Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds Railway

The Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds Railway (French: ''Chemin de fer Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds''; SC) was a railway company that operated a metre-gauge railway from Saignelégier to La Chaux-de-Fonds in western Switzerland. In 1944, the railway was merged to form the Chemins de fer du Jura (CJ), which electrified it at 1500 Volt DC in 1953. Its line is now part of the La Chaux-de-Fonds–Glovelier line.

History

The first main lines in the Jura were built primarily to connect to France and did not serve the Franches-Montagnes. The then Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds Railway opened its metre-gauge line from Saignelégier via Le Noirmont to La Chaux-de-Fonds-Est on 7 December 1892. The extension to La Chaux-de-Fonds on the Jura–Simplon Railways had to wait until 28 November 1893, when the ''Hotel de Ville'' rail and road bridge was finished. This also created a connection to the also narrow-gauge Ponts–Sagne–La Chaux-de-Fonds Railway (PSC). The railway originally had no significant engineering structures except for the Hotel-de-Ville bridge.

Connection of other lines

In 1904, the Régional Saignelégier–Glovelier (RSG) took over operations, creating an important connection to the Basel– Delémont–Glovelier–Porrentruy main line, which continued to France. However, the Saignelégier–Glovelier line was built as standard gauge to facilitate its extensive livestock and timber transportation. Saignelégier became a transhipment station with an intricate system of tracks. To overcome the different gauges, transporter wagons were used on the Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds line from May 1915.

The neighbouring Ponts–Sagne–La Chaux-de-Fonds railway (PSC) did not have the best connections despite having the same gauge and a shared station. Nevertheless, the Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds Railway provided PCS services after 1 July 1913 when the Jura neuchâtelois (JN) was nationalised and incorporated into the SBB.

The Tramelan– Breuleux– Noirmont tramway ( TBN) was opened on 15 November 1913. It was an extension of the Tramelan–Tavannes railway (TT), which had opened in 1884. Because unlike the SC, the TBN has been electrically operated since its opening, continuous services between La Chaux -de-Fonds-Bahn and Tavannes were limited. The TBN and TT were merged in 1927 to form the Tavannes–Noirmont Railway (''Chemin de fer Tavannes-Noirmontm'', CTN).

Operating results

The main source of income for the Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds Railway was passenger transport, although freight transport also played an important role. After the second year of operation, the operating results always showed a profit, which was invested as a reserve. The First World War did not affect the financial position either. After the war, however, operating costs rose sharply and its financial situation became precarious. In addition Alsace was returned to France after the war, which made the Basel–Delle line much less important. After 1918, the railway remained in deficit and the facilities and rolling stock became obsolete. To enable a thorough renewal of the line, it merged with the RSC, the CTN and the Régional Porrentruy–Bonfol (RPB) to form the ''Chemins de fer du Jura'' (CJ) in 1944.

Operation by the Chemins de fer du Jura

To simplify operations, the CJ converted the Saignelégier–Glovelier line to metre gauge. After that standard gauge freight wagons were loaded on transporter wagon in Glovelier instead of Saignelégier or alternatively until 2010 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

The CJ has operated its entire metre-gauge network with 1500 volts DC since 4 October 1953. The rolling stock was replaced almost completely by new sets. The two substations in La Ferrière and Le Noirmont supply the line with electricity.

Although the CJ has the same electricity system as the neighbouring La Chaux-de-Fonds–Les Ponts-de-Martel railway, only a few vehicles are exchanged between the CJ and Transports Régionaux Neuchâtelois (TRN). TRN vehicles regularly access the CJ network in order to reprofile their wheels on the underfloor lathe in the CJ Tramelan workshop. In La Chaux-de-Fonds, the CJ and TRN catenaries can be interconnected via a coupling switch to provide power to the neighboring railway in case of emergency.

In 1959, the CJ replaced the steel Hotel-de-Ville Bridge with a concrete structure. The 129 metre-long ''Ferrière'' bridge between La Ferrière and Le Seignat was opened in 1979. It replaces an old, very tortuous route.

Current operations

The La Chaux-de-Fonds–Saignelégier–Glovelier passenger trains run almost continuously every hour. In Le Noirment, they connect with trains to Tavannes. The ''Marché-Concours national de chevaux'' horse race takes place in Saignelégier in August.

Freight trains run regularly on the line from Monday to Friday. Garbage has been carried from Glovelier to the incinerator in La Chaux-de-Fonds since 2000. In addition, standard-gauge wagons are carried on transporter wagons, which primarily carry timber logs, fuel oil, gravel and road salt. Scheduled steam trains are operated by La Traction from Pré-Petitjean to Glovelier, Tavannes or La Chaux-de-Fonds from July to September.

In Saignelégier there is a depot for the maintenance of rolling stock used in regular traffic. Construction service vehicles are maintained at a single-track carriage shed in Le Noirmont.

Route description

The 27-kilometre-long line connects Saignelégier in the Canton of Jura with the watchmaking town of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Neuchâtel. Shortly after leaving Saignelégier, passengers see the deep valley of the Doubs

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