Line Lyon - Bordeaux

The line Lyon-Bordeaux is the only transverse line French serving the Massif Central. It was brought into service section by section because the East part related to the company of PLM whereas the Western part échut with the PO.

The realization of the western part was undertaken in 1870 by the company of the Railroad of Clermont-Ferrand to Tulle but which was repurchased by the State into 1877 which opened part of the line in 1881. This part was reassigned with the PO in March 1884.

In its part is, this line is regarded as difficult in particular between Roanne and Tarare; crawl of 25/1000 with the tunnel of 2,3 km of the Col of the Savages.

In fact, this line has two alternatives in the western central part between Saint-Germain-of-Ditches and Libourne:

a northern route which is longest but the least broken which passes by Saint-Germain-of-Ditches, Montlucon, Guéret, Limoges then joined the other route in Périgueux. It is this route which the oars RTG Lyon-Bordeaux borrowed.
a shorter southern route which passes by Clermont-Ferrand, Royat, Laqueuille, Ussel, Meymac, Égletons, Tulle, Brive, but regarded as “line of mountain” between Clermont-Ferrand and Ussel.
Son culminating point is with Laqueuille to 942 m with a junction towards Mount-Gilds It with slopes of 35/1000 and built in 1881.

Services

In addition to the non-stop trains Lyon-Bordeaux, express train Geneva - Bordeaux used also this line just as rail-cars Grenoble - Bordeaux. Express train Bordeaux Vichy or Bordeaux Mount-Gilds it also borrowed the western part of the line.

After the Second world war the Lyon-Bordeaux service was initially ensured by ABJ in units multiple then double ABV. Vis-a-vis the request, the arrival of the oars RGP allowed a better answer in the years 1960. Until 2005, it fast Lyon-Bordeaux was ensured by RTG on the northern route.

The express train Corail “Ventadour” was the only prestigious train to traverse this line on the southern route, where before FOR THE THIRD TIME, the regional service roads were initially assured by X 2400 then by the famous X 2800 which still perduraient in 2005.

The Corail express train was initially tractor drawn by couples of BB 66000 before the appearance into 1969 of prestigious DC 72000 little adapted to this profile of way. Then it was more simply of the couples of BB 67400 with an oar of 4 or 5 Coral. In spite of a correct frequentation “Ventadour” is always called into question. It is only with periodic circulation, at increasingly weak frequency each year, whereas before 1994 it functioned all the year.

Times of way in 2005

direct Lyon-Bordeaux by " Ventadour" = 8:36 Coral; this connection should be largely accelerated in December 2007, thanks to the introduction of the Autorail S X 72500. The time of way will be established then with 7:29.

Whereas the ways by TGV are of:

Lyon-Bordeaux by Massy = 5:50 TGV + TGV
direct Lyon-Bordeaux by Nimes = 6:05 TGV
Lyon-Bordeaux by Paris = 6:15 TGV + TGV
Lyon-Bordeaux by Montpellier = 6:50 TGV + Téoz

See too

Transverse the Alps Auvergne Atlantic

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