The Yverdon to Sainte-Croix Railway (, YSteC) is a 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 long, overcoming a vertical height change of . 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 , using overhead wires.
In 1974 the railway pioneered the Vevey system of Rollbocks, which allows a train of standard-gauge wagons to be automatically loaded onto transporter bogies so that it can travel on a narrow-gauge line.
On February 14, 1976, two railcars collided head-to-head between Essert-sous-Champvent and Valeyres-sous-Montagny at about . 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.
Locomotives and rolling stock
No.TypeSeats: 2nd Builders DetailsDate BuiltNotesImage 1 Be4/4 40 ACMV/SIG/SAAS 1981 Named "Yverdon - les - Bains" 2 Be4/4 40 ACMV/SIG/SAAS 1981 Named "Baulmes". 3 Be4/4 40 ACMV/SIG/SAAS 1981 2004 sold to Chemin de fer Bière-Apples-Morges as No.15 4 Be4/4 46 SIG/BBC 1945 withdrawn March 2008 5 Be4/4 46 SIG/BBC 1945 21 Ge4/4 YSC/SIG/BBC 1950 22 B SIG 1893Sold to Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme (CFBS) 22" Tm2/2 Schöma/Deutz 1971 23 Tm2/2 RACO/Cummins 1989 26 BF SIG 1893Sold to CFBS 27 BF SIG 1893Sold to CFBS 31 B SIG 1929Sold to CFBS 32 B SIG 1929Sold to CFBS 35 B 64 SWP 1968Wired as intermediate coach for 1-3/51-53 and 4-5/54 36 Ars SIG/RhB/Travys 1913ex-RhB B 2218, saloon "La Traverse". Rebuilt in 1960 (RhB) and again in 2002 (Travys). 51 Bt 56 ACMV/SAAS 1983 Driving Trailer for 1-3/2000-01 52 Bt 56 ACMV/SAAS 1983 2004 sold to BAM as No.54 52" Bt Stadler 2007 Driving Trailer for 1-2/2000-01 53 BDt 64SWP/SWA 1968Ex-No.33, Rebuilt in 1991 from B, driving trailer for 1-3/2000-01 54 BDt 64 SWP/SWA 1968Ex-No.34, Rebuilt in 1991 from B, driving trailer for 4 55 Bt 64 ACMV/SAAS 1981 2000Be2/6 88 Stadler/Adtranz2001 Stadler GTW 2001Be2/6 88 Stadler/Adtranz2001 Stadler GTW
References
External links
Web site of TRAVYS, owners of the line (in French)