The Rhaetian Railway in the Alps

Dec 04, 2018 603

The Rhaetian Railway (the Ferrovia Retica in Italian) is an outstanding example of modern engineeringtriumphing over the isolated landscape of the Alps. The two railway lines, which cross the Swiss Alps through two passes and cover the Albula and Bernina areas, solved the problem of isolation experienced by many communities in the Central Alps.

Opened in 1904 the railway is an impressive structure; the Albula line includes covered galleries, forty-two tunnels and as many as 144 bridges and viaducts, while the Bernina line has fifty-two bridges and thirteen galleries and tunnels. The social and economic impact of the railway was recognized by UNESCO when it was named a World Heritage Site in 2008. In 2009 it was announced that an examination of the Albula Tunnel revealed it needs to be brought up to current standards. A new tunnel is under construction and it should be opened in 2021.

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SOURCE: https://www.lifeinitaly.com/

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