The Bernina Railway (german: Berninalinie; it, Linea del Bernina; rm, Lingia dal Bernina) is a
single-track railway line forming part of the
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the Rh ...
(RhB). It links the spa resort of
St. Moritz, in the
canton of
Graubünden,
Switzerland, with the town of
Tirano
Tirano ( lmo, Tiràn, german: Thiran) is a town in Valtellina, located in the province of Sondrio in northern Italy. It has 9,053 inhabitants (2016) and is adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy border. The river Adda flows through the town.
Main s ...
, in the
Province of Sondrio,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, via the
Bernina Pass
The Bernina Pass (el. .) ( it, Passo del Bernina) is a high mountain pass in the Bernina Range of the Alps, in the canton of Graubünden (Grisons) in eastern Switzerland. It connects the famous resort town of St. Moritz in the Engadin valley w ...
. Reaching a height of above sea level, it is the
highest railway crossing in Europe and the
third-highest railway in Switzerland. It also ranks as the highest
adhesion railway
An adhesion railway relies on adhesion traction to move the train. Adhesion traction is the friction between the drive wheels and the steel rail. The term "adhesion railway" is used only when it is necessary to distinguish adhesion railways from ...
of the continent, andwith
inclines of up to 7%as one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world. The elevation difference on the section between the Bernina Pass and Tirano is , allowing passengers to view glaciers along the line.
On 7 July 2008, the Bernina Railway and the
Albula Railway
The Albula Railway (german: Albulalinie; it, Linea dell'Albula; rm, Lingia da l'Alvra) is a single track metre gauge railway line forming part of the so-called core network of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerl ...
, which also forms part of the RhB, were recorded in the list of
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
, under the name ''
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the Rh ...
in the Albula /
Bernina Landscapes''. The whole site is a cross-border joint Swiss-Italian heritage area.
Trains operating on the Bernina Railway include the
Bernina Express
The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur (or Davos) in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the ...
.
History
![H bernina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/H_bernina.jpg)
In the year following the completion of the
Albula Railway
The Albula Railway (german: Albulalinie; it, Linea dell'Albula; rm, Lingia da l'Alvra) is a single track metre gauge railway line forming part of the so-called core network of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerl ...
in 1904, the ''Bernina-Bahngesellschaft'' (BB) was established, with the objective of opening a railway line between
St Moritz and
Tirano
Tirano ( lmo, Tiràn, german: Thiran) is a town in Valtellina, located in the province of Sondrio in northern Italy. It has 9,053 inhabitants (2016) and is adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy border. The river Adda flows through the town.
Main s ...
, via the Bernina Pass. Two requirements drove the planning; the need for access to
hydro-electric plant
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
s on the south side of the Bernina pass, and the provision of access for tourists to tourist attractions of the high mountain area. The
concession
Concession may refer to:
General
* Concession (contract) (sometimes called a concession agreement), a contractual right to carry on a certain kind of business or activity in an area, such as to explore or develop its natural resources or to opera ...
for the line was obtained in 1906, and the construction was financed by the investors in
Kraftwerke Brusio AG
Repower (until May 2010 ''Rätia Energie AG'') is an international energy utility with its operational headquarters in Poschiavo (Canton Graubünden, Switzerland). The company's history goes back more than 100 years, with the foundation in 1904 ...
, the builders of the hydro-electric works, without the aid of cantonal subsidy.
The line opened from onwards, in several sections: on 1 July 1908 between
Pontresina
Pontresina ( rm, Puntraschigna) is a municipality in the Maloja Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
History and name
Pontresina was first mentioned in medieval Latin documents as ''ad Pontem Sarisinam'' in 1137 and ''de Ponte Sar ...
and
Morteratasch, and between
Tirano
Tirano ( lmo, Tiràn, german: Thiran) is a town in Valtellina, located in the province of Sondrio in northern Italy. It has 9,053 inhabitants (2016) and is adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy border. The river Adda flows through the town.
Main s ...
and
Poschiavo
Poschiavo ( it, Poschiavo, lmo, Pusciaaf, german: Puschlav, rm, Puschlav) is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Poschiavo is first mentioned in 824 as ''in Postclave'' though this comes fro ...
; on 18 August of the same year between Pontresina and
Celerina
Celerina/Schlarigna (German/Italian ''Celerina''; Romansh ) is a municipality in the Maloja Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
Celerina/Schlarigna was first mentioned in 1313 as ''Schellarin'' and in 1320 as ''Celarina''. In ...
