Mantes-la-Jolie – Cherbourg railway line

Mantes-la-Jolie – Cherbourg
Route map
Route number (SNCF) :	366,000
Course book route (SNCF) :	320
Route length:	313 km
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Power system :	25 kV, 50 Hz  ~
Maximum slope :	10  ‰
Top speed:	200 km / h
Dual track :	Yes
Legend Paris – Le Havre route from Paris-Saint-Lazare 57.275 Mantes-la-Jolie (formerly Mantes-Gassicourt) 35 m 58.214 Paris – Le Havre line to Le Havre 65.815 Ménerville 107 m 67.980 Tunnel de Bréval (805 m) 70.875 Bréval 125 m Territory border Yvelines / Eure-et-Loir 74.886 Viaduc de Gilles-Gainville (53 m) 75.225 Gilles - Guainville 90 m Departmental border Eure-et-Loir / Eure Route Saint-Georges-Motel-Grand-Quevilly from Saint-Georges-Motel 80.140 Bueil 63 m 80.960 Route Saint-Georges-Motel-Grand-Quevilly to Grand-Quevilly 85.242 Viaduc de Mérey ( Eure ; 46 m) 91,450 Le Boisset-Les Prévanches 78 m 94.381 Martainville Tunnel (284 m) 97.372 Le Val-David 110 m Dreux – Saint-Aubin-du-Vieil-Évreux route from Dreux 101.370 St-Aubin-du-Vieil-Évreux 129 m 103.680 Tunnel de Nétreville (1 787 m) 105.888 Tunnel de la Justice (363 m) 106.989 Line Évreux-Embranchement-Acquigny from Acquigny 107.325 Évreux (formerly Évreux Embranchement) 98 m 107.9xx Line Évreux-Embranchement – ​​Quetteville to Quetteville 109.432 Tunnel de Navarre (190 m) 111.916 Arnières-sur-Iton 77 m 116.321 Viaduc de l ' Iton (26 m) 116.961 La Bonneville-sur-Iton 92 m 118.086 Iton (17 m) 119.082 Iton (14 m) 121.090 Rouloir (21 m) 121.813 Rouloir (24 m) 122.367 Rouloir (40 m) 124.567 Viaduc de Conches (Rouloir) (51 m) 124.798 Tunnel de Conches (258 m) 125.152 Conches 115 m Route Saint-Martin-d'Écublei – Conches to L'Aigle 132.910 Romilly-la-Puthenaye 164 m 137.899 Viaduc de Groslay ( Risle ; 61 m) 143.236 Beaumont-le-Roger 91 m Serquigny – Oissel line to Rouen 148.890 Serquigny 78 m 151.993 Charentonne 152.411 Charentonne (29 m) 158.415 Charentonne (12 m) 158.700 Échauffour – Bernay route from Échauffour 158.821 Bernay 110 m 159.034 Tunnel de Bernay (340 m) 172.832 St-Mards-de-Fresne 193 m Département border Eure / Calvados Curve straightening 182.012 Courtonne-la-Meurdrac 100 m 189,450 Viaduc de l ' Orbiquet (21 m) 189,600 La Trinité-de-Réville – Lisieux route from La Trinité-de-Réville 190.107 Lisieux 54 m Line Lisieux – Trouville-Deauville to Trouville-Deauville 190.771 Viaduc de l ' Orbiquet (53 m) 196.630 Tunnel de La Motte (2560 m) 207.799 Vie (9 m) 208.435 Route Sainte-Gauburge – Mesnil-Mauger from Sainte-Gauburge 208.685 Mesnil-Mauger 23 m 213,497 Dives (20 m) Le Mans – Mézidon route from Le Mans 214.780 Mézidon – Trouville-Deauville line from Trouville-Deauville 215.516 Mezidon 35 m 217.177 Laizon (6 m) 3,741 224,000 Argences 224.899 Moult - Argences 35 m 231,219 Frénouville - Cagny 26 m Caen – Dozulé-Putot route from Dozulé-Putot 239.010 Raccordement maritime de Caen 239.907 Caen 5 m 240.483 Viaduc de l ' Orne (45 m) 240.550 Caen – Cerisy-Belle-Étoile and Caen – Vire route to Flers / Vire 240.625 Caen – Courseulles-sur-Mer route to Courseulles-sur-Mer 241,391 Odon 247,433 Carpiquet 60 m 252.193 Bretteville - Norrey 63 m 258,534 Audrieu 67 m 260.877 Pont de Flaye ( Seulles ; 61 m) 268.776 Bayeux 50 m 269,088 Pont sur l' Aure (29 m) 269.710 Chemins de fer du Calvados 272.695 Pont sur la Drôme (51 m) 277,372 Crouay 44 m 282,604 Le Molay-Littry 25 m 283.155 Chemins de fer du Calvados 295,200 Lison 7 m Lison – Lamballe route to Saint-Lô 301.472 Neuilly 8 m 303,560 Route Neuilly-la-Forêt – Isigny-sur-Mer to Isigny-sur-Mer 304.975 Viaduc de la Vire (40 m) Département border Calvados / Manche Taute 313.109 Carentan 5 m 313.284 Carentan – Carteret route to Carteret 317.615 Viaduc de la Douve (37 m) 325.283 Chef-du-Pont - Ste-Mère 8 m 331,590 Fresville 6 m 334,912 Montebourg 10 m 335.235 Route Valognes – Barfleur to Barfleur 342.617 Valognes 39 m Route Valognes – Barfleur to Barfleur 349.741 Douve (10 m) 350.027 Douve (10 m) 350.411 Douve (10 m) 352.113 Coutances – Sottevast route from Coutances 234,950 Douve (10 m) 352.266 Sottevast 49 m 352,407 Douve (10 m) 354,388 Douve (10 m) 354.753 Douve (9 m) 358.971 Couville 97 m 364.264 Martinvast 63 m 368.190 Divette (9 m) 368.915 Divette (9 m) 369.165 Divette (9 m) 369.415 Divette (9 m) 369.715 0.000 369.815 370.365 Cherbourg 5 m Cherbourg – Urville-en-Hague line to Urville-en-Hague 1,480 arsenal 7 m Cherbourg – Barfleur line to Barfleur 2.125 Cherbourg-Transatlantique 4 m

