ously ▁since ▁its ▁opening ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁The ▁first ▁tram way ▁line ▁was ▁steam - oper ated ▁and ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁the ▁ ▁( CF VE ) ▁on ▁ 4 ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁stretch ing ▁for ▁ 5 . 5   km ▁between ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁The ▁CF VE ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁ ▁lines ▁and ▁dis cont in ued ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁steam ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁L ines ▁with ▁small ▁patron age ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁t rol ley b uses ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁with ▁all ▁but ▁one ▁line ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁impos s ibility ▁of ▁running ▁these ▁bus es ▁on ▁the ▁bus iest ▁line ▁of ▁the ▁network . ▁The ▁decision ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁tram way ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁saw ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁famous ▁P CC ▁tram c ars ▁to ▁replace ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁rolling ▁stock ▁and ▁the ▁Ve vey - Al st hom ▁tram c ars ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 - 1 9 9 2 . ▁The ▁system ▁is ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁ST AS . ▁ ▁Network ▁ ▁The ▁Saint - Ét ienne ▁tram way ▁now ▁runs ▁from ▁ ▁to ▁ ▁after ▁an ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁line ▁from ▁Belle vue ▁station ▁to ▁S ola ure ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁from ▁La ▁Terr asse ▁station ▁to ▁ ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁with