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141-532: Culminating at a height of only 705 m (2,313 ft) above sea level, the Simplon Tunnel was also the lowest direct Alpine crossing for 110 years, until the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016. The tunnel has a maximum rock overlay of approximately 2,150 m (7,050 ft), also a world record at the time. Temperatures up to 56 °C (133 °F) have been measured inside

282-402: A (nearly) continuous conductor running along the track that usually takes one of two forms: an overhead line , suspended from poles or towers along the track or from structure or tunnel ceilings, or a third rail mounted at track level and contacted by a sliding " pickup shoe ". Both overhead wire and third-rail systems usually use the running rails as the return conductor, but some systems use

423-477: A 20-minute train journey as an alternative to driving over the Simplon Pass. The service began on 1 December 1959. As roads over the Simplon Pass steadily improved throughout the 1970s and 1980s the tunnel's shuttle schedule was cut back, then ended altogether on 3 January 1993. Almost twelve years later, on 12 December 2004, the car shuttle service began again and now runs about every 90 minutes. In

564-584: A continuous motorway was established from the northern border of Switzerland in Basel to the southern border in Chiasso , or the shortest motorway route from North-German Hamburg as far as South-Italian Sicily , bringing down the competitiveness of the railway line. Passenger speed was also increased on the railway line with the use of tilting trains, notably the ICN , although maximum speed remaining far lower than on

705-465: A damaged lane-change gate, two high-speed switches and many other safety and operationally relevant parts. Freight trains were allowed to use the east tunnel from 23 August due to a temporary maintenance gate replacing the damaged one whilst passenger services remained rerouted. Freight capacity in the tunnel was gradually increased on weekdays, while passenger services saw expansion on weekends. In case of emergency, passengers would be evacuated through

846-693: A faster connection between the canton of Ticino and the rest of Switzerland, as well as between northern and southern Europe, cutting the Basel / Zürich – Lugano – Milan journey time for passenger trains by one hour (and from Lucerne to Bellinzona by 45 minutes). After 64 percent of Swiss voters accepted the NRLA project in a 1992 referendum , the first preparatory and exploratory work began in 1996. Construction began in November 1999 at Amsteg . Drilling operations were completed in March 2011. Completed in 2016,

987-573: A higher total efficiency. Electricity for electric rail systems can also come from renewable energy , nuclear power , or other low-carbon sources, which do not emit pollution or emissions. Electric locomotives may easily be constructed with greater power output than most diesel locomotives. For passenger operation it is possible to provide enough power with diesel engines (see e.g. ' ICE TD ') but, at higher speeds, this proves costly and impractical. Therefore, almost all high speed trains are electric. The high power of electric locomotives also gives them

1128-467: A historical concern for double-stack rail transport regarding clearances with overhead lines but it is no longer universally true as of 2022 , with both Indian Railways and China Railway regularly operating electric double-stack cargo trains under overhead lines. Railway electrification has constantly increased in the past decades, and as of 2022, electrified tracks account for nearly one-third of total tracks globally. Railway electrification

1269-520: A huge challenge for automobiles of those days. From 1953 onwards, the pass road was sequentially improved and expanded at several sections along the Gotthard route, finally ending in 1977 with the opening of an expressway fully circumventing the Tremola. In winter, however, due to the snow, cars could only cross the Gotthard on the train. Transit time was further dramatically reduced with the opening of

1410-519: A journey time of 2:45 hours, down from 3:50 hours. 67,000 tonnes (150 million pounds) on 120 trains passed through the tunnel each day during the first half year of operation. Railway electrification system Railway electrification is the use of electric power for the propulsion of rail transport . Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), electric multiple units ( passenger cars with their own motors) or both. Electricity

1551-534: A lane change gate in the tunnel were severely damaged. The gate is needed to separate the two tunnel tubes which is why the second tunnel could not initially be used to run trains. Experts from the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) were dispatched to the site to preserve and document evidence of the crash. Investigators found fragments of a wheel and signs of derailment several kilometers before

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1692-721: A live relay carried a speech given by Transport Minister Doris Leuthard at the southern entrance in Bodio . The first journey carried hundreds of Swiss citizens who had won tickets in a draw, while the assembled guests in Erstfeld, including the Federal Council in corpore, heads of state and government from neighbouring countries and transport ministers from European countries, attended the opening show Sacre del Gottardo by Volker Hesse featuring 600 dancers, acrobats, singers and musicians celebrating Alpine culture and myths around

1833-403: A maximum elevation of 549 m (1,801 ft) above sea level, corresponding to that of Bern . It is the deepest railway tunnel in the world, with a maximum depth of 2,450 m (8,040 ft), comparable to that of the deepest mines on Earth. Without ventilation, the temperature inside the mountain reaches 46 °C (115 °F). Like the two other tunnels passing below the Gotthard,

1974-442: A modern straight high-speed line. Both modern motorway and historic railway rely on heavy rockfall and avalanche protection equipments and are exposed to harsh weather condition in winter. After the opening of the auto tunnel, in 1980, traffic increased more than tenfold. The existing tunnel was at its capacity by 2013. A second tunnel will be built next to the first, following a national referendum. Construction started in 2021 and

2115-537: A number of European countries, India, Saudi Arabia, eastern Japan, countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union, on high-speed lines in much of Western Europe (including countries that still run conventional railways under DC but not in countries using 16.7   Hz, see above). Most systems like this operate at 25   kV, although 12.5   kV sections exist in the United States, and 20   kV

2256-457: A power grid that is delivered to a locomotive, and within the locomotive, transformed and rectified to a lower DC voltage in preparation for use by traction motors. These motors may either be DC motors which directly use the DC or they may be three-phase AC motors which require further conversion of the DC to variable frequency three-phase AC (using power electronics). Thus both systems are faced with

2397-512: A railway node with links to Lucerne and Zürich , and Bellinzona (the "Gate of Ticino"), with links to Locarno , Luino and Lugano (via the Monte Ceneri Rail Tunnel ). The journey from Arth-Goldau to Bellinzona takes not more than an hour. The station of Altdorf is planned to be served by 2021. There also have been talks of using that of Biasca. The travel between Altdorf and Biasca would last less than 25 minutes. Since

2538-710: A ramp through the Divedro valley down to Domodossola . At a Swiss-Italian conference held in July 1889, it was agreed, however, to build a nearly 20-kilometre long (12 mi) base tunnel through the territory of both states. In order to secure credit for the tunnel, the SOS joined with the Jura–Bern–Luzern Railway to create the Jura–Simplon Railway (French: Compagnie du Jura–Simplon , SOS). The participation of