The Mantes-la-Jolie – Cherbourg railway is a French railway from Mantes-la-Jolie to Cherbourg . It is 313 km long and branches off the Paris – Le Havre railway in Mantes-la-Jolie, which is 57 km west of Paris.

The route was opened between 1855 and 1858 by the Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest . It crosses the north-west of the Île-de-France and then leads across Normandy . The main cities on the route are Évreux , Lisieux , Caen and Cherbourg on the Cotentin peninsula . The line, which belongs to Réseau ferré de France , is double-track and electrified with 25 kV, 50 Hz alternating current .

Route

Diversion in Mantes-la-Jolie , direction Le Havre straight to Cherbourg left

The route is winding. The profile of the route between Mantes-la-Jolie and Mézidon is quite poor because of the numerous curves and the long gradients (maximum 10 ‰). The profile improves in the Caen plain and in the marshes of Bessin and Cotentin . Between Valognes and Cherbourg, where the Armorican massif is crossed, the route is again more curvy.

The route leaves the Seine valley in Mantes-la-Jolie ( 32  m ) with a gradient of 9 ‰. In Brévaler tunnel , a first vertex ( 134  m reached), then the route leading to Bueil ( 63  m ) in the Euretal down. The railway line climbs up to Le Vieil-Évreux ( 129  m ) and then falls down into the Iton Valley ( 92  m ). This valley is left after Conches-en-Ouche and leads to Romilly-la-Puthenaye ( 164  m ) and to reach the Charenton valley at Serquigny ( 78  m ) . At Saint-Mards-de-Fresne the apex of the route is reached ( 193  m ). It goes down to Lisieux ( 54  m ) in the Touquestal . The tunnel de La Motte ( 114  m ) is reached via the last steeper ascent , before the Vietal valley is encountered at Mesnil-Mauger ( 23  m ) . As far as Caen ( 5  m ), where the Orne is crossed, it continues very flat. After Audrieu ( 67  m ) the route descends to Lison ( 7  m ) and crosses the marshes of Bessin and Cotentin . The former train station of Couville ( 97  m ) is reached after a slight incline. Finally, the route descends to Cherbourg ( 5  m ).

history

Canadian soldiers of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders at Caen Railway Station (1944)

Évreux- Normandy train station

Cherbourg train station

Planning, construction and commissioning

The concession for a Paris – Caen railway line was granted on June 21, 1846. Because of the financial crisis in 1847 and the subsequent revolution in 1848 , the necessary capital for construction could not be raised. A new concession between Paris and Caen was granted on July 5, 1852, to the "Compagnie de Paris à Caen et à Cherbourg". Construction work began the following year between Mantes-la-Jolie and Caen. The Paris – Mantes-la-Jolie section of the Paris – Le Havre line had been in operation since May 9, 1843. The first section from Mantes-Embranchement to Lisieux went into operation on July 1, 1855. On December 29, 1855, the extension to Mondeville was opened. Due to the lack of an agreement with the company that applied for the license for the extension, the trains from Paris had to arrive at the provisional Mondeville station. The extension to Caen finally went into operation on September 1, 1857.

