Sonceboz-Sombeval–Moutier railway

Sonceboz-Sombeval–Moutier railway
Sonceboz-Sombeval–Moutier railway
	GTW multiple unit—still owned byBLSin 2006—inMoutier
Overview
Owner	Swiss Federal Railways
Line number	226
Termini	Sonceboz-Sombeval; Moutier;
Technical
Line length	25.1 km (15.6 mi)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in)
Electrification	15 kV 16.7 Hz ACoverhead catenary
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Source: Swiss railway atlas

TheSonceboz-Sombeval–Moutier railwayis a single-track standard gauge railway line of theSwiss Federal Railways(SBB).

History

The line fromBiel/BienneviaSonceboz-SombevaltoMoutierwas built by theJura bernois(JB) and was part of the international connection fromBerntoDelémontand on toBelfortviaDelleorBasel.TheBiel/Bienne–Sonceboz-Sombeval–Tavannessection was opened along with theSonceboz-Sombeval–Convers(–La Chaux-de-Fonds) line on 30 April 1874. Two years later, on 16 December 1876, the Tavannes–Courtsection was opened together with theMoutier–Delémont railway.The intermediate Court–Moutier section followed on 24 May 1877.

The Jura bernois changed its name toJura–Bern–Luzern(JBL) in 1884. The JBL merged with theWestern Switzerland–Simplon Company(Compagnie de la Suisse Occidentale et du Simplon,SOS) on 1 January 1890 to form theJura–Simplon Railway(Compagnie des Chemins de Fer Jura–Simplon,JS). The JS was one of the five major private railway companies in Switzerland, which were nationalised and integrated to form the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) on 1 May 1903.

Since the opening of theGrenchenberg Tunnelon 1 October 1915, the direct trains from Biel to Delémont have used the shorter and less steep line viaGrenchen.The Sonceboz-Sombeval–Moutier section of the line, which as a result became a branch line, has been operated electrically since 15 July 1934.

Route description

The line runs out of Sonceboz-Sombeval station parallel to the line to Chaux-de-Fonds and after a long right turn, its climbs up the valley and passes through the tunnel under theCol de Pierre Pertuis.In Tavannes, travellers have the opportunity to switch to thenarrow-gaugetrains on theline to Noirmontof theChemins de fer du Jura(CJ). The line to Moutier continues along theBirsviaReconvilierandMalleray-Bévilard.After crossing the narrow valley ofCourt,the line reaches Moutier where it meets the newer and shorter connection from Biel under the Grenchenberg plateau.

Operations

Since the opening of the Grenchenberg Tunnel in 1915 only regional trains have operated on the Sonceboz-Sombeval–Moutier line. Today one Regio service runs each hour from Biel via Sonceboz to Moutier and continues on theSolothurn–Moutier railwaytoSolothurn.^[2]This train issplit or joinedin Sonceboz-Sombeval, with the other part of the train going on to La Chaux-de-Fonds. The SBB took over 13GTWsets from the BLS for the service in 2014.^[3]

References

Footnotes

^Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz[Swiss railway atlas]. Schweers + Wall. 2012. pp. 8–9.ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
^"226: Moutier–Tavannes–Sonceboz–Biel/Bienne"(PDF)(in German). Official Swiss Railway Timetable.Archived(PDF)from the original on 25 December 2018.Retrieved25 December2018.
^"SBB modernisiert bestehende Fahrzeug-Flotte"(Press release) (in German). SBB. 9 February 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 9 April 2014.Retrieved25 December2018.

Sources

Wägli, Hans G. (2010).Schienennetz Schweiz, Réseau Ferré suisse(in German) (3 ed.). AS Verlag.ISBN 978-3-909111-74-9.
Siegfried, Pascal (25 September 2007)."Internationale Bahnlinien im Jura"(PDF 3.2 MB)(in German).Retrieved25 December2018.

[Eisenbahnatlas-1] Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz[Swiss railway atlas]. Schweers + Wall. 2012. pp. 8–9.ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.

[2] "226: Moutier–Tavannes–Sonceboz–Biel/Bienne"(PDF)(in German). Official Swiss Railway Timetable.Archived(PDF)from the original on 25 December 2018.Retrieved25 December2018.

[3] "SBB modernisiert bestehende Fahrzeug-Flotte"(Press release) (in German). SBB. 9 February 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 9 April 2014.Retrieved25 December2018.

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