A Swiss railway company has set a new record with the launch of the world’s longest passenger train.
The 1.9 km-log Rhaetian Railway train – comprising four engines and 100 coaches – traveled on a scenic 25 km Albula/Bernina route on Saturday afternoon. The journey started from Preda through the fascinating helical tunnels to Bergün and ended at Alvaneu in southeast Switzerland. The train took almost an hour to travel on the route.
“Switzerland is a railway country like no other. This year, we are celebrating 175 years of Swiss railways. With this world record attempt, RhB and its partners want to play their part in achieving a pioneering feat that has never been seen before” said Rhaetian Railway (RhB) Director Renato Fasciati.
Guinness World Records has officially confirmed the world record, the Rhaetian Railway company said in a statement.
Facts about the world’s longest passenger train
- The world-record route from Preda to Alvaneu is 24,930 meters long.
- The world’s record-breaking journey crossed 48 bridges and go through 22 tunnels.
- The world-record train traveled at 30 to 35 km/h.
- The record-breaking journey takes around an hour.
- The train consists of 25 compositions, each with four carriages of the new Capricorn railcars, and will have a total length of 1.91 kilometers.
- The weight of the record-breaking train is around 2,990 tonnes.
- 7 train drivers and 21 technicians will be at work on the train to ensure its operability.
The previous record for the longest train dates back to 1991, which was held by a 1.73 km long train. Previous holders of the world’s longest passenger train record — Belgium and Netherlands – had traveled the trains through flat landscapes. But Rhaetian Railway trains traveled tight curves and steep gradients over deep valleys, making it even more challenging.
Unlike most Swiss and European railways, which use the “standard” gauge between the rails of 1.435 meters (4 feet 8.5 inches), Rhaetian Railway rails are just one meter apart.
Rhaetian Railway Director Renato Fasciati said the aim behind setting up the record was to celebrate 175 years of Switzerland’s railway networks and also to highlight some of the engineering achievements of the country.
Unlike most Swiss and European railways, which use the “standard” gauge between the rails of 1.435 meters (4 feet 8.5 inches), Rhaetian Railway rails are just one meter apart.