2021 Anniversary

In 2021, Europe’s first mountain railway will be 150 years old. This historic moment in the story of Swiss railways and tourism will be celebrated with a fitting programme for the anniversary year.

It is hard to believe that Europe’s first mountain railway – the Rigi railway – will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year. Back on 21st May 1871, who would have thought that the builder of this rack-and-pinion railway, Niklaus Riggenbach, was laying the foundation for the successful history of tourism in Central Switzerland? It is also almost unimaginable that a rack-and-pinion steam locomotive from the early years of the Vitznau-Rigi railway should still be running. The locomotive is part of the national mobility collection at the Swiss Museum of Transport and will be on loan to Rigi Bahnen AG for three years. Dated 1906, power car 3 from the Arth-Rigi railway will be displayed in the museum as a substitute exhibit.

A multitude of onlookers gathered along the promenade in Weggis and Vitznau to welcome locomotive no. 7. Back on the 125th anniversary of Rigi Bahnen AG, the engine travelled on the original route towards the summit. In Vitznau, the old lady was welcomed with a small celebration and formal speeches by mayor Herbert Imbach and Rigi Bahnen AG CEO Frédéric Füssenich. However, it will be a few months until locomotive no. 7 – or “s’Sibni”, as she is affectionately known by Rigi Bahnen AG staff – is once again allowed to travel the Queen of the Mountains. With expert knowledge and passion, she needs to be restored in the Rigi Bahnen AG depots in order to be able to steam again on the Rigi for passengers in the anniversary year.

The world’s only working rack-and-pinion steam locomotive with a vertical boiler

Steam locomotive no. 7 was built in 1873 by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur. After 64 years, the old lady was decommissioned in 1937 and she arrived at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne in the 1959. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Rigi railways, what is now the world’s only working rack-and-pinion steam locomotive with a vertical boiler will once again be brought into operation. In close collaboration with the Rigi Historic Foundation and the Swiss Museum of Transport, she will once again travel the Queen of the Mountains as part of a bookable offer in the anniversary year. The commissioning of locomotive no. 7 will doubtless be one of many highlights in the 2021 anniversary year but there are also other reasons to plan a visit to the Queen of the Mountains in the anniversary year.

Financial support for the restoration

It is not only the knowledge and passion of the steam experts that are needed in order for steam locomotive no. 7 to run again in the anniversary year. In collaboration with Rigi Bahnen AG, the Rigi Historic Foundation has launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance the restoration. Financial contributions to the restoration can be made until 5th October 2020 under the following link: www.funders.ch/lok7.