ÃŽle-de-France Tramway Line 4
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ÃŽle-de-France tramway Line 4, also called the T4, is an long
tram-train A tram-train or dual-system tram is a type of light rail vehicle that both meets the standards of a light rail system, and also national mainline standards. Tramcars are adapted to be capable of running on streets like an urban tramway but a ...
line in the
Seine-Saint-Denis () is a department of France located in the Grand Paris metropolis in the region. In French, it is often referred to colloquially as ' or ' ("ninety-three" or "nine three"), after its official administrative number, 93. Its prefecture is Bobi ...
department of
ÃŽle-de-France The ÃŽle-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...
. The line starts at
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
and features two branches, with the first running to
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
(opened 20 November 2006) and the second running to
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
(opened 14 December 2019 and 31 August 2020). The line is operated by
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
, which brands it as part of its
Transilien Transilien () is the brand name given to the commuter rail and tram-train network operated by SNCF and serving ÃŽle-de-France, the region surrounding and including the city of Paris. The network consists of lines Transilien Line H, H, Transilie ...
network. The operation of line will become subject to a competitive bidding process in November 2029, which will be overseen by
Île-de-France Mobilités Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) is the governmental authority ( EPA) that controls and coordinates the different companies operating the Paris-area public transport network and the rest of the Île-de-France region. In this capacity, it issu ...
. It is the result of the transformation and installation of a double-track on the Bondy to Aulnay-sous-Bois line, or ''ligne des Coquetiers ''("Egg Cup Line"), which opened in 1875. It thus became the first French
tram-train A tram-train or dual-system tram is a type of light rail vehicle that both meets the standards of a light rail system, and also national mainline standards. Tramcars are adapted to be capable of running on streets like an urban tramway but a ...
line, an event whose true significance emerged during plans to expand it into a tramway and integrate it into the urban transport network.


History


The ''ligne des Coquetiers''

Line 4 of the Île-de-France tramway was known as the Bondy à Aulnay-sous-Bois rail line, or ''ligne des Coquetiers'', and has linked the
Nord Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to: Acronyms * National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization * New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Film and televisi ...
and Est rail networks between
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
and
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
since 1875. The "Egg Cup Line" fell into disuse because of the line's limited area and lacklustre service, which caused many traffic problems at its rail crossings. In 1993, the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
implemented some changes to reduce closure times at rail crossings and increase train frequency during rush hour (a train every fifteen minutes between
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
and Gargan and every thirty minutes between Gargan and
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
). However, they failed to make the line more appealing to potential users, who remained uninterested because of its insufficient service level and the excessive length of the train's route. The line was thus shut down in December 2003 for major renovations to transform it into a hybrid between a train and an urban tramway: the
tram-train A tram-train or dual-system tram is a type of light rail vehicle that both meets the standards of a light rail system, and also national mainline standards. Tramcars are adapted to be capable of running on streets like an urban tramway but a ...
.


Transformation of the Line

The development of the tram-train concept inspired plans to reinvigorate the ''ligne des Coquetiers'' using this system that seemed ideal. It solved the problems caused by the rail crossings by transforming them into simple road junctions. It reduced disruptions in the urban landscape and expanded the use of trams in urban transportation all while greatly increasing service. This technology was finally adopted, and in 2001 the SNCF called for European tenders for the trains and cars. In 2003 the draft was approved by the STIF,
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
, and RFF.


Objectives

The work aimed to: * increase service throughout the day until 8 P.M., with trains scheduled every six minutes Monday to Saturday and every nine minutes on Sundays and statutory holidays. Between 8 P.M. and 10 P.M., trains were to be scheduled every nine minutes and every twelve minutes from 10 P.M. until the end of service. Service was also to be decreased for six weeks during the summer, from approximately 14 July to 31 August; * build new stations to better respond to user demand; * reduce disruptions of the urban landscape by railways by integrating tramways into cities in collaboration with the
Seine-Saint-Denis () is a department of France located in the Grand Paris metropolis in the region. In French, it is often referred to colloquially as ' or ' ("ninety-three" or "nine three"), after its official administrative number, 93. Its prefecture is Bobi ...
department and the communes it travels through; and * modify urban transportation networks by reducing wait times at signalized rail crossings. The evolution toward urban transport modes was accompanied by physical modifications to the rail line by: * doubling the track between Gargan and
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
, rebuilding the overpass on RN 3, and enlarging the Rougemont Bridge on the
Canal de l'Ourcq The Canal de l'Ourcq () is a long canal in the ÃŽle-de-France region (greater Paris) with 10 locks. It was built at a width of but was enlarged to 3.7 m (12 ft), which permitted use by more pleasure boats. The canal begins at Port ...
; * building a new terminus at Bondy Station with an additional track; * eliminating passenger buildings and turning rail stations into tramway-style stops. Only Gargan Station services trains since it houses the line's operations centre, where a central track leads to train storage; * building three additional stops: ** Remise à Jorelle between
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
and Les Coquetiers; ** Lycée Henri Sellier between Gargan and
L'Abbaye L'Abbaye is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the Jura-Nord Vaudois district in the Vallée de Joux. It takes its name from Lac de Joux Abbey, a Premonstratensian monastery. History L'Abbaye was created as an indep ...
; and ** Rougemont – Chanteloup between Freinville – Sevran and
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
; and * turning rail crossings into road junctions with signalization that conforms to the highway code.


