Wengernalpbahn - Timeline

Timeline

  • 1875 First plans for the Berner Bahngesellschaft were drawn up but the high projected costs meant that the concession expired.
  • 1890 Leo Heer-BĂ©trix gained a new 80 year concession to build and operate the railway. The Wengernalp Bahn was founded.
  • 1891 Construction work started.
  • 1892 The first steam locomotive reaches Wengen on 18 April and Kleine Scheidegg on 10 August.
  • 1893 The first line from Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald opened on 20 June as a summer only service. The racks are of the Riggenbach rack system, as modified by Arnold Pauli. Modern stock uses Strub rack system.
  • 1909 Originally operated by steam locomotives, electrification of the line from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg was completed on 3 June using 1500 V DC, with electric locomotives positioned, for safety reasons, at the lower end of the trains.
  • 1910 Electrification of section between Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg completed on 24 June. Opening of the longer but less steep Lauterbrunnen to Wengen route on 7 July.
  • 1912 Steam operation ceased.
  • 1913 Winter operations from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg started.
  • 1925 Year round from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg started.
  • 1934 Winter operations from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg started.
  • 1942 The headquarters of the railway moves from Zurich to Interlaken.
  • 1947 The first 3 motorcoaches are purchased.
  • 1948 The turning triangle at Kleine Scheidegg is constructed.
  • 1960 Year round operations from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg started.
  • 1984 First class services were removed and since then the railway has only offered one class of service.
  • 1990 An avalanche shelter is built on the Lauterbrunnen side of the operation.
  • 1995 Wengen station is rebuilt to include a freight delivery terminal.
  • 2005 Wengernalp station platforms were extended from 127 m to 181 m usable length. The station extension went into operation on 16 November. Total costs were around CHF 950,000.
  • 2007 Plans are announced to decommission and dismantle the old line between Lauterbrunnen and Wengen because of the steep gradient of 25% and the geological security risks.
  • 2009 The track is lifted on the old line between Lauterbrunnen and Wengen.
  • 2011 New double track loop opened between Wengen and Allmend allowing the introduction of a clock-face timetable between Lauterbrunnen and Kleine Scheidegg.

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