Type Light rail Stations 10 Opened 1893 Locale Canton of Vaud | Status Operational Services 1 Owner TRAVYS | |
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Track gauge Metre gauge railway (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in) Terminis Sainte-Croix, Yverdon-les-Bains | ||
The Yverdon to Sainte-Croix railway (French: Chemin de fer Yverdon–Ste-Croix, YSteC) is a metre gauge (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in gauge) railway line and former railway company in Switzerland. The line connects the towns of Yverdon-les-Bains and Sainte-Croix, both in the canton of Vaud, and is some 24 kilometres (15 mi) long, overcoming a vertical height change of 633 metres (2,077 ft). It is now owned and operated by the TRAVYS company (Transports Vallée-de-Joux - Yverdon-les-Bains - Sainte-Croix).
History
The line was opened in 1893 by the Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway company, largely as a result of the influence of William Barbey from Valeyres-sous-Rances, who financed the building of the line. The line initially used steam locomotives to the articulated Mallet design. Because of the influence of the religious William Barbey, the line did not operate any trains on Sundays.
In 1918, after the death of William Barbey, the line began operations on Sundays. Like many Swiss railways, it suffered from a shortage of coal during the Second World War and, in 1945, it was electrified at 15 kV 16 2⁄3 Hz AC, using overhead wires.
On February 14, 1976 two railcars collided head-to-head between Essert-sous-Champvent and Valeyres-sous-Montagny at about 50 km/h (31 mph). Seven people died and 40 others were injured. The accident was put down to human error; the two trains were scheduled to cross at Essert-sous-Champvent, but the line was not equipped with automatic block signalling that would have prevented the accident.
In 2001, the Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway company was merged with the Pont-Brassus railway company and the Transports Publics Yverdon-Grandson bus company to form the new TRAVYS company. The company has since also absorbed the Orbe–Chavornay railway company.
In 2013 and as part of a joint order with Transports de la région Morges-Bière-Cossonay, the Montreux–Oberland Bernois railway and Transports publics fribourgeois, TRAVYS ordered three new trains for the Yverdon–Ste-Croix railway from Stadler Rail. Of these, two will be used to replace older stock, whilst the third will allow the introduction of a half-hourly service on the line. The trains are due for delivery in 2015.