FRENCH Prime Minister Lionel Jospin was the star guest at ceremonies held on July 12 to mark completion of the first stage of Line E of the Paris RER network. Two days later it was Bastille day, and Parisians lured by free travel to and from the eastern suburbs stormed the trains that bridge the gap between Gare de l’Est and the Saint Lazare business quarter, which is also home to the Opéra and the famous Grands Magasins. A trip by metro or RER previously requiring at least one change now takes just 3min on Line E, excluding walking time to and from the platforms at the new stations at Magenta (serving Nord and Est) and Haussmann Saint-Lazare.
Known as Eole (Est-Ouest Liaison Express), the project is only half finished. Ultimately, it will provide through running between the busy suburban networks east and west of the city, but initially there is no link to the St Lazare lines from the western end of the tunnel, and trains from Magenta turn back at Haussmann Saint-Lazare. The missing tunnel section to Pont Cardinet is not expected to be complete before 2006 at the earliest.
During peak hours Eole trains run every 7 or 8min to and from Chelles-Gournay in the eastern commuter belt, reducing to every 15min off peak. From August 30 a second service was to be added to and from Villiers-sur-Marne-Le-Plessis-Trévise.
The Eole concept dates back to the late 1980s, when it was imperative to ease congestion on RER Line A. As a result the government launched both Eole and the Météor automated metro project, and the Declaration of Public Utility for Eole was granted in November 1991.
Construction of two single track 1·7 km tunnels through what one French newspaper described as the gruyère Parisien was fraught with difficulties. While some of the alignment was cut at a depth of up to 35m to avoid the many other holes below the French capital, problems arose near Gare du Nord. One of the worst moments was when the ground collapsed in the rue Papillon in the 10th arrondissement, causing cracks to appear in buildings. This led to a six-month delay and an increase in costs.
The financial position was not helped by SNCF paying for the land in 1991 at the height of a property boom, only to find that real estate values plummeted shortly afterwards. This helps to explain why the budgeted cost of Fr6bn escalated to more than Fr8bn, prompting long arguments between government, the Ile de France région, Réseau Ferré de France and SNCF as to which party should pick up the extra bill. The final cost was shared by the state (33·6%), the Syndicat des Transports Parisiens (1·5%), the région (59·8%), and RFF-SNCF (5%).
These figures exclude rolling stock in the form of a fleet of 53 double-deck MI2N EMUs which cost around Fr4bn. They were built by a consortium in which Alstom was prime contractor in a partnership with ANF, part of Bombardier Eurorail. These high-capacity trains with three sets of doors per bodyside were described in RG 3.96 p132.
The cross-city tunnels and the double track access tunnel from Magenta to the eastern portal at La Villette are electrified at 25 kV 50Hz. This is the first time that 25 kV has been used on an underground line in Paris, and special measures were needed to avoid stray currents.
Around 170000 passengers a day are expected to use the initial Eole services, with 30000 people passing through the stations at Magenta and Haussmann. Users are certain to welcome the bold architecture, where natural light penetrates well below the ground surface. Both form important interchanges: at Haussmann with RER Line A, SNCF commuter and inter-city services and Lines 3, 9, 12 and 13 of the metro; at Magenta with RER Lines B and D, Eurostar, Thalys and other main line services, and metro Lines 2, 4 and 5. Direct access is available from Magenta to Nord station, but a walkway to Est remains a distant hope as it is not envisaged before opening of TGV Est.
According to Jospin, Eole ’is one of the last major works of this type’. Emphasis will switch from now on to surface routes, with proposals for more tram routes likely to be brought forward.
CAPTION: The MI2N sets have three sets of doors per car side; each doorway is 2m wide to allow rapid boarding. A fleet of 14 similar units is in service on RER Line A
CAPTION: Inset: French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin (centre) rode the inaugural train between Magenta and Haussmann Saint-Lazare on July 12. Also at the event were Minister of Transport Jean-Claude Gayssot, SNCF President Louis Gallois, RFF President Claude Martinand and Jean-Paul Huchon, President of the Ile de France Regional Council. Special trains were run from Chelles-Gournay and Villiers-sur-Marne-Le Plessis-Trévise
Photo: SNCF-CAV / Eric Bernard
CAPTION: The Eole station at Magenta provides interchange with Gare du Nord from the Est suburban network
Photo: La Vie du Rail
