Bonjour à tous! Good morning everyone and welcome to my last(maybe) introduction before summer break! Today I'll finally return to my beloved France, wanting to introduce you a proper, full(ish) unelectrified run! It would be the famous Lyon-Marseille Line (via Grenoble). Particularly, its Lyon-Grenoble northern section. Set in 1982-83, the last classic golden age of French railways, before the 1986 regionalization. We're in the "Sud-Est" of France, the Rhône-Alpes Region back then; crossing two departments: Rhône and Isère. From metropolis' urban heart to its eastern industrial districts, out through the large "Est Lyonnais" Plain. Continuing through that hilly central stretch, the "Bas-Dauphiné" and Bourbre Plain, it reaches the edge of the "Terres Froides"; the most rugged tract of the route. Finally crossing the Bièvre Plateau and the Isère River Valley to destination. The TT was quite dense and complete back then: express/rapid trains, regional/local services and a wide freight range to complete the experience! An iconic and historically relevant route, nice pre-Alpine landscapes, moderate operational challenge, but first of all, them: those iconic units, that defined the last classic French rail era! Are you ready to turn back the clock to those magical early 80s? FEATURES - 130.5km(81mi) Perrache<>Grenoble length. - 4km(2.5mi) Perrache<>Brotteaux length. - Double track(most of), standard gauge, electrified 1.5kV DC/unelectrified(most of). - 16‰(1:63) max gradient. - 80-150kph(50-93mph) speed range. - BMU as signaling regime(mechanical/luminous). - Crocodile(RS) as safety system. - Sol-train(RST) as comm. Infra, stock and operations were managed/carried out by SNCF SEM (1938-83). French government public company. LAYOUT Up: general route view; all stations/stops are indicated. Cyan: 1.5kV DC; Red: unelectrified. Down: Lyon node focus; all major structures/facilities are indicated. STATIONS This route featured 27 active stations/stops/terminals, plus one under completion (Part-Dieu). The calls were, as follows: ----Lyon-Genève----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Lyon-Brotteaux old terminus (until 1983) [ B ] - Lyon-Part-Dieu new terminus (final setup) ----Lyon-Grenoble--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Lyon-Perrache main terminus [ A ] - Vénissieux (old location) - St-Priest - Chandieu-Toussieu - Heyrieux - St-Quentin-Fallavier - La Verpillière [ C ] - Vaulx-Milieu (until 1985) - St-Alban-la Grive (until 1985) - Bourgoin-Jallieu [ D ] - Sérézin-de-la-Tour (unitil 1984) - Cessieu - La Tour-du-Pin - St-André-le-Gaz node station - Virieu-sur-Bourbre - Châbons - Le Grand-Lemps - Beaucroissant - Rives - Réaumont (then Réaumont - St-Cassien) - Voiron - St-Jean-de-Moirans (until 1984) - Moirans node station - Voreppe - St-Égrève-St-Robert - Grenoble terminus [ E ] Up: [ A ] Down: [ B ] Up left: [ C ] Up right: [ D ] Down: [ E ] PASSENGER According to the original Sep 1982-May 1983 TT Link: https://timetableworld.com/ttw-viewer.php?token=824cdb34-4b71-41fa-945a-505356e11ca8 Table 545: Lyon<->St-André-le-Gaz<->Grenoble < Rapide de nuit a) Paris G-d-L<>Grenoble, 4Tpd (2+2)[semi-direct] < Express de jour a) Lyon<>Grenoble, 1/2Tph[direct/semi-direct] b) Lyon<>Grenoble, 2Tpd (1+1)[direct] < Desserte locale a) Lyon<>St-Priest/Bourgoin-Jallieu, 1Tph/1Tp2h[omnibus] b) Grenoble<>St-André-le-Gaz/Bourgoin-Jallieu, 1Tph/1Tp2h[omnibus] c) Lyon<>Grenoble, some dailies[régional] Table 532>545: Lyon<->Chambéry<->Bourg-St-Maurice/Annecy < Express de jour a) Lyon<>Chambéry/Annecy, some dailies[semi-direct] < Desserte locale a) Lyon<>Chambéry/Bourg-St-Maurice, 1Tph[régional] Table 545>536: Genève<->Chambéry<->Grenoble<->Valence < Express de nuit a) Genève<>Hendaye, 2Tpd (1+1)[semi-direct] b) Genève<>Vintimille, 2Tpd (1+1)[direct] < Express de jour a) Annecy/Bourg-St-Maurice<>Valence, 1Tp2/3h[direct] b) Genève/Chambéry<>Valence, 4Tpd (2+2)[semi-direct] < Desserte locale a) Grenoble<>Valence, 1Tph[omnibus] b) St-Gervais-les-Bains<>Valence, 1Tp2h[régional] FREIGHT Lively and diversified, being the route one of the most important axes of the region! Many daily runs across the line: between major regional freight hubs and Lyon, transfer services between the two main yards of the route or urban yards, collection service from local customers and dedicated "messagerie"(mail/parcels) trips! Sectors involved: - Aggregates - Cement - Steel/scraps - Cereals - Chemicals - Logs (seasonal) - Miscellaneous/parcels STOCK - T 1000 ETG & T 2000 RTG "Turbotrain" Gas turbine/diesel MUs | X 2800 "Bleu d'Auvergne" Hydro-mechanical railcar & X 4630 EAD "Caravelle" Diesel-hydraulic MU. - BB 66000 "Mouette" & BB 67000 "Mémère" Diesel-electric locos | Corail VTU B11tu & UIC-Y B9c9x Coaches. Please put your LIKE here first, thank you! Continue Below...
Page 2 - Gs 40 Boxcar | Res 90 Flatbed | Uahs Tanker | Eaos 80 Dumper Freight wagons. LAMPOIL This proposal fits (almost)entirely all DTG process points, except for: length(negligible), "old doesn't sell well" (to be proven ) and historical research/access (original route layouts/plans etc.). A good selection of preserved stock still available today! PICS Clockwise: - Cours de Verdun, the Perrache District - Lyon-Part-Dieu construction site - Bottom>top: Lyon-Gerland yard, Lyon-Mouche depot and Lyon-Guillotière interport - Vénissieux general depot Clockwise: - Renault Parilly Plant - Vénissieux yards & terminals - "East-lyonnais" Plain - St-Félix Lake & "Bas-Dauphiné" Heights Clockwise: - "Terres froides" & Bièvre Plateau - Izeaux Quarries - Ancient Rives Steelworks - The "Pont du Bœuf", 263m long Clockwise: - Château de Réaumont - Voiron & looping passage through it - One of the local cement plants - Grenoble view TO CONCLUDE This idea would bring a breath of fresh air to the game: France's comeback (such an eternity... ) and at the same time, providing a clear shot of its last golden rail era! A classic route, rocking some of the most iconic units of the time! Fingers crossed, would be a nuke from the blue!! Caravatt .
SNCF diesels! My Lord’s, Hellfire etc. Bring it on. And my favourite early Corail stock too. Day One.
Was just waiting for your thoughts, Vern Let's say, this would be the ideal playground for old-school enthusiasts like us Large diesel roars, high-pitched hisses and turbine whirrings, alongside some classic loco-hauled experience
