rackrailways

A rack railway is a railway that employs a toothed rack, usually laid between the rails, which engages with a driving cog or cogs on the locomotive. This system allows trains to ascend steep gradients that would be impossible for conventional adhesion railways. The rack is typically a steel rail with notches or teeth, and the locomotive has a gear wheel that meshes with these teeth. The rack can be a single central rail, two parallel rails, or even a unique system with a rack on the side of the rail.

The first successful rack railway was the Middleton Railway in England, which began using a rack system in 1812. However, rack railways are most famously associated with the Swiss Alps. Notable examples include the Gornergrat Railway and the Jungfrau Railway, both in Switzerland, which are among the highest rack railways in Europe. These railways are crucial for tourism and transport in mountainous regions, enabling access to otherwise inaccessible areas.

Rack railways are designed with safety as a paramount concern. Locomotives are equipped with multiple brakes, including the rack system itself, to prevent runaway trains. The speed of operation is generally lower than on conventional lines due to the increased mechanical complexity and the steep gradients. Despite these limitations, rack railways offer a unique and spectacular mode of travel, providing access to breathtaking mountain scenery. They are an important part of railway engineering history and continue to operate in many mountainous regions worldwide.