Riffelalptram

The Riffelalptram ( RiT ) is Europe's highest tram line. It leads at a distance of 675.31 meters from the railway station Riffelalp the Gornergrat train to the hotel Riffelalp in Valais in Switzerland. It is only in the summer (June-October ) in operation. The track width is 800 mm.

History

In planning the route of the Gornergrat Railway Hotel Riffelalp could not be connected directly. The cog railway leads since 1898 a few hundred meters from the hotel over. To allow guests still a convenient way to the hotel, the hotel pioneer Alexander Seiler planned a short connecting road to the nearby station of the cable car. But disputes between the municipality of Zermatt Seiler and prevented the acquisition of the intended for road terrain. Then Seiler requested a concession for a tram line, which was granted to him immediately by the Federal Council. Now the Zermatt had to give in and Seiler sell the land needed, since he admitted the concession and the right to expropriate the required substrate.

The Riffelalptram was opened after a short construction period on 13 July 1899. The track had a length of 469 meters, a track width of 800 mm and was operated on a two-pole overhead line with 550 volt three-phase current.

By 1960, the tram wrong in the summer months, drove in winter - if the Gornergrat railway was in operation - sleigh. Having burned down in the night of 14 to 15 February 1961 the hotel down to the ground, the train has stopped. The vehicles survived the fire undamaged and were set up in the aftermath of Zermatt.

During the construction of a new hotel, which began in 1998, and the Riffelalptram should be put back into operation. Because of the long idle period, however, a complete renovation of the tracks was necessary. The track width of 800 mm was retained, but the new tracks were extended compared to the original track and covered with a reversing loop so that the track is now 675 meters long. The electrical overhead line could not be restored because of the now existing legal requirements. Therefore, the two rebuilt streetcar draw their energy from batteries. The new line was reopened on 15 June 2001. The tram runs between mid-June and mid-October in the period 11 to 16 clock.