Schynige Platte Railway
Encyclopedia
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The Schynige Platte Railway or Schynige Platte Bahn (SPB) is a mountain railway
in the Bernese Oberland
area of Switzerland
, which connects the town of Wilderswil
, near Interlaken
with the famous wildflower gardens of the Schynige Platte
.
An impressively varied natural landscape unfolds on the journey: fertile forests, Alpine pastures and breathtaking views of the Bernese Oberland with Lake Thun
and Lake Brienz
. Then a sudden change of scenery to the almost overwhelming view of the glistening giants of the Bernese Oberland, directly opposite, the imposing peaks of the Eiger
, Mönch
& Jungfrau
.
The Schynige Platte Railway connects with the metre gauge line of its owner company Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) at Wilderswil. The line is 7.25 km (4.5 mi) long and has a rail gauge
of . It is a rack railway
, using the Strub rack to climb 1420 m (4,658.8 ft) to its summit with a maximum gradient of 25% (1 in 4). There are a few short stretches of Riggenbach rack particularly over bridges.
Passage of the line is often be impossible in winter, and as there is no winter sports possibility, it only operates in summer months, generally from the end of April to the end October.
The line is electrified using a 1500 V
DC
overhead
supply since 1914. The line still operates the four original electric locomotives, numbers 11 to 14. More such locomotives, together with matching coaches, were bought from the Wengernalpbahn
but had (until the recent delivery of additional train sets) often returned to this line to help in winter sports traffic. 1992 the company started a rebuilding program for the coaches. On old underframes, brought to a unified length of 10,695 mm over buffers, Ramseyer+Jenzer built a new steel body in the old compartment style.
BOB and all companies of the Jungfraubahn Holding (JBH) have a joint management, staff may be exchanged and technical services are available for other companies within the group.
!No.
!Name
!Arms
!Builder
!Date
!SPB
!Livery (2008)
!Notes
|-
|5 || || ||SLM ||1894||1894- || ||Class H2/3, 0-4-2T, Steam.
|-
|11||Wilderswil ||
|SLM
/ BBC
|1914||1914-||
||All electric locomotives, Class He2/2
|-
|12||(Gsteigwiler) || ||SLM/BBC ||1914||1914-||
||
|-
|13||Matten || ||SLM/BBC ||1914||1914-||
||
|-
|14||(Gündlischwand)|| ||SLM/BBC ||1914||1914-||
||
|-
|15|| || ||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-92|| ||originally WAB 55, 1992 back to WAB as shunter Lauterbrunnen, 1997 monument in Münchenstein BL (former Alioth factory)
|-
|16||Anemone || ||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-||
||originally WAB 56
|-
|17|| || ||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-96|| ||originally WAB 57, withdrawn 1996
|-
|18||(Krokus)
Gündlischwand||||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-||
||originally WAB 58
|-
|19||Flühbluhme || ||SLM/Alioth||1911||1964-||
||originally WAB 59
|-
|20||(Edelweiss)
Gsteigwiler|| ||SLM/Alioth||1911||1970-||
||originally WAB 60
|-
|21
61||
Enzian|| ||SLM/Alioth||1912||1970-81
1991||
||Rebuilt 1992
|-
|62||Alpenrose || ||SLM/Alioth||1912||1989-||
||Rebuilt 1989
|-
|63||(Silberdistel) || ||SLM/Alioth||1912||1996-||
||Rebuilt 1996
|-
|}
|-
|- bgcolor="cccccc"
The Schynige Platte Railway or Schynige Platte Bahn (SPB) is a mountain railway
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
in the Bernese Oberland
Bernese Oberland
The Bernese Oberland is the higher part of the canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the southern end of the canton: The area around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the valleys of the Bernese Alps .The flag of the Bernese Oberland consists of a black eagle in a gold field The Bernese Oberland (Bernese...
area of Switzerland
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....
, which connects the town of Wilderswil
Wilderswil
Wilderswil is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is situated at the southern border of the Bödeli watershed, where the Saxetenbach joins the Lütschine, south of Interlaken. The village is situated at the foot of the mountains...
, near Interlaken
Interlaken
Interlaken is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland, a well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland.-History:...
with the famous wildflower gardens of the Schynige Platte
Schynige Platte
The Schynige Platte is a Swiss mountain region near Wilderswil where the Schynige Platte Railway ends .In good weather conditions the summit offers spectacular views to many surrounding mountains, including Jungfrau, Eiger, Silberhorn and others, as well as Thunersee and Brienzersee...
.
An impressively varied natural landscape unfolds on the journey: fertile forests, Alpine pastures and breathtaking views of the Bernese Oberland with Lake Thun
Lake Thun
Lake Thun is an Alpine lake in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. It took its name from the city of Thun, on its northern shore.Lake Thun's approximately 2,500 km² large catchment area frequently causes local flooding after heavy rainfalls...
and Lake Brienz
Lake Brienz
Lake Brienz is a lake just north of the Alps, in the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. The lake took its name from the village Brienz on its northern shore. Interlaken and the villages Matten and Unterseen lie to the south west of the lake. The shores are steep, and there is almost no shallow water...