When the railroad companies merged on January 30, 1855, the Cherbourg concession was merged with those of Rouen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Saint-Germain and Brittany under the Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest .

The choice of the route for the 131 km long route from Caen to Cherbourg proved to be more difficult. There were three different route variants up for discussion: via Bayeux , via Saint-Lô or a route between these two cities. In the end, the option via Bayeux was chosen. The construction work between Caen and Cherbourg was completed in less than two years, although 1.3 million m³ of earth moving and numerous structures had to be built. These began in October 1856; in January 1858 4,000 workers were employed on the construction site. 1000 cars, 80 tipping cars and three locomotives were used, which pulled ballast cars.

The route was opened on July 17th, 1858 and inaugurated on August 4th by the imperial couple in Cherbourg . At the beginning there were a total of 31 stations and 114 level crossings on the Mantes – Cherbourg line. 20 million m³ of earth had to be moved, 4,388 m of tunnels had to be excavated, 70 bridges over rivers, 310 bridges over roads and 400 aqueducts had to be built. The construction of the line cost 106 million francs.

Originally a single track, a second track was added very quickly: in 1857 from Mantes to Bernay, in 1858 to Lisieux and in 1862 to Caen. West of Caen, the commissioning of the second track was delayed: in 1882 from Sottevast to Cherbourg, 1885 from Lison to Neuilly, 1899 from Lison to Le Molay-Litry and from Sottevast to Chef-du-Pont, and in 1899 from Caen to Le Molay-Litry and finally on April 9, 1900 from Neuilly to Chef-du-Pont. The expansion to two tracks from Lisieux to Cherbourg cost 10 million francs.

In Caen there was a connection to London by steamboat. In 1898, the port of Cherbourg was connected to the route to offer connection to the passenger ships to America. In 1912, a facility for taking up water while driving was established at km 113.

Development until 1950

From 1933, Bugatti railcars were used on the route. This enabled a time saving of 2 hours from Paris to Cherbourg compared to locomotive-hauled trains. The following express trains ran daily: three Paris – Cherbourg, one Paris – Caen and one night train from Paris to Cherbourg.

From the outbreak of the Second World War , among other things, the speed had to be reduced in order to save energy. In order to slow down the advance of the German troops, the Viaduc des Hollandais near Lisieux and the Tunnel de la Motte near Cherbourg were blown up. Evreux station was completely destroyed by the fighting. Local traffic consisted of two to three pairs of trains per route section. In April 1944 only one long-distance train ran from Paris to Cherbourg in 6:46.

The line was in a hotly contested zone during June and July 1944 because of Operation Overlord . Among other things, the tunnel de Bréval, the bridges over the Eure near Merey and over the Orne near Caen were damaged. By July 11, 1944, the route between Cherbourg and Carentan was repaired by the Americans to allow regular military trains to run. It was the first "liberated" section of a railway line on the French mainland. During the fighting, the station buildings of Serquigny, Lisieux, Caen and Cherbourg were destroyed. From September, the entire route from Mantes to Cherbourg was open to traffic again.

Since January 8, 1945, an express train ran again from Paris to Cherbourg via Versailles in 9 hours 57. After the war, only one pair of express trains continued to run to Cherbourg in 6:18 and one night train.

From 1950 to 1990

In the summer of 1950 there were three pairs of express trains to Cherbourg and one to Caen. During the 1950s, the signaling was renewed, among other things, PRS signal boxes (Poste tout relais à transit souple) were built in the stations.

The first line diesel locomotives were delivered from 1960 and replaced the steam locomotives before the express trains. So from 1964 the series BB 67000 and the A1A-A1A were used, which had a top speed of 130 km / h. The travel time to Cherbourg was reduced to 4:04. In 1968, steam locomotives were only used for freight transport, but these were gradually being replaced by diesel locomotives.

