Brienz Rothorn Bahn

From TrainSpottingWorld, for Rail fans everywhere

The Brienz Rothorn Bahn (BRB) is an 800 mm (2 ft 7½ in) gauge tourist rack railway in Switzerland, which climbs from Brienz, at the eastern end of Lake Brienz, to the summit of the Brienzer Rothorn mountain. The two designers, engineer Alexander Lindner and contractor Theo Bertschinger were supported by the mountain railway pioneer Roman Abt, who had responsibility for equipping the line with his newly developed double lamella rack system.

History

The railway was opened on 17th June 1892, after a two years construction period but was quickly in financial difficulties. The line was designed to carry 25,000 passengers per year but only managed 5,000 passengers in the first year. Tourist traffic was further affected by the opening of Schynige Platte Railway in 1895 and the Jungfraubahn in 1898.

The train service was suspended on 1st August 1914 as a result of the First World War, but did not re-open when the war ended. Essential maintenance was carried out and a small amount of timber traffic was carried from Planalp in 1918. Carriages were hired to the Schynige Platte Railway in 1924 and 1925, providing money for the maintenance work.

The line was finally re-opened on 13th June 1931, the first train to reach the summit in 17 years having run 4 days earlier. The railway was in good condition because of the continuing maintenance. Unlike other Swiss mountain lines, the BRB was not electrified and this made the railway a special attraction as from 1953 to 1990 it was the only steam-operated line in Switzerland. Although other Swiss mountain railways offer special "steam" trips this is the only line which offers a full steam service, the diesel locomotive only being used for additional trains and for light traffic periods.

Route

The BRB is 7.5 km long with a maximum gradient of 1 in 4 (25%) and includes 5 tunnels. It begins in Brienz at 566 m above sea level, opposite the station of the Swiss Federal Railways Brünigbahn. The Brünigbahn did not open here until 1916 so early travelers mainly arrived by boat.

The railway is single track with three passing loops. The first passing loop is at Geldried, 1019m above sea level. The halfway passing loop of the line is Planalp station at 1341m above sea level. The older steam locomotives stop to take water. The third passing loop is at Oberstafel, 1819m above sea level.

The upper terminus of the line is Rothorn Kulm station at 2244m, a little below the summit of the mountain.

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

All steam locomotives are Class H2/3, indicating that 2 axles of the 3 are driven, giving a wheel arrangement (Whyte System) of 0-4-2. The older locomotives are a side tank, "kneeling cow" design of a standard SLM product. The modern steam locomotives use an efficient "light oil" fired steam technology and were built by DLM (Dampflokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik AG DLM) of Winterthur.

A prototype diesel locomotive, class Hm2/2, was delivered from SLM / Siemens in 1973 but sold to the Chemin de fer Montreux-Glion-Rochers-de-Naye in 1995. New diesel locomotives were constructed by Ferdinand Steck Maschinenfabrik FSM and are of (Whyte System) 0-4-0 wheel arrangement to a "kneeling cow" design.

Brienz Rothorn Bahn Locomotives
BRB No. Builder(s) Works No. Year Built Type Notes
1 (I) SLM 688 1891 Steam Scrapped 1961
1 (II) SLM 693 1892 Steam Ex-MGR, 1962
2 SLM 689 1891 Steam
3 SLM 719 1892 Steam
4 SLM 720 1892 Steam
5 SLM 690 1891 Steam Ex WAB 1912
6 SLM 3567 1933 Steam - Geared
7 SLM 3611 1936 Steam - Geared
8 SLM / Siemens 1973 Diesel Hydraulic Prototype Class Hm2/2. Sold to MGR, 1995
9 Steck - 1976 Diesel Hydraulic Class Hm2/2
10 Steck - 1976 Diesel Hydraulic Class Hm2/2
11 Steck - 1986 Diesel Hydraulic Class Hm2/2
12 DLM 1992 Steam
14 DLM 5689 1996 Steam
15 5690 1996 Steam
16 DLM 1992 Steam Ex-MGR, Sept.1993
Coaching Stock of the Brienz Rothorn Bahn.
BRB No. Date Built No. of Wheels (Bogies) Seats Notes
B1 1892 6 40
B3 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B4 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B5 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B6 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B7 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B8 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B9 1972 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 56 Arched Roof
B11 1892 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 48
B12 1892 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 48
B14 1987 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 60 Lightweight
B15 1987 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 60 Lightweight
B16 1933 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 48
B21 1892 4 28 Semi-open
B26 1933 4 32
B27 1933 8 (2 x 2 axle bogies) 40 "Bistrowagen"

Timetable

Trains depart Brienz at 06h00(a), 07h33(b), 08h33, 09h33, 10h05, 10h40 and every hour until 15h40, 16h20(c), 17h50(d) and 18h30(e).

Trains depart Rothorn at 08h30(b), 09h33, 10h35, 11h10 and every hour until 16h10, 16h45, 17h20(c), 21h40(d)and 22h00(e).

(a) Sunrise Trip, Operates October 1st 2006 only.

(b) Diesel operated train, operates Sundays, 13th August to 24th Sept. 2006

(c) Operates between 17th June and 3rd September 2006.

(d) Operates on Swiss National Day, 1st August 2006, only. Fare includes Swiss Buffet and Folk music.

(e) Special service operates on Thursdays Only, 29th June to 5th October 2006. Fare includes dinner at the summit restaurant.

Except where shown all trains are steam operated. Additional trains may be run in between those shown and these may be steam or diesel-operated. Journey time apprx. 55 minutes uphill, 60 minutes downhill.

See also

de:Brienz-Rothorn-Bahn fr:Brienz Rothorn Bahn ja:ブリエンツ・ロートホルン鉄道