SNCF train cancelled by carrier

Posted by Sue (North Carolina mountains) on 07/11/19 01:31 PM

Greetings. Purchased tickets from Trainline for travel on September 8 from Paris Gare Lyon to Beaune on the train departing at 1453 hours. Received email from carrier that the route from Paris to Dijon ( where we would change trains) was cancelled due to "track modernization ".

Trainline is issuing a refund.

Looking at options for rescheduling and I see a train leaving at 1653 hours. It appears to be the same route, changing in Dijon. Just wondering how a train can run two hours later on the same route if they are working on the track. Hoping one of the many train experts on this site can shed some light on this before I purchase the tickets.

I am aware of another there is a direct regional train we could take, but prefer not to take it.

Thanks for your help.

Posted by Chris F

Basel, Switzerland

07/11/19 01:47 PM

8889 posts

how a train can run two hours later on the same route if they are working on the track.

1) Because the work is scheduled to finish by then. In which case it is a risk as the work could overrun.

2) They are only working on one of the two tracks, the other one is being used in alternate directions for trains in both directions. This restricts the number of trains that can run on the track per hour, so some trains are cancelled. This is common.

3) Trains are being diverted via a longer slower route. This other route has a restricted capacity, because it already has its own trains running on it, or is only single track, or is not electrified so the trains have to be hauled at a slower speed by diesel engines. Either way, it restricts the number of trains.

Posted by Sue OP

North Carolina mountains

07/11/19 02:05 PM

550 posts

Thanks Chris. Makes sense. I appreciate your response.

Posted by Matt from Springfield

07/11/19 02:15 PM

106 posts

Not a train expert, but it would seem to me that the obvious explanation is that the work on the dedicated TGV line is of a nature such that it could be started and concluded in the 3 hour window of time created by canceling the 14h 53 train, leaving the closest (in time) TGV trains as departing Paris at 13h 53 and 16h 53.

The work could be just about anything: changing bulbs/LEDs in informational signs posted for train pilots, checking the tolerance of a curve, replacing a switch mechanism, maintaining a fence to keep cattle off the line (several TER trains have hit, or been stopped by, cattle recently), replacing a length of electrical line observed to have been causing sparking... it could be almost anything.

What it probably is not is major work on the rails, ties, or ballast. I would think that would require more time.

I see an article describing work in Dijon that started in April for some switches and informational signage, and that was followed by a more extensive project beginning in May and extending to December of 2019. The linked article notes that the work will be stopped during the summer travel season, from 15 July to 23 August. Your travel date (8 September) is shortly after work is planned to resume, so it could be something associated with the resumption of that work (even though most of the work is to occur at night).
It appears that work also is focused on switches (aiguillages), which means it's probably in a rail yard or train station.