2679-498: A relative lack of flexibility (since electric trains need third rails or overhead wires), and a vulnerability to power interruptions. Electro-diesel locomotives and electro-diesel multiple units mitigate these problems somewhat as they are capable of running on diesel power during an outage or on non-electrified routes. Different regions may use different supply voltages and frequencies, complicating through service and requiring greater complexity of locomotive power. There used to be

2820-481: A separate fourth rail for this purpose. In comparison to the principal alternative, the diesel engine , electric railways offer substantially better energy efficiency , lower emissions , and lower operating costs. Electric locomotives are also usually quieter, more powerful, and more responsive and reliable than diesel. They have no local emissions, an important advantage in tunnels and urban areas. Some electric traction systems provide regenerative braking that turns

2961-555: A shift in transportation policy in September 1992 by accepting the NRLA proposal. A second law, the Alpine Protection Act of February 1994, requires a shift of as much tonnage as possible from truck transport to train transport. The goal of both the laws is to transport trucks, trailers and freight containers through Switzerland, from Basel to Chiasso , and beyond by rail to relieve the overused roads, and that of

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3102-674: A stop inside the tunnel, to allow passengers to visit an exhibition inside the underground multifunction station in Sedrun which would normally be used in emergency only. During 2016, the GBT was tested extensively before its integration into the regular schedule on 11 December. On 5 December, the Swiss Federal Railways were granted permission from the Federal Transport Office to use the new base line. While

3243-418: A third rail. The key advantage of the four-rail system is that neither running rail carries any current. This scheme was introduced because of the problems of return currents, intended to be carried by the earthed (grounded) running rail, flowing through the iron tunnel linings instead. This can cause electrolytic damage and even arcing if the tunnel segments are not electrically bonded together. The problem

3384-404: Is 250 km/h (155 mph) through the GBT, the maximal authorized speed has been reduced to 230 km/h (145 mph) for ecological and economical reasons, while the operating speed of passenger trains is restricted to 200 km/h (125 mph) in order to accommodate the freight traffic, with the possibility to accelerate up to 230 km/h (145 mph) in case of delay. At opening

3525-701: Is a railway tunnel through the Alps in Switzerland . It opened in June 2016 and full service began the following December. With a route length of 57.09 km (35.5 mi), it is the world's longest railway and deepest traffic tunnel and the first flat, low-level route through the Alps. It lies at the heart of the Gotthard axis and constitutes the third tunnel connecting the cantons of Uri and Ticino , after

3666-605: Is crossed below the Chrüzlistock , the crest having an elevation of about 2,700 m (8,900 ft) at this point. From the crest and border, the tunnel runs parallel to the small valley of the river Strem (Val Strem) before passing below Sedrun and the Anterior Rhine. From the bottom of the valley, the tunnel proceeds towards the valley of the Rein da Nalps (Val Nalps) and passes east of Lai da Nalps , before crossing

3807-411: Is derived by using resistors which ensures that stray earth currents are kept to manageable levels. Power-only rails can be mounted on strongly insulating ceramic chairs to minimise current leak, but this is not possible for running rails, which have to be seated on stronger metal chairs to carry the weight of trains. However, elastomeric rubber pads placed between the rails and chairs can now solve part of

3948-451: Is effected by one contact shoe each that slide on top of each one of the running rails . This and all other rubber-tyred metros that have a 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) standard gauge track between the roll ways operate in the same manner. Railways and electrical utilities use AC as opposed to DC for the same reason: to use transformers , which require AC, to produce higher voltages. The higher

4089-526: Is electrified, companies often find that they need to continue use of diesel trains even if sections are electrified. The increasing demand for container traffic, which is more efficient when utilizing the double-stack car , also has network effect issues with existing electrifications due to insufficient clearance of overhead electrical lines for these trains, but electrification can be built or modified to have sufficient clearance, at additional cost. A problem specifically related to electrified lines are gaps in

4230-486: Is limited and losses are significantly higher. However, the higher voltages used in many AC electrification systems reduce transmission losses over longer distances, allowing for fewer substations or more powerful locomotives to be used. Also, the energy used to blow air to cool transformers, power electronics (including rectifiers), and other conversion hardware must be accounted for. Standard AC electrification systems use much higher voltages than standard DC systems. One of

4371-778: Is no longer exactly one-third of the grid frequency. This solved overheating problems with the rotary converters used to generate some of this power from the grid supply. In the US , the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad , the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Philadelphia and Reading Railway adopted 11   kV 25   Hz single-phase AC. Parts of the original electrified network still operate at 25   Hz, with voltage boosted to 12   kV, while others were converted to 12.5 or 25   kV 60   Hz. In

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4512-421: Is not the same as that of the continent, that of the central lands, that of Europe far away from the sea." On average, the temperature is about 3 °C (5 °F) higher on the south side than the north side, but on some days, temperature differences are well over 10 °C (18 °F). The north portal lies in the north of the municipality of Erstfeld at an elevation of 460 m (1,510 ft), east of

4653-777: Is scheduled to finish in 2027. As early as 1947, engineer Eduard Gruner imagined a two-story base tunnel from Amsteg to Biasca, both rail and road, with a stop at Sedrun, to provide a faster and flatter passage through the Swiss Alps . Similarly to Gruner's idea, the GBT cuts through the Gotthard Massif some 600 m (2,000 ft) below the older tunnel. On the historic track only the Gotthard Railway trains up to 1,300  t (2.9 × 10 ^   lb ) when using two locomotives or up to 1,500 t (3.3 × 10 ^  lb) with an additional bank engine at

4794-447: Is sufficient traffic, the reduced track and especially the lower engine maintenance and running costs exceed the costs of this maintenance significantly. Newly electrified lines often show a "sparks effect", whereby electrification in passenger rail systems leads to significant jumps in patronage / revenue. The reasons may include electric trains being seen as more modern and attractive to ride, faster, quieter and smoother service, and

4935-410: Is that the power-wasting resistors used in DC locomotives for speed control were not needed in an AC locomotive: multiple taps on the transformer can supply a range of voltages. Separate low-voltage transformer windings supply lighting and the motors driving auxiliary machinery. More recently, the development of very high power semiconductors has caused the classic DC motor to be largely replaced with

5076-894: Is the countrywide system. 3   kV DC is used in Belgium, Italy, Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Chile, the northern portion of the Czech Republic, the former republics of the Soviet Union , and in the Netherlands on a few kilometers between Maastricht and Belgium. It was formerly used by the Milwaukee Road from Harlowton, Montana , to Seattle, across the Continental Divide and including extensive branch and loop lines in Montana, and by

