Chemins de fer du Jura
| Chemins de fer du Jura | |
|---|---|
Saignelégier train station
|
|
| Technical | |
| Line length | Total: 84.8 km (52.69 mi) metre gauge: 73.8 km (45.86 mi) standard gauge: 11 km (6.84 mi) |
| Track gauge |
1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC (metre gauge) 15 kV 16 2/3 Hz (standard gauge) |
| Rack system | None |
The Chemins de fer du Jura (CJ), the railways of the Jura canton in north-western Switzerland, came about as the result of an amalgamation, in 1944, of four independent companies connecting Porrentruy to Bonfol, Saignelégier to La Chaux-de-Fonds, Glovelier to Saignelégier and Tavannes to Tramelan and Le Noirmont. The lines extend for a total of 84.8 km of which just over 73 km is metre gauge, the remaining 11 km, the first named, between Porrentruy and Bonfol, being standard gauge. Nowadays the CJ also operates local bus services throughout the area.
The first company to open a line in the region was the Chemin de fer Tavannes-Tramelan in 1884, the metre gauge line linking the villages in its name. This line was extended under the guise of the Chemin de fer Tramelan-Les Breuleux-Le Noirmont to reach Le Noirmont and the whole was electrified in 1913. In 1927 the two companies amalgamated to form the Chemins de fer Tavannes-Le Noirmont.
On 7 December 1892 the longest of the region's line, the Chemin de fer Saignelégier-La Chaux-de-Fonds (SC) was opened linking the places noted in its title. The line, with a length of 25 km (15.5 mi) ran from Saignelégier (Place d'Armes) to La Chaux-de-Fonds, the final kilometre being laid along the streets to the town centre.
To these lines was added that between Porrentruy and Bonfol in 1901, between Glovelier and Saignelégier in 1904, both of these being laid to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) and finally, in 1910 the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) (metre gauge) line between Bonfol and Pfetterhouse, this last named being the only closure to date, seeing its last passenger train in 1970. The Chemin de fer Régional Saignelégier-Glovelier (RSG) was relaid to metre gauge in 1953.
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