 The Kaltbrunn portal of the Ricken Tunnel in 1926, prior to electrification | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | Uznach–Wattwil line |
| Location | St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| Status | Active |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1 October 1910 |
| Owner | Swiss Federal Railways |
| Operator | Swiss Federal Railways |
| Traffic | Rail |
| Character | Passenger and freight |
| Technical | |
| Length | 8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi) |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrified | Overhead catenary 15 kV AC 16 2/3 Hz |
The Ricken Tunnel (German: Rickentunnel) is an 8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi) long rail tunnel under the Ricken Pass in eastern Switzerland. It is on the Swiss Federal Railway Uznach–Wattwil line, between Kaltbrunn station and Wattwil station. The tunnel, which accommodates a single track through, is relatively straight and has a constant incline of 15.75 ‰ from Kaltbrunn to Wattwill.[1][2]
The Ricken Tunnel was constructed between 1904 and 1910, and was initially used by steam-hauled trains. Following a fatal incident on 4 October 1926 in which nine railway employees died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning in the poorly ventilated tunnel, the line and tunnel were both electrified during 1927. The geology surrounding the tunnel is somewhat unfavourable, the rocks being prone to swelling and damaging the tunnel walls over time, necessitating repeated repairs and the occasional closure. During the 1990s, equipment for capturing geothermal energy was installed within the tunnel and has been used since; it remains open to railway traffic irrespective of this activity.
- ^ Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
- ^ map.geo.admin.ch (Map). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 20 June 2013.