Waldenburgerbahn
Encyclopedia
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Basel-Country
Basel-Country
Basel-Landschaft , is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal...
. The 13.1 kilometres (8.1 mi) long single-track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
line runs from Liestal
Liestal
Liestal is the capital of the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland, south of Basel.It is an industrial town with a cobbled-street Old Town.-History:...
, the capital of the canton, to Waldenburg
Waldenburg, Switzerland
Waldenburg is a municipality in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland, and the capital of the district of the same name.-Geography:Waldenburg has an area, , of . Of this area, or 31.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 62.4% is forested...
, with stops in Bad Bubendorf, Höstein, Niederdorf
Niederdorf, Basel-Country
Niederdorf is a municipality in the district of Waldenburg in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.-History:Niederdorf is first mentioned around 1345-89 as Onoltzwil in dem [...] nidern dorff. In 1453 it was mentioned as Niderndorff...
, and Oberdorf
Oberdorf, Basel-Country
Oberdorf is a municipality in the district of Waldenburg in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.area = 6.19-History:Oberdorf is first mentioned in 835 as Honoltesuuilare. In 1345-89 it was mentioned as Onoltzwil in dem obern [...] dorff and in 1491 it was mentioned as Oberdorf...
. The line is operated by Waldenburgerbahn AG. It connects to SBB
SBB
This article is about the Polish band. For the Michigan band, see Small Brown BikeSBB is a Polish progressive rock band formed in 1971 in Siemianowice, Upper Silesia by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Józef Skrzek...
train services in Liestal. It is the only railway in Switzerland with a track gauge of 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in).
The line was opened on 1 November 1880 and was operated by steam-hauled trains until 1953, when electric operation (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...
) began.
History
A concession was granted by the canton of Basel-Country on 18 June 1871 for the construction of a narrow gauge railway from Liestal to Waldenburg and eventually further to Langenbruck. In 1873 the concession was altered to give the Swiss Central RailwaySwiss Central Railway
The Swiss Central Railway was a Swiss railway company from 1853 to 1902.In 2005 the name Centralbahn was revived for new railway company created by the merger of the Luzern-Stans-Engelberg-Bahn and the Brünigbahn...
the commission to build the railway. For financial reasons in 1876 the Swiss Central Railway requested a deadline extension. On 25 November 1879 the Waldenburgerbahn was founded as a separate company and took over the concession for the railway from Liestal to Waldenburg.
After only eight months' construction, the railway opened on 30 October 1880. Seats were provided in second- and third-class carriages. In 1881 the railway served eight stations with four journeys in each direction. The fastest journey over the whole 13 km line took 56 minutes.
In 1909 a committee made an application for the construction of and operation of an electric narrow-gauge railway from Waldenburg through Langenbruck to Balsthal, with a connection from St.Wolfgang to Mümliswil. The outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
stopped plans for the extension of the line, and a 1912 proposal to electrify the line and regauge it to 1000 mm gauge (metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
).
On 26 October 1953 electric operation of the railway began, using 1500 V DC. New rolling stock was acquired for this.
The current rolling stock, consisting of seven railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s and 10 control cars
Control car (rail)
A control car is a generic term for a non-powered railroad vehicle that can control operation of a train from the end opposite to the position of the locomotive...
was acquired in 1986 and 1993.
Description
The Waldenburgerbahn has 11 stops, and the journey over the whole line takes around 24 minutes. The line is numbered 19 in the BaselBasel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
tram network, but this number is not displayed on the vehicles.
From spring to autumn tourist trains are operated, hauled by the only operating steam locomotive on the line, 1902-built Number 5 Gedeon Thommen.
There are plans to regauge
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
the line to metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
, to reduce the cost of new rolling stock. This would also make it possible for the line to be connected to Basel tram line 14, which currently ends in Pratteln
Pratteln
Pratteln is a municipality in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland, located in the district of Liestal.-Geography:Pratteln has an area, , of . Of this area, or 27.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 28.1% is forested...
Rolling stock
Current Rolling StockFor normal services the Waldenburgerbahn uses trains formed from
- Railcars BDe 4/4 11–14 (built 1985–86) and 15–17 (built 1993).
- Control carsControl car (rail)A control car is a generic term for a non-powered railroad vehicle that can control operation of a train from the end opposite to the position of the locomotive...
Bt 111–114 (built 1985–86) and 115–120 (built 1993).
Historic rolling Stock
- Type G 3/3 No. 5, Gedeon Thommen (built 1902) – the only currently operational steam locomotive
- Four historic carriages
Former Rolling Stock (electric)
- Railcars CFe 4/4 / BDe 4/4 1–3 (built 1953), out of service, scrapped
See also
- Rail transport in SwitzerlandRail transport in SwitzerlandThe railways of Switzerland include and narrow gauge .*Network size: 5,063 km*standard gauge: , of which is electrified.*narrow gauge: , of which is electrified...
- History of rail transport in SwitzerlandHistory of rail transport in SwitzerlandThe construction and operation of Swiss railways during the 19th century was carried out by private railways. The first internal line was a 16 km line opened from Zürich to Baden in 1847. By 1860 railways connected western and northeastern Switzerland. The first Alpine railway to be opened...
- Baselland TransportBaselland TransportBaselland Transport is a public transport company in Basel, Switzerland. It operates the more suburban routes and its vehicles wear a yellow-and-red colour scheme...