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Some of the biggest challenges faced by railway builders
through the years have been presented by hills and mountains. Splitting
trains, multiple
locomotives, tunnels, curves, even horseshoes and spirals are all
commonplace in my book, sometimes it needs something a little more
interesting... For some general coverage in Wikipedia, see a
short list of relevant articles at the bottom of this page to get
started there. These pages instead highlights outstanding currently open (and
relatively recently closed) examples especially
outside Europe and North America, particularly where reports exist on this
website.
By and large there are three solutions for when the problem
gets really serious,
each one reflecting a more extreme need to climb, these are covered in these
pages:
I would like to thank James Waite for not only suggesting
the creation of these pages but also doing a lot of the spade work both in the
field and virtually. I would welcome further pictures to illustrate this
page.
I have also included notes on some rack railways which
survived into the second half of the 20th century, because people like me
'of a certain age' will have enjoyed visiting some of them and maybe will
like to learn something of 'the ones that got away'.
The main Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway
also includes excellent descriptions of the various types of rack systems.
This website contains a list of rack railways, I know much
of the Indonesian information is wrong, so, like Wikipedia, the further the
railway is from Europe the more the data should be treated with suspicion, http://www.stadtinfoseiten-deutschland.de/z/cgi-bin/njw.pl?Query=Zahnradbahn
(German language, link broken by December 2021). Of course, I have also relied on web sources and will
also, no doubt, have introduced errors in what follows.
Europe
Many of Europe's rack railways were built for tourist
operation, those that were not have almost completely faded away.
Austria
Erzbergbahn, Styria - The standard gauge 'iron mountain' Riggenbach
rack line at Vordernberg
survived into the 1970s but even before it 'failed' the passenger services
had been turned over to adhesion rail cars. The rack disappeared long ago
but the railway sees a weekend railcar service in summer -
http://www.erzbergbahn.at - and
there is a museum in Vordernberg with two of the line's steam locomotives on
show.
Wikipedia - http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzbergbahn
(German language)
Wikipedia - locomotive information in German language
For details of preserved rack locomotives from here - http://www.dampflok.at/index2.html?/53.htm
Bashing the Iron Mountain - Part 1 Summer 1971
Bashing the Iron Mountain - Part 2 Winter 1976
Achenseebahn, Tyrol is a 7km long metre part Riggenbach
rack gauge railway running between Jenbach and Lake Achensee
Website - http://www.achenseebahn.at/
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achenseebahn
See also James Waite's historic
pictures and Filippo Ricci's
photoreport from Summer 2012 (24th August 2012).
Schafbergbahn, Upper Austria
Website - http://www.schafbergbahn.at/.
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schafbergbahn
Schneebergbahn, Lower Austria
Website - http://www.schneebergbahn.at/
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneebergbahn
See also - also on this
site
- which include James Waite's picture from 1979:
France
The Petit train de la Rhune is a 4km long electrified metre gauge
Strub rack railway at the western end of the Pyrenees:
Website - http://www.rhune.com/
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit_train_de_la_Rhune
The Chemin de fer du Montenvers is a 5km long electrified metre gauge
Strub rack railway in the Haute-Savoie region - see some
notes from James Waite (30th August 2011):
Website - http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/fr/presentation-des-sites/montenvers-mer-de-glace
(link modified 30th August 2011)
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montenvers_Railway
The Tramway du Mont-Blanc is a 12km long electrified metre gauge
Strub rack railway in the Haute-Savoie region - see some
notes from James Waite (30th August 2011):
Website - http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/fr/presentation-des-sites/tramway-du-mont-blanc
(link modified 30th August 2011)
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Blanc_Tramway
Lyon Metro Line C
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_Metro_Line_C
Germany
The Drachenfels Railway is a 1.5km long electrified metre gauge
Riggenbach rack railway the North Rhine-Westphalia region:
Website - http://www.drachenfelsbahn-koenigswinter.de/
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drachenfels_Railway
See Thomas Kautor's report
(22nd June 2015)
The Zahnradbahn Stuttgart is a 2km long electrified urban metre gauge
Riggenbach rack tramway:
Website of Stuttgart tramways - http://www.ssb-ag.de/
Wikipedia - http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahnradbahn_Stuttgart
Bayerische Zugspitzbahn is a 19km long electrified metre gauge
Riggenbach system
Website - http://zugspitze.de/
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavarian_Zugspitze_Railway
Wendelsteinbahn is a 7km long electrified metre gauge
Riggenbach system
Website - http://www.wendelsteinbahn.de/
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendelstein_Rack_Railway
Greece
The 750mm line between Diakofto and Kalavryta is a (part) Abt rack system which
in theory could see steam charters but no reports of such seem to have been made
in recent years. James Waite attended the line's 120th anniversary celebrations
which included a special train with Dk8.001 on the adhesion section near Kalavryta
(19th November 2016)
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diakofto_Kalavrita_Railway
Wikipedia (German) - http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnstrecke_Diakopto%E2%80%93Kalavrita
- the pictures includes one of the preserved steam locomotive
Hungary
One of Budapest's trams is actually an electrified cog
railway:
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Cog-wheel_Railway
Report
- http://hampage.hu/trams/thg2bp/route56.html
(scroll down) and http://hampage.hu/trams/fogas/e_index.html
(this is an interesting depot visit).
