Chemins de Fer du Jura - Description
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The continuous narrow gauge network which exists today in the canton of
the Jura is the result of the merger of several different railways. The
first line to be built was the short Tavannes- Tramelan line (TT)
constructed in 1884. In 1892, the railway from La Chaux-de-Fonds to
Saignelégier was added and in 1904, the standard gauge line Saignelégier-
Glovelier. The last addition came in 1913 with the Tramelan- Le Noirmont
connection. All of these different railways, some steam-operated, some
electrically operated, merged in 1944 to form the CJ. In order to
standardize the network, the CJ converted the Saignelégier-Glovelier line
in 1953 to narrow gauge as well and introduced electrical operation on the
entire network using 1500 V direct current. Since then, electric train
sets are operated on the entire 74 km long network, taking the traveller
through the spectacular Jura landscape.
Of special interest is the Saignelégier- Glovelier line which runs through
deep gorges and uses the Combe- Tabeillon as its turn back or terminal
point. There are plans to extend the CJ, parallel to the SBB. starting at
Glovelier and continuing all the way to the capitol of the canton,
Delemont. In addition to the narrow gauge lines, the CJ operates the
standard gauge railway Porrentruy- Bonfol, which has no direct connection
to the rest of the CJ network.
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Copyright © 1996
Stefan Dringenberg, 05-12-98