Bernina Express
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The Bernina Express , BEX for short , is an international train connection operated by the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). In addition to the Glacier Express , it is one of the tourist highlights of the Rhaetian Railway. The Albulabahn and Bernina Railway routes used by the Bernina Express were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in summer 2008 .
The Bernina Express leaves the at 585 m above sea level. M. situated Station Chur towards Thusis and drives over the Albula line to Pontresina . There the train changes from the AC contact line of the main network to the DC contact line of the Bernina Railway. As far as Ospizio Bernina , the route climbs to an altitude of 2253 m above sea level. M. and then leads in several loops over Alp Grüm downhill into the Poschiavo . The end of the train is Tirano in Italy , which is only 429 meters high . In 2013 the train took four hours and four minutes to cover the 144-kilometer route from Chur to Tirano.
The Bernina Express was originally an express train before the abbreviation BEX - which had been used by the Rhaetian Railway for some time - was also defined as a train category in the official Swiss timetable in December 2012 . Since December 2019, it has been running under the Panorama Express (PE) category , which includes the Gotthard Panorama Express in addition to the Glacier Express .
history
After the success of a through car connection established in 1969 from Chur to Tirano, the Rhaetian Railway introduced the Bernina Express as an independent train in 1973. In the first few years, the change of locomotive, which was necessary due to the system change between the main network and the Bernina Railway, took place in Samedan , where at the same time any wagons that might have been transported to St. Moritz were separated. In Samedan, the two Gem 4/4 twin-powered locomotives took over the train and initially ran under the main network contact line in diesel mode. Because the two-power locomotives can only be switched when the vehicle is stationary and the system separation point was only at the southern head of the station, diesel operation had to be continued until the next scheduled stop in Surovas. The Bernina Express has also operated as an express train south of Pontresina since 1975, meaning that diesel operation had to be maintained as far as Bernina Diavolezza. During the renovation of the Pontresina station in 1981, track 3 was equipped to be switchable, so that the locomotive was changed there from 1982 and the use of two-engine locomotives was no longer necessary.
The increased demand prompted the Rhaetian Railway to run a second pair of trains Chur – Tirano in 1985 under the name Bernina Express, which was followed in 1993 by an express train connection between St. Moritz and Tirano. Instead of the second pair of trains, a through car ran between Chur and Tirano in winter. The offer was supplemented in 1995 by a direct connection Landquart - Davos - Tirano, which initially operated as the Heidiland-Bernina Express and from 1999 to 2005 as the Heidi-Express . This train (limited to the Davos - Tirano route since 2005) has also been called the Bernina Express since 2006. Finally, in 2007, the Trenino rosso was introduced from Tirano to St. Moritz and back in the afternoon to enable passengers from northern Italy to take a day trip in a panorama car across the Bernina Railway. This pair of trains has also been called the Bernina Express since 2008. A surcharge is levied in the panorama carriages , but the railcars can be used free of charge.
In Tirano you can continue your journey with the Trenord trains in the direction of Sondrio , Lecco and Milan or, since 1994, with a direct bus line to Lugano .
Rolling stock
At the beginning, the existing wagons approved for the Bernina Railway were used, mainly shortened I standard wagons . The small first-class compartments of the existing cars were soon no longer sufficient. In 1978, therefore, two shortened first-class standard cars II came into operation. Of the four carriages with a luggage compartment of the same series delivered in 1982, one was reserved for the Berninaexpress so that the minibar with its supplies could easily be accommodated. From 1983 on, special wagons were procured for the Bernina Express: in 1983 ten standard wagons III , in 1993 eleven shortened standard wagons IV . The standard cars II, III and IV procured for the Bernina Express were given a gray-brown window band from 1983, which shaped the appearance of this train for a long time. Since May 28, 2000, the Bernina Express has been composed of panorama cars as far as possible. The typical gray-brown ribbon window could no longer be attached to the large, almost continuous ribbon windows of the panorama cars; subsequently it was also abandoned on the previous cars; these are now all uniformly red.
Since spring 2010, new “Allegra” dual-system multiple units have been gradually being used on the Bernina line . These multiple units of the type RhB ABe 8/12 Allegra , which were supplied by Stadler Rail , can run on the main network of the Rhaetian Railway with 11,000 volts alternating current and on the Bernina railway with 1000 volts direct current. This made it possible for the first time to run the Bernina Express continuously from Chur to Tirano without changing locomotives. To do this, the multiple units switch the power system at Pontresina station. The travel time from Chur to Tirano has been shortened by around five minutes as no reclamping is required. The multiple units each have 24 seats in the first and 76 seats in the second class, as well as 14 additional folding seats (emergency seats). They are also handicapped accessible (low-floor entry and two wheelchair spaces) and designed for bicycle transport (five bicycle parking spaces). With an output of 2600 kilowatts, a maximum speed of 100 km / h can be achieved on the main network. With direct current on the Bernina line, the output is reduced to 2400 kilowatts. Depending on the route, a maximum of 65 km / h is reached there, and a trailer load of 160 tons is permitted. This enables trains to be driven from up to seven panorama cars, which was planned until 2013.
literature
- Achim Walder : Glacier Express , Bernina Express and Rhaetian Railway . Walder Verlag, ISBN 3-936575-34-7 .
- Robert Bösch , Iso Camartin , Gion Caprez : Bernina Express . AS Verlag , Zurich 2009, ISBN 978-3-909111-69-5 .