Click here for more pictures.
Italy
The Superga Rack Railway is a 3km long electrified 1445mm
gauge 'tramway' style Strub rack railway in Turin:
Website - http://www.comune.torino.it/gtt/turismo/sassisup.shtml
(link dead by 26th April 2014)
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superga_Rack_Railway
Enthusiast Reports:
First four links dead by July 2020
-
http://www.museodeltram.it/torino/superga/foto_superga.htm
-
http://www.museodeltram.it/torino/superga/foto_superga_2.htm
-
http://www.museodeltram.it/torino/superga/foto_superga_3.htm
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http://www.museodeltram.it/torino/superga/foto_superga_4.htm
-
http://www.photorail.com/phr0/tram/torino/atm__torino.htm
(bottom, link broken by November 2020)
The Genoa 'Funicular' Railway is a 1km long electrified
1200mm gauge Riggenbach rack railway:
Report of a visit - http://www.funimag.com/funimag07/GENOVA04.HTM,
note this report is in several parts and you need to click through... More
information from the railway's management is on http://www.funimag.com/funimag07/GENOVA08.HTM. See
also http://www.photorail.com/phr0/tram/altre%20reti/amt-genova.htm (link
broken by November 2020)
Ferrovie della Calabria
There have historically been a number of 950mm lines in
Southern Italy with rack sections. James Waite has written a short
introduction to these relatively unknown systems.
This is Stefano Paolini's historical picture of 506 at
Catanzaro Lido:
Romania
The standard gauge Subcetate - Boutari rack (Abt system)
railway line in Romania closed in 1978, but CFR 40.004 survives in Sibu Museum,
see http://www.bda-train-blog.blogspot.com
- some notes on the locomotive. For a 1973 journey on the line read http://www.albico.cz/zubacka/Eng/rumun3.htm
(domain dead by October 2017).
Slovakia
(updated 1st April 2015)
The Štrbské Pleso - Štrba rack railway is an
electrified metre gauge rack railway (formerly Riggenbach, now Strub system) in the High Tatras.
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0trbsk%C3%A9_Pleso_-_%C5%A0trba_rack_railway
See also - http://spz.logout.cz/uzke/sk_strba/strba.html
(link broken, 1st November 2019, Czech language)
From Tisovec – Pohronská Polhora is a 16km Abt section on the Brezno – Tisovec
line.
See - http://www.albico.cz/zubacka/contents.htm
(domain dead by October 2017)
The rack was no longer
actually in use but Mike Swift told me (21st July 2014) that this railway has finally taken delivery of its
4-6-2T rack tank from Romania following overhaul. It was launched on 3rd
May 2014, though the first public operation were some months later owing to
the need for bridge work associated with a new road. See http://www.zubacka.sk/
and more specifically http://www.zubacka.sk/sk/blog/tisovec-privital-parnu-zubacku-je-odstartovane/.
This is Alex Jesserer's picture of 4296 (Ex CFR 40.006) on
a first test run on the rack on 26th July 2014 (added 9th August 2014). A
photoreport of the first specials is available elsewhere
on this website (11th October 2014). The 2015 operating timetable is
available on http://www.zubacka.sk/sk/blog/jazdy-parnej-zubacky-a-historickych-vlakov-v-roku-2015/,
thanks to Alex Jesserer for this (1st April 2015)
Spain
(updated 8th August 2015)
The Montserrat Rack Railway is an electrified metre gauge
rack railway (Abt system) which reaches a hill top monastery. James Waite
was here in November 2010 and his report
includes pictures of two preserved rack steam locomotives which formerly
worked here (14th November 2010).
Website - http://www.cremallerademontserrat.com/website_cremallera/cat/index.asp
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montserrat_Rack_Railway
By October 2017, 4 had been moved to Monistrol where it
was photographed by Thoma Kautzor.
The Vall de Núria Rack Railway is an electrified metre
gauge rack railway (Abt system) which connects Ribes de Freser with Nuria in
the Pyrenees. Thomas Kautzor visited in July 2015 and his report
includes pictures of one preserved rack steam locomotive which formerly
worked here.
