Trip on the Gotthard Railway, Switzerland - July 2005
In the Summer of 2005 we made a trip on the Gotthard railway in Switzerland. This railway was constructed
under very difficult circumstances and opened for traffic on June 1, 1882. This connection across the Alps
boosted trade and travel between Northern Europe and the countries at the Mediterranean. The railway
was constructed with the future in mind, with curves not less than 600 meters in diameter and no climb
steeper than 2.8 percent, so the line can be used by ordinary trains. The Gotthard railway commences in
an elevation of 400 meters near Luzern, and the 17 kilometer long tunnel leading the line through the Alps
between Göschenen and Airolo is in about 1100 meters elevation. The line works it way up in the heights
through a series of sharp 180 to 270 degree turns laid out in tunnels inside the mountains. At the town of
Wassen the railway passes the church three times at different elevations as it zigzags its way up the mountain.
Formålet med at tage til Schweitz under togferien i 2005 var at køre med Gotthardbanen, der blev anlagt
under vanskelige forhold og åbnet 1. juni 1882. Denne forbindelse over alperne revolutionerede handelen
og trafikken fra Nordsøen til Middelhavet. Banen var anlagt fremsynet med mindste kurveradius på 300
meter og ingen stigning over 28 promille, og den kan således befares med almindeligt togmateriel.
Banen starter i ca. 400 meters højde ved Luzern, og den 17 km lange tunnel gennem alperne mellem
Göschenen og Airolo ligger i godt 1100 meters højde. Banen skruer sig sine steder op i højden i
kredsformede tunneler, eller som ved Wassen i zig-zag mellem to "vendesløjfer" lagt i tunneler i bjergene.
Man kører således forbi Wassen kirke hele tre gange, i forskellig højde.
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