The Rigi–Scheidegg railway (german: Rigi-Scheidegg-Bahn; RSB) is a former railway line built high on the
Rigi massif on the cantonal border between
Lucerne
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
and
Schwyz
The town of Schwyz (; french: Schwytz; it, Svitto) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.
The Federal Charter of 1291 or ''Bundesbrief'', the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the '' ...
in Switzerland. Today the line's trackbed, which is in length, and includes a tunnel and several bridges, is a
rail trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
, which serves as a panoramic footpath in summer, and as a route for
cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...
in winter .
Even before the
Vitznau–Rigi rack railway was opened in 1871, the Rigi Massif was a major tourist attraction, with a number of grand hotels occupying various locations on the massif. One of these was at the summit of the
Scheidegg peak, which was not served by either the Vitznau–Rigi line or the
Arth–Rigi rack railway that followed it. In order to provide easier access for its guests, the Rigi–Scheidegg railway was built to provide a link to
Rigi Kaltbad
Rigi Kaltbad is a resort in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Lucerne. The resort sits on a sunny terrace at an elevation of , overlooking Lake Lucerne above Weggis in Central Switzerland. The locality is part of the municipality of Weggis.
...
on the Vitznau–Rigi line. The line opened in two stages, with the stage from Kaltbad to First opening on the 14 July 1874, and the section from First to Scheiddegg on the 1 June 1875.
standard gauge
A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), International gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge and European gauge in Europe, and SGR in Ea ...
Vitznau–Rigi line. Instead, the two lines met at right angles, and provision was made for the transfer of passengers and goods. Although three steam locomotives were built by Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
(SLM) for the opening of the line, two were found sufficient to operate it, so the third sold to an unknown purchaser in 1884.[
With the outbreak of ]World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
in 1914, the tourist industry collapsed and never recovered in the same form. When tourists did return to the mountains, they came as day trippers, meaning that the mountain-top hotels were no longer needed. That hit the Rigi–Scheidegg railway particularly hard, and the line closed on the 21 September 1931, never to reopen. The track was removed in 1942, and the line's two remaining steam locomotives were scrapped. Two of the line's passenger cars survive alongside the trackbed, converted into holiday homes, but all the buildings of the line have been demolished.[
]
Gallery
File:Scheidegg, general view, Rigi, Switzerland-LCCN2001703174.jpg, The railway station at Scheidegg, seen from the hotel, in the 1890s
File:Rigi Scheidegg, the Hotel, Rigi, Switzerland-LCCN2001703163.jpg, The hotel at Scheidegg, with the railway below, in the 1890s
File:Rigi closed section 2.jpg, The right of way of the railway, in 2009
File:Rigi-Scheidegg-Bahn Wagen Nr7.jpg, One of the passenger cars now used as a holiday home, seen in 1990
File:Rigi Kaltbad railway station 2016-09-26.jpg, Kaltbad on the Vitznau–Rigi line, with the Rigi–Scheidegg terminus marked by the footpath at right angles
References
Bibliography
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rigi-Scheidegg railway
Closed railway lines in Switzerland
Metre gauge railways in Switzerland
Railway lines opened in 1874
Railway lines closed in 1931