5217-580: Is the development of powering trains and locomotives using electricity instead of diesel or steam power . The history of railway electrification dates back to the late 19th century when the first electric tramways were introduced in cities like Berlin , London , and New York City . In 1881, the first permanent railway electrification in the world was the Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway in Berlin , Germany. Overhead line electrification

5358-420: Is typically generated in large and relatively efficient generating stations , transmitted to the railway network and distributed to the trains. Some electric railways have their own dedicated generating stations and transmission lines , but most purchase power from an electric utility . The railway usually provides its own distribution lines, switches, and transformers . Power is supplied to moving trains with

5499-838: Is used on some narrow-gauge lines in Japan. On "French system" HSLs, the overhead line and a "sleeper" feeder line each carry 25   kV in relation to the rails, but in opposite phase so they are at 50   kV from each other; autotransformers equalize the tension at regular intervals. Various railway electrification systems in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries utilised three-phase , rather than single-phase electric power delivery due to ease of design of both power supply and locomotives. These systems could either use standard network frequency and three power cables, or reduced frequency, which allowed for return-phase line to be third rail, rather than an additional overhead wire. The majority of modern electrification systems take AC energy from

5640-656: The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (now New Jersey Transit , converted to 25   kV   AC) in the United States, and the Kolkata suburban railway (Bardhaman Main Line) in India, before it was converted to 25   kV 50   Hz. DC voltages between 600   V and 750   V are used by most tramways and trolleybus networks, as well as some metro systems as the traction motors accept this voltage without

5781-577: The Gotthard in particular, by using intermodal freight transport and rolling highways (where the entire truck is transported). The GBT substantially contributes to the requirements of both laws and enables a direct flat route from the ports of the North Sea (notably Rotterdam) to those of the Mediterranean Sea (notably Genoa), via the Rhine corridor. Although the technical maximum speed

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5922-844: The Gotthard Road Tunnel and the finalization of the northern part of A2 motorway through the Urner Reusstal (in close proximity to the railway), with many additional tunnels (then leading from Basel to the Gotthard Road Tunnel), in 1980. With the completion in 1986 of the A2 motorway in the Valle Leventina , the main valley leading from Airolo down to Bellinzona , and the surmounting of the Monte Ceneri between Bellinzona and Lugano in 1983, finally

6063-694: The Gotthard Tunnel and the Gotthard Road Tunnel . The GBT consists of a large complex with, at its core, two single-track tunnels connecting Erstfeld (Uri) with Bodio (Ticino) and passing below Sedrun ( Grisons ). It is part of the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA) project, which also includes the Ceneri Base Tunnel further south (opened on 3 September 2020) and the Lötschberg Base Tunnel on

6204-711: The HSL-Zuid and Betuwelijn , and 3,000   V south of Maastricht . In Portugal, it is used in the Cascais Line and in Denmark on the suburban S-train system (1650   V DC). In the United Kingdom, 1,500   V   DC was used in 1954 for the Woodhead trans-Pennine route (now closed); the system used regenerative braking , allowing for transfer of energy between climbing and descending trains on

6345-701: The Innovia ART system. While part of the SkyTrain network, the Canada Line does not use this system and instead uses more traditional motors attached to the wheels and third-rail electrification. A few lines of the Paris Métro in France operate on a four-rail power system. The trains move on rubber tyres which roll on a pair of narrow roll ways made of steel and, in some places, of concrete . Since

6486-579: The Southern Railway serving Coulsdon North and Sutton railway station . The lines were electrified at 6.7   kV 25   Hz. It was announced in 1926 that all lines were to be converted to DC third rail and the last overhead-powered electric service ran in September 1929. AC power is used at 60   Hz in North America (excluding the aforementioned 25   Hz network), western Japan, South Korea and Taiwan; and at 50   Hz in

6627-461: The United States , the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was one of the first major railways to be electrified. Railway electrification continued to expand throughout the 20th century, with technological improvements and the development of high-speed trains and commuters . Today, many countries have extensive electrified railway networks with 375 000  km of standard lines in

6768-554: The incidents section. The realization of the GBT, as the centrepiece of the NRLA , is also a prototypical example of direct democracy in Switzerland. In order to accomplish this mega-project the political institutions also had to overcome many parliamentary sessions and several major popular votes , including the following: The safety requirements on the rolling stock are similar to those of other long Swiss tunnels, including

6909-686: The main chain of the Alps , and is the main drainage divide between the Rhine and the Po . For a few kilometres, the tunnel passes below two western tributaries of the Brenno in the Valle Santa Maria before crossing the last range, west of the Passo Predèlp (about 2,500 m (8,200 ft)) and east of Faido . It then follows the eastern slopes of the large Valle Leventina , the valley of

7050-534: The tensioned cable normally used for overhead electrification so that the required 4.90-metre (16 ft 7 ⁄ 8  in) height clearance could be achieved. In the late 1980s, a one kilometre (0.62 mi) long overhead electric rail had been tested at 160 km/h (99 mph). Before this experiment, trains running under overhead electric rails in Switzerland had been limited to 110 km/h (68 mph) and internationally to 80 km/h (50 mph). Restricted rail operations were maintained during

7191-399: The 100,000th transit. Around two-thirds of the passages were freight trains and the remaining quota were passenger trains, both national and international. The number of projected trains per day was 180–260 freight trains and 50 (65 from 2020) passenger trains. After the opening of the tunnel there was an increase in passengers crossing the trans-alpine line, with 2.3 million passengers in

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7332-468: The 13th century, the 2,106 m-high (6,909 ft) Gotthard Pass has been an important trade route from northern to southern Europe. Control of its access routes led to the birth of the Swiss Confederacy . The Gotthard Pass is located halfway between Lake Lucerne and Lake Maggiore . It is the shortest link between the navigable Rhine and the Po . Before modern transport, the traverse of

7473-799: The Alps, the Glarus Alps and the Saint-Gotthard Massif , with the valley of the Anterior Rhine , the Surselva in the canton of Graubünden , between them. The tunnel passes under these two ranges more than 2,000 m (6,562 ft) below the Chrüzlistock (2,709 m or 8,888 ft) and the Piz Vatgira (2,983 m or 9,787 ft, near the Lukmanier Pass ). While the cantons of Uri and Ticino are part of

7614-646: The Amsteg section, two in the Sedrun section, and three each in the southernmost Faido and Bodio sections. In 2016, several events, including festivities and special exhibitions, were held around the Gotthard, culminating in the inaugurations in early June, dubbed Gottardo 2016 . Public institutions joined the celebrations: Swiss Post issued a special stamp commemorating the Gotthard Base Tunnel, and Swissmint issued gold and silver coins dedicated to

