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Transports publics Fribourgeois

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Transports publics fribourgeois
Company typePrivate
Founded2000
Headquarters
Fribourg
,
Switzerland
Productsrailway transportation
Websitehttp://www.tpf.ch/
TPF Duobus 519 Freiburg 2006 Sept
Tpf-bahnhof
20060929S02a 316-369-361-204

The Transports Publics Fribourgeois (TPF) is a renaming of the former Chemins de fer Fribourgeois Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat when the municipal Transport en commun de Fribourg (TF) was absorbed in 2000.

Lines

The company is a railway operator with both narrow and standard gauge lines centred in the town of Bulle. The main line of the narrow gauge network runs from Palézieux railway station (at Palézieux-Gare), on the SBB main line from Bern to Lausanne, via Châtel-St-Denis and Bulle to Montbovon. The short Bulle - Broc branch, which leaves this line between Bulle and La Tour-de-Trême, serves the nearby Nestlé (formerly Cailler) chocolate factory. The company also operates two standard-gauge lines, between Bulle and Romont and Fribourg - Ins via Murten/Morat. Trains on the latter route have been extended and now operate a regular interval service Fribourg - Murten - Ins - Neuchatel, taking them on to BLS tracks (Ins - Neuchatel).

The Palézieux - Montbovon line was opened throughout in 1904. The Chemin de fer Châtel-St-Denis-Palézieux (CP) and the Chemin de fer Châtel-St-Denis-Bulle-Montbovon (CBM) amalgamated in 1907 to form the Chemins de fer électriques de la Gruyère (CEG), adding the Bulle - Broc branch line in 1912. The two standard gauge operations joined in a further amalgamation on 1 January 1942, when together they formed the Chemins de fer Fribourgeois, Gruyère-Fribourg-Morat (GFM).

The closure of a connecting line took place in 1969, when the section of the Chemins de Fer Veveysans from Chatel St Denis to Vevey on Lake Geneva was closed. If it had survived, it would nowadays almost certainly have become a useful tourist route from the lake to the chocolate factory (and would link Nestlé's HQ at Vevey with one of its main factories). One contributing factor was the political and human geography of Switzerland (Vevey is in Canton Vaud but Chatel St Denis is in Canton Fribourg). Evidence of the existence of this line still exists at Chatel St Denis, where Bulle - Palézieux trains have to reverse (Bulle - Vevey was the 'direct' straight line route).

TPF operations are centered on Bulle which has a depot, workshops and offers a connection to the standard gauge line to Romont as well as express bus services to the capital. The transfer to the MOB takes place in Montbovon.

Today, on both systems, passenger traffic is carried out by electric units, single driving cars, coupled at busy times to trailers. Standard gauge goods traffic can transfer to the metre gauge where the wagons are transported on carrier trucks. The company still has few metre gauge wagons, all now connected with railway engineering.

Locomotives and rolling stock

A few vehicles inherited from the former companies and even dating back to pre - First World War days are in use for shunting and departmental use.