Work

Construction began in June 2004. The entire track was removed and reinstalled, the stations' platforms were demolished and rebuilt, the 25 kV
catenary In physics and geometry, a catenary ( , ) is the curve that an idealized hanging chain or wire rope, cable assumes under its own weight when supported only at its ends in a uniform gravitational field. The catenary curve has a U-like shape, ...
was rewired, and the Gargan-Aulnay section was made into a double-track. To do so, the Rougemont Bridge on the
Canal de l'Ourcq The Canal de l'Ourcq () is a long canal in the ÃŽle-de-France region (greater Paris) with 10 locks. It was built at a width of but was enlarged to 3.7 m (12 ft), which permitted use by more pleasure boats. The canal begins at Port ...
was widened, and in June 2005 the RN3 overpass, which was built in 1932 as a single line, had a
walkway In American English, walkway is a composite or umbrella term for all engineered surfaces or structures which support the use of trails. '' The New Oxford American Dictionary'' also defines a walkway as "a passage or path for walking along, esp. ...
installed. Six months later, in January 2006, the biggest operation took place in front of many onlookers: the new double-track overpass' walkway was installed overnight after traffic was blocked on the ex- RN3. That same summer, the first train cars were sent by
oversize load In road transport, an oversize load (or overweight load) is a load that exceeds the standard or ordinary legal size and/or weight limits for a truck to convey on a specified portion of road, highway, or other transport infrastructure, such as a ...
and put on the line for technical and safety tests.Jean Tricoire, ''op. cit.'', p 128.


Cost

The T4 project was a part of the twelfth State-Region contract agreement. Financing for the transformation of the ''ligne des Coquetiers'' into the T4 Line, which totalled 52.72 million
euros The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
(January 2003 cost), was shared between: * the ÃŽle-de-France Regional Council: 46.94%; * the
French government The Government of France (, ), officially the Government of the French Republic (, ), exercises Executive (government), executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister of France, prime minister, who is the head of government, ...
: 23.47%; * the RFF: 18.52% (which was partially soft loans from the ÃŽle-de-France Region); * the Seine-Saint-Denis General Council: 9.26%; * the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
: 1.82% (from soft loans from the ÃŽle-de-France Region). The SNCF paid for the fifteen cars that were needed to operate on the line: a total of 68 million euros. The annual cost of running the line is 11.2 million euros, which are provided by the STIF.


Tram-train

Line 4 of the ÃŽle-de-France tramway was inaugurated on Saturday, 18 November 2006, and was free of charge the entire weekend. Its true commercial operation began the morning of 20 November 2006. The T4 is the
ÃŽle-de-France The ÃŽle-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...
network's fourth line and France's first
tram-train A tram-train or dual-system tram is a type of light rail vehicle that both meets the standards of a light rail system, and also national mainline standards. Tramcars are adapted to be capable of running on streets like an urban tramway but a ...
line. It is the first of its kind to be operated by the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
. Unlike the other ÃŽle-de-France tramway lines, which are operated by
RATP The RATP Group () is a French state-owned enterprise (EPIC) that operates public transport systems primarily in Paris, France. Headquartered in Paris, it originally operated under the name (). Its logo represents the Seine's meandering path th ...
, this line is operated by the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
, which may seem surprising. The
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
left the ''ligne des Moulineaux'' (now T2), which was then in disrepair and highly unprofitable, to the
RATP The RATP Group () is a French state-owned enterprise (EPIC) that operates public transport systems primarily in Paris, France. Headquartered in Paris, it originally operated under the name (). Its logo represents the Seine's meandering path th ...
during the 1990s. The
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
's policy was to concentrate on heavy fluxes of passengers and thus on heavy rail transit. The success of tramway networks and the increasing popularity of peri-urban transportation made the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
change its focus. There are no plans to extend the line to
Noisy-le-Sec Noisy-le-Sec () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Population Heraldry Transport Noisy-le-Sec is served by Noisy-le-Sec station on Paris RER line E. Education Schools:< ...
. This would allow passengers to reach this multimodal hub and connect with the T1, the
RER E RER E is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line travels between western and eastern suburbs, with all ...
(both the Tournan and Chelles-Gournay branches), the Tangentielle Nord, and ''a fortiori'' toward
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. The RATP's expansion of the T2 from
Puteaux Puteaux () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine department, from the centre of Paris. La Défense, Paris's business district hosting the tallest buildings in the metropolitan ...
to
La Défense La Défense () is a major business district in France's Paris metropolitan area, west of the city limits. It is located in Île-de-France region's Departments of France, department of Hauts-de-Seine in the Communes of France, communes of Courbe ...
on existing roadbeds contributed to the enormous success of that line. Despite this, the ability to operate with a 25 kV catenary is needed to reach the
Noisy-le-Sec Noisy-le-Sec () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Population Heraldry Transport Noisy-le-Sec is served by Noisy-le-Sec station on Paris RER line E. Education Schools:< ...
depot. The trains' dual-current abilities (25 kV / 750 V) were not used until 2019, since the entire line was powered with 25 kV initially. The line is used by fifteen tram-train cars, which run on the right as mandated by the Code of Conduct. It takes nineteen minutes to travel the eight-kilometre line. As stated in its regulations, the cars and stations are carefully analyzed to make them easily accessible for the disabled.


