Ligne du Haut-Bugey
The line skin -Bugey (French Ligne du Haut -Bugey or Ligne des Carpates ) is a French railway line that connects Bourg -en- Bresse on Nantua with Bellegarde- sur -Valserine. This mostly single track through the Jura Mountains has a length of 65 kilometers. It has a minimum turning radius of 300 m and inclines up to 35 per thousand. Since its reopening in 2010, the TGV trains between Paris and Geneva drive over this route.
History and Building
The history of the railway began in 1866. Compagnie des Dombes et des Chemins de Fer du Sud Est decided to establish a link between Bourg en Bresse and Bellegarde over Nantua. On March 10, 1876, the first section was opened with a length of 22 kilometers between Bourg -en- Bresse and Simandre sur Siran. On July 6, the selfsame year, the route was extended for another three kilometers to Bolozon. On March 29, 1877, the route extension was opened to La cluse. On April 1, 1882 the entire route was passable. Two years later, the route is transmitted to the Compagnie des Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée.
During the Second World War, the route suffered some damage.
After starting in 1990, the section La cluse - Bellegarde was not longer in use, the La cluse station to the terminal station, was where the trains from Bourg -en- Bresse, veered to the branching in La cluse route direction Oyonnax -Saint- Claude, had to change the direction of travel. In order to simplify the operation, 1996, a new compound curve to the track was built in the direction Oyonnax -Saint- Claude, so that the change of direction of the trains from Bourg -en- Bresse to Oyonnax accounted for. In this context, the new breakpoint Brion - Montréal- La cluse was established west of the new compound curve; the old station La cluse was no longer served.
A rail replacement bus service with buses set - As of September 2005, for the period of construction on the until then traveled route part Bourg en Bresse -Brion - Montréal- La cluse ( Oyonnax ).
Revitalization of the route
The revitalization of the route as part of the connection of Switzerland to the European high-speed rail network has been selected as significantly more cost-effective alternative to construction of a new high-speed line. Since its reopening in 2010, the length of the route between Paris and Geneva by 47 km ( compared to the existing line via Ambérieu and Culoz ) are on the now electrified track on sections speeds of up to 120 km / h is allowed, shortened, and thanks to a travel time saving of 20 minutes by TGV Paris -Geneva a journey time of just over three hours possible.
The construction work
Construction began in 2007. According to the original plan the route should have gone in September 2009. The building cost 341 million euro. The French government pays them 127.45 million euros and Switzerland pays 110 million euros. Other funds are raised by the Réseau Ferré de France with 79.15 million euros, the rest is paid by the region and the neighboring communities. The entire route is built. The existing engineering structures to be replaced. Among other things, the tunnel had to be removed because of the electrical equipment ( catenary ) required clearance profile. To this end, the tunnel floor was lowered. Of the 58 crossings were 18 closed and all 40 remaining rebuilt, total appears the route since the end of 2010 as new. The line was electrified with AC 25 kV 50 Hz. The existing line Bourg -en- Bresse Ambérieu- Culoz - Bellegarde, however, is electrified at 1.5 kV DC.
Stations
The track has two completely new stations: Bellegarde TGV and Nurieux. The stations, which of the local trains (TER) are approached, are Ceyzériat, Sénissiat - Revonnas, Villereversure, Simandre -sur -Suran and Brion - Montréal La Cluse. The stations on the La cluse - Bellegarde section were not rebuilt because there is no plans to let go there regional trains.
Operation
Between Bourg -en- Bresse and Bellegarde traveled 2011 daily in each direction up to nine TGV Paris -Geneva relation of the route. One of those stops in Nurieux station. The section of Bourg -en- Bresse -Brion - Montréal- la- Cluse daily travel on additional per direction a TER train the relation Bourg -en- Bresse Oyonnax -Saint Claude. Scheduled freight transport does not take place at present on the track.