Jungfraubahn

The Jungfraubahn (JB) is an RailGauge|1 gauge rack railway electrified at 3-phase 1,125 volts, which runs 9 kilometres from Kleine Scheidegg to the highest railway station in Europe at Jungfraujoch. The railway runs almost entirely within a tunnel built into the Eiger and Mönch mountains and contains two stations in the middle of the tunnel, where passengers can disembark to observe the neighbouring mountains through windows built into the mountainside.

The JB is under the management of the Jungfraubahn Holding company, which also comprises the Wengener Alp Bahn (WAB) which links to the JB at Kleine Scheidegg and has two routes down the mountain, to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, from where the Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) connects to the Federal Railways at Interlaken.

History

*1860 (approximately) - there were many different plans for a mountain railway on the Jungfrau, which failed due to financial problems.
*1894 the industrialist Adolf Guyer-Zeller received a concession for a rack railway, which began from the Kleine Scheidegg railway station of the Wengernalpbahn (WAB), with a long tunnel through the Eiger and Mönch up to the summit of the Jungfrau.
*1896 construction began. The construction work proceeded briskly.
*1898 the Jungfraubahn opened as far as the Eigergletscher railway station, at the foot of the Eiger.
*1899 Six workers are killed in an explosion. There is a 4 month strike by workers. Adolf Guyer-Zeller dies in Zürich on 3 April. The section from Eigergletscher to Rotstock opens on 2 August
*1903 The section from Rotstock to Eigernordwand railway station opens on 28 June.
*1905 The section from Eigernordwand to Eismeer railway station opens on 25 July
*1908 There is an explosion at Eigernordwand railway station station.
*1912 21 February sixteen years after works commenced the tunneling crew finally broke through the glacier in Jungfraujoch. The station at Jungfraujoch was inaugurated on 1 August.
*1924 The Jungfraujoch house "The house above the clouds" is opened on 14 September.
*1931 The research station at the Jungfraujoch is opened.
*1937 The Sphinx Observatory is opened. A snowblower is purchased and this results in year-round operation.
*1942 Relocation of the company offices from Zürich to Interlaken.
*1950 The dome is installed on the Sphinx Observatory.
*1951 The adhesion section between Eismeer railway station and Jungfraujoch railway station is converted to rack operation.
*1955 A second depot at Kleine Scheidegg is constructed. The post office inaugurates its relay station on the Jungfraujoch.
*1972 The panoramic windows are installed at Eigerwand and Eismeer. The Jungfraujoch mountain house and tourist house are destroyed by fire on 21 October.
*1975 A new tourist house is opened.
*1987 A new mountain house is opened on 1 August.
*1991 A new station hall is opened at the Jungfraujoch.
*1993 The small Kleine Scheidegg depot is extended.
*1996 The covered observation deck at the Sphinx Observatory is opened.
*1997 For the first time the annual visitor numbers exceed 500,000.
*2000 On 1 June a daily record number of 8,148 visitors is received.

tations

*Kleine Scheidegg, 2061m
*Eigergletscher, 2320m
*Eigernordwand, 2864m
*Eismeer, 3158m
*Jungfraujoch, 3454m

[Between Heaven and Earth. History and technology - science and reserach on the Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe, Jungfraubahnen.]

2008 Proposals

In early 2008, Jungfraubahn Holding AG announced it is exploring the futuristic idea of an efficient fast form of access to the Jungfraujoch as an addition to the rack railway. A feasibility study has been commissioned. The additional access would be the world's longest tunnel-lift system. The study is to show if and how such a tunnel-lift system - for example as a fast lift or funicular - from the Lauterbrunnen Valley to the Jungfraujoch could be realised without disturbing the unique landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The attractiveness of the cogwheel railway should thus be enhanced, as guests could use the fast lift for the uphill or downhill journey. Through a marked reduction in travelling time, the trip to the Jungfraujoch could also become a half-day excursion.

Rolling Stock

Since most of the railway is inside a tunnel, it was designed to run with electricity since conception. The latest rolling stock consists of twin units motor-coaches carrying 230 per train and capable of 27km/h on steepest ascent.

Main Characteristics

See also

* Mountain railway
* Rail transport in Switzerland

External links

* [http://www.jungfraubahn.ch/en/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-1/ Jungfrau Railways website (English)]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6778419425314931660 Video of a day trip to Jungfraubahn]

References