; and on 1 July 1909 between Celerina and St Moritz, and between Morteratsch and
Bernina Suot. It was only on 5 July 1910 that the whole line could be opened, upon completion of the most difficult section between Bernina Suot and Poschiavo. The line was electrically operated with DC current from the start. In 1935 the voltage was increased from 750 to 1000 volts.
Originally, the Bernina Railway was intended for use only in summer, but in 1913/14 the BB commenced winter operations as well. This development was associated with major weather-related problems, necessitating further erection of avalanche barriers.
In the first years of its existence, the BB was always on the verge of bankruptcy. The costs of construction expenditure on the line to 1915 amounted to around 15 million
Swiss francs
The Swiss franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues banknotes and the f ...
. Even the introduction of a
restaurant car
A dining car (American English) or a restaurant car (British English), also a diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant.
It is distinct from other railroad food service cars that do ...
in 1928, and packages for tourists, could not save the little railway from ruin. Due to its difficult financial situation, it was taken over by the
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the Rh ...
in 1943.
The RhB modernised the line fundamentally, also for military reasons, and completely renewed the section at the top of the pass. Previously, the line formation on the north ramp of the Bernina Pass had been laid out in curves giving
passengers
A passenger (also abbreviated as pax) is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. Th ...
extensive views, but also lying in the path of
avalanche
An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain.
Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and eart ...
courses. The new parts of the line cut off those curves, the
catenary
In physics and geometry, a catenary (, ) is the curve that an idealized hanging chain or cable assumes under its own weight when supported only at its ends in a uniform gravitational field.
The catenary curve has a U-like shape, superfici ...
and the
flat bottomed rails of the old formation were removed, but the
substructure is still visible in the high mountains.
Since the mid-1980s, the Rhaetian Railway has been marketing the natural and technical attractions of the Bernina Railway specifically to tourists. Thus, the section from Pontresina to Tirano forms part of the route of the ''
Bernina Express
The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur (or Davos) in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the ...
''. In October 2011, it was the first rail line in the world to be photographed and put on
Google Street View
Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides interactive panoramas from positions along many streets in the world. It was launched in 2007 in several cities in the United States, and has since expan ...
.
Description of the railway
![St Moritz train station](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/St_Moritz_train_station.jpg)
St Moritz is the terminus of both the
Albula Railway
The Albula Railway (german: Albulalinie; it, Linea dell'Albula; rm, Lingia da l'Alvra) is a single track metre gauge railway line forming part of the so-called core network of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerl ...
and the Bernina Railway. As the two railways are powered by different
electrification systems, they meet at the same station, but operate on separate lines from separate platforms. The Bernina Railway leaves St Moritz station in an easterly direction, and crosses the
Inn River on a long
viaduct. It then passes through the long ''Charnadüra-Tunnel II'', the longest tunnel on the entire route. The next station,
Celerina Staz, is, at above sea level, the lowest point on the north side of the
Bernina Pass
The Bernina Pass (el. .) ( it, Passo del Bernina) is a high mountain pass in the Bernina Range of the Alps, in the canton of Graubünden (Grisons) in eastern Switzerland. It connects the famous resort town of St. Moritz in the Engadin valley w ...
. From there until
Ospizio Bernina, the line will now climb almost continuously. After returning to the banks of the Inn, the line reaches the small station
Punt Muragl Staz. At this point is the valley station of the
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
to
Muottas Muragl, opened in 1907.
![Pontresina RhB Bahnhof](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Pontresina_RhB_Bahnhof.JPG)
The next station in
Pontresina
Pontresina ( rm, Puntraschigna) is a municipality in the Maloja Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
History and name
Pontresina was first mentioned in medieval Latin documents as ''ad Pontem Sarisinam'' in 1137 and ''de Ponte Sar ...
represents, together with St Moritz station, a curiosity in the network of the RhB: two completely different electrification systems meet here. The 11 kV
AC powered trains, which enter the station on the line from
Samedan
Samedan (, ) is a town and municipality in the Maloja Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons. It is served by Samedan railway station on the Rhaetian Railway network and by the Samedan Airport.
History
Samedan is first mentioned in 1139 as '' ...
, use tracks 1 to 3, while the 1,000 V
DC powered Bernina trains use tracks 3 to 7. Track 3 has a catenary that can be switched from alternating current to direct current, and a special signal to display to train crews the type of current being used. By means of track 3, the trains using the core network (from Samedan) and the Bernina line trains can use the same line, despite their differing electrification systems. On track 3 is also the exchange of locomotives for the famous
Bernina Express
The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur (or Davos) in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the ...
