Rhaetian Railway

46°24′32″N 10°1′11″E / 46.40889°N 10.01972°E / 46.40889; 10.01972

Rhaetian Railway
Canton of Grisons, Switzerland, Lombardy, Italy
Stations	102
Website	www.rhb.ch
Service
Type	Commuter and heavy rail
Services	10
Ridership	12 Million per year
History
Opened	1888
Technical
Line length	385 km (239 mi)
Character	Mountain railway
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Electrification	11 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz (322 km) 1000 V DC (62 km, Bernina line)
Operating speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Highest elevation	2,254 m (7,395 ft)
Route map

The Rhaetian Railway (

.

The Rhaetian Railway serves a number of major tourist destinations, such as

in Italy.

In 2008, the RhB section from the

History

Rhaetian Railway
Technical
Rack system	None
metre gauge
Electrification	11 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz (322 km) 1000 V DC (62 km, Bernina line)
Maximum incline	Bernina line: 7%
Route map Legend to Zürich to St. Margrethen Landquart Landquart Ried Malans Igis Seewis-Pardisla Zizers Grüsch Untervaz-Trimmis Untervaz Schiers Nord Trimmis closed 2006 Trimmis Schiers Haldenstein Fuchsenwinkel Chur Wiesental Furma Chur Jenaz Arosa Line Fideris Chur Stadt Küblis Felsberg Chur Sand depot Saas Domat/Ems Sassal closed 2000 Serneus Scuol-Tarasp Ems Werk Untersax Klosters Dorf Ftan Baraigla Reichenau-Tamins Lüen-Castiel Klosters Ardez St. Peter-Molinis Guarda Peist Lavin Bonaduz Langwies GR Klosters Selfranga Sagliains Rhäzüns Litzirüti Cavadürli Klosters Selfranga Süd Rothenbrunnen Haspelgrube Davos Laret Vereina Nord Rodels-Realta Arosa Davos Wolfgang Vereina Süd Trin Cazis Davos Dorf Sagliains Nord Versam-Safien Thusis Davos Platz Saslatsch Nord Valendas-Sagogn   Sils im Domleschg Davos Islen Jcn Castrisch Solis Davos Frauenkirch Ilanz Tiefencastel Davos Glaris Susch Rueun Surava Davos Monstein Zernez Waltensburg/Vuorz Alvaneu Wiesen Carolina Tavanasa-Breil/Brigels Filisur Rabius-Surrein Stugl Sumvitg-Cumpadials Bergün/Bravuogn S-chanf Disentis/Mustér Muot Zuoz Furka Oberalp Railway to Brig Preda Madulain La Punt-Chamues-ch Bever Samedan Celerina St. Moritz Punt Muragl Celerina Staz Punt Muragl Staz Voltage changeover 11 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz 1,000 VDC Pontresina Surovas Alp Nuova Morteratsch Bernina Suot Bernina Diavolezza Bernina Lagalb Ospizio Bernina Alp Grüm Stablini Cavaglia Cadera Privilasco Poschiavo Li Curt Cantoniera Le Prese Miralago Brusio Brusio spiral viaduct Campascio to freight depot Campocologno Switzerland Italy border Tirano This diagram: view talk edit

The establishment of the Rhaetian Railway traces back to Dutch Willem Jan Holsboer [nl; de; fr], who owned a hotel in Davos.^[4] He proposed a railway line from Landquart to Davos in 1888.^[5] Holsboer founded the Landquart-Davos AG to begin construction of a standard-gauge line, but the mountainous terrain lacked sufficient space. On 29 June 1888, a ground-breaking ceremony took place for a narrow-gauge railway instead. By 1890, the railway line served Davos.^[5]

In 1895, Holsboer changed his company's name to the Rhaetian Railway (Rhätische Bahn) to reflect his plans for network expansion. By 1896 the lines Chur–Landquart and Chur–Thusis were operated.^[5] In 1897, a referendum was held for the Rhaetian Railway to bid on operations of the Graubünden/Grisons State Railways.

This was followed by the Albula line in 1903 and the series of expansion projects carried on until 1922. In 1903 the Album line reached Celerina, and in 1904 also St.Moritz was able to be served.^[5] During the years 1907 to 1910, the Rhaetian Railway, in collaboration with the federal and cantonal governments, undertook a large-scale expansion of its network.

All RhB lines are 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)

wide and electrified:

• 61 km (37.9 mi) (the
  Bernina Railway
  from St Moritz to Tirano) is electrified at 1000 V DC.
• 321 km (199.5 mi) is electrified at 11 kV 16.7 Hz (including since 1997 Chur-Arosa and the new Vereina tunnel).

