Bever–Scuol-Tarasp Railway

The Bever–Scuol-Tarasp railway—also called the Engadinerbahn (Engadine Railway), Engadinerlinie (Engadine Line), Unterengadinerbahn (Lower Engadine Railway) or Unterengadinerlinie (Lower Engadine Line)—is a Swiss metre-gauge railway, which is operated by the Rhaetian Railway (''Rhätischen Bahn''; RhB) and connects the Lower Engadine with the Albula Railway. The Samedan–Pontresina railway is often also considered part of the line. Both lines are closely linked with each other. The Bever–Scuol-Tarasp railway is part of the RhB mainline network, so the kilometrage (chainage) has its zero point in Landquart.

History

After the construction of the Albula Railway the canton of Grisons and the federal military authorities, among others, were very interested in a railway line through the Engadine. Originally this line was intended only as a branch line, but due to its high popularity it was given a higher priority. The line was finally commissioned by the Rhaetian Railway on 27 July 1903. Prof. Friedrich Hennings, who had already designed the Albula Railway, had been working on a project for a technically and financially feasible line through the Engadine. After the preparation of designs for this project, the Loste office in Paris, together with senior engineer Peter Saluz, took over the detailed planning, which was based on the plans of Prof. Hennings. In 1907, a project was finally presented, which provided for a 49.5 kilometre line with a total of 17 tunnels and 55 major bridges. The engineering structures on the line now required specialists with experience. So Hans Studer, who was already worked on the Wiesen Viaduct, was commissioned as site supervisor for the Zernez–Scuol section. An experienced construction technician Jakob G. Zollinger took over responsibility on the Zernez–Scuol section.

Construction

Construction began on the whole line in the spring of 1909. Originally it was to be finished in the summer of 1912, but the engineers and workers encountered unexpected tunneling problems between Guarda and Scuol. While Bever and Guarda were already busy with the construction of track and superstructure in the spring of 1912, the miners between Guarda and Scuol had to deal with unusual rock pressures, loose rock layers and the ingress of water during the tunnel construction. Finally, the breakthrough of the longest tunnels at Magnacun (1909 m) and Tasna (2350 m) took place in June/July 1912. After that, the construction workers succeeded in completing the walling and the full breakthrough was completed in April 1913. The line was officially opened on 28/29 June 1913.

Construction accident 1911

On 29 August 1911, a 30-metre-high wood frame collapsed on itself at the Val Mela viaduct between Cinuos-chel and Brail causing the death of twelve Italian construction workers. In memory of this misfortune, the cause of which was never established, there is a plaque on the portal of the entrance of the Brail 1 Tunnel, which was last restored in 2003.

Electrification

As a result of the BLS's electrical test operation on the Spiez–Frutigen line, the Rhaetian Railway became interested in the new traction technology using single-phase alternating current. The Rhaetian Railway thus decided to use the Bever–Scuol line, which was still under construction, as a test track for single-phase alternating current. The Rhaetian Railway commissioned its energy supply from the Brusio power station. The Brusio power station had to ensure the supply of electricity from the Val Poschiavo via the Bernina Pass to a substation in Bever, which was specially erected for the transformation of the power to the required voltage of 11 kV/16 2/3 Hz. Thus, the Rhaetian Railway was able to operate the Lower Engadine line electrically from its opening.

Accidents

A train crashed onto a fallen boulder on the approach to the Magnacun Tunnel between Guarda and Ardez on 22 March 1927. The Ge 2/4 206 was forced against the edge of the wall of the tunnel portal. The locomotive driver died, two passengers were severely injured and seven were slightly injured.

On 19 March 1937, the last evening train between Zernez and Susch ran into a snow drift. Locomotive Ge 4/6 391 derailed and crashed across the road into the Inn, but the carriages stopped on the track. The engine driver died and a travelling ''Bahnmeister'' (an official in charge local of track maintenance) was badly injured, but the passengers escaped injury. The locomotive could not be recovered for more than two months.

A strange accident occurred on 30 April 2012, when late in the evening a train on the Scuol-Tarasp–Klosters route collided with a brown bear called M13 at Ftan Baraigla station. No major injuries on the animal could be detected.

Route

The so-called Lower Engadine line starts at the Bever junction station, where it branches off from the Albula Railway from Samedan and St. Moritz to the north and Filisur, Thusis and to the south. The line now runs on the still wide left side of the valley of the Upper Engadine at a 2.0% gradient through the stations of La Punt Chamues-ch, Madulain, Zuoz und S-chanf to Cinuos-chel-Brail. The halt of S-chanf Marathon lies at km 107.4 between S-chanf and Cinuos-chel-Brail; this is served only by selected trains for sporting events in the winter and summer. After Cinuos-chel-Brail station, the line passes over the Inn on the famous 113 m-long Inn viaduct to the right (southern) side of the valley and then runs over several structures and tunnels and through the Carolina crossing loop to Zernez. The line descends from the Upper to the Lower Engadine on a large loop on the approach to Zernez. After Zernez, the line changes to the left (northern) side of the valley on a large steel bridge and then runs on constant gradient of 2.0% through several small tunnels to Susch. The Lower Engadine line continues along the left side of the valley and arrives at Sagliains and the north portal of the Vereina Tunnel. The station is both a car loading station for the car shuttle train through the Vereina tunnel and an interchange station for passenger trains. An exit has not been built for passengers to reach the public street.

After Sagliains, the line continues through the stations of Lavin, Guarda, Ardez and Ftan

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