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In 1998, work started on the construction of the new
Riffelalp Resort on the site of the old grand hotel. As part of this reconstruction, the tram line was relaid on its original route. The wooden bodies of the original cars had deteriorated in storage, whilst modern safety standards precluded the
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During the night of 14 February 1961, the
Riffelalp Grand Hotel was destroyed in a fire. The original tram vehicles survived the fire, but without traffic from the hotel, tram service was suspended, it had last run on September 30, 1960. The vehicles were taken to Zermatt for storage, and the line
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The service operates during the resort's summer season, which runs from June to
September. It is the access route recommended for its guests by the Riffelalp Resort, who provide porter assistance at both Zermatt and Riffelalp stations. During the resort's winter season, from December to April, a
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In order to provide better access to the station, the hotel built the
Riffelalp tram. The line opened on 13 July 1899, one year after the opening of the Gornergrat railway. The original track was 480 metres (1,570 ft) long and electrified, using a twin overhead line carrying a
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At the station end of the line, the tram shares the building of the station and is linked to its cargo ramp. This is the highest station in Europe where two different railways meet, the
Riffelalp station itself being
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reintroduction of the original three-phase supply. The original cars were therefore rebuilt with replacement bodies and using
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A wider view of the station, with the track of the
Riffelalp tram visible beside the station building
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There are two trams in use, along with a goods trailer. Both trams are powered by a battery (80
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A wider view of the resort, showing the balloon loop, a tramcar, and the route to the station
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Thompson, Andrew (December 2014). "Summer services on Europe's highest tramway".
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Trambahn Mürren, Elektrische
Trambahn Riffelalp und Pferdebahn Bellavista
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The tram at
Riffelhalp Resort station on the loop. In background is the
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The
Riffelalp tram at Riffelalp station on the Gornergrat railway
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Die
Fahrzeuge der Zermattbahnen in über 1100 Fahrzeugzeichnungen
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676:. No. 228. Platform 5 Publishing, Ltd. p. 16.
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List of heritage railways and funiculars in Switzerland
361:, but this was situated some distance from the resort.
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The tram car on the trail between station and hotel
467:and a depot for the trams, with a battery station.
463:) gauge. At the resort end of the line, there is a
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393:The tram line follows the footpath that links the
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373:. The tram operated in the summer months only.
321:The Riffelalp tram is the highest tram line in
606:. Prellbock Druck & Verlag, Leissigen 1995
8:
832:Riffelalptram on Strassenbahn-Europa website
385:. The new line was opened on 15 June 2001.
318:, and via that line to Zermatt and beyond.
490:service is provided in place of the tram.
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478:) and two d.c. motors each delivering 10
823:Riffealptram on Riffelalp Resort website
798:. Riffelalp Resort 2222m. Archived from
737:. Riffelalp Resort 2222m. Archived from
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703:. Riffelalp Resort 2222m. Archived from
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377:remained closed for the next 40 years.
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651:from the original on 13 September 2019
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903:800 mm gauge railways in Switzerland
840:Images and infos about Riffelalptram
433:one of the highest open-air stations
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759:
757:
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16:Tramway line in Valais, Switzerland
933:1899 establishments in Switzerland
397:, at 2,210 m (7,250 ft)
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938:Heritage railways in Switzerland
928:Railways using three-phase power
588:. Prellbock Druck & Verlag,
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777:from the original on 2014-06-06
586:Riffelalp-Tram; Einst und jetzt
239:2,222 m (7,290.0 ft)
1:
913:Tram transport in Switzerland
337:, the predecessor of today's
152:675.31 m (0.420 mi)
923:Railway lines opened in 1899
898:Railway lines in Switzerland
570:(DVD book). Verlag tram-TV,
543:Tram at the Riffelalp Resort
954:
771:www.strassenbahn-europa.at
291:, RiT) is a high altitude
796:"How to get to Riffelalp"
253:
26:
874:46.0019833°N 7.7509361°E
359:station called Riffelalp
673:Today's Railways Europe
641:"Le tram de Riffelalp"
357:. The line included a
345:in 1884. In 1898, the
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879:46.0019833; 7.7509361
622:800 mm gauge railways
367:three-phase ac supply
353:to the summit of the
335:Riffelalp Grand Hotel
306:. The line links the
918:Transport in Zermatt
349:was opened, linking
295:line located in the
870: /
50:Riffelalptram (RiT)
437:Gornergrat railway
347:Gornergrat railway
316:Gornergrat railway
908:Mountain railways
825:(English version)
602:Florian Inäbnit:
584:Florian Inäbnit:
580:978-3-9813669-0-7
395:Riffelalp station
312:Riffelalp station
304:resort of Zermatt
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236:Highest elevation
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131:30 September 1960
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735:"Riffelalp Tram"
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308:Riffelalp Resort
300:canton of Valais
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157:Number of tracks
109:Mountain railway
80:Riffelalp Resort
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245:Maximum incline
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802:on 2014-06-06
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804:. Retrieved
800:the original
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779:. Retrieved
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743:. Retrieved
739:the original
709:. Retrieved
705:the original
671:
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655:13 September
653:. Retrieved
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407:800 mm gauge
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230:(since 2001)
218:(until 1961)
161:Single track
139:15 June 2001
123:13 July 1899
877: /
865:7°45′3.37″E
862:46°0′7.14″N
837:(in German)
829:(in German)
401:, with the
174:800 mm
168:Track gauge
149:Line length
63:Switzerland
892:Categories
806:2014-06-06
781:2012-12-13
745:2014-06-05
711:2014-06-05
645:railnet.ch
628:References
561:Literature
488:snowmobile
355:Gornergrat
35:Matterhorn
701:"History"
682:1354-2753
590:Leissigen
427:gauge).
389:Operation
314:, on the
302:near the
259:Route map
144:Technical
76:Riffelalp
775:Archived
649:Archived
611:See also
461: in
425: in
193: in
136:Reopened
88:Stations
42:Overview
851:YouTube
592:2005 -
574:2010 -
572:Cologne
494:Gallery
456:⁄
420:⁄
369:at 550
351:Zermatt
329:History
293:tramway
215:3-phase
188:⁄
115:History
105:Tramway
96:Service
69:Termini
59:Zermatt
680:
596:
578:
474:, 400
323:Europe
285:German
225:/ 400
128:Closed
120:Opened
55:Locale
371:volts
297:Swiss
209:/ 40
47:Owner
678:ISSN
657:2019
594:ISBN
576:ISBN
333:The
279:The
205:550
101:Type
849:on
310:to
221:80
894::
769:.
754:^
720:^
690:^
643:.
480:kW
476:Ah
325:.
287::
249:5%
227:Ah
213:,
211:Hz
107:,
61:,
809:.
784:.
748:.
714:.
684:.
659:.
472:V
458:8
454:3
451:+
449:3
445:(
422:2
418:1
415:+
413:7
409:(
283:(
223:V
207:V
195:)
190:2
186:1
183:+
181:7
177:(
91:2
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