Vitznau–Rigi rack railway opens (1871)

The Vitznau–Rigi Railway opened on 21 May 1871, becoming Europe's first rack railway. Engineered by Niklaus Riggenbach, the line ascends from Vitznau on Lake Lucerne to near Mount Rigi's summit. The project received cantonal permission in 1869, with locomotive trials occurring in 1870 before the official opening exactly one year later.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Mount Rigi, known as the Queen of the Mountains, is a massif in Central Switzerland split between the cantons of Schwyz and Lucerne. The Vitznau–Rigi line starts in Vitznau, a municipality in the canton of Lucerne situated between Lake Lucerne and the mountain. The railway was designed to serve the scenic location, connecting the lakeshore to points near the summit.

Construction and Approval. Swiss engineer Niklaus Riggenbach masterminded the construction of the railway from Vitznau to near the summit. The cantonal administration granted permission for the project on 9 June 1869, recognizing the advantages of rack railway technology. Locomotive No. 1, named Stadt Luzern, made its first trial run on 21 May 1870, Riggenbach's birthday.

Official Opening. Exactly one year after the first trial run, the first mountain railway using rack and pinion technology was officially opened on 21 May 1871. This event established the Vitznau–Rigi Bahn as Europe's first rack railway, though it was the second in the world after the Mount Washington Cog Railway in the United States.

Sources

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