Vall de Núria Rack Railway
Encyclopedia
The Vall de Núria Rack Railway is a mountain railway
line in the Pyrenees
mountains in the north of the Catalonia
region of Spain. The line connects Ribes de Freser
with Queralbs
and Vall de Núria
. As Queralbs is the highest point in the valley reachable by road, the rack railway is – besides the old footpath
/ mule track – the only way to reach the shrine and ski resort at Núria.
The line opened on March 22, 1931, and has been electrically operated from the start. It became part of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
(FGC) on January 2, 1984 and remains in their ownership.
The line is 12.5 km (7.8 mi) long and has a rail gauge
of . The first 5.5 km (3.4 mi) of the line is operated by conventional rail adhesion
. The remainder of the line is operated as a rack railway
, using the Abt system and with a maximum gradient of 15%. In total the line overcomes a height difference of 1062 m (3,484.3 ft). The line is electrified with an overhead supply at 1500 V
DC
.
Three generations of rolling stock
still exist on the line. The original stock consisted of passenger cars hauled by four six wheeled electric locomotives, built by SLM
and BBC
in 1930–31, numbered E1-E4. These were supplemented by four two-car electric trains, built by SLM and BBC in 1985, and numbered A5-A8. The final generation is represented by two low-floor electric motor coaches of type Stadler GTW
, built by Stadler Rail
in Switzerland in 2003, and numbered A10-A11. The line also owns a diesel rack locomotive, D9, used on works trains and to push the snow plough.
Cars A10 and A11 are identical to the rolling stock of the Montserrat Rack Railway
. The Montserrat line is also owned by the FGC and there is some sharing of stock between the two lines, with locomotive E4 transferred to that line for use on work trains.
are listed, if they are or were also used in Vall Núria
** ) Original roster, built by Vereinigte Westdeutsche Waggonfabrik A.G., is said to have been formed of Affw 2, ABffw 11–15, Bffw 21–28 and Aaffw 51. However, box car 01 was rebuilt from Affw 1 and there was a Bffw 29; at the same time ABffw 13–15 and Bffw 26 were off the roster.
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
line in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
mountains in the north of the Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
region of Spain. The line connects Ribes de Freser
Ribes de Freser
Ribes de Freser is a municipality in the comarca of the Ripollès inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated at the confluence of the Freser, Rigard andSegadell rivers, north of Ripoll. It is known for its mineral water,...
with Queralbs
Queralbs
Queralbs is a municipality in the comarca of the Ripollès inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated in the Pyrenees to the north of Ribes de Freser, with thepeaks of Puigmal , Infern and Noufonts . Tourism and...
and Vall de Núria
Vall de Núria
La Vall de Núria is a south-opening valley coming down from the crest of the Pyrenees within the municipality of Queralbs, province of Girona, community of Catalonia, Spain. The floor of the valley lies about 2000 metres above sea level, and is accessible from the south via a rack railway or by...
. As Queralbs is the highest point in the valley reachable by road, the rack railway is – besides the old footpath
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
/ mule track – the only way to reach the shrine and ski resort at Núria.
The line opened on March 22, 1931, and has been electrically operated from the start. It became part of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya , or FGC, is a railway company which operates several unconnected lines in Catalonia, Spain....
(FGC) on January 2, 1984 and remains in their ownership.
The line is 12.5 km (7.8 mi) long and has a rail gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of . The first 5.5 km (3.4 mi) of the line is operated by conventional rail adhesion
Rail adhesion
The term adhesion railway or adhesion traction describes the most common type of railway, where power is applied by driving some or all of the wheels of the locomotive. Thus, it relies on the friction between a steel wheel and a steel rail. Note that steam locomotives of old were driven only by...
. The remainder of the line is operated as a rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
, using the Abt system and with a maximum gradient of 15%. In total the line overcomes a height difference of 1062 m (3,484.3 ft). The line is electrified with an overhead supply at 1500 V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
.