7755-424: The Day by Thomas Pynchon , Reef Traverse, one of the novel's characters, works on the construction of the Simplon Tunnel. In the novel "The Couloir" by Richard Manichello, the Canton Valais is a major geographical setting for action and scenes. especially the Val de Bagnes. Brig and the Simplon Pass & Tunnel play an important role in the main plot, moving characters in and out of Western Swiss locations or over

7896-461: The GBT reduced travel times for trans-Alpine train journeys by about 40 minutes, and by one hour when the adjacent Zimmerberg and Ceneri Base Tunnels were completed. This is viewed as a revolution, especially in the isolated region of Ticino, which is separated from the rest of the country by the Alps and the Gotthard. The two stations of Bellinzona and Lugano (respectively named "Gate of Ticino" and "Terrace of Ticino") were entirely renovated for

8037-493: The Gannaretsch range below the western summit of Piz Vatgira (2,981 m (9,780 ft)). This is the deepest point of the tunnel, with a rock layer of 2,450 m (8,040 ft) above it. The tunnel then passes below the valley of the Rein da Medel (Val Medel) and west of Lai da Sontga Maria . After a few kilometres the tunnel crosses the watershed between the Anterior Rhine and the Ticino, just north of Pizzo dell'Uomo (2,525 m (8,284 ft)). This point corresponds to

8178-408: The German- and Italian-speaking areas of Switzerland respectively, the Surselva is mainly Romansh -speaking. The Alps strongly influence the European climate – and that of Switzerland in particular – and there can be substantially different weather conditions at each end of the GBT, described by the Ticinese architect Mario Botta : "The light changes at the Gotthard: that of the Mediterranean Sea

8319-419: The Gotthard . On the following weekend, popular festivities and special exhibitions, attended by more than 100,000 visitors, were held. From 2 August to 27 November 2016, the Swiss Federal Railways ran a special train service through the tunnel called "Gottardino" which was open to the public. It was a once-daily service from Flüelen railway station to Biasca railway station and in reverse. The trains made

8460-412: The Gotthard Base Tunnel connects two Alpine valleys across the Saint-Gotthard Massif : the Urner Reusstal in the canton of Uri , in which flows the river Reuss , and the Valle Leventina , the largest valley in the canton of Ticino , in which the river Ticino flows. Unlike most other tunnels, the Gotthard Base Tunnel passes under several distinct mountain massifs, two of them being major subranges of

8601-405: The Gotthard Base Tunnel is to increase local transport capacity through the Alpine barrier, especially for freight on the Rotterdam–Basel–Genoa corridor, and more specifically to shift freight volumes from trucks to freight trains. This both significantly reduces the danger of fatal road crashes involving trucks, and reduces the environmental damage caused by heavy trucks. The tunnel also provides

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8742-411: The Netherlands, New Zealand ( Wellington ), Singapore (on the North East MRT line ), the United States ( Chicago area on the Metra Electric district and the South Shore Line interurban line and Link light rail in Seattle , Washington). In Slovakia, there are two narrow-gauge lines in the High Tatras (one a cog railway ). In the Netherlands it is used on the main system, alongside 25   kV on

8883-434: The Pennine Alps for various intrigues and subplots involving action that traverses Swiss and Italian story settings. 46°19′25″N 8°00′11″E  /  46.32361°N 8.00306°E  / 46.32361; 8.00306 Gotthard Base Tunnel The Gotthard Base Tunnel ( GBT ; German : Gotthard-Basistunnel , Italian : Galleria di base del San Gottardo , Romansh : Tunnel da basa dal Sogn Gottard )

9024-405: The Reuss. There, the tunnel penetrates the western slopes of the Bälmeten and Chli Windgällen (although only marginally) before passing below the valley of the Chärstelenbach, a creek in the Maderanertal . From there, the tunnel runs parallel to the small valley of Etzli, below the Witenalpstock . The main crest of the Glarus Alps, which is the watershed between the Reuss and the Anterior Rhine,

9165-433: The Rhone valley lines will be increased from 160 to 200 km/h (99 to 124 mph). On 9 June 2011, a 300 m (984 ft) section of the Simplon II tunnel's roof was seriously damaged when a northbound BLS freight train caught fire and stopped 3 km (1.9 mi) into the tunnel. The temperature exceeded 800 °C (1,470 °F) and took more than two weeks to cool back to normal. By agreement all repairs to

9306-408: The Swiss government led to the signing of a treaty with Italy on 25 November 1895 concerning the construction and operation of a railway through the Simplon from Brig to Domodossola by the Jura–Simplon Railway. The route of the tunnel was determined by military considerations so that the state border between the two countries was in the middle of the tunnel, allowing either country to block the tunnel in

9447-405: The Ticino, for about 18 km (11 mi) to the south portal at Bodio , at an elevation of 312 m (1,024 ft), just 3 km (1.9 mi) before Biasca , where the Brenno converges with the Ticino. The closest railway stations to the portals are Altdorf and Biasca . The first regularly served railway stations on the base line (as of 2016/17) are those of Arth-Goldau ( Schwyz ),

9588-427: The UK, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway pioneered overhead electrification of its suburban lines in London, London Bridge to Victoria being opened to traffic on 1   December 1909. Victoria to Crystal Palace via Balham and West Norwood opened in May 1911. Peckham Rye to West Norwood opened in June 1912. Further extensions were not made owing to the First World War. Two lines opened in 1925 under

9729-519: The ability for the emergency brake to be overridden. On 10th August 2023, a freight train heading north derailed inside the tunnel causing it to be shut. Trains scheduled to use the tunnel were either cancelled or redirected via the "panorama route" which added around one to two hours to journeys. Since the alternate route was unable to accommodate bi-level equipment, passenger capacity was reduced by around two thirds. According to an SBB press conference, around 8km of tracks, 20,000 concrete sleepers and

9870-494: The ability to pull freight at higher speed over gradients; in mixed traffic conditions this increases capacity when the time between trains can be decreased. The higher power of electric locomotives and an electrification can also be a cheaper alternative to a new and less steep railway if train weights are to be increased on a system. On the other hand, electrification may not be suitable for lines with low frequency of traffic, because lower running cost of trains may be outweighed by

