As well as cheese, watches and chocolate, Switzerland is also famous for its railways, which curve through the scenic Alps along ancient routes and viaducts. The Swiss railways will be 175 years old this year.
A reason to celebrate – and a reason for the Rhaetian Railway to set a world record: on October 29, the Confederates want to run the longest passenger train in the world. It should be 1910 meters long and contain 100 wagons. The route: the Unesco World Heritage route Albula/Bernina from Preda to Bergün and further over the Landwasser Viaduct. The Rhaetian Railway announced that this is how they want to make the “railway engineering masterpiece of the railroad pioneers” visible.
Renato Fasciati, director of the railway company, said: “Switzerland is a railway country like no other. This year we are celebrating 175 years of Swiss railways. With this world record attempt, the RhB and its partners want to make their contribution and realize a pioneering act that makes it so never seen before.” If the record attempt is successful, it should of course be included in the Guinness Book of Records.
The whole undertaking is by no means easier said than done. The record train is to be assembled from 25 multi-unit trains of the latest “Capricorn” type. These will be acquired by the railway company as part of the procurement of rolling stock for modernization purposes by 2024.
“Never before has there been such a long passenger train in the world,” writes the Rhaetian Railway. “Let alone in the high mountains on a narrow-gauge railway with tight curve radii, many tunnels and viaducts.”
The 25 trains must all be able to accelerate or decelerate at the same time. An electrical loop is designed to ensure that all trains come to a standstill simultaneously in the event of abrupt braking. Four trains are controlled by just one engine driver. A total of seven train drivers and 21 technicians are to be deployed on the train. A field telephone should be used so that they can communicate.
Another difficulty: the weight. Without passengers, the train weighs around 2850 tons. If the train does not move synchronously, very large forces will act on the infrastructure and car bodies, according to the railway company.
“A separate intercom system in the train, train driver training and clear commands ensure the appropriate result. In addition, special software is loaded for the journey of the record-breaking train and the mechanical braking power is reduced.” The voltage also poses a challenge. On the descent, the train is slowed down by so-called “electrical recuperation”. In this way, electricity is produced that is sent to the catenary. However, if 25 such trains are running on the route, this could increase the voltage on the catenary too much. This overvoltage could then not be absorbed by other systems.
“Various tests were carried out for this purpose and measures are being taken for the record run,” says the Rhaetian Railway. These include speed limits.
The world record train should only travel between 30 and 35 km/h. The journey should take about three quarters of an hour, with 789.4 meters of altitude to be overcome. Theoretically, more than 4,500 people could find space in the mega train, with 150 seats already reserved for invited guests.
The day of the world record attempt is accompanied by a big spectacle. A festival area with music and entertainment is to be set up in Bergün. The train journey will also be broadcast live on television. Onlookers can follow the train on its way at various “viewpoints” on site.
Belgium holds the world record for the longest passenger train in the world. In 1991, a train more than 1700 meters long with 70 wagons drove there, as the Swiss “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” writes. However, the longest train ever runs in Australia, where the freight train, which is more than seven kilometers long, carries freight across the country.
The anniversary and the large procurement measure are not the only two reasons for the Swiss attempting a world record. It is also a major PR campaign by Deutsche Bahn, which is hoping for more passengers after losses during the corona pandemic.
Additional source: “Blick”