Metre Gauge Locomotives and Rolling Stock

No. Name Class Builders details Date Rebuilt Notes.
11 Te 2/2 GFM/MFO 1913 1991 Works No. 33.
12 Te 2/2 GFM/AI 1913 1954
13 Te 4/4 SWS/AI/GFM 1901 1959
14 Te 4/4 SWS/AI/GFM 1901 1978
15 Tm 2/2 Schöma/Deutz 1971 1981
16 Tm 2/2 CFD Industries 1987
101 Ville de Bulle GDe 4/4 SLM/BBC 1983 Out of Service from 10.12.06, Sold to MOB, April 2007, No.6005
102 Neirivue GDe 4/4 SLM/BBC 1983 Out of Service from 10.12.06, Sold to MOB, April 2007, No.6006
115 Be 4/4 SWS/Alioth 1905 1959 Electric Railcar, 46 seats. Used for historic train operations(See:Retro-Train), but also still used for workaday works/engineering duties
116 Be 4/4 SWS/Alioth 1922 1951/1999 Preserved Electric Railcar, 46 seats. (See:Retro-Train)
121 Remaufens BDe 4/4 ACMV/ABB 1992
122 La Tour-de-Trême BDe 4/4 ACMV/ABB 1992
123 Broc BDe 4/4 ACMV/ABB 1996
124 Vuadens BDe 4/4 ACMV/ABB 1996
131 Be 4/4 SWS/BBC 1943
132 Be 4/4 SWS/BBC 1943 Withdrawn
141 Gruyères1 BDe 4/4 Schindler/SAAS 1972
142 Semsales BDe 4/4 Schindler/SAAS 1972
151 La Gruyère1 Be 4/4 ACMV/BBC 1977
152 Châtel St. Denis Be 4/4 ACMV/BBC 1977
221 Bt ACMV/BBC 1992 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
222 Bt ACMV/BBC 1992 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
223 Bt ACMV/BBC 1992 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
224 Bt Vevey/ABB 1996 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
225 Bt ACMV/BBC 1996 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
226 Bt Vevey/ABB 1996 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
232 B2 GFM 1919 Preserved Coach (See:Retro Train)
235 B2 SWS 1903 Preserved Coach (See:Retro Train)
237 B2 SWS 1905 Preserved Coach (See:Retro Train)
245 Brs SIG/R+J 1931 1991 Preserved Coach (See:Retro Train), ex-Brünigbahn
247 Brs SIG 1932 1985 Preserved Coach (See:Retro Train), ex-Brünigbahn
251 Bt SIG/SAAS 1977 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
252 Bt SIG/SAAS 1977 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
253 Bt SIG/SWP/BBC 1981 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
254 Bt SIG/SWP/BBC 1981 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
255 Bt SIG/SWP/BBC 1981 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
256 Bt SIG/SWP/BBC 1981 Voiture Pilote (Driving Trailer)
401 DZ SWS 1912 Post/Baggage Car
402 DZ SWS 1912 Post/Baggage Car

1Gruyère is the name of the Region while Gruyères stands for the small town, situated between Bulle and Montbovon

Abbreviations

Standard Gauge Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Number Name Class Builders details Air cond. Date Rebuilt Notes.
82 Tm2/2 RACO/Mercedes 1964 1973 Aebi Works No.1634 ex Von Roll 22 1973
837 084 Tm3/3 Krupp/MAN 1963 Works No.4395 ex Shell Ingolstadt 1983
85 Tm2/2 Moyse (Paris)/Deutz 1977
237 087 Tm2/2 Stadler/Adtranz 2000 Works No. 532 ex-MThB 236 649 in 2003
217 091 Ee2/2 SIG/BBC 1960
161 ABDe4/4 SIG/BBC 1946 1965 Seats 1st/2nd:16/32
162 ABDe4/4 SIG/BBC 1946 1965 scrapped
163 ABDe4/4 SIG/BBC 1946 1965 scrapped
164 ABDe4/4 SIG/BBC 1947 1965
166 ABe4/4 SIG/BBC 1947
167 ABDe4/4 SIG/BBC 1948 scrapped
567 171 La Sarine RBDe4/4 SIG/SWS/BBC X 1983 two cabs, front door
567 172 Vully RBDe4/4 SIG/SWS/BBC X 1983 two cabs, front door
567 173 La Glâne RBDe4/4 SIG/SWS/BBC X 1983 two cabs, front door, 1992 ex TRN 104
537 176 RABDe4/4 SIG/SWA/BBC/MFO/SAAS 1964 2006 ex- Thurbo/MThB 11, Die Hegau-Bodensee Bahn, named Stadt Wil
567 316 RBDe SWP/SIG/BBC X 1985 long-term lease from TRN
567 181 RBDe4/4 SWP/SIG/ABB X 1991
567 182 RBDe4/4 SWP/SIG/ABB X 1991
361 B FFA 1963 2000
362 B FFA 1963
364 B SWP/SIG X 1984
365 B SWP/SIG X 1984
366 B FFA 1963 ex-TMR/MO 41
367 B Stadler X 2006 low floor
368 B Stadler X 2006 low floor
369 B Stadler X 2006 low floor
371 ABt SWS/BBC X 1983 front door
372 ABt SWP/BBC 1964 2003 ex- Bt originally number 302
373 ABt SWP/SIG/BBC X 1985 front door
374 Bt SWP/BBC 1964 1983 1993 ex-TRN 203
375 Bt SWP/BBC 1964 ex- Thurbo 203 and originally GFM 301
381 ABt SWP/SIG/ABB X 1991
382 ABt SWP/SIG/ABB X 1991
204 ABt SWP/SIG/BBC X 1985 long term-lease from TRN
383 ABt SWP/SIG/ABB X 1991 2006 ex-TRN 206