, which operates between
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
or
Davos Platz
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos R ...
and
Tirano
Tirano ( lmo, Tiràn, german: Thiran) is a town in Valtellina, located in the province of Sondrio in northern Italy. It has 9,053 inhabitants (2016) and is adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy border. The river Adda flows through the town.
Main s ...
.
![BerninaExpressMorteratsch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/BerninaExpressMorteratsch.JPG)
The line now turns to the south east. After crossing the ''Rosegbach'', passing through the
Surovas station (which was previously called "Sans Souci" ''(Carefree)''), and crossing the ''Berninabach'', it finally reaches
Morteratsch station, about below the
Morteratsch Glacier
The Morteratsch Glacier (Romansh: Vadret da Morteratsch) is the largest glacier by area in the Bernina Range of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland.
By area and by volume (1.2 km3), it is the third largerst glacier in the eastern alps, after th ...
. Past the other end of the station is the world-famous ''Montebello Curve'', where the line meets the road over the pass. The line and the road will now accompany each other as far as Ospizio Bernina. At the recently modernised
Bernina Suot passing loop, the tree line has already been reached. The next stations are
Diavolezza
The Diavolezza is a col and ski resort above the Val Bernina in Graubünden. The col has an altitude of Swiss Confederation: Maps of Switzerland'. Retrieved 26 March 2021. and is located between Munt Pers (northwest, ) and Piz Trovat (southe ...
and
Bernina Lagalb; both are departure points of
cableway
Cable transport is a broad class of transport modes that have cables. They transport passengers and goods, often in vehicles called cable cars. The cable may be driven or passive, and items may be moved by pulling, sliding, sailing, or by driv ...
s.
The next section is probably the most interesting on the north side of the pass. Here, the route is very winding, and moves from one side of the valley to the other. First, the Berninabach is crossed, using the long ''Lower Berninabach Bridge'', and then the line crosses the ''Arlasbach'', a tributary of the Berninabach. On the ''Upper Berninabach Bridge'', the line moves back to the eastern side of the valley. Southwest of here, the
Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina ( Romansh, it, Pizzo Bernina, ) is the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps, the highest point of the Bernina Range, and the highest peak in the Rhaetian Alps. It rises and is located south of Pontresina and near the major Alpine ...
and the
Piz Palü
Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large glaciated massif composed of three main summits, on a ridge running from west to east. The main (and central) summit is 3,900 metres ...
rise majestically. Next follows the long ''Arlas Gallery'', which provides protection against snow drifts. On the southwestern side are the small lakes known as ''Lej Pitschen'' and ''Lej Nair''. Directly behind them towers the high and long
Lago Bianco dam, which also marks the
watershed between the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...
and the
Po.
The railway now runs along the eastern bank of the lake, and, near
Ospizio Bernina, reaches its highest point, at above sea level. The Bernina Railway is thereby (mountainside railways excluded) the highest railway line in the Alps, operating as a public railway with year-round traffic. As the section from here to
Poschiavo
Poschiavo ( it, Poschiavo, lmo, Pusciaaf, german: Puschlav, rm, Puschlav) is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Poschiavo is first mentioned in 824 as ''in Postclave'' though this comes fro ...
is particularly badly affected by drifting snow, countless engineering structures have been erected from the southern dam wall onwards: the long ''Scala Gallery'', the long ''Scala Tunnel'', the ''Sassal Mason Gallery'', even longer at , and the long ''Drago Tunnel''.
After the ''Grüm Gallery'', the attractive
Alp Grüm station is reached. It not only is located at the tree line, but also marks the last station before the Italian linguistic border. From here onwards, the line clambers, with a gradient of up to 7%, and via multiple s-bends, downwards into the
Poschiavo
Poschiavo ( it, Poschiavo, lmo, Pusciaaf, german: Puschlav, rm, Puschlav) is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Poschiavo is first mentioned in 824 as ''in Postclave'' though this comes fro ...
valley. That this occurs without the assistance of a
rack railway
A rack railway (also rack-and-pinion railway, cog railway, or cogwheel railway) is a steep grade railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with th ...
system makes the Bernina Railway one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world.
