Chapter 1
The alpine obstacle course
Chapter 2
The secret of the Taktfahrplan
Chapter 3
Engineering the impossible
Chapter 4
The art of Swiss punctuality
Ch 3 · Engineering the impossible
lara Engineering the Impossible
Straight through the stone! / Straight through the stone! / A massive Swiss shortcut to get you there on time!
BETA
lara Route trains on time to learn how Switzerland turned punctuality into a national art.
lara The country rapidly electrified its rail network using clean hydroelectric power to overcome severe World War I coal shortages.
Quiz
What critical resource shortage during World War I forced Switzerland to rapidly electrify its railways?
Quiz
What natural resource does Switzerland use to generate the electricity for its train network?
Quiz
What makes the route of the Gotthard Base Tunnel unique compared to older alpine tunnels?
Fun Fact
Deep engineering: The Gotthard Base Tunnel is so deep under the mountains that the rock temperature inside can reach a sweltering 46 degrees Celsius.
Glossary
base tunnel (noun)
A railway tunnel built through the base of a mountain range to avoid steep climbs and winding routes. Switzerland opened the 57-kilometer Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016 to facilitate flat, high-speed alpine rail transit.
A railway tunnel built through the base of a mountain range to avoid steep climbs and winding routes. Switzerland opened the 57-kilometer Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016 to facilitate flat, high-speed alpine rail transit.
Quiz
Which Swiss mountain features the world's steepest rack railway, with a gradient of up to 48%?
Quiz
What mechanical system allows Swiss trains to climb incredibly steep mountain slopes?