Rheineck–Walzenhausen mountain railway

Coordinates: 47°27′34″N 9°35′47″E / 47.45938°N 9.59651°E / 47.45938; 9.59651
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rheineck–Walzenhausen mountain railway (S26)
Single track
Rack systemRiggenbach
Track gauge1,200 mm (3 ft 11+1⁄4 in)
Electrification600 V DC
Highest elevation672 m (2,205 ft)
Maximum incline25%
Route map

Legend
km
elev
from Rorschach
-0.06
 Rheineck
405 m
to St. Margrethen
to depot
Start of rack
0.60
 Ruderbach
406 m
Schutz tunnel (315 m)
Griffelbach bridge (78 m)
Hexenkirchlitobel bridge (153 m)
1.65
 Hof
540 m
bridge (ca. 6 m)
Grund bridge (ca. 6 m)
Walzenhausen tunnel (70 m)
1.90
 Walzenhausen
672 m

The Rheineck–Walzenhausen mountain railway (

canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Passenger service on the line now forms part of the St. Gallen S-Bahn, branded as the S26.[2][3][4][5]

The line is owned and operated by the Appenzell Railways company, which also operates several other railway lines in the two Appenzell cantons.[6]

History

Share of the Drahtseilbahn-Gesellschaft Rheineck-Walzenhausen, issued 1. October 1897 [7]

The concession for the construction of a rail link between Rheineck and Walzenhausen was granted in 1889. The Drahtseilbahn-Gesellschaft Rheineck-Walzenhausen company started construction in 1895 and the line opened on 27 June 1896. As constructed, the line was a water operated

gasolene powered tram and later electrified. The owning company would subsequently change its name to Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen AG.[8][9]

By the 1950s the funicular was showing from its age, and it was finally closed on 1 May 1958 as the result of a broken axle. That year work commenced on the conversion of the funicular to a rack railway, using the Riggenbach rack system but retaining the funicular track gauge of 1,200 mm (3 ft 11+1⁄4 in). The connecting tramway was regauged and connected to the new rack railway, although retaining its adhesion operation, and the resulting line was electrified at 600 V DC. To operate the new line, a single four-wheeled railcar, BDeh 1/2 1, was built in 1958.[3][8][9][10]

In 2006 the Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen AG company was merged into the Appenzell Railways. The 1958-built car remains the only rolling stock on the line, and in 2014 was given a full overhaul, returning to work in May of that year. During the overhaul period, the line was replaced by a bus service.[3][9]

Operation

S26
Red rack train
BDeh 1/2 1 near Ruderbach
Overview
Service typeSt. Gallen S-Bahn service
Current operator(s)Appenzell Railways (AB)
Route
TerminiRheineck
Walzenhausen
Stops2
Service frequencyEvery 30 to 60 minutes
Technical
Rolling stock
S-Bahn St. Gallen network as of December 2021[5]

The route is 1.9 kilometres (1.18 mi) in length, has a track gauge of

%.[8][9][10][4]

The S26 service starts from its own terminus, located on platform 1 of

Chur–Rorschach railway, before bearing right and crossing the road on a level crossing to reach the stop at Ruderbach. The station building here incorporates the line's single track depot, accessed via the line's only set of points. Here the line joins the route of its funicular predecessor, and engages rack operation. The remainder of the line climbs at a steep gradient in a straight line to Walzenhausen, passing first through a 315 m (1,033 ft 6 in) long tunnel, and then across a 153 m (502 ft 0 in) long iron bridge over the Hexenkirchlitobel ravine. Finally it enters the terminus through a 70 m (229 ft 8 in) long tunnel under the Kurhaus.[9][4]

The S26 operates one or two return journeys per hour, depending on the time of day, with a single journey time of 9 minutes. Service is provided by the line's single four-wheeled railcar, BDeh 1/2 1. If this is unavailable for any reason, a substitute bus service is provided.[6]

A bus service links Walzenhausen with the upper station of the Rorschach–Heiden railway at Heiden, thus providing the opportunity for a round trip via both mountain railways. The final link between Rorschach and Rheineck can be achieved using the St. Margrethen–Rorschach line, or by ship on Lake Constance.[2]

Route

S26 Rheineck – Walzenhausen

Future

In September 2022, Stadler Rail announced that it had won a contract from the Appenzell Railways to supply a fully automated rack-and-adhesion railcar for use on the line. The car will operate with no staff on board, but a control room will be able to intervene by remote control if required. The automation project, including the price of the car, will cost SFr25m and is scheduled to be in use in 2026.[11]

Gallery

  • BDeh 1/2 1 after its 2014 overhaul, at its lower terminus
    BDeh 1/2 1 after its 2014 overhaul, at its lower terminus
  • Car near Ruderbach stop and depot. Note the transition from the level adhesion section to the rack operated former funicular
    Car near Ruderbach stop and depot. Note the transition from the level adhesion section to the rack operated former funicular
  • BDeh 1/2 1 near its top station
    BDeh 1/2 1 near its top station
  • Car at its top station in Walzenhausen
    Car at its top station in Walzenhausen

Further reading

  • Eggenberger, Peter (2000), "Drahtseilbahn/Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen", Rorschach-Heiden-Bergbahn (RHB), Drahtseilbahn/Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen (RhW), Zwei Bergbahnen in Wort und Bild von den Gründungsjahren bis in die Gegenwart (in German) (2 ed.), Herisau: Appenzeller Verlag, pp. 120–194,
    ISBN 3-85882-295-7, first edition 1992, covers also RHB
    by another author

References

  1. ^ "115d Rheineck–Walzenhausen", Amtliches Kursbuch (Postausgabe), 29.IX.1963—30.V.1964 (in German), 1963, p. 301
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84162-447-1
    .
  3. ^ a b c Haydock, David (July 2014). "RhW unit returns". Today's Railways Europe. No. 223. Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 54.
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7
    .
  5. ^ a b "S-Bahn St.Gallen" (PDF). Ostwind. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Rheineck–Walzenhausen" (PDF). Bundesamt für Verkehr. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  7. ISSN 1611-8006
  8. ^ a b c "Auch Walzenhausen wollte eine Bahn" [Also Walzenhausen wanted a train]. Online Archiv: Der Rheintaler (in German). 15 June 2006. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Geschichte" [History] (in German). Appenzeller Bahnen. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
  10. ^
    ISBN 3-7643-0550-9
    .
  11. ^ "Rack railway to be converted to driverless operation". Railway Gazette International. 28 September 2022. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023.

External links


47°27′34″N 9°35′47″E / 47.45938°N 9.59651°E / 47.45938; 9.59651

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