Immediately behind the Alp Grüm station, the line winds in a tight 180° bend, and passes below Alp Grüm through the ''Upper Palü Gallery''. In a further 180° bend, it heads through the ''Palü Tunnel'' and subsequently through the ''Lower Palü Gallery''. A further four half circle loops follow, until the line reaches the
Cavaglia
Cavaglia is a hamlet on the western flank of the Val Poschiavo in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies at above sea level, and is in the municipality of Poschiavo, some north-west of the village of the same name. Because of the of ...
station. Since about 2000, there has also been a new automatic passing loop, Stablini, between Alp Grüm and Cavaglia. It bisects a portion of the line that was previously prone to traffic delays. In zigzag fashion, the line continues from Cavaglia further down into the valley via
Cadera to
Privilasco. From there, the line leaves the tight bends behind, and, still at its maximum gradient, reaches the Poschiavo Valley. In
Poschiavo
Poschiavo ( it, Poschiavo, lmo, Pusciaaf, german: Puschlav, rm, Puschlav) is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Poschiavo is first mentioned in 824 as ''in Postclave'' though this comes fro ...
it finally meets up once again with the Bernina Pass road.
At the request of the Poschiavo community, the station at Poschiavo was built just outside the village boundaries. It has a railway depot and workshop, in which a few historic railcars of the Bernina Railway are also stored. The remaining section of line of approximately to Tirano are laid partially still as a mountain railway, but also partially in the manner of a tramway system. After the stopping point
Li Curt, erected only in 1977, the line ends on a street in the village of
Le Prese
Le Prese is a village in the Val Poschiavo in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies at above sea level at the northern end of Lago di Poschiavo, and is in the municipality of Poschiavo, some south of the village of the same name. The ...
. Between Le Prese and
Miralago
Miralago is a village in the Val Poschiavo in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies at above sea level at the southern end of Lago di Poschiavo, and the Poschiavino river flows out of the lake in the village. The village is some sou ...
the line passes along the banks of the
Poschiavo Lake, thus remaining at the lake's altitude of above sea level.
![Bernina diagram](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bernina_diagram.svg)
Below
Brusio
Brusio (Lombardy, Lombard: ''Brüs'', Romansh language, Romansh ''Brüsch'') is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Bernina Region in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Brusio is first mentioned ...
, the railway has, as its last highlight, the
Brusio spiral viaduct
The Brusio spiral viaduct (or Brusio circular viaduct; it, Viadotto elicoidale di Brusio, german: Kreisviadukt Brusio) is a single-track nine-arched stone spiral railway viaduct on the Bernina Railway. It was opened on 1 July 1908.
A key str ...
, which serves only to adjust the altitude of the line. The spiral viaduct is followed by the stopping point for the village of
Campascio, which still belongs to Brusio. Beyond the border station of
Campocologno
Brusio ( Lombard: ''Brüs'', Romansh ''Brüsch'') is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Brusio is first mentioned in 1106 as ''Bruse''. It was first mentioned as Brusio in 1212. Previously it w ...
, which is unusually large due to its customs facilities, the line finally reaches Italy, and, after crossing the main square of Tirano, its terminal station. Here, the Bernina Railway meets the
standard gauge station and line of the Italian state rail infrastructure company
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana
Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) is the Italian railway infrastructure manager, subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), a state-owned holding company. RFI is the owner of Italy's railway network, it provides signalling, maintenance and other se ...
(RFI), which links Tirano through
Valtellina
Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Toda ...
to
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
.
Rolling stock and traffic
Today, the following classes of railcar and locomotive are used in scheduled commercial services on the Bernina Railway: fifteen
ABe 8/12I starting service in 2010, to replace the old series of engines, such as four
ABe 4/4I and nine
ABe 4/4II. Still in service also six
ABe 4/4III and two
Gem 4/4 that can operate without electrical feeding, thanks their diesel-generator inside (double engine locomotives).
This fleet, consisting of
railcar
A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach (carriage, car), with a dri ...
s, also has
freight cars
A railroad car, railcar (American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is a ...
. Some freight cars are added to passenger trains until the maximum towing capacity of such trains of is reached. For reasons of safety, due to the presence of dangerous goods, other freight cars are operated in pure freight trains. Despite being set up originally only for tourist traffic, the Bernina Railway now also assists
trade
Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market.
An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...
with Italy by carrying considerable quantities of freight, consisting mostly of
heating oil,
fuels and
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, w ...
. Additionally, the regional shopping businesses of the Poschiavo valley are served partly by rail.
The timetable is tightly designed, with year-round services of one
passenger train per hour in each direction. The flagship services are the now fully
panorama car
is a trainset series operated by Nagoya Railroad, including the . Like the ''Romancecar'' trains of Odakyu Electric Railway, they are designed to be tourist oriented limited express trains, although they also operate on services.
The very ...
equipped
Bernina Express
The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur (or Davos) in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the ...
and the Trenino Rosso travelling in the opposite direction.