10011-516: The advantages of raising the voltage is that, to transmit certain level of power, lower current is necessary ( P = V × I ). Lowering the current reduces the ohmic losses and allows for less bulky, lighter overhead line equipment and more spacing between traction substations, while maintaining power capacity of the system. On the other hand, the higher voltage requires larger isolation gaps, requiring some elements of infrastructure to be larger. The standard-frequency AC system may introduce imbalance to

10152-522: The base tunnel is used for InterCity trains ( ICN ) and EuroCity trains ( EC ), the vertex line remains in use for regional trains. Since 2019, the Gotthard axis is served by the Stadler EC250 (Giruno) high-speed train and future flagship of the SBB fleet. From the Amsteg portal, guided tours are organised inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel complex. A window allows visitors to watch the trains running in

10293-469: The base tunnel level. A proposal to construct a functioning railway station, called Porta Alpina (from Romansh , "Alpine Gate"), at this site was evaluated, but the project was put on hold in 2007 and definitively cancelled by the federal authorities in 2012 as uneconomical. The final breakthrough in the east tube occurred on 15 October 2010 at 14:17 +02:00. The final breakthrough in the west tube occurred on 23 March 2011 at 12:20. On 30 August 2013,

10434-456: The beginning. The official decision to use electricity was made only half a year before its opening by the then-still-new SBB. Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) were commissioned to carry out the electrification. They decided in 1904 to use the three-phase system being introduced in Italy, with a three-phase power supply of 3,400 volts at 15.8 Hz using two overhead wires with the track acting as

10575-459: The breakage has not yet been determined. External influence or fatigue fracture are possible explanations. The wheel fragments will be subjected to metallurgical analysis to determine the cause. Despite the broken wheel, the wagon was dragged by the train for several kilometers. At the switching point of the multi-functional station, where trains can switch between the two tubes of the tunnel, the wagon derailed, pulling more than 20 following wagons off

10716-571: The company Western Swiss Railways (French: Chemins de Fer de la Suisse Occidentale , SO) to create the Western Switzerland–Simplon Company (French: Compagnie de la Suisse Occidentale et du Simplon , SOS). The French financiers of the SOS were able to secure finance for the tunnel in 1886. The company considered 31 proposals and selected one that involved the construction of a tunnel from Glis to Gondo, which would have been fully in Switzerland. From Gondo it would have continued on

10857-527: The context of a nationwide rail upgrading project, Rail 2000 , between 1985 and 2004. Further adjustments are proposed. In November 2004, the 7-kilometre long (4.3 mi) new line between Salgesch and Leuk in the Rhone Valley was completed to replace the last single-track bottleneck on the route. Under the ZEB ("Future rail development projects") package, the maximum speed on the long straight sections of

10998-456: The crash site. At the Faido station, they discovered a pile of derailed wagons. The STSB's mission is to determine the causes of accidents to ensure or improve safety, rather than to assign guilt or responsibility. The STSB believes that the derailment was likely caused by a broken wheel tread inside the tunnel. All fragments of the wheel were found, consisting of several large pieces. The cause of

11139-410: The distance they could transmit power. However, in the early 20th century, alternating current (AC) power systems were developed, which allowed for more efficient power transmission over longer distances. In the 1920s and 1930s, many countries worldwide began to electrify their railways. In Europe, Switzerland , Sweden , France , and Italy were among the early adopters of railway electrification. In

11280-515: The early 1990s, a project to implement the rolling highway system of piggyback operations for transalpine freight on the Lötschberg –Simplon axis was implemented. Such operations were possible under the previous profile of the Simplon Tunnel, but capacity would have been heavily restricted because its height was too low to carry trucks at the permitted maximum corner height of four metres (13 ft 1 + 1 ⁄ 2  in). The clearance in

11421-448: The electrification. Electric vehicles, especially locomotives, lose power when traversing gaps in the supply, such as phase change gaps in overhead systems, and gaps over points in third rail systems. These become a nuisance if the locomotive stops with its collector on a dead gap, in which case there is no power to restart. This is less of a problem in trains consisting of two or more multiple units coupled together, since in that case if

11562-404: The end of funding. Most electrification systems use overhead wires, but third rail is an option up to 1,500   V. Third rail systems almost exclusively use DC distribution. The use of AC is usually not feasible due to the dimensions of a third rail being physically very large compared with the skin depth that AC penetrates to 0.3 millimetres or 0.012 inches in a steel rail. This effect makes

11703-431: The end of the train are able to pass through the narrow mountain valleys and through spiral tunnels climbing up to the portals of the old tunnel at a height of 1,151 m (3,776 ft) above sea level. Since the GBT is in full service, standard freight trains of up to 3,600 t (7.9 × 10 ^  lb) are able to pass this natural barrier. Because of ever-increasing international truck traffic, Swiss voters chose

11844-505: The entire construction period. In order to expand the Lötschberg-Simplon axis into a powerful transit axis, various extensions to the access lines (from Bern and Lausanne in the north and from Novara and Milan in the south) have been made in recent years and decades. The largest projects have dealt with the northern access from Basel-Bern via Lötschberg. Between 1976 and 2007 there were three major transformations. First,

11985-528: The event of war. On 1 May 1903, the Jura-Simplon Railway was nationalized and integrated into the network of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), which completed the construction of the tunnel. The construction of the tunnel was carried out by the Hamburg engineering company Brandt & Brandau, of Karl Brandau and Alfred Brandt  [ de ] . On average, 3,000 people a day worked on

12126-591: The experiment was curtailed. In 1970 the Ural Electromechanical Institute of Railway Engineers carried out calculations for railway electrification at 12 kV DC , showing that the equivalent loss levels for a 25 kV AC system could be achieved with DC voltage between 11 and 16   kV. In the 1980s and 1990s 12 kV DC was being tested on the October Railway near Leningrad (now Petersburg ). The experiments ended in 1995 due to

12267-500: The fact that electrification often goes hand in hand with a general infrastructure and rolling stock overhaul / replacement, which leads to better service quality (in a way that theoretically could also be achieved by doing similar upgrades yet without electrification). Whatever the causes of the sparks effect, it is well established for numerous routes that have electrified over decades. This also applies when bus routes with diesel buses are replaced by trolleybuses. The overhead wires make

12408-447: The final cost was reported to be CHF 12.2 billion ( US$ 12 billion). The Gotthard Base Tunnel, with a length of 57.09 km (35.5 mi) and a total of 151.84 km (94.3 mi) of tunnels, shafts and passages, is the longest railway tunnel in the world , with a geodetic distance of 55.782 km (34.7 mi) between the two portals. It is also the first flat route through the Alps or any other major mountain range, with