Criticism

Despite the complete improvement of the service, the line's operations have not gone without criticism. On its initial day, 18 November 2006, two trains had damaged brakes, which caused the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
to interrupt service during the late afternoon, forcing many users to continue their trip on foot or by hitchhiking. Many other aspects of the new line drew complaints. The frequent use of audio warning devices by train operators caused friction between nearby residents and elected officials on the one hand and the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
on the other. This nuisance led to the creation of a collective of residents and local politicians who successfully reduced the volume of the audio devices by 15 dB in mid-March 2007. Safety policies have since changed and the devices' use is now limited to when there is immediate danger.''Le Parisien'', Edition 93, 19 November 2007 Other users have complained about conceptual errors or unfinished infrastructure. Some pedestrian walkways remained inaccessible a year after the line opened; disabled people were unable to access certain points because of stairs; and the number of arches to store
bicycles A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. ...
in the proposed shelters were reduced. The disappearance of some old passenger buildings against the wishes of some municipalities also caused controversy. A group supported by the municipalities was able to save Les Coquetiers and
L'Abbaye L'Abbaye is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the Jura-Nord Vaudois district in the Vallée de Joux. It takes its name from Lac de Joux Abbey, a Premonstratensian monastery. History L'Abbaye was created as an indep ...
stations, but the L'Allée de la Tour Rendez-Vous building was destroyed. A
bicycle path A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. ...
was built along the line starting in spring 2008 and was opened in the beginning of 2010.


Service Improvements

Service improvements were implemented on 8 December 2007. From then on, from 10 P.M. until the end of service, the tramway began connecting with the
RER B RER B is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris, France and its Île-de-France suburbs. The RER B line crosses the region from no ...
train at Aulnay and the
RER E RER E is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line travels between western and eastern suburbs, with all ...
at
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
. Since that date, the line has been in service the nights of 31 December and the''
Fête de la musique The Fête de la Musique, also known in English as Music Day, Make Music Day, or World Music Day, is an annual music celebration that takes place on 21 June. On Music Day, citizens and residents are urged to play music outside in their neighborho ...
''. However, no changes are planned for the nearby bus routes that lead to the tramway, which could allow the line to reach its objective of 40,000 passengers a day. In October 2007, the line only carried 29,000 passengers daily and 30,000 in 2009.


