Gex – Ferney-Voltaire tram

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disused tram
Gex – Ferney-Voltaire tram
image
Tram in Gex (Postcard 1911)
Basic information
Country France
city Gex - Ferney-Voltaire
opening July 21, 1900
Shutdown June 15, 1932
operator CGTE / RDTA
Infrastructure
Route length 9.8 km
Gauge 1000 mm ( meter gauge )
business
Lines 1
vehicles 3 SLM type 030 steam locomotives
Network plan
Route map

The tram Gex-Ferney-Voltaire ( French: Tramway de Gex à Ferney (GF)) was a steam tram from Gex to Ferney-Voltaire in France . The last operator of the line, which went into operation on July 21, 1900, was the Régie départementale des Tramways de l'Ain . The Compagnie genevoise des tramways électriques (CGTE) ( Geneva tram ) operated the line for two years. Operations had to be stopped on June 15, 1932.

history

In the Ain department , an extensive network of trams and small railways was under construction during the last third of the 19th century. At the beginning of 1890, the sub-prefecture of Gex was still inaccessible by rail. In fact, the Collonges – Divonne-les-Bains railway was still in the planning stage; it was opened in 1899. Only Ferney-Voltaire was connected to the Geneva tram network with a steam tram line from the Société genevoise des chemins de fer à voie étroite (VE) . The SE proposed obtaining a concession to extend the line via Ornex , Maconnex , Ségny and Cessy to Gex. Due to the sudden death of the initiator, the project was abandoned.

In 1896 the Syndicat d'études du Tramway Gex - Ferney was founded . On November 3 of the same year, a project for a meter-gauge steam tram was proposed. The construction of the infrastructure and the operational buildings should be carried out by the concessionaire. The operator should maintain the infrastructure and procure the vehicles. The concessionaire receives subsidies from the city of Gex and the département for construction and operation, but has to bear the possible deficit. This agreement was signed on March 11, 1899 by the project participants. The Déclaration d'utilité publique took place on May 4th.

The construction work progressed quickly, the route mostly ran along the national road. The line was completed on July 19, 1900; commissioning took place on July 21st. The trams could not yet go to the center of Gex, but had to turn around near the hospital due to the steep incline. Due to the pressure of the population, the terminus was finally moved to the center by April 17, 1902. The company was taken over at the beginning of 1901 by the Compagnie genevoise des tramways électriques (CGTE). In 1902 it was proposed to electrify the line. In the same year, however, the CGTE terminated the operating contract. The electrification project then had to be discontinued, but steam locomotives and passenger cars were purchased from the Bern and Geneva SLM Winterthur trams . From October 1, 1903, the Gex - Ferney (GF) tram was independent.

The company made a small profit in 1908 through annual subsidies. However, with the outbreak of World War I , traffic decreased, and the closure of the border with Switzerland made this situation even worse. After the war the economic situation of the company was very bad, the department approved a loan. But that didn't help either, and in September 1920, the company was considered to close. In August 1920 the Conseil Générale de l'Ain decided to buy up all small railways. On June 1, 1921, the Gex - Ferney line became part of the Régie départementale des Tramways de l'Ain (RDTA).

Steam locomotive type 030 of the SLM

This takeover could not change the economic situation, as the deficits continued to increase every year. On June 15, the RDTA executives decided to suspend operations. Indeed, motorized traffic on the national road increased massively and the tram was perceived as a nuisance. In 1934, the CGTE proposed reopening and electrifying the line at its own expense. It was too late, however, as the department had already decided to dismantle the line. This began on October 18, 1934 with the removal of the rails. The road was then widened; nowadays no relics of the railway have survived. The line to Ferney-Voltaire was in operation until January 1938.

vehicles

Two small steam locomotives of the SLM Winterthur type 030 , which had previously been in use on the Bern tram, were used. There was also another identically constructed locomotive that was previously used on the Geneva tram .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b See A. Primatesta, p. 130
  2. ↑ a b See A. Primatesta, p. 131
  3. ↑ a b See A. Primatesta, p. 132
  4. ↑ a b See A. Primatesta, p. 133