. Then a sudden change of scenery to the almost overwhelming view of the glistening giants of the Bernese Oberland, directly opposite, the imposing peaks of the Eiger
Eiger
The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
, Mönch
Mönch
The Mönch is a mountain in the Bernese Alps, in Switzerland. Together with the Eiger and the Jungfrau it forms a highly recognisable group of mountains visible from far away....
& Jungfrau
Jungfrau
The Jungfrau is one of the main summits in the Bernese Alps, situated between the cantons of Valais and Bern in Switzerland...
.
History
- 1890 The concession for the line was given and the company is founded on 16 September.
- 1891 Construction starts.
- 1893 A train with special guests reaches the top on 5 May and the line opens to the public on 14 June.
- 1896 The Berner Oberland Bahn become the new owners.
- 1914 The line was electrified. Electric services start on 9 May.
- 1928 The Alpine Garden opens on the Schynige Platte.
- 1964 The Schynige Platte Railway receives 4 locomotives from the WengernalpbahnWengernalpbahnWengernalpbahn is a 19.091 km long, gauge rack railway line in Switzerland, which runs from Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg, making it the world's longest continuous rack and pinion railway....
. - 1970 The Schynige Platte Railway receives 2 more locomotives from the WengernalpbahnWengernalpbahnWengernalpbahn is a 19.091 km long, gauge rack railway line in Switzerland, which runs from Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg, making it the world's longest continuous rack and pinion railway....
. - 1978 The Schynige Platte Railway receives another locomotive from the WengernalpbahnWengernalpbahnWengernalpbahn is a 19.091 km long, gauge rack railway line in Switzerland, which runs from Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg, making it the world's longest continuous rack and pinion railway....
. - 2001 Teddyland opens on the Schynige Platte on 7 June.
Operations
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of . It is a rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a 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 this rack rail...
, using the Strub rack to climb 1420 m (4,658.8 ft) to its summit with a maximum gradient of 25% (1 in 4). There are a few short stretches of Riggenbach rack particularly over bridges.
Passage of the line is often be impossible in winter, and as there is no winter sports possibility, it only operates in summer months, generally from the end of April to the end October.
The line is electrified using a 1500 V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
overhead
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
supply since 1914. The line still operates the four original electric locomotives, numbers 11 to 14. More such locomotives, together with matching coaches, were bought from the Wengernalpbahn
Wengernalpbahn
Wengernalpbahn is a 19.091 km long, gauge rack railway line in Switzerland, which runs from Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg, making it the world's longest continuous rack and pinion railway....
but had (until the recent delivery of additional train sets) often returned to this line to help in winter sports traffic. 1992 the company started a rebuilding program for the coaches. On old underframes, brought to a unified length of 10,695 mm over buffers, Ramseyer+Jenzer built a new steel body in the old compartment style.
BOB and all companies of the Jungfraubahn Holding (JBH) have a joint management, staff may be exchanged and technical services are available for other companies within the group.
Locomotives
{|class="wikitable"!No.
!Name
!Arms
!Builder
!Date
!SPB
!Livery (2008)
!Notes
|-
|5 || || ||SLM ||1894||1894- || ||Class H2/3, 0-4-2T, Steam.
|-
|11||Wilderswil ||
|SLM
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works were a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur in Switzerland...
/ BBC
Brown, Boveri & Cie
Brown, Boveri & Cie was a Swiss group of electrical engineering companies.It was founded in Baden, Switzerland, in 1891 by Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown and Walter Boveri who worked at the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. In 1970 BBC took over the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon...
|1914||1914-||
||All electric locomotives, Class He2/2|-
|12||(Gsteigwiler) || ||SLM/BBC ||1914||1914-||
|||-
|13||Matten || ||SLM/BBC ||1914||1914-||
|||-
|14||(Gündlischwand)|| ||SLM/BBC ||1914||1914-||
|||-
|15|| || ||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-92|| ||originally WAB 55, 1992 back to WAB as shunter Lauterbrunnen, 1997 monument in Münchenstein BL (former Alioth factory)
|-
|16||Anemone || ||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-||
||originally WAB 56|-
|17|| || ||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-96|| ||originally WAB 57, withdrawn 1996
|-
|18||(Krokus)
Gündlischwand||||SLM/Alioth||1910||1964-||
||originally WAB 58|-
|19||Flühbluhme || ||SLM/Alioth||1911||1964-||
||originally WAB 59|-
|20||(Edelweiss)
Gsteigwiler|| ||SLM/Alioth||1911||1970-||
||originally WAB 60|-
|21
61||
Enzian|| ||SLM/Alioth||1912||1970-81
1991||
||Rebuilt 1992|-
|62||Alpenrose || ||SLM/Alioth||1912||1989-||
||Rebuilt 1989|-
|63||(Silberdistel) || ||SLM/Alioth||1912||1996-||
||Rebuilt 1996|-
|}