Bulle–Broc railway line

The Bulle–Broc railway line is a railway line in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. It runs 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) from Bulle to Broc-Chocolaterie. It was built in 1912 by the Chemins de fer électriques de la Gruyère (CEG) as a branch from the Palézieux–Bulle–Montbovon railway line. Both lines were 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) metre gauge. Transports publics Fribourgeois (TPF) closed the line from 2021–2023 for rebuilding as a standard gauge line.

Bulle–Broc
The line crossing the town of Broc
Overview
OwnerTransports publics Fribourgeois
Line number256
History
Opened24 June 1912 (1912-06-24)
Closed for regaugingApril 2021 (2021-04)
Reopened24 August 2023 (2023-08-24)
Technical
Line length5.4 km (3.4 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Old gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) metre gauge
Route map

km
0.0
Bulle
771 m
1.3
La Tour-de-Trême
746 m
2.1
La Tour-de-Trême Parqueterie
3.8
Les Marches
4.4
Broc-Village
719 m
5.4
Broc-Chocolaterie
689 m
Nestlé siding
[1][2]

History

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The Chemins de fer électriques de la Gruyère constructed the branch line in 1912, with the section from Bulle to Les Marches opening on 29 January and from Les Marches to Broc on 24 June.[3] In 1942, the CEG merged with two other companies to form the Chemins de fer fribourgeois Gruyère–Fribourg–Morat (GFM).[4] The GFM, in turn, became the Transports publics Fribourgeois (TPF) in 2000.[5]

Two stations were renamed with the 2017 timetable change: La Tour-Village became La Tour-de-Trême while Epagny became La Tour-de-Trême Parqueterie. The station formerly known as La Tour-de-Trême on the Palézieux–Bulle–Montbovon line became La Tour-de-Trême Ronclina.[6]

TPF closed the line in April 2021 to permit a complete rebuilding and conversion to standard gauge. The change of gauge allowed through operation of trains to and from Romont FR. In addition, the stations of La Tour-de-Trême, Broc-Village, and Broc-Fabrique were rebuilt for better handicapped access. Two other stations, La Tour-de-Trême Parqueterie and Les Marches, were closed.[7] The line reopened on 24 August 2023.[8] Broc-Fabrique was renamed Broc-Chocolaterie in December 2023 to emphasize the adjacent Cailler chocolate factory.[9]

Notes

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  1. ^ Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Cologne: Schweers + Wall. 2012. p. 30. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  2. ^ "Horaire graphique ferroviaire voie étroite" (PDF) (in French). Transports publics Fribourgeois. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  3. ^ Wägli & Jacobi 2010, p. 27.
  4. ^ Wägli & Jacobi 2010, p. 110.
  5. ^ Wägli & Jacobi 2010, p. 115.
  6. ^ "Le plus grand changement d'horaire de tous les temps". La Gruyère (in French). 23 November 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Région de Bulle: nouvelles infrastructures ferroviaires". www.programme-bulle.ch (in French). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Ein Bahnhof für Bulle und eine neue Linie nach Broc: Mit Vollgas in eine neue Ära der Mobilität". Freiburger Nachrichten [de] (in Swiss High German). 27 August 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Découvrez les nouveautés de chaque réseau du canton de Fribourg". Transports publics Fribourgeois (in Swiss French). Retrieved 6 April 2024.

References

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  • Wägli, Hans G.; Jacobi, Sébastien (2010). Schienennetz Schweiz - Bahnprofil Schweiz CH+ [Swiss rail network] (in German) (3rd ed.). Zürich: AS Verlag. ISBN 978-3-909111-74-9.