Abbreviations (see also above listing)

  • Aebi : Robert Aebi
  • Asper : Victor Asper Maschinenbau

New Deliveries

Five existing motor coaches 171-173, 181-182 plus one identical vehicle RBDe 567 316 on long-term lease from TRN SA were recently modernized, incorporating new seating, air condition, information displays and video recording. The same modernization occurred with matching driving trailers 371, 373, 381, 382 and 383 ex TRN SA plus one, ABt 204, on long-term lease from TRN SA. Also the two matching coaches 364-365 were treated accordingly. First class compartment is now in the driving trailer and no longer in the motor coach, which had before been classified RABDe 537.

Three new intermediate coaches, all second class, have been delivered from Stadler and incorporate a low level centre section suitable for pram / buggy and disabled access. These cars have large windows and other facilities as featured throughout the train.

  • Modernized ABt 371 and RBDe 567 171 with B 362 in old livery in Neuchâtel on 29 March 2006
    Modernized ABt 371 and RBDe 567 171 with B 362 in old livery in Neuchâtel on 29 March 2006
  • Leased and modernized RBDe 567 316 and ABt 204 with tpf B 361 and 369 in Fribourg on 29 September 2006
    Leased and modernized RBDe 567 316 and ABt 204 with tpf B 361 and 369 in Fribourg on 29 September 2006
  • New low-floor coach B 369 on 29 September 2006 in Fribourg
    New low-floor coach B 369 on 29 September 2006 in Fribourg

Livery

The trains were painted in a grey livery with a broad orange band below the windows, marked "La Gruyère", a few vehicles even still had the older green/cream livery. In 2001, the first of the repainted units appeared on the line in a plain white livery with lining and "tpf" lettering in cherry red.

Fare structure

From 12 December 2006, the TPF together with SBB-CFF-FFS, BLS, CarPostal Suisse, MOB, STB and VMCV introduced a canton-wide zone fare known as "frimobil", ordered and subsidized by the canton. It was advertised as "offering freedom and mobility throughout the region".

Vintage train

The company operate a "Retro Train" using vintage stock and railcar. Operating at weekends throughout the year it offers travel in a 1926-built coach named Moléjon coupled to a bar-coach named La Grevire (built in 1932), the power being supplied by an electric railcar dating from the early 1920s. Included in the price is a fondue followed by Meringues with local delicacy, Crème de Gruyère.

Narrow gauge freight services

Until 10 December 2006 the company operated three main freight routes:

  • To and from the Cailler chocolate factory at Broc, standard gauge wagons carried "piggy-back" on narrow gauge transporter trucks from and to Bulle. Haulage was performed by the branch electric unit of 121-124 series attaching the "piggy-backs" at Broc Fabrique.
  • Timber traffic originating at Montbovon, carried "piggy-back" to Bulle, and, on occasions other traffic to and from other stations.
  • Ballast traffic from Grandvillard in narrow gauge hopper cars to Gstaad.

From that date the handling of the first two freight routes was taken over by SBB Cargo, the third by MOB. Thus, the company's two GDe 4/4 locomotives, together with the hopper cars, became surplus to requirements and were sold to the MOB in April 2007. TPF is paid by SBB Cargo for conveying the standard gauge wagons on transporter trucks to/from Bulle and Montbovon by accordingly fitted motor coaches 121-124.

  • Meter gauge TPF BDe 4/4 123 is coupled to a standard gauge wagon on transporter trucks in Broc-Fabrique
    Meter gauge TPF BDe 4/4 123 is coupled to a standard gauge wagon on transporter trucks in Broc-Fabrique
  • Detail view of the coupling
    Detail view of the coupling
  • Detail view of a transporter truck
    Detail view of a transporter truck

References

Sources

  • Magazine des Transports publics Fribourgeois, No.8, January 2007.
  • Grandguillaume Michel, et al., Voies étroites de Veveyse et de Gruyère. BVA, Lausanne, 1984, ISBN 2-88125-003-3
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