page_title: Mont Cenis Pass Railway
hierarchical_section_title: Mont Cenis Pass Railway
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Zug der ehemaligen Mont Cenis-Bahn (MC) System Fell im italienisch französischen Grenzgebiet. Ein Personenwagen der Mont Cenis-Bahn ist bei der Museumsbahn Blonay–Chamby in der Schweiz erhalten geblieben.
context_page_description: The Mont Cenis Pass Railway operated from 1868 to 1871 during the construction of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel through the Alps between southeast France and northwest Italy. It was the first mountain railway in the world. It was designed by John Barraclough Fell and his three-rail design was used on some other mountain railways. The railway was 77 kilometres long, with a gauge of 1,100 mm and a maximum inclination of 9 per cent. It was used to transport English mail to India as part of the 1,400-mile All Red Route.
  A British company was established in 1864 by a number of British contractors, engineers and investors to obtain permission from the two governments to build the railway. These included: Thomas Brassey, Fell, James Brunlees and Alexander Brogden. Having obtained permission, in 1866 they established the Mont Cenis Railway Company to build and run the railway. Although it would eventually be superseded by the tunnel, they believed that, during its life the cost of the pass railway would be repaid with a profit to them. The company used British engine-drivers and workmen.
  In the event there were delays in establishing the railway and it did not start until 15 June 1868.
context_section_description: The Mont Cenis Pass Railway operated from 1868 to 1871 (with some interruptions) during the construction of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel through the Alps between southeast France and northwest Italy. It was the first mountain railway in the world. It was designed by John Barraclough Fell and his three-rail design was used on some other mountain railways. The railway was 77 kilometres (48 miles) long, with a gauge of 1,100 mm (3 ft 7 ⁵⁄₁₆ in) and a maximum inclination of 9 per cent. It was used to transport English mail to India as part of the 1,400-mile (2,300 km) All Red Route.
  A British company was established in 1864 by a number of British contractors, engineers and investors to obtain permission from the two governments to build the railway. These included: Thomas Brassey, Fell, James Brunlees and Alexander Brogden. Having obtained permission, in 1866 they established the Mont Cenis Railway Company to build and run the railway.   Although it would eventually be superseded by the tunnel, they believed that, during its life the cost of the pass railway would be repaid with a profit to them. The company used British engine-drivers and workmen.
  In the event there were delays in establishing the railway and it did not start until 15 June 1868. On the other hand, the tunnel progressed faster than expected as new tunnelling methods were developed; so the tunnel was opened on 16 October 1871. This meant that the pass railway was active for a shorter time than expected, leaving the proprietors with a considerable loss. However, the technology proved itself and was used on a number of other mountain railways.
  Until this railway was built, rail passengers had to cross the Alps by horse-drawn diligence in summer or sledge in winter.
  The Pass Railway is sometimes called the Mont Cenis Summit Railway so as to distinguish it from the Tunnel Railway.
caption: Picture of "Fell" system train, used between 1868 and 1871
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