Furka Summit Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Furka Summit Tunnel is a 1874 metres (6,148.3 ft) long railway tunnel in southern Switzerland
. It lies at an altitude of 2160 metres (7,086.6 ft). The summit tunnel was completed in 1925, and first opened on 3 July 1926. It links the Furka railway station
, in Uri
, with the Muttbach-Belvédère halting point
, in Valais
.
Until 1982, when the summit tunnel was replaced by the Furka Base Tunnel, the railway line passing through the summit tunnel was part of the Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO). However, that line, which, along with the summit tunnel, was closed in 1981 and reopened in 2000, is now part of the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
, a heritage railway
operating in summer only.
As soon as snow started falling, the FO had to be ready to place individual items of rolling stock on either side of the Furka, according to demand. Then, during the years commencing with electrification of the line in 1942, the electrical contact wire had to be dismantled over a nearly 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long section of line, and the line made "avalanche ready". Eveything more than 1 metres (3.3 ft) above ground level had to be removed, necessitating a huge annual expenditure.
The Steffenbach bridge, on the Uri side of the summit tunnel, was built initially as a viaduct. However, as early as the first year following its construction, it became the victim of an avalanche. A folding bridge was then installed in its place. To this day, the folding bridge, which can carry a payload of up to 200 tonnes (196.8 LT), is made safe each autumn by drawing it back to its abutments, in three pieces.
Some early onsets of winter brought distress to the FO. On those occasions, staff members had to clear the track. For that work, steam locomotive
s of type HG 3/4 were used until 1968. They were then replaced with modern diesel electric locomotives of class HGm 4/4. In the years when winter came early, locomotives and railcars sometimes had to be loaded onto standard gauge
vehicles, to be transported from either Göschenen
or Chur
to Brig
or vice versa, on the side of the pass where they were needed.
At the start of June each year, the line could be reopened. Snow ploughs and blowers needed to be used for that purpose. On many occasions, the snow depths in the narrow alpine valleys were so great that the snow had to be removed by hand over many shifts, and with heavy construction equipment, until the FO's snow removal vehicles could be used. The construction equipment had to be transported on open rail wagons to the places where they were required. By these means, the line could be reopened two weeks earlier, but at a high price.
In 1963, the FO endured the most difficult of all its reopenings of the line. A team working with a steam locomotive on the snow front was hit and swept away by an avalanche. The incident cost several lives, including that of a journalist who had been compiling reportage about the snow removal. As a consequence of this incident, the construction of the Furka Base Tunnel was brought forward.
in Valais and Realp
in Uri, including the summit tunnel, was replaced by an FO line passing through the then new Furka Base Tunnel. The superseded portion of the FO line was abandoned. However, strong public protests against the removal of the abandoned tracks led to the foundation of the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway (DFB), to preserve and operate the abandoned line.
Since , the abandoned line has been progressively reopened from Realp, as a heritage railway
operated by the DFB. On , the DFB was extended from its then temporary terminus at Furka
to Gletsch
, via the Summit Tunnel, which was simultaneously reopened, and Muttbach-Belvédère.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It lies at an altitude of 2160 metres (7,086.6 ft). The summit tunnel was completed in 1925, and first opened on 3 July 1926. It links the Furka railway station
Furka railway station
Furka railway station is a metre gauge railway station at the eastern portal of the Furka Summit Tunnel, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland. The station was opened in 1926...
, in Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
, with the Muttbach-Belvédère halting point
Muttbach-Belvédère halting point
Muttbach-Belvédère Station is a metre gauge railway passenger facility, at the western portal of the Furka Summit Tunnel, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland....
, in Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
.
Until 1982, when the summit tunnel was replaced by the Furka Base Tunnel, the railway line passing through the summit tunnel was part of the Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO). However, that line, which, along with the summit tunnel, was closed in 1981 and reopened in 2000, is now part of the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
The Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway is a company which operates a railway line between Realp and Oberwald...
, a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
operating in summer only.
Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO) operations
Between 1926 and 1981, the FO allocated three schedule periods to the line passing through the summit tunnel. The summer schedule corresponded with the then European summer timetable. The other seasons, covered by the then European winter timetable, were divided by the FO into autumn and winter periods, because traffic over the Furka Pass could be operated only until mid October.As soon as snow started falling, the FO had to be ready to place individual items of rolling stock on either side of the Furka, according to demand. Then, during the years commencing with electrification of the line in 1942, the electrical contact wire had to be dismantled over a nearly 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long section of line, and the line made "avalanche ready". Eveything more than 1 metres (3.3 ft) above ground level had to be removed, necessitating a huge annual expenditure.
The Steffenbach bridge, on the Uri side of the summit tunnel, was built initially as a viaduct. However, as early as the first year following its construction, it became the victim of an avalanche. A folding bridge was then installed in its place. To this day, the folding bridge, which can carry a payload of up to 200 tonnes (196.8 LT), is made safe each autumn by drawing it back to its abutments, in three pieces.
Some early onsets of winter brought distress to the FO. On those occasions, staff members had to clear the track. For that work, steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s of type HG 3/4 were used until 1968. They were then replaced with modern diesel electric locomotives of class HGm 4/4. In the years when winter came early, locomotives and railcars sometimes had to be loaded onto standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
vehicles, to be transported from either Göschenen
Göschenen railway station
Göschenen railway station, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland, is an important railway junction on the Gotthardbahn railway line, at the northern end of the Gotthard Rail Tunnel....
or Chur
Chur railway station
Chur railway station serves the city of Chur, capital of the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. Opened in 1858, it is the most important railway junction in Graubünden....
to Brig
Brig railway station
Brig railway station is an important railway junction in the municipality of Brig-Glis , in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland...
or vice versa, on the side of the pass where they were needed.
At the start of June each year, the line could be reopened. Snow ploughs and blowers needed to be used for that purpose. On many occasions, the snow depths in the narrow alpine valleys were so great that the snow had to be removed by hand over many shifts, and with heavy construction equipment, until the FO's snow removal vehicles could be used. The construction equipment had to be transported on open rail wagons to the places where they were required. By these means, the line could be reopened two weeks earlier, but at a high price.
In 1963, the FO endured the most difficult of all its reopenings of the line. A team working with a steam locomotive on the snow front was hit and swept away by an avalanche. The incident cost several lives, including that of a journalist who had been compiling reportage about the snow removal. As a consequence of this incident, the construction of the Furka Base Tunnel was brought forward.
Closure and reopening
In 1982, the original portion of the FO between OberwaldOberwald railway station
Oberwald railway station is a metre gauge station serving the village of Oberwald, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. The station is close to the western portal of the Furka Base Tunnel, on the Furka Oberalp Bahn , which connects Brig in Valais, via the base tunnel and Andermatt in Uri, with...
in Valais and Realp
Realp railway station
Realp railway station is a metre gauge station serving the municipality of Realp, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland. The station is close to the eastern portal of the Furka Base Tunnel, on the Furka Oberalp Bahn , which connects Brig in Valais, via Andermatt in Uri, with Göschenen, Uri, and...
in Uri, including the summit tunnel, was replaced by an FO line passing through the then new Furka Base Tunnel. The superseded portion of the FO line was abandoned. However, strong public protests against the removal of the abandoned tracks led to the foundation of the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway (DFB), to preserve and operate the abandoned line.
Since , the abandoned line has been progressively reopened from Realp, as a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
operated by the DFB. On , the DFB was extended from its then temporary terminus at Furka
Furka railway station
Furka railway station is a metre gauge railway station at the eastern portal of the Furka Summit Tunnel, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland. The station was opened in 1926...
to Gletsch
Gletsch railway station
Gletsch railway station is a metre gauge railway station serving the village of Gletsch, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland.-History and operations:...
, via the Summit Tunnel, which was simultaneously reopened, and Muttbach-Belvédère.
See also
- Furka railway stationFurka railway stationFurka railway station is a metre gauge railway station at the eastern portal of the Furka Summit Tunnel, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland. The station was opened in 1926...
- Muttbach-Belvédère halting pointMuttbach-Belvédère halting pointMuttbach-Belvédère Station is a metre gauge railway passenger facility, at the western portal of the Furka Summit Tunnel, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland....
- Furka Base Tunnel
- Furka Oberalp Bahn
- Furka Cogwheel Steam RailwayFurka Cogwheel Steam RailwayThe Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway is a company which operates a railway line between Realp and Oberwald...
External links
- Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
- Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (successor to the FO)