Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets railway
| TPC Line D (Chemin de fer Aigle-Sépey-Diablerets) | |
|---|---|
Les Diablerets railway station, 2008.
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| Operation | |
| Opened | 1914 |
| Owner | Transports publics du Chablais |
| Operator(s) | Transports publics du Chablais |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 22.3 km (13.9 mi) |
| Track gauge | Metre (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) |
| Electrification | 1500 V DC |
| Highest elevation | 1,175 m (3,855 ft) |
| Maximum incline | 60% |
Railways came to the Chablais area of Vaud and Valais in 1857 when the Lausanne – Simplon railway opened its line through Aigle. This was to act as the catalyst for other projects in the late 19th century which were designed to link the valley floor with communities in the mountains. The first scheme, which pre-dated the coming of the railway, was to link Aigle to Le Sepey by road. This opened in 1840 and services were provided by stagecoach.
Aigle's railway station is still served by the trains of the Swiss Federal Railways but also those of three, local, narrow-gauge railways: the Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champéry (AOMC), the Aigle - Leysin (AL) and the Aigle-Le Sépey-Diablerets (ASD).
On 24 October 1898 both Houses of the Swiss Parliament approved a concession application by the ASD to build and operate a railway between Aigle, Le Sépey and Leysin. Nine months later both Houses of the Swiss Parliament awarded a concession for a railway, not only linking Aigle, Le Sépey and Leysin but beyond, to Les Diablerets, Pillon and Saanen. However, following a new series of projects and concession applications, on 23 May 1905 the Berne Government finally approved the construction of a line between Aigle, Le Sépey and Les Diablerets on the left bank of the Grande Eau. The Federal Council accepted the railway's articles of incorporation on 28 February 1911.
On 6 July 1914 the last section of the line to Vers l'Eglise and Les Diablerets was completed and the following day Berne issued a permit to operate the entire line between Aigle and Les Diablerets.
The ASD put forward many railway projects in the early 20th century: a link with Gstaad via the Col du Pillon, connections with Chesières and Villars forming part of a grand Boulevard des Alpes linking Interlaken with Chamonix. Another project, like the previous examples, which met with fierce opposition, involved a link between Gryon and the highest point at Les Diablerets at an elevation of more than 3000 m.
The line is built to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge and has a length of 22.33 km with power, at 1500 V d.c., supplied by the Société des Forces Motrices de la Grande Eau from its plant at Pont de la Tine. Its lowest elevation is at the station at Aigle, 404 m (1,325 ft) above sea level, rising to 1,157 m (3,796 ft) at Les Diablerets Station, a total climb of 753 m (2,470 ft).
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