12549-408: The first 8 months, an increase of 30% over the previous year. In August 2017, an average of 10,400 people crossed the tunnel daily. Train services from Italy to Switzerland through the line are expected to become faster from 2020, with the opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel , with an expected further increase in passenger numbers. There are plans for a train service between Zürich and Milan with

12690-1012: The general power grid. This is especially useful in mountainous areas where heavily loaded trains must descend long grades. Central station electricity can often be generated with higher efficiency than a mobile engine/generator. While the efficiency of power plant generation and diesel locomotive generation are roughly the same in the nominal regime, diesel motors decrease in efficiency in non-nominal regimes at low power while if an electric power plant needs to generate less power it will shut down its least efficient generators, thereby increasing efficiency. The electric train can save energy (as compared to diesel) by regenerative braking and by not needing to consume energy by idling as diesel locomotives do when stopped or coasting. However, electric rolling stock may run cooling blowers when stopped or coasting, thus consuming energy. Large fossil fuel power stations operate at high efficiency, and can be used for district heating or to produce district cooling , leading to

12831-411: The high cost of the electrification infrastructure. Therefore, most long-distance lines in developing or sparsely populated countries are not electrified due to relatively low frequency of trains. Network effects are a large factor with electrification. When converting lines to electric, the connections with other lines must be considered. Some electrifications have subsequently been removed because of

12972-578: The inauguration of the Gotthard Railway Tunnel , the travel time between Altdorf and Biasca was reduced dramatically to only hours, though often accompanied with overnight stays in large Fin de siècle -hotels, for example in Biasca. In those days, it was still an adventure and it was only affordable to the rich. Electrification of the railway line in 1922 significantly reduced travel time again. Refilling water boilers of steam locomotives

13113-497: The losses (saving 2   GWh per year per 100   route-km; equalling about €150,000 p.a.). The line chosen is one of the lines, totalling 6000   km, that are in need of renewal. In the 1960s the Soviets experimented with boosting the overhead voltage from 3 to 6   kV. DC rolling stock was equipped with ignitron -based converters to lower the supply voltage to 3   kV. The converters turned out to be unreliable and

13254-422: The maximum power that can be transmitted, also can be responsible for electrochemical corrosion due to stray DC currents. Electric trains need not carry the weight of prime movers , transmission and fuel. This is partly offset by the weight of electrical equipment. Regenerative braking returns power to the electrification system so that it may be used elsewhere, by other trains on the same system or returned to

13395-402: The need for overhead wires between those stations. Maintenance costs of the lines may be increased by electrification, but many systems claim lower costs due to reduced wear-and-tear on the track from lighter rolling stock. There are some additional maintenance costs associated with the electrical equipment around the track, such as power sub-stations and the catenary wire itself, but, if there

13536-640: The opening of the GBT, among other improvements. As of 2016, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is the longest railway tunnel in the world . It is the third Swiss tunnel to bear this title, after the Gotthard Tunnel (15 km or 9.3 mi, 1882) and the Simplon Tunnel (19.8 km or 12.3 mi, 1905). It is the third tunnel built under the Gotthard, after the Gotthard Tunnel and the Gotthard Road Tunnel. AlpTransit Gotthard AG

13677-575: The opening. On 31 May 2016, a day before the inauguration, the nine people who died during construction were commemorated in a ceremony at the north portal in Erstfeld that was led by a Catholic vicar general , a vicar of the Evangelical-Reformed Church of Uri , a Jewish rabbi, and a Muslim imam. A bronze memorial plaque with their names — four coming from Germany, three from Italy, and one from each of South Africa and Austria –

13818-423: The other main north–south axis. It is referred to as a " base tunnel " since it bypasses most of the existing vertex line, the Gotthard railway line , a winding mountain route opened in 1882 across the Saint-Gotthard Massif , which was operating at its capacity before the opening of the GBT. The new base tunnel establishes a direct route usable by high-speed rail and heavy freight trains . The main purpose of

13959-428: The other tunnel tube. Following the reopening of the undamaged northern third of the western tube, additional freight and passenger services were scheduled to use the tunnel, with a full reopening and a return to normal service commencing on 2nd September 2024. Since the opening date on 1 June 2016, between 130 and 160 trains on an average working day operated through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which in March 2019 marked

14100-579: The pass took days, and snow makes it a challenge in winter. Quite late, compared to other current top-importance routes through the Alps (e.g. Simplon , San Bernardino , Brenner , Mont Cenis ), namely in 1830, the first Saint-Gotthard Pass road was established after centuries-long usage of a bridle path . From 1842 onwards, a daily course by the Gotthard Post , a stagecoach drawn by five horses with ten seats, still took about 23 hours from Como to Flüelen . It would last until 1921. In 1882, with

14241-505: The phase separation between the electrified sections powered from different phases, whereas high voltage would make the transmission more efficient. UIC conducted a case study for the conversion of the Bordeaux-Hendaye railway line (France), currently electrified at 1.5   kV DC, to 9   kV DC and found that the conversion would allow to use less bulky overhead wires (saving €20 million per 100   route-km) and lower

14382-508: The problem by insulating the running rails from the current return should there be a leakage through the running rails. The Expo and Millennium Line of the Vancouver SkyTrain use side-contact fourth-rail systems for their 650 V DC supply. Both are located to the side of the train, as the space between the running rails is occupied by an aluminum plate, as part of stator of the linear induction propulsion system used on

14523-438: The remaining single-track line between Spiez and Brig was dualled. Later, adjustments were made to the tunnel profile for piggyback traffic; in places only widening one track was possible. Finally, the Lötschberg Base Tunnel partially opened in 2007, although the new tunnel still has a 21-kilometre (13 mile) single-track section; this was done in order to save costs for the construction of the longer Gotthard Base Tunnel , which

14664-465: The resistance per unit length unacceptably high compared with the use of DC. Third rail is more compact than overhead wires and can be used in smaller-diameter tunnels, an important factor for subway systems. The London Underground in England is one of few networks that uses a four-rail system. The additional rail carries the electrical return that, on third-rail and overhead networks, is provided by

14805-570: The revenue obtained for freight and passenger traffic. Different systems are used for urban and intercity areas; some electric locomotives can switch to different supply voltages to allow flexibility in operation. Six of the most commonly used voltages have been selected for European and international standardisation. Some of these are independent of the contact system used, so that, for example, 750   V   DC may be used with either third rail or overhead lines. There are many other voltage systems used for railway electrification systems around