Expansion Project


Controversy: 2006–2013

The STIF has been planning to split the T4 tram-train toward the Clichy-
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
plateau to serve the
housing estates A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex, housing development, subdivision or community) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Popular through ...
in these cities since 2003. It is one of the main plans for the ÃŽle-de-France region that were approved in 2008. It would allow residents of
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
, and nearby communes to reach
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
(
RER E RER E is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line travels between western and eastern suburbs, with all ...
) or
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
(
RER B RER B is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris, France and its Île-de-France suburbs. The RER B line crosses the region from no ...
) much faster than they currently do using the bus. It would create a new way to access major employment centres such as the Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. Nevertheless, this extension was opposed by some of the cities it would cross (
Livry-Gargan Livry-Gargan () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History During the Middle Ages, the lordship of Livry () was held by members of the House of Garlande before passing to Pierr ...
and
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune o ...
). Since the 2008 municipal elections, the mayors of these cities have largely been against the project. The mayors did not want to oppose the electorate, who were unwilling to deal with the nuisances that would be caused by the expansion (noise, traffic, and the proximity of the plateau's disadvantaged population to their homes—particularly young people from housing estates). This political impasse led to the publication of a leaflet and a protest by the plateau's elected representatives on the day of the tram-train's inauguration by officials. During the Aulnay-Bondy T4 inauguration, Philippe Dallier, the Pavillons-sous-Bois
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
and
Seine-Saint-Denis () is a department of France located in the Grand Paris metropolis in the region. In French, it is often referred to colloquially as ' or ' ("ninety-three" or "nine three"), after its official administrative number, 93. Its prefecture is Bobi ...
senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
, reiterated that in 2000,
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
's
Socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
mayor (1995–2011) Gilbert Roger and he had written an e-mail signed by commune mayors from
Pantin Pantin () is a Communes of France, commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, ÃŽle-de-France, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. In 2019 its population was estimated to be 59,846. Pantin is located on the edge of ...
to
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
requesting bus lanes on the former RN3. According to him, this proposal would have both solved the public transportation issue in the Clichy-Montfermeil plateau and dealt with the congestion on the route nationale that packed buses travelled with difficulty. The STIF's
T Zen T Zen (stylised Tzen) is a bus rapid transit network managed by Île-de-France Mobilités and operating in the Île-de-France region. History Overview * 7 October 2009: The Île-de-France Mobilités, Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-Fra ...
3 project, a bus rapid transit service, was selected to improve public transportation in the communes crossed by the former RN3 from Porte de Pantin to
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune o ...
. The new T4 branch will therefore open up plateau cities, particularly Clichy-sous-Bois and Montfermeil. Other politicians regularly called for the separation, which according to them was essential to open up these populated areas. This was the case for Regional Councillor and President of the STIF's Investment and Contact State-Region Plan Follow-up Commission (''Commission des investissements et du suivi du contrat de plan État-Région''), Alain Amédro, who requested the inclusion of the separation in the contract signed by the
Region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
and
Seine-Saint-Denis () is a department of France located in the Grand Paris metropolis in the region. In French, it is often referred to colloquially as ' or ' ("ninety-three" or "nine three"), after its official administrative number, 93. Its prefecture is Bobi ...
department. Similarly, Claude Dilain, the mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois (1995–2011), asked that the region finally start planning the branch.''Le Parisien'', Seine-Saint-Denis edition, 9 November 2007
Fadela Amara Fadela Amara (born Fatiha Amara on 25 April 1964) is a French feminist and politician, who began her political life as an advocate for women in the impoverished ''banlieues''. She was the Secretary of State for Urban Policies in the liberal Un ...
, Secretary of State for Municipal Affairs (2007–2010), traveled to Clichy-sous-Bois on 9 November 2007, by RER and bus from Paris so she could assess the length and quality of public transportation from the capital. She thus stated, "I will do everything to make the work start as soon as possible." The vice-president of the
Region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
(1998–2010) and the STIF, Serge Méry, thus asked the
French government The Government of France (, ), officially the Government of the French Republic (, ), exercises Executive (government), executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister of France, prime minister, who is the head of government, ...
to finance 30% of the project's cost, which would allow work to begin in 2011. By default, the Île-de-France Region would ask the Seine-Saint-Denis department for financing. The Île-de-France 2007–2013 State-Region project contracts already have planned funding for studies to "determine in 2010 what operations can be awarded credits for substantial progress before" 2013. In July 2008, the STIF approved the main objectives and characteristics dossier of the expansion. Two routes were retained out of the six that were studied: * One was based around a double branch between Gargan and Lycée Henri-Sellier Stations, with a new urban stretch with ten stations to be used by an estimated 5.7 million commuters by 2015 at a cost of 209 million euros. * The alternative included only one branch toward
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the ÃŽle-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero of France. The commune has been awarded fo ...
at Freinville-Sevran Station, with a new -long route with ten stations, to be used by an estimated 5.4 million commuters by 2015 at a cost of 220 million euros. The proposed routes that crossed
Le Raincy Le Raincy () is a prestigious communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. Le Raincy is a subprefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis departments of France, department and ...
and
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune o ...
were not included in this document. However, the Livry-Gargan commune requested that the CNDP present all the proposed routes created during the feasibility studies at the preliminary public debates and discussions. Consultations were postponed until 2009 because of a protest stating that all variants must be presented. On 10 June 2009, a banner demanding the tram was attached to the front of the
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
City Halls and a website was launched by the
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
urban conglomeration community (CACM). These were the turning points for these two cities to support the tram. The official consultation ran from 1 September 2009 to 31 October 2009. This consultation confirmed the advantages of the project even though its impact would only be further analyzed in the study's next phases. All seven variants were presented. The STIF decided to proceed with studies and consultations based on the two most appropriate proposals (no 3 and no 4), both of which included a branch toward
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
, to analyze the consequences on the line's operations and automobile traffic. Proposals that avoided Bas-Clichy or that had longer travel times were largely rejected during the discussions. The "0" proposal, which was called historic, was rejected because of the difficulties of inserting rails on Roy Boulevard and on the former RN3. Follow-up studies were prepared throughout 2010. The studies were split between the project's actors: the STIF managed the insertion studies (including traffic studies); the RFF took care of rail studies; and the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
executed operations studies. In 2011, public workshops were organized in
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
and
Livry-Gargan Livry-Gargan () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History During the Middle Ages, the lordship of Livry () was held by members of the House of Garlande before passing to Pierr ...
to inform the population about work progress and start a dialogue with project owners to refine the project and gather residents' opinions. A public inquiry was held between 10 December 2012, and 24 January 2013, in eight communes chosen by the board of inquiry.
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune o ...
,
Livry-Gargan Livry-Gargan () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History During the Middle Ages, the lordship of Livry () was held by members of the House of Garlande before passing to Pierr ...
,
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
were chosen because they would be crossed by the new infrastructure, while
Villemomble Villemomble () is a Communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris. Heraldry Transport Villemomble is served by Le Raincy – Villemomble – Montfermeil (Par ...
,
Le Raincy Le Raincy () is a prestigious communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. Le Raincy is a subprefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis departments of France, department and ...
,
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
, and
Noisy-le-Sec Noisy-le-Sec () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Population Heraldry Transport Noisy-le-Sec is served by Noisy-le-Sec station on Paris RER line E. Education Schools:< ...
(for access to its maintenance and storage facilities) were selected because they would be affected by the doubling of the T4's service at the
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
-
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
connection. The board gave a clean opinion of the declaration of public utility of the new T4 branch and had three recommendations.


