View source for Luzern–Stans–Engelberg railway line

{{Short description|Narrow gauge rack railway in Switzerland}}
{{Infobox rail line
 | box_width   = 32em
 | name        = Luzern-Stans-Engelberg railway line
 | color       =
 | logo        =
 | logo_width  =
 | image       = RK 0706 01263 LSE Engelberg.jpg
 | image_width = 300px
 | caption     = LSE in Engelberg
 | type        =
 | system      =
 | status      =
 | locale      =
 | start       =
 | end         =
 | stations    =
 | routes      =
 | daily_ridership = 
 | open        =
 | close       =
 | owner       = [[Zentralbahn]]
 | operator    = Zentralbahn
 | character   =
 | depot       =
 | stock       =
 | linelength  = 
 | tracklength = 
 | tracks = 
 | gauge       = {{RailGauge|1000mm|allk=on}}
 | minradius   = 
 | electrification = {{15 kV AC}}
 | maxincline  = 25% until December 2010, now 10.5%
 | racksystem  = [[Riggenbach rack system|Riggenbach]] <!-- JANE'S WORLD RAILWAYS -->
 | speed       = {{convert|75|km/h|abbr=on}}
 | elevation   =
 | map         = {{Luzern-Stans-Engelberg Bahn}}
 | map_name    = Route diagram
 | map_state   = collapsed
}}

The '''Luzern–Stans–Engelberg railway line''' is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[narrow gauge railway|narrow gauge]] [[rack railway]] that connects [[Lucerne|Luzern]], via [[Hergiswil]] and [[Stans]], to the resort of [[Engelberg]]. The line was built by the '''Stansstad–Engelberg Railway''' ({{langx|de|Stansstad-Engelberg-Bahn}}, StEB), which became the '''Luzern–Stans–Engelberg Railway''' ({{langx|de|Luzern–Stans–Engelberg-Bahn}}, LSE) when the line was extended to Luzern.<ref name=zbhist>{{cite web|title=Die Geschichte der Zentralbahn |language=German |url=http://www.zentralbahn.ch/zentralbahn/organisation/geschichte |publisher=Zentralbahn |accessdate=2013-12-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723030718/http://www.zentralbahn.ch/zentralbahn/organisation/geschichte |archivedate=2013-07-23 }}</ref><ref name=saw>{{cite book | title = Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz | year = 2012 | publisher = Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH | isbn=978-3-89494-130-7 | pages = 22, 34}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| author=Peter Berger, Hans Waldburger and Christoph Berger| title=Bahnen nach Engelberg| publisher=Minirex| location=Luzern| year=1998| isbn=3-907014-10-3 }}</ref>

Today the line is owned by the [[Zentralbahn railway company]], which also owns the [[Brünig railway line|Brünig line]]. Trains on the Luzern–Stans–Engelberg line use Brünig line tracks to access Luzern from Hergiswil.<ref name=saw/>

==History==
[[File:Elektr. Bahn Stansstad-Engelberg 1897.jpg|thumb|left|Share of the Elektrische Bahn Stansstad-Engelberg, issued 10. August 1897]]
[[File:Stansstad.jpg|thumb|right|The former terminus of the Stansstad-Engelberg-Bahn at Stansstad, now devoid of rails but still used by lake shipping.]]
[[Image:RK 0706 01250 LSE Obermatt.jpg|right|thumb|Former start of the rack rail section at Obermatt, now bypassed by the Grafenort to Engelberg Tunnel.]]

In 1890 the concession to build a line was given from [[Stansstad]] to [[Engelberg]]. The opening of the ''Stansstad-Engelberg-Bahn'' (StEB) followed in 1898. The opening of the railway resulted in the early demise of the [[Stansstad–Stans tramway]], which connected Stansstad and Stans between 1893 and 1903.<ref name=zbhist/><ref name=ebaf>{{cite web | url = http://www.eingestellte-bahnen.ch/58748/58853.html | title = Strassenbahn Stansstad–Stans | language = German | work = www.eingestellte-bahnen.ch | accessdate = 2013-01-18}}</ref>

The line was electrified from its beginning, making it the longest electrically operated railway line of Switzerland at that time. Because of the maximum gradient of 25% on the rack section between [[Grafenort, Engelberg]] and Engelberg, it was decided to use [[Three-phase electric power|three-phase]] [[alternating current]].

Brown Boveri delivered seven 52&nbsp;kW motorcoaches, with wooden bodies and side doors to each compartment, between 1898 and 1900, numbered 1 to 7. They also delivered, between 1898 and 1913, five 4-wheeled 110&nbsp;kW rack bankers which were used beyond Grafenort on the steep uphill section, to assist the motorcoaches up the hill. These were also numbered 1 to 5. All these vehicles survived until 1964.