14946-498: The running rails. On the London Underground, a top-contact third rail is beside the track, energized at +420 V DC , and a top-contact fourth rail is located centrally between the running rails at −210 V DC , which combine to provide a traction voltage of 630 V DC . The same system was used for Milan 's earliest underground line, Milan Metro 's line 1 , whose more recent lines use an overhead catenary or

15087-467: The same task: converting and transporting high-voltage AC from the power grid to low-voltage DC in the locomotive. The difference between AC and DC electrification systems lies in where the AC is converted to DC: at the substation or on the train. Energy efficiency and infrastructure costs determine which of these is used on a network, although this is often fixed due to pre-existing electrification systems. Both

15228-459: The site. They were mostly Italians, who suffered under very poor working conditions: 67 workers were killed in accidents; many died later of diseases. During the work, there were strikes, which led to the intervention of vigilantes and the Swiss army . With up to 2,150 m (7,054 ft) of rock over the tunnel, temperatures of up to 42 °C (108 °F) were expected and a new building method

15369-594: The southern section from the passing loop to the south portal. During the Second World War, on both sides of the border, there were preparations for the possible detonation of the tunnels. In Italy, the German army planned, as part of its 1945 withdrawal, to blow up the tunnel, but was thwarted by Italian partisans with the help of two Swiss officials and Austrian deserters. There is a car-carrying shuttle between Brig and Iselle di Trasquera , which provides

15510-569: The steep approaches to the tunnel. The system was also used for suburban electrification in East London and Manchester , now converted to 25   kV   AC. It is now only used for the Tyne and Wear Metro . In India, 1,500   V DC was the first electrification system launched in 1925 in Mumbai area. Between 2012 and 2016, the electrification was converted to 25   kV 50   Hz, which

15651-443: The supply grid, requiring careful planning and design (as at each substation power is drawn from two out of three phases). The low-frequency AC system may be powered by separate generation and distribution network or a network of converter substations, adding the expense, also low-frequency transformers, used both at the substations and on the rolling stock, are particularly bulky and heavy. The DC system, apart from being limited as to

15792-538: The third conductor. BBC had no electric locomotives and initially acquired three locomotives built for the Ferrovia della Valtellina —the owner of the lines from Colico to Chiavenna and Tirano , which had been electrified with this system in 1901 and 1902—from their owner, the Rete Adriatica (Adriatic Network) railway company. These three locomotives (which became FS Class E.360 ) hauled all traffic through

15933-694: The three-phase induction motor fed by a variable frequency drive , a special inverter that varies both frequency and voltage to control motor speed. These drives can run equally well on DC or AC of any frequency, and many modern electric locomotives are designed to handle different supply voltages and frequencies to simplify cross-border operation. Five European countries – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden – have standardized on 15   kV 16 + 2 ⁄ 3   Hz (the 50   Hz mains frequency divided by three) single-phase AC. On 16 October 1995, Germany, Austria and Switzerland changed from 16 + 2 ⁄ 3   Hz to 16.7   Hz which

16074-575: The through traffic to non-electrified lines. If through traffic is to have any benefit, time-consuming engine switches must occur to make such connections or expensive dual mode engines must be used. This is mostly an issue for long-distance trips, but many lines come to be dominated by through traffic from long-haul freight trains (usually running coal, ore, or containers to or from ports). In theory, these trains could enjoy dramatic savings through electrification, but it can be too costly to extend electrification to isolated areas, and unless an entire network

16215-416: The tracks. The tunnel's repair work was extensive. Originally expected to be completed by the end of 2023, it was announced in November 2023 that the repairs would not be finished before September 2024, with the tunnel operating at reduced capacity until then. This was due to repairs requiring a complete replacement of seven kilometers of rails, including 20,000 sleeper blocks and their concrete foundations,

16356-466: The train stops with one collector in a dead gap, another multiple unit can push or pull the disconnected unit until it can again draw power. The same applies to the kind of push-pull trains which have a locomotive at each end. Power gaps can be overcome in single-collector trains by on-board batteries or motor-flywheel-generator systems. In 2014, progress is being made in the use of large capacitors to power electric vehicles between stations, and so avoid

16497-713: The train's kinetic energy back into electricity and returns it to the supply system to be used by other trains or the general utility grid. While diesel locomotives burn petroleum products, electricity can be generated from diverse sources, including renewable energy . Historically, concerns of resource independence have played a role in the decision to electrify railway lines. The landlocked Swiss confederation which almost completely lacks oil or coal deposits but has plentiful hydropower electrified its network in part in reaction to supply issues during both World Wars. Disadvantages of electric traction include: high capital costs that may be uneconomic on lightly trafficked routes,

16638-413: The transmission and conversion of electric energy involve losses: ohmic losses in wires and power electronics, magnetic field losses in transformers and smoothing reactors (inductors). Power conversion for a DC system takes place mainly in a railway substation where large, heavy, and more efficient hardware can be used as compared to an AC system where conversion takes place aboard the locomotive where space

16779-477: The tunnel until 1908. On 2 March 1930, the Simplon tunnel was converted to 15 kV, 16.7 Hz AC (single-phase). Between 1912 and 1921, the 19,823-metre long (65,036 ft) second tube, known as Simplon II, was built. On 7 January 1922 the northern section from the north portal to the 500-metre long (1,640 ft) passing loop in the middle of the tunnel was brought into operation, followed on 16 October 1922 by

16920-414: The tunnel was entirely traversed for the first time from Bodio to Erstfeld in six hours, by diesel train, buses and by foot. On 16 December 2013, the operational test phase started on a 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) stretch in the southern section of the west tube between Faido and Bodio. Its purpose was to test the infrastructure and any ancillary systems. On 31 October 2014, the railway track installation

17061-413: The tunnel was therefore increased by lowering the rail trackbed. This work began in 1995 and lasted eight years. At the same time, the tunnel vault was rehabilitated, while the drainage tunnel was rebuilt. A total of 200,000 m (260,000 cu yd) of rock was removed with pneumatic breakers. In addition, a new railway electrification system was installed using overhead electric rail instead of

17202-502: The tunnel. On 10 August 2023, a freight train derailed while traveling through the tunnel, causing extensive damage to the tunnel infrastructure. The incident occurred near the multi-functional station of Faido, in the canton of Ticino. No one was injured, and no hazardous materials were released. The derailment caused significant damage to the tunnel, prompting its closure to both passenger and freight traffic. The tunnel returned to normal service on 2 September 2024. See more information in

17343-560: The tunnel. Work on the first tube of the Simplon Tunnel commenced in 1898. The Italian king Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and the president of the Swiss Confederation (presiding the Federal Council of Switzerland for that year) Ludwig Forrer opened the tunnel at Brig on 19 May 1906. The builders of the tunnel were Hermann Häustler and Hugo von Kager . Work on the second tube of the tunnel started in 1912 and it