The network contains 84 tunnels (the longest being the 19.042-kilometre (11.832 mi)

6% on the Chur–Arosa line and 4.5% on Landquart–Davos line.

In 2022, to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Switzerland's first railway, the Rhaetische Bahn, supported by Swiss train-builder Stadler, came together to run the world's longest-ever passenger train, composed of 100 cars stretching almost two kilometres long.[7]

Network

Current passenger services as operated by the RhB (2016):

Service	Timetable	Route	Notes
RE	910	Davos Platz	1tph
RE	910	St. Moritz	1tp2h
RE	910	Davos Platz	1tph (Winter seasonal service)
RE	910/920	Scuol-Tarasp	1tph
R	915	Filisur	1tph
R	930	Arosa	1tph
RE	940	St. Moritz	1tph
S1	941	Rhäzüns	1tph
S2	941	Thusis	1tph
R	950	Poschiavo – Tirano	1tph
R	960	Pontresina	1tph

In 2002 the annual traffic carried by the RhB was 300 million

of freight. 80% of the passenger income comes from tourist traffic, although 40% of passengers are local commuters.

Landquart–Davos line

is the starting point of the Rhaetian Railway, historically as part of the Landquart-Davos line, operationally as the company's main workshop, and topologically as the 0 kilometre point of the company's core network. The Landquart-Davos line is the oldest in the Rhaetian Railway network.

After leaving Landquart, the line to Davos generally follows the river

, the centerpiece of the Klosters bypass road.

Just south of Klosters Platz, the tracks cross the river the last time and come to two tunnels. One of these is for the Vereina line (see below). The other, the Klosters

Davos Laret

.

The highest point on the line is the next stop,

Davos Platz

.

Davos–Filisur line

The connecting line from Davos Platz to the

]

The Davos–Filisur line is 19 km (12 mi) long, runs through 14 tunnels extending a total of 4,200 m (13,780 ft) in length, and crosses 28 bridges. It was

in 1919.

Landquart–Thusis line

Bonaduz

.

Starting in the Rhine valley, the Landquart-Thusis line runs more or less parallel with the

(697 m or 2,287 ft).

Albula line (Thusis–St. Moritz)

This line begins in

(1373 m).

Between Bergün/Bravuogn and

(1,775 m).

Albula tunnel

In 2009 it was announced that an examination of the Albula Tunnel conducted in 2006 had found major degradation of the tunnel, with over 60% of the lining in need of replacement. Furthermore, the bores are small by modern standards, and cabling, signalling and drainage all need replacement. As a result, it was announced that an inquiry would decide between two options for action: a comprehensive renewal of the existing tunnel, or the construction of a new bore to modern standards.^[8] As a result of this inquiry, RhB decided to build a new tunnel. Construction began in 2015, with the new tunnel opening in 2022 and the project completed including refurbishment of the old tunnel in 2023.

Reichenau–Disentis/Mustér line

The Reichenau to Disentis/Mustér line links the rest of the Rhaetian Railway network with the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. It branches from the line to Thusis behind the shared Rhine bridge.

The line, which was opened progressively between 1903 and 1912, has been electrified since 1922.

In contrast with the accompanying road, which rises about 500 metres towards Flims and Laax, the railway to Disentis/Mustér runs slowly up the narrow "Ruinaulta gorge". On this part of the line, its associated engineering structures dominate the otherwise pristine natural landscape.

At

, the railway line and road merge paths once again. Their combined pathways then rise slowly and evenly to Disentis/Mustér.

The main traffic on the Reichenau–Disentis/Mustér line is RegioExpress passenger trains operating at hourly intervals. Several times a day, there are Glacier Express trains in each direction.

Timetabled

with train IDs starting with 5. Usually three pairs of trains serve Disentis/Mustér with a Ge 6/6 II and a few additional trains go only to Ilanz with a Ge 4/4 II.

Engadin line (Pontresina–Scuol-Tarasp)

Zuoz

.

This line, which runs up the

.

Since the opening of the Engadin line, Pontresina has been a dual system station, as the Bernina Railway operates on 1,000 V DC. Track 3 at Pontresina station has a switchable catenary, and is used for trains, such as the Heidi Express, operating through the station and needing to change from one of the two electification systems to the other.

Between Samedan and Bever, the Engadin line shares its track with the Albula Railway. With the opening of the

, on the Landquart–Davos line.