Final Layout

Layout no 4 was adopted by the STIF Council on 11 April 2012.STIF Press Package – April 201
archive
/ref> The new T4 branch will therefore create a direct route between
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
. It will connect with the
RER E RER E is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line travels between western and eastern suburbs, with all ...
and the forthcoming
Line 15 Line 15 may refer to: * Line 15 (Beijing Subway) * Line 15 (Paris Metro) * Line 15 (Shanghai Metro) * Line 15 (São Paulo Metro) * Helsinki light rail line 15 * {{disamb ...
of the
Grand Paris Express The Grand Paris Express (; GPE) is a project consisting of new rapid transit lines and the extension of existing lines being built in the Île-de-France region of France. The project comprises four new lines for the Paris Métro, plus extensions ...
in
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
and the forthcoming Line 16 of the same network in
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
. This -long route includes eleven new stations built on average of every ; an estimated 38,000 passengers are expected to travel daily along the section between
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
and
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
. Service between
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
and
Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
will be as frequent as between Aulnay and
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
, or every six minutes. On the route between
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
and Gargan, where passengers can alternately connect with the
Bondy Bondy () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. Name The name Bondy was recorded for the first time around AD 600 as ''Bonitiacum'', meaning " ...
- Aulnay and Bondy-Montfermeil tramways, service will be doubled. The average length of the route between Bondy and Montfermeil is estimated at slightly less than thirty minutes. The branch's power supply for both overhead supply and the station comes via 4 substations that transform a 20,000V AC supply to 750V DC. Substations are located on boulevard Marx-Dormoy in Livry-Gargan, on allée Maurice-Audin in Clichy-sous-Bois, on rue Notre-Dame-des-Anges and on rue du 8-Mai-1945 at the Hôpital station in Montfermeil. The cost of the T4 branch project is estimated at 214 million euros (excluding taxes), with an additional 60 million euros (excluding taxes) for rolling stock at January 2011 rates.


New T4 Branch Project Participants

The new T4 branch project is one of the first managed by the
Île-de-France Mobilités Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) is the governmental authority ( EPA) that controls and coordinates the different companies operating the Paris-area public transport network and the rest of the Île-de-France region. In this capacity, it issu ...
. As the head of the entire project, it oversees deadlines and costs. It is also the project owner of the new urban section; it manages communications and actively seeks dialogue with concerned communes. It entrusted part of the project ownership to: * the RFF for infrastructure elements from the national rail network; and * the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
for materials related to transportation services operations.


