Chemins de fer fribourgeois Gruyère–Fribourg–Morat

The Chemin de Fer Fribourgeois, Gruyere - Fribourg - Morat is a metre-gauge line with a length of 48.2 km. running mainly within the Swiss canton of Fribourg.

History

The main line of the narrow gauge network runs from Palézieux (SBB - line Bern - Lausanne) via Châtel-St. Denis and Bulle to Montbovon and has a total length of 44.2 km. The short Bulle - Broc branch line serves the nearby Nestlé chocolate factory.

The line was opened in stages, that from Chateau St. Denis to Palezieux (CP) in 1901, followed over the following three years by the lines which made up the CBM, those from Chateau St. Denis to Vuadens, Vaudens to Bulle, Bulle to La Tour de Treme and from La Tour de Treme to Montbovon. From 20th December 1907 these companies amalgamated to form the Chemins de fer électriques de la Gruyère (CEG), which, from 1st January 1942, and with the addition of the branch line from Bulle to Broc, opened in 1912; and its two standard gauge lines, Bulle - Romont and Fribourg - Merten - Ins formed the Chemin de Fer Gruyere - Fribourg - Morat.

Bulle is the centre of operations with depot workshops and connection to the standard gauge railway to Romont. The transfer to the Chemin de fer Montreux Oberland Bernoise takes place in Montbovon; until 1969, Châtel-St. Denis, also had a connection to the CEV to Vevey.

Today, operations is in the hands of the Transports Public Fribourgois

Livery.

The trains were painted in an uninspiring grey livery with a broad orange band below the windows, marked "La Gruyere". In 2004 the first of the repainted units appeared on the line in a plain white livery with the area around the driving cab, a "dot" pattern along the body side and "tpf" lettering in cherry red.