Good morning! On the early IC5 again. Today on this channel: A trip to an area with a rich railway history. Stay tuned for #RailwayHistory content!
Day is starting only semi-well so far: No coffee or tea due to technical difficulties in the @_DiningCar.
#JuraIndustriel

Finally got tea! Day can start now! I am in Neuchâtel, one of the last remaining unmodernized big stations on the Network. Three national standard gauge private railways operate from here, more than at any other SBB station in , I suppose. #JuraIndustriel

Chambrelien. Last switchback on the #SBB network. Trains from Neuchâtel to La Chaux-de-Fonds and vice-versa have to reverse here. Been fascinated by this station in the middle of the forest since I read an article in a childrens railway magazine when I was young. #JuraIndustriel

While I walk uphill and hope for the fog to clear, let's dive into the history of this line and start with a map.
#JuraIndustriel #OpenStreetMap #QGIS #AffinityDesigner

The even for Switzerland astonishing density of railway lines in the Canton of Neuchâtel dates back to the 19th century, when the Montagnes Neuchâteloises, until 1848 part of the german Preussen, became a world famous watchmaking centre during Industrialisation. #JuraIndustriel

High in the Jura Mountains - anywhere else a rural region - the cities of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle grew fast and so did the need for an efficient mean of transport. #JuraIndustriel

The "Montagnes" fighted for the planned Franco-Suisse line to be routed via the twin cities of Locle and CDF, but ultimately, a trace via Val-de-Travers was chosen. Efforts were then made to create a national railway, linking CDF and Le Locle with Neuchâtel. #JuraIndustriel

Short break from the history lesson to have a look at the disused station of Montmollin-Montezillon, one of many along the line. This one was closed in favour of a new timetable, allowing half-hourly RegioExpress services between Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds.

The Compagnie du Jura Industriel (JI) opened the first part of the line between Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1857. The part to Neuchâtel was way more difficult to built due to the topography with 500 metres difference in altitude. #JuraIndustriel

Only possibility then was to build the switchback in Chambrelien. The line opened in 1860 and comprised two long tunnels and steep grades up to 27 per mill. Steam tender locos had to be turned on a turntable in Chambrelien. #JuraIndustriel
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SBB_A_3-5_617_in_Chambrelien.JPG

The ownership of the line changed several times after Jura Industriel went bankrupt in 1861, before the line was finally taken over by the canton in 1888. #JuraIndustriel

After Swiss Federal Rly were founded in 1902, canton of Neuchâtel tried to incorporate it's railway into the state owned #SBB. But central government was not interested, the sale only took place, when finally a Neuchâtelois was elected as federal council in 1913. #JuraIndustriel

#SBB electrified the line in 1931 and later introduced push-pull-trains to avoid shunting in Chambrelien. After the direct highway from Neuchâtel to La Chaux-de-Fonds was built in the 90ies, cutting traveltime in half, the line lost most of it's importance. #JuraIndustriel

Chambrelien now and then. Picture from 1978 by H.P. Bärtschi (CC BY-SA 4.0) via the fantastic E-Pics archive by @ETHBibliothek. #JuraIndustriel

When I first discovered this line some 15 years ago, class RBDe 560 trainsets worked a regional and a RegioExpress service every hour. Sometimes, there were loco hauled push-pull-trainsets too.

In December 2015 timetables were changed to get half-hourly fast RegioExpress services (a quite interesting concept, the details of which could fill another thread). This, however, brings us back to the present, which is interesting as well... #JuraIndustriel

... as one of the two RegioExpress services is operated by @blsAG with EW III trainsets. Main goal today was not to bomb you with railway history tweets, but to get a few pictures of these trains, as they soon will be replaced by modern EMU. #JuraIndustriel

One last thing: Not only the EW III will be replaced. It is also planned to abandon the whole line in favour of a new, direct amd fast underground line between Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds by 2035.
http://www.nemobilite2030.ch/prodes2035.html 
#JuraIndustriel

As the weather was not very photo-friendly today, I'm already on my way back home and I'll finish this thread about the #JuraIndustriel with another set of pictures. Have a nice evening and go visit this interesting piece of railway, as long as it still exists!