Aigle - Transportation and The TPC Railways

Transportation and The TPC Railways

Aigle is a stop on the Swiss Federal Railway's SBB/CFF high speed Simplon line between Italy (Domodossola) north to Lausanne and Geneva. At the Aigle SBB/CFF station, connections can be made to three narrow gauge railways, the ASD, AL, and AOMC. The ASD (Aigle-Sepey-Diablerets) railway's route goes east and rises from Aigle to the ski resort of Diablerets. The AL (Aigle-Leysin) railway's route goes east and rises from Aigle to the ski resort and grand vista of Leysin. The AOMC (Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champerey) railway's route runs west from Aigle across the Rhone and valley, then climbs to the ski resort of Champery. These railways, plus the BVB (Bex-Villars-Bretaye which runs east from Bex, a village just south of Aigle,) are operated by Transports Publics du Chablais with the motto: "Depuis plus de cent ans et contre toute attente, des lignes des TPC reunissent plaine et montagne, Vaud et Valais, ville et campagne, terres catholiques et protestantes." Translated roughly: "For over 100 years and contrary to all expectations, the railways of TPC have joined plain and mountain, town and country, of the Vaud and Valais districts of Switzerland, land of both Catholics and Protestants." The TPC "motto" refers to the religious composition and history of the general region known historically as the Chablais which has known turmoil. In 1846-7, the Valais canton tried to secede from Switzerland with the intention of joining a proposed Catholic confederation of cantons called the Sonderbund, but this was put down by Swiss Federal troops. The ASD, the AL, and the BVB railways operate within the canton of Vaud. The AOMC operates in the Vaud and into the Canton of Valais when it crosses the Rhone river to reach Monthey and Champery.

New construction rebuilt Aigle's Place de la Gare in partnership with municipal and canton administration and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF). The project provided new train platforms at the SBB/CFF gare (station) to accommodate the trains of the AL, ASD and AOMC. Also added was AOMC track alongside SBB/CFF track to a new TPC office and workshop at En Châlex. With approximately 3 million passengers using its facilities each year, Aigle is the second most important station in canton Vaud after Lausanne. (Source: Le Bleu Matin, 8.10.2007). There are plans, awaiting approval, for the extension of the Aigle-Leysin line deep into to the Berneuse whereby passengers will be able to travel, without transfers, to a site that provides magnificent views of the Alps, Jura and Lake Geneva. This project is an investment which will benefit the entire region and offer a boost to tourism, the region's No. 1 industry. Landslides have required periodic emergency work to stabilise the adjacent soil and rock, much of which is covered in coniferous forest. This has included the erection of 150 meters of mesh barrier to prevent falling rock reaching the tracks and to offer protection to railway workers.