The Transports Publics du Chablais (TPC) is a transportation company that operates various rail and bus services in the Chablais region, at the eastern end of Lake Geneva. It was formed in 1999 from the merger of four companies.
A precursor of the TPC was the Transports Publics du Chablais Operating Community (French: a Communauté d'exploitation des Transports Publics du Chablais), which was formed in 1975 to improve coordination between various companies in the Chablais region. Three railways were involved at first:
The TPC has also developed its bus lines by operating several of these at the request of local authorities: Tonkin bus service (Aigle-Vionnaz-St. Gingolph), Aigle-Villeneuve bus service as part of the Réseau Express Vaudois commuter system, municipal bus service in Aigle, and the Bex-Monthey bus line in partnership with PostBus.
Investment
The investments are significant and constitute a major burden for some of the local communities but with the stringent management methods imposed by the 1996 Railway Reform Act, applicable to all concession transport companies, TPC is responsible for staying within the budget negotiated with the cantonal and federal authorities. However the company still continues to receive the support in recognition of the domestic and tourism value of an attractive public transport system.
Key projects, taking the system into the first years of the new millennium, have involved a three-year programme, at a cost of CHF 42 million, to completely rebuild Aigle's Place de la Gare in partnership with the local authority and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS). The project, which has seen new platforms brought into use at the main station to accommodate the AL, ASD and AOMC, adjacent to those of the SBB/CFF/FFS, also included the construction of AOMC track alongside CFF track towards the new Transports Publics du Chablais depot and workshops at En Châlex. A special ceremony was held on Saturday, 6 October 2007 to mark the completion of the work. With approximately 3 million passengers using its facilities each year Aigle is the second most important station in Vaud after Lausanne. (Source: Le bleu matin, 8.10.2007).[not specific enough to verify]
On 27 August 2007 it was announced that major works, involving extensive, temporary, closures requiring trains service replaced by buses, would take place over the winter months involving all the Transports Publics du Chablais railway lines.[needs update]
There are also plans, awaiting approval, for the extension of the Aigle-Leysin line.[citation needed] If this can be extended to the Berneuse passengers will be able to travel, without transfers, to a site which has views of the Alps, Jura and Lake Geneva.[citation needed]
Landslide problems
Following research into landslide problems on sections of the line it was found necessary to carry out urgent work. The Aigle-Sepey-Diablerets line closed for one week over the Christmas and New Year period 2006/7 and for a month from 27 March 2007, following the end of the high season for tourists, the largest users of the line. This is not a new problem for the line which needs work to stabilise the adjacent soil and rock, much of which is covered in coniferous forest. The work was carried out in four stages, the initial work being to erect just over 150 m of mesh barrier to prevent falling rock reaching the line and to offer protection to the workers on later stages of the scheme when supporting walls were rebuilt. During the work the trains were replaced by bus services covering the affected parts of the line. The total cost of CHF 1.5 million, seen as an investment by the Transport Public Chablais, saw the line fully reopened by the end of April 2007.
From ASD, AL, AOMC, and BVB railways of the TPC
The ASD (Aigle-Sepey-Diablerets) railway routes east from Aigle to the ski resort of Diablerets. The AL (Aigle-Leysin) railway routes east from Aigle to the ski resort and grand vista of Leysin. The AOMC (Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champerey) railway routes west from Aigle to the ski resort of Champery. These railways plus the BVB (Bex-Villars-Bretaye) which railway routes east from Bex, a village just south of Aigle are operated by Transports Publics du Chablais with motto: "Depuis plus de cent ans et contre toute attente, des lignes des TPC reunissent plaine et montagne, Vaud et Valais, ville et campagne, terres catholiques et protestantes." Translated roughly: "For over 100 years and contrary to all expectations, the railways of TPC have joined plain and mountain, town and country, of the Vaud and Valais districts of Switzerland, land of both Catholics and Protestants." The ASD, the AL, and the BVB railways operate in the Canton of Vaud. The AOMC operates into the Canton of Valais when it leaves Aigle and crosses the Rhone river to reach Monthey and Champery.