Construction

Work on the branch was originally planned to have commenced at the end of 2014, with the eventual commissioning to occur in 2017. However the opening was postponed ultimately to 2019, due to the delay in the completion of studies and the need to carry out additional work at Bondy station causing continual extensions of deadlines. Preparatory work started in January 2015. Infrastructure works started on October 18, 2016. The project of adding the branch line to Montfermeil also required considerable works at the Bondy terminus and the Gargan station. The platforms of the Bondy terminus were lengthened and reorganized to assign a platform dedicated for arrivals and another dedicated for departures, allowing for 3 minute intervals between both departures and arrivals. The installation of switches to the branch required that Gargan station be moved entirely further southwards down the line. The conversion of traction to 750V takes place gradually about along the branch from Gargan because several hundred meters are required for the lowering of the pantograph and the conduction of the current.


Infrastructure

The T4 is a hybrid line. In most cases, French rail lines are
electrified Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. In the context of history of technology and economic development, electrification refe ...
(when applicable) in 1,500 V or 25 kV, and use Vignole rails and a
block signal Railway signalling (), or railroad signaling (), is a system used to control the movement of railway traffic. Trains move on fixed rails, making them uniquely susceptible to collision. This susceptibility is exacerbated by the enormous weight ...
system. These trains travel on the left. The T4 Line is electrified in 25 kV and uses classic tracks like the national railway system instead of urban tram flange rails, which are flat tracks built into recesses in a road or greenspace. Instead, it has low platforms and its trains travel on the right. Like tramways, the line uses multi-aspect signalling, and crossings are equipped with traffic lights. Thus tram-trains exceed the capabilities of vehicles that can only travel on the national railway system or on urban tramway lines. However, a true tram-train was not in use in 2011, but should be in the future with planned tramway extensions into urban areas (tramway tracks electrified in continuous 750 or 1,500 volts). The line is also the first in France to use the
GSM-R GSM-R, Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway or GSM-Railway is an international wireless communications standard for railway communication and applications. A sub-system of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), it is use ...
communications system, a standard ground-train radio link that is progressively being implemented throughout the French rail network.


Layout and Stations


Route layout

The line departs from Bondy Station, which has two station tracks located beside the passenger building on the Paris-Est à Strasbourg-Ville Line (Line 1). It leaves from the north of the station and heads east to Remise à Jorelle Station before curving to the north. The flyover that was once used by trains heading toward Bondy and
Paris-Est The Gare de l'Est (; English: "Station of the East" or "East station"), officially Paris Est, is one of the seven large mainline railway station termini in Paris, France. It is located in the 10th arrondissement, not far southeast from the Ga ...
is now used to access the Noisy shop. The line then runs in between two one-way roads located beside the tracks. It stops at Les Coquetiers Station in
Villemomble Villemomble () is a Communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris. Heraldry Transport Villemomble is served by Le Raincy – Villemomble – Montfermeil (Par ...
where the line is enclosed by Aulnay Boulevard, then Allée de la Tour-Rendez-Vous at the limits of Villemomble,
Le Raincy Le Raincy () is a prestigious communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. Le Raincy is a subprefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis departments of France, department and ...
, and
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune o ...
. The line then runs along Pasteur Boulevard, where it makes a stop at
Les Pavillons-sous-Bois Les Pavillons-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History The commune of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois was created on 3 January 1905 by detaching its territory from the commune o ...
before making its way north. After it reaches Gargan Station, which is located between Louis-Pasteur and Roy Boulevards, it travels up the former RN3 overpass, now known as Aristide-Briand Avenue, before returning to ground level again. The train then runs between Édouard-Vaillant and Maurice-Berteaux Boulevards. A bit further, the line stops at the Lycée Henri Sellier Station, then the old L'Abbaye Station before following an S-shaped route westward. It then stops at Freinville-Sevran Station, runs along the former RN370, which is now called Westinghouse Boulevard, before crossing the de l'Ourcq Canal. From this point on, the train heads directly westward. It makes a stop at Rougemont-Chanteloup Station then reaches the La Plaine à Hirson line near the bifurcation at Roissy and runs along it for a few hundred metres. The train completes its journey at Aulnay-sous-Bois Station on two dead-end tracks from the line's starting point. The T4 branch departs from Gargan Station in the Pavillons-sous-Bois commune, which will also be the terminus of the forthcoming T Zen 3. It partially crosses the Town of
Livry-Gargan Livry-Gargan () is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. History During the Middle Ages, the lordship of Livry () was held by members of the House of Garlande before passing to Pierr ...
(de la République and Marx-Dormoy Boulevards and Léon-Blum Avenue), then
Clichy-sous-Bois Clichy-sous-Bois () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris. It is located from central Paris.Montfermeil Montfermeil () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in ...
(Utrillo Street, Jean-Jaurès Avenue, 8-Mai-1945 Street, Général-Leclerc Street, and Henri-Barbusse Street) where it terminates near the intercommunal hospital centre. A planned one-way loop along Henri-Barbusse Street has been delayed.


