The Vitznau–Rigi railway line is a Swiss standard gauge rack railway that runs from Vitznau on the shore of Lake Lucerne to Rigi. It was built in 1871 by the Rigibahn, and is now owned by Rigi Railways, along with the Arth–Rigi railway line, which runs on the other side of the mountain, and the Weggis–Rigi Kaltbad cable car (Luftseilbahn Weggis–Rigi Kaltbad, LWRK).
Vitznau–Rigi
A cogwheel train on its way to the top of Rigi in Switzerland
Share worth 500 francs in the Rigibahn-Gesellschaft of 31 December 1889
The Vitznau–Rigi railway (VRB) was opened on 21 May 1871 as the Rigibahn and the first mountain railway in Europe. The first rack railway of Europe had already been opened in the quarry of Ostermundigen in 1870. The quarry was officially opened for marketing reasons only in October 1871.[2] The Vitznau–Rigi Railway was built by the engineers Niklaus Riggenbach, Ferdinand Adolf Naeff and Olivier Zschokke. At first it ran only from Vitznau (439 metres above sea level) via Kaltbad (1453 m.a.s.l.) to Rigi Staffelhöhe (1550 m.a.s.l.). On 27 June 1873,[3][Note 1] the railway was extended to Rigi Kulm (1752 m.a.s.l.). This section is located in the canton of Schwyz, for which the VRB had no concession. The track belonged to the ARB and was leased by the VRB. The line is mostly single track, but the line has been double-track since 1874 from the request stop of Freibergen to Rigi Kaltbad-First.
The Rigibahn was only open in the summer in the early years. Winter sports gradually developed and operations in the winter commenced.
The narrow-gauge Rigi–Scheidegg railway (Rigi-Kaltbad-Scheidegg-Bahn, RSB) to Rigi Scheidegg, which was completed in 1875, began in Kaltbad. This railway was closed in 1931 and finally abandoned in 1942. The Weggis–Rigi Kaltbad cable car (Luftseilbahn Weggis–Rigi Kaltbad, LWRK) from Weggis, also operated by the Rigi Railways, has ended in Kaltbad since 1968.
The Vitznau–Rigi Railway (officially called the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn since 1 January 1970) connects in Rigi Staffel with the tracks of the Arth–Rigi railway line, which has operated from Arth-Goldau since 1875. The VRB used a track that ran parallel with the track of the ARB to the common terminus in Rigi Kulm. Both railways were once strictly separated and competitors. The only connection was a transfer table in front of the joint depot building on Rigi Kulm. It was not until 1990 that a connecting track was built between the ARB and the VRB in Rigi Staffel. This was the beginning of the merger, which was completed in 1992.
The VRB switched to electric traction in 1937 and an overhead line was erected on the Vitznau–Rigi Kulm line. The traverser in Freibergen was replaced by a rack railway set of points in 1959; the same occurred in Kaltbad in 1961. These sets of points were replaced by new systems in 2000 and 2012. In 2012, the station complex in Kaltbad was completely renewed and a second platform track was installed. The station building in Kaltbad was demolished; construction of the new building started in May 2014 and was finished in September 2014. The new Kaltbad station building was inaugurated on 1 March 2015.
Steam locomotive in Rigi-KaltbadVRB train shortly after VitznauVitznau–Rigi railway points in Kaltbad, state as of before 2012Vitznau Rigi Bahn steam locomotive of the Riggenbach rack system
Electrical systemedit
Introduction of electrical operation
3 October 1937
Equipment for electrical operation:
3 rectifier plants
Supply of three-phase current:
15 kV/50 Hz
DC voltage:
1,500 V
Power of the rectifier stations:
4,000 kW
Speededit
Steam locomotives
9 km/h
Ascent:
18/23 km/h
Descent:
12/14 km/h
Vitznau–Rigi Kulm travel time:
30 minutes
Capacity:
about 850 people/
Rolling stockedit
1 electric locomotive of 331 kW (no. 18)
4 electric motor cars of 330 kW (no. 1–4)
1 electric motor cars of 752 kW (no. 5)
2 electric push-pull sets of 824 kW (no. 21–22)
1 snow plough of 309 kW (not self-propelled)
2 steam locomotives of 340 kW (no. 16–17)
9 passenger cars
13 freight wagons, official vehicles, snow ploughs etc.
