Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye
Encyclopedia
The Chemin de fer Glion - Rochers-de-Naye (GN) is a mountain railway
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...

 in the Canton of Vaud
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...

, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 which links the places in its title, high above the Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...

  resort town of Montreux
Montreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...

.

Glion, a small hill resort above Montreux was reached by the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion
The Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet–Glion is a funicular in Switzerland, which runs between the Territet and Glion suburbs of the the town of Montreux. At its upper terminus, the funicular connects with what was the lower terminus of the Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye mountain railway,...

 which departed from a lower station opposite the main line station of Territet, the first station east of Montreux. The GN, which opened in September 1892, commenced from a platform adjacent to the upper terminus of the funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...

. Built to a gauge of the line was operated by steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

s using the rack and pinion
Rack and pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...

 system devised by Roman Abt.

In 1909 the railway was joined at Glion by the Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion
Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion
The line, which links the two places in its title was built by the Chemin de fer Montreux–Glion . Opened in 1909, at its upper terminus it made an end-on junction with the Chemin de fer Glion-Rochers-de-Naye and across its platform with the Chemin de fer funiculaire Territet-Glion. Nowadays, the...

, an electrically operated railway using the same gauge and rack system, with which it made an end-on junction.

Trains were handed over in Glion between electric
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

 and steam locomotives until 1938 when the Glion - Rochers-de-Naye line changed over to electrical operation. At the same time electric railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...

s took over most services, leaving freight and peak traffic, service trains and snow blowing
Snow blower
A snow blower or snow thrower is a machine for removing snow from an area where it is not wanted, such as a driveway, sidewalk, roadway, railroad track, rink, runway, or houses...

 to the electric locomotives.

In 1987 the two companies merged to become the Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion-Rochers-de-Naye
Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion-Rochers-de-Naye
The Chemin de fer Montreux - Glion - Rochers-de-Naye is an electrically operated rack and pinion railway in Switzerland, with a track gauge of , which links the places mentioned in its title.-History:...

 and since 2001 they have been part of Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR)
Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera (MVR)
The Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera was a coming together, in 2001, of two small railway companies and two funicular companies in the Montreux / Vevey area of Switzerland. Some of these companies were, themselves, formed of amalgamations which had taken place over the years...

.

Preservation

There is one coach from the railway preserved and that is a Second / Third class composite No.16. It is painted in dark blue with lighter blue panneling and can usually be found at Glion.
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