Virtual Railfan Tour of Switzerland - Monday - Mont Blanc Express.

Mont Blanc Express under the wires in Martigny. 
Two stub end platform tracks adjoin the main SBB station,
The Mont Blanc Express is a meter gauge railway running from Martigny across the border to Chamonix in France.  It is now run by the Transports de Martigny et Regions (TMR). It is electrified at 800 V DC with both overhead and third rail. The third rail is gradually being replaced with overhead. The section in France from the border at Le Chatelard uses a similar system. The steep sections use the Riggenbach rack with a maximum gradient of 20%.  Five emus have been purchased jointly so that a through service can be run.

Panoramic windows are good for sight seeing.

The first part of the run is along the flat Rhone valley to Vernayaz where the main workshops are situated.

This wonderful picture of Vernayaz was taken by Alain Gavillet on 27 May 2019. here are Alain's comments

(Interdiction de reproduire cette photo à des fins commerciales sans mon accord)

Fête organisée à l'occasion des 60 ans des motrices 7 et 8, ces deux compositions sont encore à l'inventaire, mais elles ne circulent pas souvent.

La ligne Martigny Châtelard a été inaugurée le 18 août 1906 à voie métrique et à crémaillière, sa longueur et de 25 Kilomètres, seule ligne en Suisse avec prise de courant par troisième rail latéral, sauf dans les gares et depuis Vernayaz à Martigny.


From Vernayaz we start to climb out of the Rhone valley.

Le Chatelard is where the funicular to the Emosson Barrage is found




Both third rail and overhead wiring are evident here. 
The next station, Le Chatelard Frontier is on the border with France.
Chamonix


Train arriving from St. Gervais (France)

The station is an impressive building which fits in well with this prosperous tourist town.
Not to be outdone the French use a similar clock to the Swiss, just use a different color




After lunch and an interesting visit it is time to return to Martigny.

These two videos give a cab ride from Le Chatelard Frontier to Martigny through spectacular mountain scenery with the exciting ride down into the Rhone valley
Cab ride part 1

Cab ride part 2

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