Notesedit
^The date 23 June 1873 frequently quoted contradicts the fact that the Federal Council did not authorise the railway company's board of directors to hand over the section of track for public operations until its meeting of 25 June 1873. – see: "Tages-Courrier. (…) Zur Lage. (…) Eidgenossenschaft. Bundesrathsverhandlungen". Intelligenzblatt für die Stadt Bern (in German). 26 June 1873. p. supplement, 5, middle.
^Elsasser, Kilian T. (October 2000). Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Technikgeschichte und Industriekultur (ed.). "Restaurierung der Zahnrad-Dampflok Gnom im Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, Januar 2000 bis März 2002" (PDF). IN.KU (in German) (32). Winterthur: 1–4. (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
^Jegher, C(arl), ed. (5 June 1937). "Mitteilungen. (…) Elektrifikation der Vitznau–Rigi-Bahn". Schweizerische Bauzeitung (in German). Vol. 109, no. 23. p. 279. ISSN 0036-7524.
^ (in German). Rigi-Bahnen AG. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
Sourcesedit
Kronauer, J(ohann) H(einrich) (1871). "Bücherschau. Die Rigi-Eisenbahn mit Zahnradbetrieb". Allgemeine Bauzeitung (in German). Vol. XXXVI. pp. 423–426.
Theiler, J. (3 January 1872). "Einige Bemerkungen über das Riggenbach'sche Eisenbahnsystem in seiner Anwendung". Allgemeine Bauzeitung (in German). Vol. XXXVII. pp. 386 ff.
vitznau, rigi, railway, line, swiss, standard, gauge, rack, railway, that, runs, from, vitznau, shore, lake, lucerne, rigi, built, 1871, rigibahn, owned, rigi, railways, along, with, arth, rigi, railway, line, which, runs, other, side, mountain, weggis, rigi, . The Vitznau Rigi railway line is a Swiss standard gauge rack railway that runs from Vitznau on the shore of Lake Lucerne to Rigi It was built in 1871 by the Rigibahn and is now owned by Rigi Railways along with the Arth Rigi railway line which runs on the other side of the mountain and the Weggis Rigi Kaltbad cable car Luftseilbahn Weggis Rigi Kaltbad LWRK Vitznau RigiA cogwheel train on its way to the top of Rigi in SwitzerlandOverviewOwnerRigi RailwaysLine number603TerminiVitznauRigiTechnicalLine length6 975 km 4 334 mi Number of tracks1 or 2Rack systemRiggenbachTrack gauge1 435 mm 4 ft 8 1 2 in standard gaugeMinimum radius60 m 200 ft Electrification1500 V DCMaximum incline25 0 Route mapLegend km elev 0 0 Vitznau 435 m Unterschwanden 1 2 Mittlerschwanden 685 m Oberschwanden Schwanden tunnel 67 m Tunnelhuttli Schnurtobel bridge 80 m 2 1 Grubisbalm 910 m 2 6 Freibergenstart of double track 1026 m 3 4 Romiti Felsentor 1195 m 4 5 Rigi Kaltbad Firstend of double track 1453 m Aerial cable car Weggis Rigi Kaltbad 5 0 Rigi Staffelhohe 1550 m Arth Rigi railway from Arth Goldau 5 9 Rigi Staffel 1603 m 6 8 Rigi Kulm 1752 m Source Swiss railway atlas 1 Contents 1 History 2 Technical data 2 1 Electrical system 2 2 Speed 3 Rolling stock 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Footnotes 5 2 SourcesHistory edit nbsp Share worth 500 francs in the Rigibahn Gesellschaft of 31 December 1889 The Vitznau Rigi railway VRB was opened on 21 May 1871 as the Rigibahn and the first mountain railway in Europe The first rack railway of Europe had already been opened in the quarry of Ostermundigen in 1870 The quarry was officially opened for marketing reasons only in October 1871 2 The Vitznau Rigi Railway was built by the engineers Niklaus Riggenbach Ferdinand Adolf Naeff and Olivier Zschokke At first it ran only from Vitznau 439 metres above sea level via Kaltbad 1453 m a s l to Rigi Staffelhohe 1550 m a s l On 27 June 1873 3 Note 1 the railway was extended to Rigi Kulm 1752 m a s l This section is located in the canton of Schwyz for which the VRB had no concession The track belonged to the ARB and was leased by the VRB The line is mostly single track but the line has been double track since 1874 from the request stop of Freibergen to Rigi Kaltbad First The Rigibahn was only open in the summer in the early years Winter sports gradually developed and operations in the winter commenced The narrow gauge Rigi Scheidegg railway Rigi Kaltbad Scheidegg Bahn RSB to Rigi Scheidegg which was completed in 1875 