GabyAn ambitious project was implemented to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Swiss railway. By assembling a passenger train 1,906 meters long, Switzerland set a world record. 100 cars, linked together in a single chain, carefully glided through the breathtaking Alpine landscape.
In this way, the Swiss showcased the country’s latest engineering achievements and also rekindled tourists’ interest in the surrounding beauty, which had somewhat diminished due to the pandemic.
The anniversary route of the 2990-ton train stretched 25 kilometers through viaducts, serpentine roads, and tunnels. According to witnesses CNN During the hour-long journey, six train drivers demonstrated remarkable synchronization. They skillfully navigated the challenging sections of the Albula/Bernina route, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This picturesque railway line is known for its steep curves and descents, 48 bridges, and 22 tunnels. So it’s no surprise that the speed did not exceed 35 km/h.
This record is special also because the nearly two-kilometer train was moving on a narrow gauge track. The thing is, the project’s inspiration – the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) – uses a track where the rails are only one meter apart. In contrast, most European and Swiss tracks have a standard distance of 1.435 meters between the rails.
The country of railway ambitions
For a small country with a mountainous landscape that seemingly does not favor the development of railways, Switzerland shows significant achievements in this field. Moreover, its experience is being exported worldwide.
It’s no coincidence that the Swiss are the most active users of rail transport on the planet. Every year, a resident of the country travels about 2450 km by train.
For centuries, the Alps have been a harsh barrier for travelers and merchants. However, in just the last two decades, billions of Swiss francs have been invested in the construction of long tunnels that have significantly eased communication between regions of Europe. In June 2022, the Federal Council of the country began consultations on a long-term investment program for rail transport. The new initiatives will focus on passenger transport over short and medium distances with the aim of increasingly reducing reliance on cars.
Plans for the coming years foresee a significant increase in the share of railway transport, both passenger and freight.
Meanwhile, the Swiss have built and showcased something that organically fits their geography, culture, and population density. They also boasted about their country’s strong capabilities in railway technologies.
