Railfile - Aigle-Leysin: Aigle

Sunday, 13 December 2015

The line over the last couple of decades

Aigle

Leysin Feyday

Aigle

Leysin Grand Hotel

Aigle

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RAILFILE - AIGLE-LEYSIN

The line I know best in Switzerland is the CF Aigle-Leysin, locally known as the Cog. This runs from Aigle on the main line up to the skiing town of Leysin. I have spent many months in Leysin, including a whole winter. This is the easiest way to travel, the road is 15km whilst the railway is 5km, thanks to using the rack. Leysin has four stations, all at different levels. The line runs tramway style in Aigle to the Depot, where it reverses and immediately gains the rack. The first section runs through vineyards, many of which have their own monorail systems for gathering the grapes.

There's an excellent service, hourly in both directions from about 5am to midnight. Some of the older trains still run, there are also some very modern units. The line is metre gauge, there are two other metre gauge lines originating in Aigle, so it's narrow gauge heaven!

A trip down the mountain 2011

Foggy Leysin Village station.

Past vineyards on the outskirts of Aigle.

Starting on the street track past Aigle Depot station.

Aigle Place du Marche halt.

Tight squeeze!

Station approach.

Entering the station forecourt area.

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You never really get used to it, and I must have done this trip 40 times! The Aigle-Leysin line starts from a brand new station adjacent to the main SBB station in Aigle and immediately runs on street to Aigle Depot station, just over a mile, before reversing and taking the rack up the mountainside to eventually reach, via a couple of wayside halts, the four stations in Leysin.

The street running includes a stretch along a narrow one way street which always delights! Whether from the train or from the pavement it's always entertaining.

The line is busier than ever and replacement of the street running section is not even on the radar so you can safely wait a little longer before visiting. The line itself is absolutely essential, taking just 20 minutes to link Aigle and Leysin, a much longer journey both in miles and time if you're unfortunate enough to have to drive!

There are two other metre gauge lines at Aigle, the long Aigle-Ollon-Monthey, Champery line which has lost its street running stretch in Aigle - it was a simple job to lay a new line along the SBB route and regain the original route just outside town. There is however street track remaining on this line in Collombey, plus a decent amount of roadside running. The other line is the Aigle-Sepey-Diablerets route which still uses street running to exit Aigle, and also has a very rural roadside stretch (traversed twice on every journey) into Le Sepey.