began in Kaltbad This railway was closed in 1931 and finally abandoned in 1942 The Weggis Rigi Kaltbad cable car Luftseilbahn Weggis Rigi Kaltbad LWRK from Weggis also operated by the Rigi Railways has ended in Kaltbad since 1968 The Vitznau Rigi Railway officially called the Vitznau Rigi Bahn since 1 January 1970 connects in Rigi Staffel with the tracks of the Arth Rigi railway line which has operated from Arth Goldau since 1875 The VRB used a track that ran parallel with the track of the ARB to the common terminus in Rigi Kulm Both railways were once strictly separated and competitors The only connection was a transfer table in front of the joint depot building on Rigi Kulm It was not until 1990 that a connecting track was built between the ARB and the VRB in Rigi Staffel This was the beginning of the merger which was completed in 1992 The VRB switched to electric traction in 1937 and an overhead line was erected on the Vitznau Rigi Kulm line The traverser in Freibergen was replaced by a rack railway set of points in 1959 the same occurred in Kaltbad in 1961 These sets of points were replaced by new systems in 2000 and 2012 In 2012 the station complex in Kaltbad was completely renewed and a second platform track was installed The station building in Kaltbad was demolished construction of the new building started in May 2014 and was finished in September 2014 The new Kaltbad station building was inaugurated on 1 March 2015 Technical data editThe railway has the following technical data 4 nbsp Steam locomotive in Rigi Kaltbad nbsp VRB train shortly after Vitznau nbsp Vitznau Rigi railway points in Kaltbad state as of before 2012 nbsp Vitznau Rigi Bahn steam locomotive of the Riggenbach rack system Electrical system edit Introduction of electrical operation 3 October 1937 Equipment for electrical operation 3 rectifier plants Supply of three phase current 15 kV 50 Hz DC voltage 1 500 V Power of the rectifier stations 4 000 kW Speed edit Steam locomotives 9 km h Ascent 18 23 km h Descent 12 14 km h Vitznau Rigi Kulm travel time 30 minutes Capacity about 850 people Rolling stock edit1 electric locomotive of 331 kW no 18 4 electric motor cars of 330 kW no 1 4 1 electric motor cars of 752 kW no 5 2 electric push pull sets of 824 kW no 21 22 1 snow plough of 309 kW not self propelled 2 steam locomotives of 340 kW no 16 17 9 passenger cars 13 freight wagons official vehicles snow ploughs etc Notes edit The date 23 June 1873 frequently quoted contradicts the fact that the Federal Council did not authorise the railway company s board of directors to hand over the section of track for public operations until its meeting of 25 June 1873 see Tages Courrier Zur Lage Eidgenossenschaft Bundesrathsverhandlungen Intelligenzblatt fur die Stadt Bern in German 26 June 1873 p supplement 5 middle References editFootnotes edit Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz Swiss railway atlas Schweers Wall 2012 p 22 ISBN 978 3 89494 130 7 Elsasser Kilian T October 2000 Schweizerische Gesellschaft fur Technikgeschichte und Industriekultur ed Restaurierung der Zahnrad Dampflok Gnom im Verkehrshaus der Schweiz Januar 2000 bis Marz 2002 PDF IN KU in German 32 Winterthur 1 4 Archived PDF from the original on 3 September 2018 Retrieved 12 July 2019 Jegher C arl ed 5 June 1937 Mitteilungen Elektrifikation der Vitznau Rigi Bahn Schweizerische Bauzeitung in German Vol 109 no 23 p 279 ISSN 0036 7524 Erste Bergbahn Europas Technische Daten Zahnradbahn ab Vitznau in German Rigi Bahnen AG Archived from the original on 9 April 2016 Retrieved 11 July 2019 Sources edit Kronauer J ohann H einrich 1871 Bucherschau Die Rigi Eisenbahn mit Zahnradbetrieb Allgemeine Bauzeitung in German Vol XXXVI pp 423 426 Theiler J 3 January 1872 Einige Bemerkungen uber das Riggenbach sche Eisenbahnsystem in seiner Anwendung Allgemeine Bauzeitung in German Vol XXXVII pp 386 ff Inabnit Florian 2002 Rigi Bahnen Zahnradbahn Vitznau Rigi in German Leissigen Prellbock Druck amp Verlag ISBN 3 907579 19 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vitznau Rigi railway line amp oldid 1193638147, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
