3 years ago when the Compagnie du Mont Blanc took over the daily management of the Tramway, there were big plans afoot: renovation and a 300m extension. Actually, back in 1904 when the Tramway was built there had been plans to continue the train up the Aiguille du Gouter and even all the way up Mont Blanc! Although the war halted such ambitious construction at the current Nid d'Aigle end station, the new 300m extension would offer visitors the chance to go right up to the glacier. But maintaining such a Tramway at high altitude is a costly affair. Landslides not only incur the costs of track repair but also the loss of income in the tourist season. The Compagnie du Mont Blanc is no longer enthousiastic about financing 50% of the renovations and extension while operating at a loss, not to mention the negative environmental implications of continuing the track on such terrain. With tensions already high between Chamonix and the Saint-Gervais municipality due to the Les Houches ski area, the Tramway du Mont Blanc is yet another point of contention. Saint-Gervais benefits enormously from the tourism of the Tramway du Mont Blanc and wants the extension to continue. The Compagnie du Mont Blanc would rather give the infrastructure back to the Haute-Savoie. Who can afford to keep the train running? The Compagnie du Mont Blanc have indicated it might be best if they ran the Tramway in the summer and let some other entitity take over in the (unsuccessful) winter.
