Culoz–Modane railway

The Culoz–Modane railway (sometimes called Ligne de la Maurienne) is a 135 kilometres (84 miles) long railway running from Culoz, near Chambéry, through Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Modane in France. Together with the Italian Turin–Modane railway it is often called "Fréjus Railway" or "Mont Cenis Railway".

Culoz–Modane railway
Overview
SystemSNCF
StatusOperational
LocaleFrance (Rhône-Alpes)
TerminiGare de Culoz
Gare de Modane
Operation
Opened1856-1871
OwnerRFF
Operator(s)SNCF
Technical
Line length135 km (84 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track[1]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification1500 V DC[2]
Route map
 Line from Lyon
 101.4 Culoz
101.4 Line to Geneva
103.3 River Rhône
 104.4 Vions-Chanaz
 108.3 Chindrieux
123.3 from Annecy
 123.6 Aix-les-Bains-Le Revard
 128.3 Viviers-du-Lac
137.2 from Saint-André-le-Gaz
 137.7 Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux
 150.9 Montmélian
150.9 Line to Grenoble
 162.4 Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny
164.1 to Bourg-Saint-Maurice
165.9 River Isère
 166.8 Chamousset
 175.2 Aiguebelle
 185.4 Épierre
 198.1 Sainte-Avre – La Chambre
 208.1 Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne-Arvan
 220.4 Saint-Michel-Valloire
 236.0 Modane
 Line to Turin

Despite running under the Fréjus Pass, it is sometimes called the Mont Cenis Railway because, from antiquity until the Fréjus Rail Tunnel was opened in 1871, most people used the Mont Cenis Pass to get between France and Italy. From 1868 to 1871 the temporary Mont Cenis Pass Railway ran over the Mont Cenis pass to link the French and Italian railways.

The Culoz–Modane railway is operated by the SNCF, and the line from Modane to Turin that connects with it is operated by FS.

History

The Victor Emmanuel Railway, which included both the Culoz–Modane railway across Savoy and the Turin–Modane railway across Piedmont, was largely built in the 1850s by the Kingdom of Sardinia and named after its king, Victor Emmanuel II.[3] The section between Culoz and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne was opened between 1856 and 1858.

Until 1860 Sardinia included both Savoy and Piedmont. Then however, ownership of Savoy and the County of Nice passed to France. In 1862 the Culoz–Modane railway became part of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille Railway[3] and the line was extended to Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne.[4] The remaining section between Saint-Michel and Modane and the tunnel towards Italy were opened on 16 October 1871.[5]

On 12 December 1917, a troop train derailed at speed at Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne killing several hundred soldiers; see Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment.

Description
Freight train on the line crossing the Arc

The 20 kilometres long section between St. Michel to Modane on the north side of the Mont Cenis Tunnel has a maximum inclination (gradient) of 3%, an average inclination of 2.1% and a smallest curvature radius of 350 metres. The erection of support structures in difficult areas with danger from landslides, and of tunnels with a total length of 4624 metres was necessary. The 41 kilometres long section between Bardonecchia and the south terminus of the Mont Cenis Tunnel has a maximum inclination of 3 per cent, an average inclination of 2.05% and a smallest curvature of radius of 450 metres. On this section 18 bridges and 26 tunnels with a total length of 8115 metres were built.

In 1925 the railway between Modane and Chambéry was electrified with 1.5 kV DC, using a third rail. This was the highest voltage ever used on a third rail system in Europe. In 1976 the third rail was replaced by an overhead wire.

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See also
  • The Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment on 12 December 1917 is the worst train accident to have occurred in France.
  • Mont Cenis Pass Railway, a railway built as a temporary link before the complete opening of the Fréjus railway (Culoz-Modane-Turin)
  • Alpine rolling road, a piggy back service carrying trucks with or without tractors from Aiton to Orbassano.

References
  1. "RFF - Network map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-18.
  2. "RFF - Map of electrified railway lines" (PDF).
  3. Ransom, P.J.G. (1999). The Mont Cenis Fell Railway. Truro: Twelveheads Press. pp. 13, 14, 62.
  4. Direction Générale des Ponts et Chaussées et des Chemins de Fer (1869). Statistique centrale des chemins de fer. Chemins de fer français. Situation au 31 décembre 1869 (in French). Paris: Ministère des Travaux Publics. pp. 146–160.
  5. Ransom p 62

Further reading
  • Meillason, Sylvain (June 2009). Mont Cenis/Fréjus route: ready for relaunch. Today's Railways Europe. Gives history, map and current plans.

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