Bernina line (St. Moritz–Tirano, originally Berninabahn)

This line begins at

, stands at the line's summit at 2,253 m above sea and holds the title of the highest point of the entire Rhetian Railway network and among all adhesion railways in Europe.

Poschiavo

(1,014 m).

After Poschiavo, the line runs next to

Tirano RhB

station (430 m).

Arosa line (originally Chur–Arosa-Bahn (ChA))

Main article:

Chur–Arosa railway

The 25.68-kilometre (15.96 mi) railway line from

has always been 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) as per the rest of the RhB network.

It is a

used.

along the streets

of Chur and is known as the Chur stadtbahn ('town railway'). In Chur, the line starts on Bahnhofplatz, in front of the main railway station, where that station's platforms for the Arosabahn are, though there is a second stop in Chur only 760 metres from the main station.

A 5-kilometre tunnel through the Mittenberg had been planned as an alternative route for the lower section of the line, avoiding running through the centre of Chur. This plan was finally dropped in 1996 as the considerable expense could not be justified.

Currently the train service (Regio) R4 provides the passenger service on the line and is shown as timetable 930[9] in the Swiss national timetables. It is well used by tourists coming to and from the resort at Arosa. The line also carries a substantial amount of freight.

Bellinzona–Mesocco line (originally Ferrovia Bellinzona–Mesocco)

This line is not connected to the others. It opened in 1907 and was owned by the Rhaetian Railway between 1942 and 2003. Passenger services ceased in 1972, but a limited freight traffic continued until 2003. The private association (SEFT, Società Esercizio Ferroviario Turistico) operated it as a heritage railway for tourists over 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) of the original 31 kilometres (19 mi) of line until part of the concession was withdrawn in 2013 to allow road construction. The road construction had been started in July 2014.^[10]

• 
  Moesa III bridge 46°14′16″N 9°7′54″E / 46.23778°N 9.13167°E / 46.23778; 9.13167
• 
  Cama station 46°16′21″N 9°10′09″E / 46.27250°N 9.16917°E / 46.27250; 9.16917
• 
  Soazza station 46°22′02.8″N 9°13′22.5″E / 46.367444°N 9.222917°E / 46.367444; 9.222917
• 
  Mesocco station 46°23′24.7″N 9°14′02.3″E / 46.390194°N 9.233972°E / 46.390194; 9.233972

Vereina line

Rolling stock

For commuter services Rhaetian Railway ABe 4/16 electric multiple units are used.

Apart from the normal passenger coaches and the panoramic coaches used for the branded Bernina Express tourist services, the railway attaches to the back of trains, according to need:

• yellow open trucks with wooden benches called vaguns panoramics
• art deco Pullman coach AS 1143, which may be hired by private parties

Corporate information

Statistics

• Travellers per year (2008): 10.7 million
• Revenue (2008): 308,700,000 sFr.
• Profit (2008): 1,700,000 sFr.
• Employees (2008): 1,348
• Total rolling stock (2008): 1,294

Ownership

The RhB is 51.3% owned by the Cantonal government of Graubünden, 43.1% by the Swiss Confederation, 4.6% by private shareholders and 1% by a collection of local communities.

The RhB has its headquarters at Bahnhofstrasse 25, Chur. 46°51′06″N 9°31′57″E / 46.8517°N 9.5325°E / 46.8517; 9.5325 (RhB HQ)

Accidents and incidents

Main article: Tiefencastel derailment

• On 13 August 2014, a passenger train was struck by a landslide and derailed at
  Albula Railway
  . Eleven people were injured.

In popular culture

In 1997, the Rhaetian Railway was used as the prototype for the

]

See also

• Bernina Express
• Hakone Tozan Railway: Japanese
  private mountain railway, twinning railway with RhB.
• List of mountain railways in Switzerland
• List of heritage railways and funiculars in Switzerland
• List of narrow-gauge railways in Switzerland
• List of railway companies in Switzerland

Notes and references

Bibliography

• Camenisch, Carl (1904). Die Rhätische Bahn: mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Albula-Route [The Rhaetian Railway with particular attention to the Albula route]. Zürich: Orell Füssli Verlag. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
• Hill, Ken; Pattison, Tony, eds. (2000). Jane's World Railways. London:
  ISBN 0-7106-2034-9
  .
• ISBN 0-7153-6408-1
  .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhaetian Railway.

• RhB official website Archived 2014-07-03 at the Wayback Machine (English)
• The Rhaetian Network Image presentations of famous Rhaetian lines
• Rail-info.ch description
• Railfaneurope.net, RhB photos