The World's Steepest Metro Line is Being Extended

Lausanne, Switzerland is presently served by: an east-west main line operated by Swiss Federal Railways; a single track 1 km funicular line which opened in 1877; a 7.8 km light metro line which opened in 1991; the LEB, a separate railway line running from an underground terminus at Flon to the northwestern suburbs of Lausanne. The article examines Lausanne's project to convert an existing funicular into a metro, making Lausanne the first city in Switzerland to have an automatic rubber-tired metro line. The very steep gradients on the line make it the steepest metro in the world. The contractor, Alstom, chose rubber tires because they would provide better adhesion on the steep gradients than conventional steel wheels on steel rails, as well as rapid acceleration and deceleration between stations. The new line is expected to start revenue service in 2008.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07445326
• Authors:
  • Briginshaw, David
• Publication Date: 2005-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 32-33
• Serial:
  • International Railway Journal
  • Volume: 45
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
  • ISSN: 0744-5326

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cable railroads; Line extensions (Rail transit); Rail transit
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rubber tired metro
• Geographic Terms: Lausanne (Switzerland)
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01002236
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 20 2005 2:42PM