Three generations of rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
still exist on the line. The original stock consisted of passenger cars hauled by four six wheeled electric locomotives, built by SLM
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works were a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur in Switzerland...
and BBC
Brown, Boveri & Cie
Brown, Boveri & Cie was a Swiss group of electrical engineering companies.It was founded in Baden, Switzerland, in 1891 by Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown and Walter Boveri who worked at the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. In 1970 BBC took over the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon...
in 1930–31, numbered E1-E4. These were supplemented by four two-car electric trains, built by SLM and BBC in 1985, and numbered A5-A8. The final generation is represented by two low-floor electric motor coaches of type Stadler GTW
Stadler GTW
The Stadler GTW, sold by Stadler Rail of Switzerland, is an articulated railcar for local transport. GTW stands for Gelenktriebwagen .-Description:...
, built by Stadler Rail
Stadler Rail
Stadler Rail AG , based in Bussnang, Switzerland, is a Swiss manufacturer of rail passenger cars.In 1942 Ernst Stadler founded the Stadler Engineering Office which later became Stadler Rail.- Factories :...
in Switzerland in 2003, and numbered A10-A11. The line also owns a diesel rack locomotive, D9, used on works trains and to push the snow plough.
Cars A10 and A11 are identical to the rolling stock of the Montserrat Rack Railway
Montserrat Rack Railway
The Montserrat Rack Railway is a mountain railway line north of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The line runs from Monistrol de Montserrat to the mountain-top monastery of Montserrat....
. The Montserrat line is also owned by the FGC and there is some sharing of stock between the two lines, with locomotive E4 transferred to that line for use on work trains.
Rolling stock
Rolling stock of the Montserrat Rack RailwayMontserrat Rack Railway
The Montserrat Rack Railway is a mountain railway line north of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The line runs from Monistrol de Montserrat to the mountain-top monastery of Montserrat....
are listed, if they are or were also used in Vall Núria
| Picture link | Number, name | type (UIC) | Year built | History | Additional info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1 Virgen de Nuria E2 Obispo Guitarat E3 José Rogent * E4 Ramon Albó |
Cb g2 | 1930 | SLM 3368/BBC 2969 SLM 3369/BBC 2970 SLM 3370/BBC 2971 SLM 3371/BBC 2972 |
E1 In working condition E2/E3 Monument *ex Elias Rogent E4 2003 to Montserrat |
|
| A5 Puigmal A6 Torreneules A7 Taga A8 Balandrau |
(Aa1)(Aa1)+(Aa1)(Aa1) g4 | 1986 1986 1986 1995 |
MTM/SLM/BBC | ||
| D9 | Bbo de | 1995 | Stadler 237/SLM/ABB | Also used on the Montserrat line D9 | |
| L09 | 2 dhs | 1995 | Stadler 238/MAN/Zaugg | Rotary snow plough L09+D9 | |
| DM6 | Bbo de | 2004 | Stadler | built für Montserrat line, transferred to Vall Núria in 2006 DM6 | |
| A10 Noufonts A11 Bastiments |
2'Bbo 2' g2d | 2003 | Stadler 825–826 | Cogwheel-GTW, same as AM1–AM5 (Montserrat) | |
| 11, 12, 21, 22, 23 | B | 1930 | Abffw 11–12 Bffw 21–23 |
12 = Cinema carriage 22 = Monument with E2 |
|
| 51 | As | 1930 | Aaffw 51 | Saloon | |
| 01, 28 | Haik | 1930 | Affw 1**, Bffw 28 | Box car | |
| 02, 03, PM02 | R | 1930 | Affw 2, Bffw 25, 24 | Flat car (PM02 = Montserrat) |
|
| 27, 29 | X | 1930 | Bffw 27, 29** | Service vehicle (27 = Montserrat) 29 | |
| 70.951 K53–K54 |
Gk | 1930 | K52–K54 | Small box cars 70.951 ex K 52 = Tank car |
|
| M44, 062 | Kklm | 1930 | M44,M?? | 062 = Montserrat | |
| P22–P26 | Kkp | 1964, 62 | MGB/FO Uce 4861,62,67, MGB/FO Gb-v 4433', MGB/BVZ K 2641 (1962, 1989 ex X 2906) |
Flat cars P24 with cement mixer P25–P26 with thermic container |
|
| P27−P28 | B | 1949 | MGB/FO B 4244–45 ex SBB A 182–183 (SWS) |
Bought in 2008, still with original livery, 4244 with auxiliary cab | |
| 364.01 | 2 g1 | 1930 | SLM 3469/BBC 3680 | Rotary snow plough | |
| KCw 29 | Fd | Service vehicle for track ballast | |||
| T5 | X | Catenary car, without cogwheel | |||
