From Lausanne-Flon to Echallens on the LEB line (Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher).
This Swiss metre-gauge regional train line has been under ongoing massive infrastructure upgrades since the early 2010s, namely with new rolling stock, a remote-controlled block system, higher-frequency service, more double track sections, and the removal of level crossings.
On morning, midday and evening peak hours, fast trains run between Lausanne-Flon and Echallens (until timetable change on August 11, 2019), reinforcing regional services, and only stop in the main villages along the line.
Have a seat in the cockpit, sit back, and enjoy your journey on this summer evening fast train service, with top speeds of 90 kph (56 mph).
Construction of the line:
- 1873: Lausanne-Chauderon - Cheseaux opens
- 1874: extension Cheseaux - Echallens
- 1889: extension Echallens - Bercher
- 2000: extension Lausanne-Chauderon - Lausanne-Flon (tunnel)
Recent infrastructure upgrades:
- 1995: Lausanne-Chauderon station is made underground
- 1998: renovation of Echallens station
- 1999: opening of Les Ripes stop
- 2001: renovation of Cheseaux station
- 2011: renovation of Romanel-sur-Lausanne station
- 2013: remote-controlled block system between Union-Prilly and Cheseaux
- 2014: remote-controlled block system between Lausanne-Flon and Union-Prilly
- 2017: renovation of Assens station and remote control
- 2018: track doubling at Les Ripes and remote control
- 2019: renovation of Sugnens station and installation of remote control for Echallens and Sugnens stations
Passenger rolling stock (as of April 2019):
- 2 Be 4/4 railcars, SWS/SAAS, # 26-27 (1966)
- 3 Be 4/8 railcars, Vevey/ABB, # 31-33 (1985)
- 3 Be 4/8 railcars, Vevey/ABB, # 34-36 (1985)
- 6 RBe 4/8 railcars, Stadler, # 41-46 (2010)
- 4 RBe 4/8 railcars, Stadler, # 47-50 (2017)
This video was shot in July 2019 with a Go-Pro Hero 6 action-cam on the Be 4/8 # 35 railcar.
Timecodes :
- 00:03 Lausanne-Flon station (Southern terminus)
- 01:56 Lausanne-Chauderon station
- 03:33 Lausanne-Flon - Lausanne-Chauderon tunnel exit
- 03:48 block signal, Parking A1 LC (repeated by the block signal)
- 04:15 Parking A2 LC (announced by a tram-style signal)
- 04:50 Montétan LC (announced by a tram-style signal)
- 05:10 Montétan stop
- 05:37 temporary bridge (allows the construction of a new tunnel between Lausanne-Chauderon and Union-Prilly stations, which should be achieved by late 2020)
- 05:57 Union-Prilly station
- 06:12 Vieux-Collège LC (announced by Union-Prilly’s exit signal)
- 06:37 Prilly-Chasseur stop
- 06:42 Prilly-Chasseur LC (announced by a blinking control lamp)
- 07:02 Cery-Fleur-de-Lys stop
- 07:31 Jouxtens-Mézery station
- 07:42 Beau-Cèdre LC (announced by Jouxtens-Mézery’s exit signal)
- 08:18 Le Lussex stop
- 08:22 Le Lussex LC (announced by a blinking control lamp)
- 08:45 Romanel-sur-Lausanne station
- 09:33 Brit LC (announced by Romanel-sur-Lausanne’s exit signal)
- 09:50 Taulard LC (announced by Romanel-sur-Lausanne’s exit signal)
- 10:13 Raffort LC (announced by a blinking control lamp)
- 10:25 Vernand-Camarès stop
- 10:40 block signal
- 11:03 Bel-Air LC (announced by a blinking control lamp)
- 11:04 Bel-Air LEB stop
- 11:40 Cheseaux station
- 13:41 private LC
- 13:45 Morrens LC (announced by Cheseaux’s exit signal)
- 14:07 Les Ripes station
- 14:55 L’Auberge LC (announced by Les Ripes’s exit signal)
- 14:58 Etagnières stop
- 15:06 Cantonal road 401 LC (announced by a blinking control lamp)
- 16:10 Assens station
- 17:42 rural LC (no boom barriers, preceded by an “activate horn” sign)
- 18:15 La Villaire LC (announced by a blinking control lamp)
- 18:50 Les Abattoirs LC (announced by Echallens’s entry signal)
- 18:57 Echallens station (control centre of the line, workshop/depot, staffed ticket office)