The Réunion Tram Train (french: Tram-train de la Réunion) was a planned
tram-train
A tram-train is a type of light rail vehicle that meets the standards of a light rail system (usually an urban street running tramway), but which also meets national mainline standards permitting operation alongside mainline trains. This all ...
line to run approximately 140 kilometres along the coast of
Réunion
Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
.
Construction of the first phase was scheduled to start in 2010, for opening in 2013.
The Tram'Tiss consortium was preferred bidder for a PPP concession to develop the line.
However, the project was abandoned in May 2010 due to a lack of funds.
History
Reunion used to have a rail system opened in the 1890s and closed in the 1950s and 1960s when population and traffic congestion were less.
Overview
The line would have operated as a hybrid of a
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
and a
train
In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and Passenger train, transport people or Rail freight transport, freight. Trains are typically pul ...
, with tram-like street-level stations in the towns and train-like speeds of up to 100 km/h on dedicated right of way between them. Trains would have been capable of carrying up to 250 passengers; the route would have also been capable of carrying freight from the port.
From west to north, the projected route of the first phase (41.5 km, 26 stations) will start from
St-Paul and pass through
St-Denis, terminating at
Roland Garros Airport
Roland Garros Airport (french: Aéroport de la Réunion Roland Garros) , formerly known as Gillot Airport, is located in Sainte-Marie on Réunion, France. The airport is east of Saint-Denis; it is named after the French aviator Roland Garro ...
in
Ste-Marie. The mountainous topography of Réunion would have required a large number of viaducts and tunnels: the first phase includes 11 major engineering structures, including a 10-kilometre tunnel and the highest railway bridge in the world. The cost was estimated to be €1.25 billion for the first phase alone. Extensions east to
St-Benoît and south to
St-Joseph were planned.
Future plans
In 2019 a
light rail system was proposed to link Le Barachois with the airport.
See also
*
List of longest tunnels
This list of longest tunnels ranks tunnels that are at least long. Only continuous tunnels are included. Pipelines, even those that are buried, are excluded. The longest tunnels have been constructed for water distribution, followed by tunnels ...
*
List of highest bridges in the world
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
References
External links
Tram Train(in French)
La Semaly: Reunion Island - Tram-train
Rail transport in Réunion
Proposed public transport in Africa
Proposed railway lines in France
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