In 2010 the railway took a step towards a unified brand image with the introduction of a two - tone green livery for its units.
Line lengths and voltages
Passengers carried: In 2007 TPC carried 2.1 million passengers, producing 14.5 million passenger-km. In 2008, after opening of the new narrow-gauge platforms in Aigle and the new depot, it was decided to change the voltage on the AOMC line from 900 to 1500 V DC. Some AOMC trainsets were adapted while older ones will be retired. Some AL and ASD trainsets reach the new depot trackage under reduced power.
BVB: 17km narrow gauge (1000mm), electrified at 650 VDC.
AOMC: 23km narrow gauge (1000mm), electrified at 850 VDC.
AL and ASD: 6.2km and 23km narrow gauge (1000mm), electrified at 1500 VAC.
A mountain railway is a railway that operates in a mountainous region. It may operate through the mountains by following mountain valleys and tunneling beneath mountain passes, or it may climb a mountain to provide transport to and from the summit.
Aigle is a historic town and a municipality and the capital of the district of Aigle in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few kilometers south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.
Villars-sur-Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon.
The Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets railway line is a railway line in the Chablais area of Vaud and Valais in Switzerland. It was built between 1913 and 1914 by the Chemin de fer Aigle-Sépey-Diablerets (ASD) and is today owned and operated by the Transports Publics du Chablais.
The Aigle–Leysin railway line is a narrow-gauge railway line in the Chablais area of southwest Switzerland. The line was opened on 5 May 1900, a 1,000 mm -gauge cog-wheel railway using the Abt rack system. It was the first such line in the region. The line was built by the Chemin de fer Aigle–Leysin.
The Aigle–Ollon–Monthey–Champéry railway line is a metre-gauge railway line in the Chablais region of Switzerland. It was originally built by the Chemin de fer Aigle–Ollon–Monthey (AOM) in 1907–1908. Ownership passed to the Chemin de fer Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champéry (AOMC) in 1946. Today, it is part of the Transports Publics du Chablais. Trains originate from bay platforms at Aigle, adjacent to the Simplon line of Swiss Federal Railways.
The Bex–Villars–Bretaye Railway is a metre gauge railway line operating between the towns of Bex and Villars-sur-Ollon and the Col de Bretaye mountain pass, situated in the Chablais region of southwest Switzerland. It is, in fact, two railways, one mixed adhesion and rack worked between Bex and Villars-sur-Ollon, the other, linking Villars to the Col de Bretaye being worked on the Abt rack system. Passengers making the full journey are required to change trains at Villars.
The Monthey-Champéry-Morgins railway (MCM) was a railway company in the Chablais region of Switzerland which was formed to construct a metre gauge line linking Monthey with Champéry and a branch line from the village of d’Illiez to Morgins.
The Monthey–Champéry–Morgins railway was a metre gauge railway operating in the Chablais region of Switzerland.
Chablais was a province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital was Thonon-les-Bains.
Montreux railway station is the largest of the railway stations serving the municipality of Montreux, in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland.
Vevey railway station is a public transport hub not far from the shore of Lake Geneva. It serves the municipality of Vevey, in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.
The Simplon Railway is a line that links Lausanne in Switzerland and Domodossola in Italy, via Brig. The 20 km (12 mi)-long Simplon Tunnel is a major part of it. The line between Lausanne and Vallorbe is sometimes considered to form part of the line, making it 233 km (145 mi) long.
Bex railway station is a railway station in the municipality of Bex, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It is an intermediate stop on the Simplon line and the terminus of the Bex–Villars–Bretaye line.
Aigle railway station is a railway station in the municipality of Aigle, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It is an intermediate stop on the standard gauge Simplon line of Swiss Federal Railways and the terminus of three 1,000 mm gauge lines operated by Transports Publics du Chablais: the Aigle–Leysin, Aigle–Ollon–Monthey–Champéry, and Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets lines.
References
Wägli, Hans G.; Jacobi, Sébastien (2010). Schienennetz Schweiz - Bahnprofil Schweiz CH+[Swiss rail network] (in German) (3rded.). Zürich: AS Verlag. ISBN978-3-909111-74-9.
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