From September 1970, type ETG gas turbine trains were used on the route . They replaced older diesel railcars and diesel locomotives. The route was upgraded in sections to 160 km / h and allowed a travel time Paris – Cherbourg of 2 hours 59. The average speed was 124 km / h with stops in Bayeux, Carentan and Valognes. Because of the limited capacity of the turbotrains, locomotive-hauled replacement trains had to be used more and more often. In 1975 the ETG was transferred to the Rhône-Alpes region and replaced by RTG .

The last Transatlantique operated in 1981 as a feeder to Queen Elizabeth 2 . From 1982 the BB 67400 series was used, which offered an electric heater. Six pairs of trains run to Cherbourg.

electrification

The construction work for the electrification (25,000 V, 50 Hz, single-phase) of the line began in 1989 with the removal of all remaining level crossings from Évreux and the straightening of some curves (at Courtonne-la-Meurdrac ). In addition, bridges and tunnels had to be rebuilt. After six years of construction, the electrification work between Bueil and Cherbourg was completed on March 27, 1996, and between Bueil and Mantes-la-Jolie on May 21. At the same time, the signaling was replaced by the Automatique Lumineux (BAL) block and the IPCS (Installations permanentes de contresens) installed. The commercial commissioning of the electrical operation took place on June 1, 1996. The operation of the Turbotrains was stopped the day before. Since then, all trains Paris – Caen – Cherbourg and Paris – Lisieux – Deauville have been operated electrically.

At the beginning, the Paris – Cherbourg trains were pulled by the renovated BB 16000 . Then they were replaced by BB 26000 , which are used in front of some trains on the Paris – Caen and Paris – Trouville-Deauville lines. The other trains were hauled with BB 15000 until mid-2009 . By commissioning the sections for 200 km / h on December 2, 1996, the travel time to Cherbourg could be reduced to 2:42.

From September 28, 1997, a TGV operated from Cherbourg to Lille, but was discontinued in May 1999 due to insufficient passengers. Since the transatlantic port station was converted into La Cité de la Mer , special trains have been running with connections to the Queen Mary 2 . Between 2008 and 2012, the tracks were renewed on some sections of the route.

Infrastructure

The line is two-track and has been fully electrified since June 1, 1996 (25 kV, 50 Hz, single-phase). It is equipped with the Automatique Lumineux (BAL) block and the Contrôle de vitesse par balises (KVB).

The maximum permissible speed is at least 160 km / h at 255 km. Otherwise at least 120 km / h can be driven. The passage from Caen is limited to 60 km / h.

Route sections for 200 km / h

There are currently three sections that are suitable for the maximum speed of 200 km / h:

• from km 163,000 to km 189,450 between Bernay and Lisieux;
• from km 204,700 to km 236,000 between Lisieux and Caen;
• from km 313.100 to km 340.617 between Carentan and Valognes

Engineering structures

West portal of the Bréval tunnel

Viaducts: Viaduc de Mérey ( Eure ) (46 m); Viaduc de l'Iton ( Iton ) (26 m); Viaduc de Groslay ( Risle ) (61 m); Viaduc de l'Orbiquet ( Orbiquet ) (53 m); Viaduc de l'Orne ( Orne ) (45 m); Viaduc de la Vire ( Vire ) (40 m); Viaduc de la Douve ( Douve ) (37 m); Viaduc de Gilles (45 m);

Tunnels: Tunnel de Bréval (801 m); Martainville Tunnel (284 m); Tunnel de Nétreville (1790 m); Tunnel de la Justice (364 m); Tunnel de Navarre (191 m); Tunnel de Conches (254 m); Tunnel de Bernay (339 m); Tunnel de La Motte (2561 m)

business

Locomotives of the BB 26000 and BB 15000 series are used in long-distance transport . Seven pairs of trains consisting of Corail wagons run to Cherbourg every day. The "Intercités" to Trouville also use the route to Lisieux.

Regional transport is ordered by the respective regions. The TER Basse-Normandie operate from Lisieux to Cherbourg. Class Z 27500 railcars are used . The TER Haute-Normandie operate from Paris to Évreux, Serquigny and Lisieux. Locomotives of the BB 17000 series are used in front of the VO 2N double-decker cars. Also suitable BB 27300 with VB 2N used.

The volume of goods on the route is low and consists of gravel trains from Chailloué and Montabard to Motteville. At times, grain trains and nuclear waste transports run from Valognes to Germany.

future

It has been considered that two express trains a day only stop in Cherbourg and Caen. In view of the violent protests of the representatives in Valognes and Carentan , this was not done. Thanks to both stations, the entire Cotentin peninsula is connected to the railway network.

