Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB ) is a narrow gauge railway in Switzerland with a track width of 1,000 mm. It has a rail network of about 144 km in length in the cantons of Valais, Uri and Graubünden, are offered on the regional traffic and freight traffic on links and car transport. The most famous offering of trains by train is the Glacier Express, which she jointly operates with the Rhaetian Railway.
History
The railway was built in the early summer of 2003 through the union of Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn ( BVZ ) and the Furka -Oberalp -Bahn ( FO) on January 1, 2003. Already in September 2002 summarized the general meetings an appropriate policy decision. On 23 January 2003, the Board of Directors gave the new name known.
Derailed On 23 July 2010, shortly before Fiesch a Glacier Express. Because the engineer in the curve exit the train accelerated too early, tipped last car in the curve outwards. He also tore the two leading cars off the rails. A Japanese tourist was killed, 42 people were injured. → Main article: Railway accident of Fiesch
Corporate structure
The MGB is composed of three companies: the Matterhorn Gotthard traffic AG ( MGB) is caused by renaming the BVZ, the Matterhorn Gotthard AG infrastructure ( MGI ) is the former FO and a new corporation Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn ( MGM) works as a management umbrella. The MGB has taken over the transport of the FO and it ceded the BVZ infrastructure to MGI. The MGB is majority-owned by the Matterhorn Gotthard AG ( which in turn owns the Gornergrat Bahn AG (SCI) is ), MGI shares belong to the Confederation and the cantons, the MGM is held equally by BVZ Holding and the public sector.
Rail network
The 144 km long rail network stretches from Disentis in Graubünden over the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt in the Canton of Uri ( with a stitch line down to Göschenen, originally independent Schöllenenbahn ), Realp, through the Furka Base Tunnel to Upper Forest in Valais, Brig and Visp to up to Zermatt below the Matterhorn.
In Disentis Following the Rhaetian Railway, operates with the MGB together the Glacier Express between Zermatt and St. Moritz, Grisons destinations, Davos and Chur.
There is also the former Furka mountain route, which passes under at a summit altitude of 2162 m the Furka Pass with a 1874 m-long summit tunnel between Realp and upper forest (compared to peak height of the base tunnel 1564 m asl). From the Furka mountain route you can see the Rhone Glacier. This very scenic route is now traversed by the DFB steam train Furka.
Rack sections
The web is a mixed gear and adhesion railway. On 13 rack sections with a total length of 28.8 km (about 20% of the total network ) a rack system Abbot is installed with two blades. There are gradients of up to 11 % ( over the Oberalp pass between Sedrun and Andermatt ), 12.5 % (on the route between Visp and Zermatt ) and 17.9 % (on the route of Andermatt down to Göschenen ) overcome. The remaining nearly 116 route miles (approximately 80% of the total network ) be driven on adhesion operation without rack and have lower gradients (up 4%) on.
Power supply
The MGB uses to drive its electric-powered vehicles with a single-phase voltage of 11 kV and a frequency of 16.7 Hz, which is supplied as usual catenaries. The MGB and subsequent in Disentis to the MGB railway network Rhaetian Railway use so that the same current system. The frequency corresponds to that of SBB, while the voltage of 4 kV is lower.
The energy is, unlike the Rhaetian Railway, based on the SBB, which own high voltage power supply for 16.7 -Hz railway power at the mains voltages operates 132 and 66 kV in Switzerland. The transformation to the driving voltage of 11 kV is performed in substations in Herbriggen, Massaboden and Andermatt. In addition, ( for example in a temporary shutdown of the plant in Andermatt ) an emergency power supply in Göschenen possible. The substations in Herbriggen and Massaboden power the western part of the route network to upper forest, the sub-station Andermatt the east part of Upper Forest.
Operation
The MGB operates the following Zugsangebote:
- Regional trains Brig -Zermatt
- Shuttle trains with luggage trolley Tasch -Zermatt
- Regional trains Visp- Andermatt- Göschenen and compaction on sections
- Regional trains Andermatt- Disentis
- Sports Trains ( winter season) Sedrun and Andermatt - Dieni - Nätschen
- Car trains the upper forest Realp (Furka tunnel ) and Andermatt -Sedrun
- Glacier Express together with the RhB.
Freight transport only takes place between Visp and Zermatt on a larger scale instead (2012: 42'200 t). By 2012, moreover, ensured the supply of the NEAT construction site in Sedrun for intensive traffic from Disentis (2012: 32'900 t, 2011: 73'200 t).
When train wreck of Fiesch derailed on 23 July 2010, a Glacier Express at Fiesch.
Locomotives
Because of the rack sections distributed over the entire route network have almost all main-line train cars next to the Adhäsionsantrieb via a gear drive. The only exception are the two Ge 4/ 4, which were purchased for the carriage of car trains through the navigable adhesion operation in the Furka Base Tunnel. All timetabled Zugsleistungen be provided with electric traction vehicles.
In contrast, no gear drive is required when the shunting and shunting. These vehicles are or were in the stations Zermatt, Visp, Brig (including workshop Glisergrund Ölumlad and goats), Andermatt and Sedrun used. With the exception of Te 4926 (1946), which ranged up to 2007 in Brig, all shunting locomotives are equipped with diesel engines. For shunting within the workshop, the MGB also owns a tractor batteries.
For track maintenance, snow removal and as a catenary independent operating reserve, the MGB has two diesel locomotives HGm 4/4 from 1968 and two modern HGm 2/2 (2002, 2011). Next two diesel-hydraulic catenary track cars with gear and Adhäsionsantrieb are available.
Steam locomotive HG 2/3 · HG 3/4
Electric locomotives: HGe 2/2 · HGe 4/4 I · HGe 4/4 II · Ge 4/4
Diesel Locomotives: Gm 3/3 · Gm 4/4 · HGm 4/4 · HGm 2/2
Railcars CFm 2/2 · BDeh 2/4 · ABDeh 6/6 · ABDeh 8/8 · ABDeh 4/8 ABDeh · 4/10 · BDSeh 4/8 · Deh 4/4 21-24 · Deh 4/4 51 -55 · Deh 4/4 91-96
Coaches: control car SIG - center entrance car 2061-67/2161-63/2261-76 · center entry car ex Brünigbahn · FFA Einheitswagen I 4263-72 · FFA Einheitswagen II 2241-42 · SIG - unit car I · II · SIG - unit car ACMV Einheitswagen II 4171 ... 82 · Luggage Trolley / Niederflurwagen 2231 ... 37 · R J Dome Coach 4011-14 · 4021-34 · Breda Dome Coach Stadler Dome Car 4040-45/4061-68/3833-35 ·
Pictures
Two BDSeh 4/8 as Zermatt shuttle
Ge 4 /4 with cars through the Furka Base Tunnel
Glacier Express shortly before the Oberalp pass
Luggage railcars Deh 4/4 22 (ex BVZ ) with the regional Oberalpsee
Xmh 1/2 of the MGB on the Oberalp pass
Regional above Andermatt overlooking the Urserental
Andermatt railway station