Les Brenets, Les Ponts de Martel and a Steam Excursion - 31 August 2024

Our first objective today was to see the narrow gauge train between Le Locle and Les Brenets in the Jura.
To get there we took a train to Biel/Bienne, another to La Chaux de Fonts and a further one to Le Locle. The line to Les Brenets on the border with France is very short and has a couple of tunnels. A recent proposal was to replace the ancient railcars with an electric bus which would also go into Les Brenets proper and give better service. However, some technical difficulties have been found and the line continues in use.
Le Locle


Les Brenets

The artwork on the body sides is excellent.

Because of the way the timetable works we could not spend very long at Les Brenets but made out was via Le Locle back to La Chaux de Fonds for lunch. The station is amazing in that it is served by SBB, BLS, TPN (Neuchatel) and SNCF on the standard gauge and the TPN and CJ (Jura) on the narrow gauge. Every hour, just before the hour trains come in from all over the place and leave again just after the hour. It is a wonder of coordination.
We also wanted to ride the narrow gauge line to Les Ponts de Martel to see the new trains the TPN has just put into service.
The new trains are double the length of the original ones

Not in use at Les Ponts de Martel
Our final objective today was to see the steam excursion put on by La Traction located at Pre-Petitjean on the Jura narrow gauge.
A CJ train in La Chaux de Fonds


The line runs through beautiful Jura scenery in a wide valley, given over mainly to cattle but with some crops such as corn and sunflowers. 
A CJ freight train

At Noirmont we took a break before catching the train on to Saignelegier where there was a short pause. It began to rain a little and we decided to wait here for the excursion. This was a wise choice as we had some good views of the former Portuguese Mallet running round its train and leaving for PrePetitjean.


After a short look around we took the next CJ train to Glovelier and caught an SBB local which brought us right back to Olten via Delemont and Basel but stopping at all stations.

It has been a long and tiring but rewarding day
 





 





 

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