Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren
The Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren (BLM) is a mountain railway in the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland, which connects the villages of Lauterbrunnen and Mürren. The railway was opened in the year 1891, and since 1910 winter operation has also been possible.
The enterprise is made up of two differently laid out sections, which are connected in the Grütschalp station. From Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp the line consisted of a 1.4 km (0.9 mi) long funicular with maximum gradient of 60%, now replaced with a new aerial cableway. From Grütschalp to Mürren the line is continued as a 4.2 km (2.6 mi) long narrow gauge electric railway with a maximum upward gradient of 5% and using adhesion traction (ie. not rack and pinion). The line is single-track, with a passing loop at Winteregg (pronounced VEEN-ter-ehg) station. Both the funicular and electric railway had a track gauge of 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in), enabling the use of the funicular to transfer rolling stock to and from the electric railway. A travelling crane in the Grütschalp station is used to transfer goods between the two sections - well used since road access to Mürren is very difficult. With the replacement of the funicular, the aerial cable-car has also taken over the task of transporting goods. The single cable car carries up to 100 passengers in a journey time of 4 minutes. The special crane has been conserved.
The BLM station at Lauterbrunnen is directly opposite the station of the Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) to Interlaken, and the Wengernalpbahn (WAB) to Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald.
References
- Buckley, R.J. (1984). Tramways and Light Railways of Switzerland and Austria. Light Rail Transit Association. ISBN 0900433965. .
External links
- Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren in English. Part of a site about the Swiss narrow gauge railways.
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