Website - https://www.valldenuria.cat/
Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vall_de_N%C3%BAria_Rack_Railway
Switzerland
Wikipedia (see below) lists no less than 18 rack railways,
some of the most interesting are highlighted below, you would need a month
to do justice to them all in comfort:
Regular steam operation
Brienz Rothorn Bahn (800 mm (2'
7½") gauge, Abt system) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brienz_Rothorn_Bahn
and https://brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/?lang=en
(link amended 31st October 2017)
These pictures are from Robert Wilson and show original
(1891) and modern (1992) SLM locomotives at work on 13th September 2014.
Furka Heritage Railway (metre gauge, Abt system) - See James
Waite's 2009 report also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furka_Heritage_Railway
and http://www.furka-bergstrecke.ch/eng/.(link dead by 12th April 2018).
This is James Waite's 2009 picture: For a YouTube video of 3 locomotives
active for the 100 year celebration see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuQduLMcDWY
(added 20th August 2014) also a report
of the centenary celebrations (30th August 2014).
Rigi-Bahnen (standard gauge, Riggenbach system) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigi-Bahnen
and http://www.rigi.ch/en/welcome.cfm
This is James Waite's 2009 picture of their vertical boilered locomotive #7
(SLM 1/1873!), it was a rare working year for it:
Very occasional steam operation:
The Brünigbahn, (metre gauge, Riggenbach system) between Interlaken and
Lucerne, operates steam between Interlaken Ost and Giswil a few times a year
in the Summer, http://www.dampfbahnen.ch (link dead by October 2014).
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brünigbahn,
also James Waite's report.
Monte Generoso Railway (800 mm (2'
7½") gauge, Abt system) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Generoso_Railway
and http://www.montegeneroso.ch/en/13/homepage.aspx (Link broken by December 2023. RD)
Schynige Platte Railway (800 mm (2'
7½") gauge, Riggenbach system) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schynige_Platte_Railway,
also James Waite's report.
No current steam operation but see the first link!
Pilatus Railway (800 mm (2'
7½") gauge, Locher system) - http://www.pilatus.ch,
James Waite's
report
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilatus_Railway.
This is James Waite's 2009 picture:
Some others:
Jungfraubahn (metre gauge, Strub system) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungfraubahn
Wengernalpbahn (800 mm (2'
7½") gauge, Riggenbach system) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wengernalpbahn
The full Wikipedia list is here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Rack_railways_of_Switzerland
United Kingdom
The UK's only true rack railway (Abt system) is that up Snowdon, it uses a
mixture of steam and diesel locomotives and has an unusual (for Britain) gauge of 800 mm (2'
7½"), although this seems quite common among Swiss systems.
Official Website - http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowdon_Mountain_Railway
These pictures are from 1989:
The 1067mm (3' 6") gauge Snaefell Mountain Railway on the Isle of Man is not a
true rack but similar in concept. It is equipped with the Fell (friction)
system with a centre rail for braking on the descent but this is not
normally used as the cars are now fitted with rheostatic braking.
Wikpedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snaefell_Mountain_Railway
and http://www.iomguide.com/mountainrailway.php
Report - More vintage 1968 pictures from James Waite.
(Former) Yugoslavia
It's all history now, but the 760mm narrow gauge railways round
Sarajevo had Abt rack sections (check out also the main page for more coverage
of non-rack sections http://www.penmorfa.com/JZ/index.htm).
Komar - Sattel (Goles - Donji Vakuf) - Pictures from 1969 -
http://www.penmorfa.com/JZ/Donjivakuf.html
Ivan Pass (Podorasac - Bradina) - Pictures from 1966 - http://www.penmorfa.com/JZ/hdahlhaus3.html
97-028 from these systems is preserved in the railway
museum in Ljubljana
97.029 is preserved at the Frojach narrow gauge railway
museum in Austria - http://www.club760.at/html/LokomotivenE.htm (link dead
29th March 2012).
97.036 is preserved in its homeland, formerly at Turbe, it is now at Travnik
and may go to Banovici for restoration in due course, for pictures see http://www.dampflok.at/index2.html?/274.htm.
As always Wikipedia is some help
in a specialist subject but when 'push comes to shove' you soon find gaps in
the coverage, not to mention things which are downright wrong... Worse
still are the 'Look Alike' sites which lift material from Wikipedia in a bid
to make money from advertisements and thereby foul up the search engines.
Hill Railways in General - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillclimbing_(railway)
(link corrected 26th April 2014)
Mountain Railways - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_railway
Rack Railways - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway and
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahnradbahn#Liste_der_Zahnradbahnen
- look for conflicts!
Reverses - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zig_zag_(railway)
Funiculars - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular
There are many sub-links within these pages, some to
specialist technical information, others to items on individual railways.
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