The de Nétreville, Bernay and La Motte tunnels are to be renewed by 2015. It is planned to build a branch from LGV Normandie to Lisieux and Caen. The new line could go into operation around 2030 at the earliest, which means Cherbourg could be reached from Paris in 2:15. However, this project is frozen due to budget cuts.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} See B. Collardey, p. 48.
2. ↑ Loi du 21 juin 1846 (ed.): Recueil des lois, décrets, conventions et cahiers des charges concernant le réseau concédé à la compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest . Paris June 21, 1846, p. 29 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
3. ^ Alfred Picard: Les chemins de fer français: étude historique sur la constitution et le régime du réseau . Ed .: J. Rothschild. tape 2 . Paris 1884, p. 41 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
4. ↑ Loi du 5 juillet 1852. Ibid. (Law of July 5, 1852) . July 5, 1852, p. 75 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
5. ↑ Le Journal des transports: revue internationale des chemins de fer et de la navigation . N. ° 37. Paris September 14, 1901, p. 454 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
6. ^ A. Demeur: Les chemins de fer français en 1860. Statuts des compagnies - Notices historiques - Situations financières avec une introduction . Librairie centrale des chemins de fer de N. Chaix et Cie, Paris 1860, p. 130 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
7. ^ Henri Nicolle: De Paris à Cherbourg en chemin de fer, Guide-itinéraire contenant l'historique complet des travaux de la digue et du port de Cherbourg . Ed .: Alfred Bouchard. Caen, Paris 1860 (French).
8. ^ Imprimerie administrative Paul Dupont (ed.): Compagnie de chemins de fer de l'Ouest, Lois, décrets, conventions, cahiers des charges, statuts . Paris 1866, p. 12-17 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
9. ^ Victor Bois: Les chemins de fer français . Ed .: Hachette. Paris 1853, p. 22 (French, online [accessed March 6, 2014]).
10. ^ François et Maguy Palau: Le rail en France . tape II . Paris, S. 39 (French).
11. ↑ Les Chemins de fer de l'Ouest. I La Normandie (En ce temps là… ..la vapeur! ..) . Ed. Rimage, Paris 1980 (French).
12. ↑ ^{a b c} See B. Collardey, p. 49.
13. ^ François et Maguy Palau: Le rail en France . tape II . Paris, S. 40 (French).
14. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 45.
15. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 46.
16. ↑ ^{a b} See B. Collardey, p. 47.
17. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 50.
18. ↑ Robert Lerouvillois: Cherbourg port de la liberté . Éditions Isoète, Paris, ISBN 978-2-913920-90-3 (French).
19. ↑ ^{a b} See B. Collardey, p. 51.
20. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 52.
21. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 53.
22. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 54.
23. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 55.
24. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 56.
25. ↑ ^{a b} See B. Collardey, p. 60.
26. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 61.
27. ↑ See B. Collardey, p. 62.
28. ↑ ^{a b c} See B. Collardey, p. 65.
29. ↑ RFF - Carte des lignes électrifiées. (PDF) (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on December 7, 2008 ; Retrieved March 6, 2014 (French). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
30. ↑ RFF Carte des modes d'espacement des trains. (PDF) (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on December 7, 2008 ; Retrieved March 6, 2014 (French). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
31. ↑ RFF - Carte des lignes équipées de contrôle de vitesses. (PDF) (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on December 7, 2008 ; Retrieved March 6, 2014 (French). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
32. ↑ Renseignements techniques SNCF / RFF - RT 3301 Mantes-la-Jolie - Caen et raccordements et RT 3303 Caen - Cherbourg (French)
33. ↑ ^{a b} See B. Collardey, p. 63.

literature

• Bernard Collardey: Paris - Cherbourg, une radiale normande . In: Rail Passion . No. 194 , 2013, p. 42-65 .
• François et Maguy Palau: Le rail en France - Tome II, 1858–1863. Paris 2001, ISBN 2-9509421-2-1 .

Web links

Commons : Mantes-la-Jolie – Cherbourg railway line  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Données techniques sur la ligne, dont les vitesses limites
• RFF - Bilan LOTI de l'électrification de Paris-Cherbourg (PDF, 1 Mo)
• Avis du Conseil Général de l'Enéralnement et du Développement durable sur le bilan LOTI de l'électrification de la ligne ferroviaire Paris - Caen - Cherbourg