Lausanne, “La Ficelle”, it’s over !

Lausanne, Sunday January, 22nd 2006.

Today, Sunday January, 22nd, the Transports
publics de la région lausannoise
(t-l) organized a special day with free entrance at the Ouchy station and
workshop.

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For the occasion, some activities were organized to commemorate Jean-Jacques Mercier, the founding father of La Ficelle in 1877.

La Ficelle was a funicular between 1877 and 1958 and a cog wheel railway between 1958 and 2006.

At 4 pm, La Ficelle did its last course, a free course !

From today, La Ficelle is replaced by Métrobus, a bus service, until the
new m2 subway which is planed in 2008.

I remind you that the rolling stock are given up to Villard-de-Lans in France…

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La Ficelle de Lausanne, c’est fini !

Lausanne, dimanche 22 janvier 2006.

Aujourd’hui dimanche 23 janvier, une journée porte ouverte a accueilli le public à la
gare et aux ateliers d’Ouchy.

A cette occasion La Ficelle a effectué à 16h sa dernière course, gratuite !
Lors de cette journée des animations ont été organisées pour célébrer l’ingéieur Jean-Jacques Mercier, le père de la ficelle créée en 1877.
La Ficelle a été un funiculaire de 1877 à 1958 et un train à crémaillère de
1958 à 2006.

Dès aujourd’hui la Ficelle est remplacée par le Métrobus, un service
d’autobus, et cela jusqu’à la prochaine ouverture du la ligne de métro m2 prévue
en 2008.
Je vous rapelle que tout le matériel a été cèdé à Villard-de-Lans (France).


Photo M-J J.


Photo M-J J.


Photo M-J J.

Villard-de-Lans – the town council approved the rack train project!

Villard-de-Lans, Isère, France.

On January 12th, 2006, the town council of Villard-de-Lans approved the project of the new rack train from Villard-de-Lans to the new ski resort, which will be built, end 2008, above Le Balcon de Villard.

The rolling stock of the two cog wheel lines : Lausanne-Ouchy (LO) and Lausanne-Gare (LG) will be give up to the french town after January 22, 2006 which will be the last day of "La Ficelle" !

The rolling stock will be stored by Tensol Rail SA, a Swiss company which will be also in charged for the transfer to Villard-de-Lans when it will be necessary.

 

Villard-de-Lans will be in charge to remove asbestos from the cars.

It is funny to know that the city of Turin thought to get back La Ficelle to replace the rolling stock of the Superga rack train ! Unfortunately for Turin, the gauges of the two trains are not the same !

It is interesting to know that an anonymous letter, sent by a person who owns high European administrative functions at Brussels, accuses the Villard-de-Lans municipality to have managed this project without any serious financial studies.

I personally received this letter; I know also that "24 heures", the Swiss newspaper from Lausanne, received the same letter!


Villard-de-Lans

Kaprun – A new future for the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular ?

Kaprun, AustriaGletscherbahnen Kaprun AG will get back the only car which remained intact after the November 11th, 2000 tragedy.The “Kitzsteingams” car was destroyed by the fire into the tunnel. The undamaged “Gletscherdrachen” car was confiscated by the Salzburg authorities for the investigations and will be brought back to the operators of Kaprun skiing area.

The goal is to re-open the funicular for private freight transportations for the ski resort.
Some modifications are necessary to recreate a pendular funicular with two cars.
” Gletscherdrachen” is composed of two half-cars and can be divided into two different cars and at least a new fixing for the cable for one of the half-car and modification of the brake systems.

So the funiclar might be soon in operation again… but not for passengers!

Details of the November 11th, 2000 tragedy.


” Gletscherdrachen”