The Mont Blanc Tramway or Tramway du Mont-Blanc is a mountain railway line in the Haute-Savoie region of France. The line runs from a connections with the SNCF at Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet station to the Nid d'Aigle station at the Bionnassay glacier at an altitude of 2500m (8200ft). The initial intention was for the line to reach the l'Aiguille du Goûter, but the final section was built as a aerial cable car.

The line is 12.4km (7.7mi) long and has a rail gauge of 1m (3ft3in). It is a rack and adhesion railway, using the Strub design to overcome a height difference of 1920m (6300ft). The line has an average gradient of 15% and a a maximum gradient of 24%. Some 85% of the line is equiped with rack rail, with adhesion being used at the foot of the line and at intermediate crossing stations. The line is electrified using an overhead line at 11000 volts and 50 Hz ac.

The line is operated by the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc which also manages the Montenvers Railway and many ski lifts in the Mont Blanc region. The first section of the line, to the Col de Voza, was opened in 1907. The line reached its current terminus in August 1914 when work was suspended, because of World War I, and never resumed. The line was worked by steam locomotives until it was electrified in 1956.

The line is worked by three motor coaches which are named Anne, Marie and Jeanne. These were the names of the three daughters of the lines owner at the time of electrification.

The Mont Blanc Tramway is featured in the film Malabar Princess .

External links

• Mont Blanc Tramway web site

Sources

• Wikipedia article , last updated on the 28th November 2004 at 17:44 GMT.
• Web page http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/en/tramway/index.html and descendents, retrieved on the 15th March 2004 at 17:15 GMT.