motorway.Gare de Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
The Haut-Bugey line ends in Bellegarde. it was reached on 1 April 1882.Motive Power
Motive power began with steam, was replaced by diesel locomotives then diesel railcars before electrification brought the TGVs ,.The DSE used 120-T and 030-T tank engines. Later in the 19th century, the PLM used 120 and 030 Bourbonnais, some of which were still in service in Bourg in 1950. But these locos were not powerful enough for the steep grade; most trains had to be double headed. Later and up until the second war, 140B, 140F, 230A came in. After the war 140L and 140J were used. The last was scrapped in 1961. The 141Rs so prevalent on the SNCF network, saw no service on the Haut-Bugey line as their axle weight was too heavy for the rails, although they did exceptionally run up to Nantua on trains unloading rubble from the Cret d'Eau tunnel.
As of 1955, BB 63000 (ex 040-DE) were often to be found hauling both passenger and freight trains. Then came the BB 66000 (ex 040-DG) and finally the BB 67300
SNCF Class BB 67300
The SNCF Class BB 67300 diesel locomotives were built by Brissonneau and Lotz between 1967-1969....
which handled freight services up to the mid 90s.
There was also an abundance of diesel railcars, in particular first the ABJ, 90 hp FNC and X5500/5800 classes. Several different railcars were in service from the mid 1980s. The 300 hp X3800 series 'Picassos' ran from Bourg to Bellegarde until the 1980s and were then replaced by X2100s between la Cluse and Bellegarde. They could be found coupled to X2800 (a powerful 825 hp railcar designed to haul several carriages and operate on steep gradients). These railcars were still in service up to closure of the line. Occasionally, new generation X 73500
SNCF Class X 73500
The X73500 is a Diesel Multiple Unit train type operated by the SNCF in France. They were built from 1999 to 2004 by Alsthom DDF.-General Information:...
railcars were used to complement the X2800s.
There are some records of special trains. On 25 September 1983, a Trans-Europ-Panorama railtour made up of Rheingold coaches hauled by a BB67000 and BB66000 ran through from Bellegarde to Bourg. Three preservation railcars ran most of the rail tours in the 90s and up to 2005: X3943 "Bourg-Oyonnax", Agrivap's panoramic X-4208 and above all the X-4039 ABFC's 'Picasso' X4039 which ran for the last time from Bourg to Brion on 13 February 2005. X4208 came back for a VIP tour prior to the reopening on 2 June 2010.
Since the line was reopened, three multiple units are to be seen: TGV Sud-Est
SNCF TGV Sud-Est
The SNCF TGV Sud-Est or TGV-PSE is a French TGV train built by Alstom and operated by SNCF, the French national railway company. It is a semi-permanently coupled electric multiple unit which operates primarily between Paris and the south-east of France....
, TGV Duplex
SNCF TGV Duplex
The TGV Duplex is a French high-speed train of the TGV family, operated by SNCF, the French national railway company. It is unique among TGV trains in that it features bi-level carriages. The Duplex inaugurated the third generation of TGV trainsets, and was specially designed to increase capacity...
providing 9 rotations each day between Geneva and Paris (up from 7 per day before the reopening) and one diesel B 81500 providing the TER service from Bourg to St Claude.
There has been talk of Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
opening services from London to Geneva and Thalys
Thalys
Thalys is an international high-speed train operator originally built around the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris or Brussels to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains. Thalys reaches...
reopening the Brussels - Geneva service closed in 2003.
Journey times and services
The steep gradients and tight curves limited speeds throughout the history of line.
Pre 1973
In 1932, eight trains ran each way, with a journey time of about 2h 30 for passenger trains. By 1952, the journey time had been shortened to 2 hours.1973
In 1973, ten trains ran each way. Two trains ran the whole length of the line, departing at 5.50 and 7.39am from Bourg. They covered the 65 km in 1h 40, and average of 39 km/h including stops. Five trains only ran from Bourg to la Cluse (51 minutes, 41.5 km/h). Three trains ran from la Clause to Bellegarde in 42 minutes. The last train terminated in la Cluse at 23.25. There were no night trains (although up till the mid 1960s, a night service ran from Paris-Gare de LyonParis-Gare de Lyon
Paris Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
to Bellegarde).
2005
After the closure of the La Cluse - Bellegarde section in 1990, only the Bourg - Brion section was in service in 2005. On average there 7 trains per day of which only three stopped at all stations. The average journey time was 50 minutes, similar to that of 1973 for trains stopping at all stations2011
The one and only daily service between Saint-Claude (Jura) and Bourg takes 44 minutes to cover the distance between Bourg and Brion, substantially higher than the 32 minutes which was suggested when the project was presented.The TER service between Brion and Bellegarde is only provided by buses; no regional trains runs on this section any more.
The new journey times between Paris and Geneva (3h05 to 3h17, compared to 3h35 before the reopening were not well received in Switzerland, as sub 3h times had been planned. However the journey times are expected to fall when the Geneva - la Plaine and Bourg - Macon sections are upgraded
.
External links
- website dedicated to the Ligne du Haut-Bugey includes plans and a comprehensive photo gallery of construction work updated weekly.
- Structurae: Carpates Lines
- ALP-Rail association site
- photo gallery