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Narrow Gauge pictures from here & there 4: French Alps
Looking in to Switzerland. The border station at le Châtelard Frontière.
Hopeful passengers travelling to Chamonix & St.Gervais have just alighted
from the train from Martigny (Switz. - which was closed due to 1st August
being Swiss National Day. The fireworks in the evening are very impressive
though). Eventually a train would arrive from France and the journey then
continued.
There are several side narrow gauge railways aong the route. At Le Châtelard (VS) - not the border station - there is a 1047mm funicular, with a 750mm line at the top plus another short funicular (Emosson Railways).
At Chamonix there is the CM - Chamonix-Montenvers Railway to the Mer de Glace.
At St. Gervais the Tramway du Mont Blanc travels 12.5km to Nid d'Aigle. Finally,
though not narrow gauge, the MO from Martigny to Le Châble & Orsières
has fine mountain scenery.
Nearing Tretien. There is a steep climb out of the Rhône valley with rack sections.
Some of the Swiss part of the line is overhead supply,
and some is side third rail where there is not enough clearance in tunnels for overhead wires.
Spectacular mountain scenery (below):
Pictures © 2000 Cambrian Models