Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Imagesįor a small country with a mountainous landscape which, at first glance, seems unsuited to railways, Switzerland punches well above its weight in the industry. The record attempt was organized to celebrate 175 years of Swiss railways. With this world record attempt, RhB and its partners wanted to play their part in achieving a pioneering feat that had never been seen before.” This year, we are celebrating 175 years of Swiss railways. RhB Director Renato Fasciati said: “Switzerland is a railway country like no other. Any mismatch in acceleration or deceleration during the journey would have exerted unacceptably high forces on tracks and power supplies, creating a major safety issue.
#Longest rail route in the world drivers#
Specially modified software and an intercom between the seven drivers allowed the 25 trains to work in harmony. Kramer, assisted by six other drivers and 21 technicians instead used a temporary field telephone system set up by the Swiss Civil Protection organization to maintain communications as the train ran at up to 35 km/h through countless tunnels and deep valleys.
Everyone has to keep their speed and other systems under control at all times.”Īn initial test run ended in failure before the train had even moved when it was discovered that the emergency brake system could not be activated and the seven drivers could not communicate with each other via radio or cellphone in the many tunnels.
He added: “We need to be 100% synchronized, every second. “It goes without saying that we’re going through the process again and again.”
#Longest rail route in the world driver#
“We all know the Albula Line very well, every change of gradient, every incline,” said lead driver Andreas Kramer, 46, ahead of the big day. However, preparations started months ahead of the RhB event, including test runs to ensure the unique train could be operated safely. Previous holders of the world’s longest passenger train record – Belgium and, before that, the Netherlands – used standard gauge railways through flat landscapes to their advantage.Įurope wants a high-speed rail network to replace airplanes Unlike most Swiss and European railways, which use the “standard” gauge between the rails of 1.435 meters (4 feet 8.5 inches), RhB rails are just one meter apart.Ĭombine this with a route with notoriously tight curves, steep gradients, 22 tunnels and 48 bridges over deep valleys and the challenges become obvious. The record attempt was organized by the Rhaetische Bahn (Rhaetian Railway, or RhB), supported by Swiss train-builder Stadler, and is perhaps even more astonishing for taking place on a narrow gauge railway. In less than 25 kilometers, the train plummeted from 1,788 meters above sea level at Preda to 999.3 meters at Alvaneu, using a succession of spirals, soaring viaducts and tunnels. swiss-image.ch/Philipp Schmidliįollowing part of the route taken by the world-famous Glacier Express since 1930, the world record attempt took in the spectacular Landwasser Viaduct and the extraordinary spirals that secured the line’s international heritage status. The train spiraled down a switchback of tracks through the mountains. Prior to its completion in July 1904, visitors faced a risky 14-hour journey over rough tracks in horse-drawn carriages or sledges.Ĭenterpiece of the line is the 5,866-meter-long Albula Tunnel, which runs deep beneath the watershed between the Rhine and Danube rivers. A world-renowned masterpiece of civil engineering, the 62-kilometer line between Thusis and St Moritz took just five years to build despite requiring 55 bridges and 39 tunnels. Like the legendary Cresta Run toboggan track, the Albula Line is famous for its endless swooping curves and steep descents. To celebrate the 175th anniversary of Switzerland’s first railway, the country’s rail industry came together to run the world’s longest-ever passenger train – 100 cars, 2,990 tonnes and almost two kilometres long.įormed of 25 new “Capricorn” electric trains the record-breaking 1,906-meter train took almost an hour to cover around 25 kilometers (about 15 miles) over the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Albula Line from Preda to Alvaneu in eastern Switzerland.
On Saturday, the region continued its long tradition of expanding the limits of what is possible with an epic world record attempt – not on snow or ice, but on rails. By the time it hosted the second Winter Olympics Games in 1928 its reputation as a playground for wealthy adventurers was already well established. High in the Swiss Alps, St Moritz made its name as a place for pushing the boundaries of winter sport.
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