17484-548: The tunnels are the responsibility of the SBB , which expected to reopen the tunnel in December 2011. The other tunnel remained in service. Repair work was completed in November 2011. In the 1957 novel From Russia, with Love by Ian Fleming , protagonist James Bond fights his enemy, SMERSH agent Donovan Grant, eventually killing him, while passing through the Simplon Tunnel on the Orient Express . In Against

17625-416: The tunnels in the two multifunction stations at Sedrun and Faido . These stations house ventilation equipment and technical infrastructure and serve as emergency stops and evacuation routes. Access to the Sedrun station site is by a level access tunnel 1 km (0.6 mi) long from the valley floor near Sedrun. At the end of the access tunnel, two vertical shafts lead 800 m (2,625 ft) down to

17766-512: The two tunnel portals. On 24 February 1905, the two halves of the tunnel came together. They were out of alignment by only 202 mm (8 in) horizontally and 87 mm (3.4 in) vertically. Construction time was 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 years, rather than 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 years, due to problems such as water inflows and strikes. Operations commenced through the tunnel on 19 May 1906. Because of its length among other things, it has operated with electric traction rather than steam from

17907-470: The tyres do not conduct the return current, the two guide bars provided outside the running ' roll ways ' become, in a sense, a third and fourth rail which each provide 750 V DC , so at least electrically it is a four-rail system. Each wheel set of a powered bogie carries one traction motor . A side sliding (side running) contact shoe picks up the current from the vertical face of each guide bar. The return of each traction motor, as well as each wagon ,

18048-432: The voltage, the lower the current for the same power (because power is current multiplied by voltage), and power loss is proportional to the current squared. The lower current reduces line loss, thus allowing higher power to be delivered. As alternating current is used with high voltages. Inside the locomotive, a transformer steps the voltage down for use by the traction motors and auxiliary loads. An early advantage of AC

18189-405: The weight of an on-board transformer. Increasing availability of high-voltage semiconductors may allow the use of higher and more efficient DC voltages that heretofore have only been practical with AC. The use of medium-voltage DC electrification (MVDC) would solve some of the issues associated with standard-frequency AC electrification systems, especially possible supply grid load imbalance and

18330-532: The world, and the list of railway electrification systems covers both standard voltage and non-standard voltage systems. The permissible range of voltages allowed for the standardised voltages is as stated in standards BS   EN   50163 and IEC   60850. These take into account the number of trains drawing current and their distance from the substation. 1,500   V DC is used in Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong (parts), Ireland, Australia (parts), France (also using 25 kV 50 Hz AC ) ,

18471-534: The world, including China , India , Japan , France , Germany , and the United Kingdom . Electrification is seen as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to diesel or steam power and is an important part of many countries' transportation infrastructure. Electrification systems are classified by three main parameters: Selection of an electrification system is based on economics of energy supply, maintenance, and capital cost compared to

18612-512: Was completed in 2016. Clearances were also raised for the piggyback traffic on the Italian side as well on the Simplon southern approach. Here, too, for financial reasons, at times only one line was cleared for the rolling highway. South of Domodossola, the single line to Novara via Lake Orta was electrified and modernized. The classic approach to the Simplon from Paris and Lausanne —less important for today's transit traffic—was upgraded in

18753-652: Was completed through the Alps, connecting Italy and France with the Fréjus Rail Tunnel . The Compagnie de la Ligne d'Italie was founded in 1856 to build a connection between Romandy and Italy through the Canton of Valais and the Simplon . On 1 June 1874, it was taken over by the Simplon Company ( French : Compagnie du Simplon , S), which was created to promote the project. This merged in 1881 with

18894-542: Was completed. A gold sleeper on the very last part of the track was installed during the event to mark this milestone of progress. On 1 October 2015, following permission by the Federal Office of Transport, the first tests on the entire length of the GBT were performed, with steadily increasing speed. On 8 November, a train reached the top speed of 275 km/h (171 mph). The contracts were awarded in sections: Nine workers died during construction; one in

19035-446: Was developed. In addition to the single-line main tunnel, a parallel tunnel was built, with the tunnel centres separated by 17 m (56 ft), through which pipes supplied fresh air to the builders in the main tunnel. It was envisaged that the parallel tunnel could be upgraded to a second running tunnel when required. The first Simplon Tunnel (19,803 m (64,970 ft) in length) was built almost straight, with only short curves at

19176-437: Was exacerbated because the return current also had a tendency to flow through nearby iron pipes forming the water and gas mains. Some of these, particularly Victorian mains that predated London's underground railways, were not constructed to carry currents and had no adequate electrical bonding between pipe segments. The four-rail system solves the problem. Although the supply has an artificially created earth point, this connection

19317-553: Was first applied successfully by Frank Sprague in Richmond, Virginia in 1887-1888, and led to the electrification of hundreds of additional street railway systems by the early 1890s. The first electrification of a mainline railway was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Baltimore Belt Line in the United States in 1895–96. The early electrification of railways used direct current (DC) power systems, which were limited in terms of

19458-549: Was no longer necessary. There were also the technical advantages of electrical engines and future technical improvements. From 1924, car transport on trains through the railway tunnel began. The road between Göschenen and Airolo over the summit of the pass, comporting notably the Schöllenen ravine and the Tremola , had countless hairpin turns and serpentine curves, dropping 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in altitude. It posed

19599-526: Was opened in 1921. Shortly after the opening of the first railway in Switzerland, each region began to favour a separate north–south link through the Alps towards Italy. Eastern Switzerland supported a line through the Splügen Pass or the Lukmanier Pass , Central Switzerland and Zürich favoured the Gotthard Pass and Western Switzerland supported the Simplon route. In 1871, the first line

19740-456: Was responsible for construction. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) . To cut construction time in half, four access tunnels were built so that construction could start at four different sites simultaneously: Erstfeld, Amsteg, Sedrun, and Faido. A fifth at Bodio was added later. The two tunnels are joined approximately every 325 m (1,066 ft) by connecting galleries. Trains can move between

19881-513: Was unveiled by AlpTransit Gotthard AG CEO Renzo Simoni. A Catholic shrine to Saint Barbara , the patron of miners, stands inside the tunnel as a memorial. The tunnel was officially inaugurated on 1 June 2016. At the northern entrance in Erstfeld, President of the Confederation Johann Schneider-Ammann spoke of a "giant step for Switzerland but equally for our neighbours and the rest of the continent", while

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