Shops

The line's fifteen tram-trains are maintained at shops in the de Paris-Est technicentre located in
Noisy-le-Sec Noisy-le-Sec () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Population Heraldry Transport Noisy-le-Sec is served by Noisy-le-Sec station on Paris RER line E. Education Schools:< ...
in
Seine-Saint-Denis () is a department of France located in the Grand Paris metropolis in the region. In French, it is often referred to colloquially as ' or ' ("ninety-three" or "nine three"), after its official administrative number, 93. Its prefecture is Bobi ...
.Association des usagers de la ligne Paris-Meaux/Crécy – Présentation du Technicentre de Paris-Es

/ref> They were renovated after the creation of the
RER E RER E is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The line travels between western and eastern suburbs, with all ...
. This technicentre maintains the
Transilien Transilien () is the brand name given to the commuter rail and tram-train network operated by SNCF and serving ÃŽle-de-France, the region surrounding and including the city of Paris. The network consists of lines Transilien Line H, H, Transilie ...
network's rolling stock for Transilien Paris - Est, Paris-Est: the twenty-eight Z 20500 cars, the
Transilien Line P Transilien Line P is a railway line of the Paris Transilien suburban rail network. The trains on this line travel between Gare de l'Est in central Paris and the east of ÃŽle-de-France region. Transilien services from Paris-Est are part of the SN ...
's thirty ''rames inox de banlieue'' (stainless steel suburban cars) or RIB, and the fifty-three cars from the RER Line E. The maintenance area includes a space with ten specialized tracks: one for simultaneous lifting, one for removing parts, two for cleaning, two tram-train repair pits, and four rolling stock repair pits. The shop also contains moveable lift baskets and bridge cranes. It also contains an outdoor beam for short-term servicing and cleaning operations. It has nineteen -long tracks: five tracks contain repair pits with access to train roofs and fourteen tracks at ground level, four of which contain platforms.


Operations

The T4 tram-train line is operated by the
SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
. It runs from approximately 4:30 A.M. to 1:20 A.M. year-round with fifteen U 25500 cars and travels from Bondy to Aulnay in approximately twenty minutes. Service can occasionally be maintained continuously for twenty-four hours during important events such as the
Fête de la musique The Fête de la Musique, also known in English as Music Day, Make Music Day, or World Music Day, is an annual music celebration that takes place on 21 June. On Music Day, citizens and residents are urged to play music outside in their neighborho ...
or
New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...
. During these periods' special night service, called "Nuit Festive," (festive night) tram-trains run every half-hour.


Schedule

Monday through Saturday, the line operates as follows: * between 4:30 A.M. and 6:00 A.M.: one tram-train every nine minutes; * between 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M.: one tram-train every six minutes; * between 8:00 P.M. and 10:00 P.M.: one tram-train every nine minutes; * between 10:00 P.M. and 1:20 A.M.: one tram-train every fifteen minutes. On Sundays and statutory holidays, the line operates: * between 4:30 A.M. and 10:00 P.M.: one tram-train every nine minutes; * between 10:00 P.M. and 1:20 A.M.: one tram-train every fifteen minutes.


Rolling Stock


Avanto S70 (U 25500)

In 2011, the T4 Line used fifteen U 25500s trains built by
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational technology conglomerate. It is focused on industrial automation, building automation, rail transport and health technology. Siemens is the largest engineering company in Europe, and holds the positi ...
called the Avanto: nine units for day-to-day operations, four in reserve, and two for maintenance. Since 4 July 2011, the line's reserve cars have also served the SNCF Esbly-Crécy rail shuttle. However, in 2011, only a single car was needed for the shuttle. Multiple-unit traffic on the shuttle is possible, which uses two of the fifteen cars. The Avanto rolling stock was chosen after a 2001 call for tenders by the SNCF to equip the line. German builder Siemens won the bid, Germany being where the tram-train concept originated. It was the first tramway-style train to be able to travel on French railways. Each -long unit is composed of five articulated sections and has a capacity of 242 passengers (80 seated). They are painted Transilien night blue with coloured swashes on the doors. The first car was delivered by road in November 2005 and 12 cars were ready to be put in service in November 2006. The stock has a maximum speed of , but is not operated that fast on the line. Unit TT07 was named ''Jérémy'', in honour of a young technician in the production-maintenance unit at Noisy-le-Sec who died during an accident in October 2006.