In winter, an old 1913 steam
rotary snowplow
A rotary snowplow (American English) or rotary snowplough is a piece of railroad snow removal equipment with a large circular set of blades on its front end that rotate to cut through the snow on the track ahead of it. The precursor to the rotary ...
is regularly in service, but also two electrical
rotary snowplow
A rotary snowplow (American English) or rotary snowplough is a piece of railroad snow removal equipment with a large circular set of blades on its front end that rotate to cut through the snow on the track ahead of it. The precursor to the rotary ...
s from 1968 and also two modern engines from 2010 are used as well. Their operation is also a
tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural ...
that draws in railway enthusiasts from all over the world, especially for the steam one. The two
Gem 4/4 assure the shunt of the
rotary snowplow
A rotary snowplow (American English) or rotary snowplough is a piece of railroad snow removal equipment with a large circular set of blades on its front end that rotate to cut through the snow on the track ahead of it. The precursor to the rotary ...
.
In connection with the danger of
avalanche
An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain.
Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and eart ...
s on the Bernina Railway, the ''Rhaetian Railway'' has developed an unusual procedure for the removal of these high alpine hazards. In late winter, when the risk of avalanche is greatest,
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
is fired at the points of origin of avalanches, to bring some control to their occurrence.
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
* .
*
*
*
*
Audio-visual material
* "Von Pontresina, Oberengadin, nach Bernina Hospiz", Welt-Kinematograph, Freiburg i. Br., Germany 1909 or 1910.
* "Mit der Berninabahn", Welt-Kinematograph, Freiburg i. Br., Germany 1910.
* "Le Ferrovie del Bernina", Pasquali e C., Turin, Italy 1911.
* "The Bernina Railway (Switzerland)", Urbanora, Great Britain 1912.
* "La Ferrovia del Bernina", Regie: Giovanni Vitrotti, Società Anonima Ambrosio, Turin, Italy 1913.
* "Europe's Winter Playground", Director: Frederick Burlingham,
British & Colonial Kinematograph Company, Great Britain 1913.
* "Dallo Spluga al Bernina", Luca Comerio, Milan, Italy 1914.
* "Eine Fahrt mit der Bernina-Bahn (Schweiz)", Sascha-Filmfabrik, Vienna, Austria 1914.
* The TV program "
Die schönsten Bahnstrecken Europas", which was shown on Germany's
ARD network (see also
Das Erste), included a cab ride on the Bernina Railway.
Images
File: Berninabahn tirano 1.jpg , A Rhaetian Railway train in Tirano.
File: RhB Regio nach Tirano zwischen Lagalb und Ospizio Bernina.jpg , An RhB Regio train to Tirano between Lagalb and Ospizio Bernina.
File: Tirano-Panoramawagen-Bernina-Express.jpg , Bernina Express panorama cars in Tirano.
File: Berninabahn Lej Pitschen im Winter.jpg , Lei Pitschen in winter.
File: Regionalzug auf der Berninalinie am Lago Bianco.JPG , Regional train on the Bernina line on the shores of Lake Nero in the Lago Bianco to the Bernina Pass
File: Rhb Bernina-Express überquert obere Berninabach-Brücke.jpg , Crossing the upper Berninabach Bridge.
File: Alp Grüm RhB 52.JPG , Grüm Galery at Alp Grüm.
File: Berninabahn Poschiavo 02.jpg , A down valley train at Poschiavo station.
File: Tirano-Rhaetischer Bahnhof.jpg , Rhaetian Railway station in Tirano.
File: Swiss Rail Rhb ABe 4 4.jpg , ABe 4/4 I 30 and 34 below Alp Grüm.
File: RhB Regio nach Tirano mit Gem 4-4.jpg , Hybrid loco Gem 4 / 4 in service at the head of a Regio train to Tirano.
File: RhB Xrotd 9213 am Lago Bianco 3.jpg , Rotary snowplow Xrotd 9213 with dual-mode Gem 4 / 802 4 in action
File:RhB ABe 4-4 III Am See Brücke.jpg, RhB EMUs ABe 4/4 III 55 "Diavolezza" and 54 "Hakone" cross the "Am See Brücke"
External links
Images of the Bernina RailwayPhotos of the Bernina Railway in ''BahnGalerie''Photos of the Bernina Railway
{{Authority control
Transport in the Alps
Engadin
Val Poschiavo
Buildings and structures in Graubünden
Province of Sondrio
Defunct railway companies of Switzerland
Metre gauge railways in Switzerland
Mountain railways
Railway lines in Lombardy
Railway lines in Switzerland
Rhaetian Railway lines
Tourist attractions in Italy
Tourist attractions in Switzerland
World Heritage Sites in Italy
World Heritage Sites in Switzerland
1000 V DC railway electrification