Rigi Railways () is a railway company that operates a group of railways on the mountain Rigi, located between two of the arms of Lake Lucerne, in Switzerland. They include two standard gauge rack railways, the Vitznau–Rigi Bahn (VRB) and the Arth–Rigi Bahn (ARB), along with the Luftseilbahn Weggis–Rigi Kaltbad (LWRK) cable car.
Reaching a height of above sea level, the Rigi Railways are the highest standard gauge railway in Europe. They are also the highest railway in both cantons of Lucerne and Schwyz. The Vitznau–Rigi Bahn is also notable as the first mountain rack railway in Europe, and even the second in the world, after the Mount Washington Cog Railway in the United States.
History
Building of the Vitznau–Rigi Railway
Aware of the scenic location of Mount Rigi, Swiss engineer Niklaus Riggenbach masterminded the construction of a railway from Vitznau, on the shores of Lake Lucerne and the southern flank of Mount Rigi, to a point close to its summit. He already had the technology as he had patented, in France in 1863, a system of toothed racks set between the railway tracks interlocking with cogwheels fitted under the locomotives.
Jointly, with fellow engineers Olivier Zschokke and Adolf Naef, he submitted an application to the canton of Lucerne for permission to build a line from Vitznau to Rigi Staffelhöhe, a point somewhat below the summit of Rigi, but the nearest point to the summit within that canton. The cantonal administration already knew of the success of the Mount Washington Railway and saw the advantages in this construction, granting permission on 9 June 1869.
The construction itself began in the following September, the limited liability company, which had offered 1250 shares was greatly over-subscribed on the first day of issue. On 21 May 1870, Riggenbach's birthday, locomotive No.1, named Stadt Luzern, made its first trial run. Exactly one year later the first mountain railway using rack and pinion technology was officially opened. Riggenbach, never noted for missing an opportunity, drove the first train to the upper terminus at Rigi Staffelhöhe.
The line, from Vitznau to Rigi Staffelhöhe was long and climbed a total of to reach a height of at its summit, the maximum gradient being 1 in 4 (25%).
Trains reach the summit
As originally built, the Vitznau–Rigi Railway only reached Rigi Staffelhöhe, as that was the cantonal boundary between the canton of Lucerne and the canton of Schwyz. The summit of Mount Rigi is situated in the canton of Schwyz, along with the northern slopes of the mountain and the town of Arth on Lake Zug below.
In 1870, a committee made up of 12 citizens of Arth were granted a concession from the Schwyz Cantonal Council for a railway to operate from Arth via Oberarth to Rigi Kulm, together with a second line to connect Rigi Staffelhöhe to Rigi Kulm. The same engineering team who were responsible for the Vitznau–Rigi Railway also undertook responsibility for the construction for these lines.
The Arth company started by building the line from Rigi Staffelhöhe to Rigi Kulm, and this was ready for opening in time for the summer traffic in 1873. This line made an end-on connection with that from Vitznau and the Vitznau company operated their trains over it, paying the Arth company a ground rent for its use. This state of affairs continued until the merger in 1992.
The line from Rigi Staffelhöhe to Rigi Kulm, was just long but enabled trains to reach the summit at Rigi Kulm, a height of above sea level, a climb of a further from Rigi Staffelhöhe.
Building of the Arth–Rigi Railway
By the time construction started on the main line of the Arth–Rigi Railway, construction had also started on the Gotthard railway, and it was clear that this main line railway would include a station in Arth, now known as Arth-Goldau station. It was clearly important that the Arth–Rigi line should connect with this station.
The concession to construct the Arth–Rigi Railway was ceded, in 1873, to the International Company for Mountain Railways in Aarau, a company founded by Riggenbach and this company carried out the railway project as general contractor at a cost of CHF 4.2 million and also supplied five of the six steam locomotives needed to operate it. Construction of the first section, that from Arth-am-See, a station by Lake Zug, to Oberarth commenced in 1873 and once the position of the railway station had been agreed with the main line company, in 1874, construction work on the second section began, the Arth–Rigi Railway becoming operational on 4 June 1875. The line offered only summertime services until 1884 when year-round operation commenced.