Citadis Dualis (U 53700)

The Alstom Citadis Dualis (the Tram-train model of the generic Citadis) was selected to run the Montfermeil extension in January 2016. Fifteen cars were delivered and after a long period of testing, entered service with the line's inauguration on 14 December 2019. Although the Citadis units are only 4 articulated sections, they come to a total length of , have a width of , have an axle load of 11.5t and have a total capacity of 250 passengers (90 seated). It is possible to form double or triple units to increase capacity. Citadis units are equipped with air-conditioning and on-board display systems. Units sport the livery of Île-de-France Mobilités, the organisation ultimately responsible for the Montfermeil extension, of white & silver with celeste trim. The first car was delivered to the Noisy depot on 2 November 2017.


Driving and Signalization

The speed limit on the line is . It is in urban areas (the majority of line) and when approaching crossings. When the line opened, the SNCF created a new position: Tram-train conductor (''conducteur Tram-Train'' (CRTT)). These conductors therefore only work on this line. Usually, conductors from one depot operate different types of trains based on need and regularly change lines. Speed regulation is controlled by the conductors: the line contains only speed limit signs, route protection signals, and road crossing protection signals. For the former, the road network is equipped with classic R11-type tricolour lights and the rail line has R17 lights. On a black background, a horizontal white line and a white circle means stop, and a vertical white line means go. An operating assistance signal completes the signalization: an illuminated lozenge indicating that a request for priority at a road crossing has been put in place.RFF Press Release – ''T4 : Un tram-train dans la ville'
archive
/ref> The route protection signals are located at switches and crossings. Speed limit signs are square panels with black numbers on a yellow background.


Operating Staff

In 2005, the SNCF signed an agreement with the Seine-Saint-Denis General Council through its Paris-Nord and Paris-Est establishments. The agreement, called ''Passerelle-Emploi'' or "employment gateway," makes hiring new employees from within the department a priority. One-third of employees that were hired came from within the department. Out of forty-one employees, twenty-seven became conductors and fourteen became sales representatives. In 2007, the line had fifty-nine conductors (seven of which were women), a head of motive power production, and two managers. It also had twenty-eight sales representatives and a train team coordinator and their assistant. Half of these employees were hired externally. The T4 also has twelve urban train dispatchers overseen by three department heads and seventeen managers, and a dozen employees to maintain the cars at the Noisy-le-Sec shop. Safety is ensured by the railway police teams (SUGE) and onboard cameras, which allow conductors to see the inside of the car. There was some social conflict during the summer of 2012, leading to the use of replacement buses after the conductors' work organization was changed.Fin de conflit sur la ligne T4, ''Le Parisien'', 8 August 2012.
/ref>


Traffic

In February 2007, traffic on the T4 line had risen to 21,000 passengers a day. By October 2007, it had reached 29,000. The long term forecast for the line is 40,000 daily passengers.''Livry-Gargan'' Magazine, November 2006


Appendixes


Related Articles

* Transilien Paris-Est * Paris-Strasbourg Railway (called Line 1) *
Tramways in ÃŽle-de-France The ÃŽle-de-France tramways () is a network of modern tram lines in the ÃŽle-de-France region of France. Fifteen lines are currently operational (counting Lines T3a and T3b as separate lines), with extensions and additional lines in both constr ...
*
Transilien Transilien () is the brand name given to the commuter rail and tram-train network operated by SNCF and serving ÃŽle-de-France, the region surrounding and including the city of Paris. The network consists of lines Transilien Line H, H, Transilie ...
* Syndicat des transports d'ÃŽle-de-France (STIF)


External links


La fin de la ligne des Coquetiers
rench The Rench is an eastern tributary of the Rhine in the Ortenau in Central Baden, Germany. It rises on the southern edge of the Northern Black Forest at Kniebis near Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald. The source farthest from the mouth is that of ...

T4 Clichy-Montfermeil official website
rench The Rench is an eastern tributary of the Rhine in the Ortenau in Central Baden, Germany. It rises on the southern edge of the Northern Black Forest at Kniebis near Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald. The source farthest from the mouth is that of ...


Bibliography

* Jean Tricoire, ''Le Tramway à Paris et en Île-de-France'', La Vie du Rail, 2007, 143 p. * Plaquette sous la direction de Jean-Barthélémi Debost (service du patrimoine culturel – Conseil général de la Seine-Saint-Denis),
La ligne des Coquetiers (1875–2006) : de Bondy à Aulnay, un chemin de fer au service du développement local
', Éditions du Conseil général, Bobigny 2007, 12 p. * Gérard Géraud, Michel Mérille,'' La Ligne de M. Gargan. L’histoire ferroviaire de l’Est parisien, Les Pavillons-sous-Bois'', Amarco éd., 2004, 351 p,


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ile-de-France tramway Line 4 Line 4 Articles containing video clips