Transports Publics Fribourgeois

Transports Publics Fribourgeois (TPF) metre-gauge system is located mainly within the Canton of Fribourg in Switzerland and is 48.2 km long. In addition to this the company also operates two standard-gauge (1435mm) railway lines, those between Bulle and Romont and between Fribourg, Murten and Ins. In 2000 the company changed its name from The Chemin de Fer Fribourgeois Gruyere - Fribourg - Morat (GFM) to its current title.

The Narrow Gauge lines

The main line of the narrow gauge network runs from Palézieux, on the SBB line from Bern to Lausanne, via Châtel-St. Denis and Bulle to Montbovon. The first section from Palézieux to Chatel-St. Denis was opened on 29 April1901 to be followed by the section to Montbovon in 1904. The main line, which has a length of 44.2 km. makes connection with the Monteux Oberland Bernoise Railway (MOB) at Montbovon. The 5.5 km. long branch from Bulle to Broc was opened on 24 June1912 to serve not only the village but the Cailler (now Nestlé) chocolate facory. The gradients in the line are not severe with a maximum of 1 in 31 on the main line, however the section between Broc village and Broc Fabrique requires a gradient of 1 in 20 to descend to the valley floor and reach the chocolate factory. These lines, operated by electric traction from the beginning, were run by the Chemins de fer électriques de la Gruyère (CEG), a company which, in 1942, joined with the two standard gauge lines to form the GFM. Originally the operating voltage was 750 vdc but this was increased to 900 vdc to give better hauling capacity on the line. Bulle is the centre of operations with depot, workshops and connection to the standard gauge railway to Romont, on the SBB line between Bern and Lausanne. Until 1969 Châtel-St. Denis also had a connection to the CEV line to Vevey.

Railcars were the chosen motive power from the early days in the main due to the reversal of the trains at Chatel-St. Denis, and this has continued with rebuilt or new modern units, working as single cars or in multiple.

Since 1958 goods traffic, much of which is shipped onwards by the standard gauge, has been carried by a "piggy back" system where the standard gauge wagons are transported on carrier trucks. In 2004 the Nestlé factory generated over 1500 wagonloads over the system.From December 2006 the TPF handed its freight traffic to the CFF/SBB/FFS and its two locomotives, numbers 101 and 102 became surplus to requirements. In April 2007 they were sold to the MOB.

References:

* Official Publications of TPF, newsletters, stock listings etc.