The railway ended at that time in Stansstad at the [[Lake of Lucerne]]. Passengers had to continue by lake steamer or bus. To connect the railway with the national rail network in [[Hergiswil]], where the metre gauge Brünigbahn of SBB had a station, a concession was passed in 1956. However, it took some time to find the money to build the line to Hergiswil. To resolve the problems of old loans, a new company was incorporated in 1959, still named ''Elektrische Bahn Stansstad-Engelberg''. In 1960 work on the Lopper tunnel started and on 27 August 1964, the last three-phase train reached Engelberg. The rack line was rebuilt to Brünigbahn standards and a new overhead line for 15 kV 16⅔ Hz was built. On 19 December 1964, the line went back into business as the ''Luzern-Stans-Engelberg-Bahn (LSE)''. The new motor coaches were built for the same maximum speed as the contemporary Brünigbahn motive power ({{convert|75|km/h|disp=or|abbr=on}}).

In 2005 the LSE merged with the [[Swiss Federal Railway]]'s [[Brünig railway line|Brünig line]] to form the [[Zentralbahn railway company]]. Formally, the Swiss Federal Railway sold the Brünig line to the LSE which paid for it with its own shares. LSE was subsequently renamed Zentralbahn and 2/3 of its shares are now owned by SBB.<ref name=zbhist/>

In December 2010, the [[Grafenort – Engelberg Tunnel|Grafenort to Engelberg Tunnel]] opened between [[Grafenort, Engelberg|Grafenort]] and [[Engelberg]], bypassing the very steep 25% incline. The bypass resulted in the closure of the former stations of [[Obermatt ZB railway station|Obermatt ZB]] and [[Grünenwald railway station|Grünenwald]]. In late 2012, a new tunnel route was opened between [[Kriens Mattenhof railway station|Kriens Mattenhof station]] and the approaches to [[Lucerne railway station|Luzern station]]. The tunnel replaces a less direct surface alignment, allowing the abolition of several congested [[level crossing]]s and the provision of double track. A new station, [[Lucerne Allmend/Messe railway station|Luzern Allmend/Messe]], built within the tunnel, serves the [[Swissporarena]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/less-steep-underneath.html|accessdate=2011-02-13|title=Railway Gazette: Less steep underneath}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ausbau-zentralbahn.lu.ch/ | title = Ausbau Zentralbahn | language = German |trans-title=Zentralbahn Expansion | accessdate = 2013-01-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ausbau-zentralbahn.lu.ch/index/au_ausbauprojekt/au_ziele_und_nutzen.htm | title = Ausbau Zentralbahn - Ziele und Nutzen | language = German |trans-title=Zentralbahn Expansion - Objectives and Benefits | accessdate = 2013-01-15}}</ref>

==Route==
[[File:Picswiss NW-25-20.jpg|thumb|right|The route of the line towards Luzern, passing through Stansstad and across the bridge over the lake (lower centre) before tunneling under the Lopperberg to Hergiswil (mid left) and Luzern (upper centre).]]
[[File:ZB-BDeh4 Stansstad-2006-Sept.jpg|thumb|right|Train in Stansstad station, with the Lopperberg in the background.]]
[[File:ZentralbahnTunnelportalAaschlucht.jpg|thumb|right|The lower entrance to the new tunnel between Grafenort and Engelberg. The former route can be seen diverging to the right.]]
[[File:Engelberg-station-2024.jpg|thumb|End of the line at Engelberg station]]

Trains on the Luzern–Stans–Engelberg line begin their journey at [[Lucerne railway station|Luzern Bahnhof]], one of Switzerland's principal railway stations which is shared with the {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}} lines of the Swiss Federal Railways. Shortly after leaving that station, the line enters a tunnel (opened in 2012) which runs under Luzern's southern suburbs as far as [[Kriens Mattenhof railway station|Kriens Mattenhof station]]. From here the line runs to [[Hergiswil]], where the LSE line proper diverges from the Brünig line.<ref name=saw/>

Between Luzern and Hergiswil, trains share tracks with the [[Brünig railway line|Brünig line]] and the S-Bahn services. This section is [[double-track railway|double track]] as far as the southern end of the Spier tunnel to the north of Hergiswil Matt station; beyond here the line is mainly [[Single-track railway|single track]] except for [[passing loop]]s at stations. Between Luzern and Horw, one of the two tracks is [[dual gauge]] allowing [[standard gauge]] freight trains to serve the adjacent industrial areas.<ref name=saw/>

From [[Hergiswil railway station|Hergiswil]] the LSE line runs through the [[Lopper II tunnel]], under a shoulder of [[Mount Pilatus]], and then bridges the ''Alpnachersee'' arm of [[Lake Lucerne]] to reach [[Stansstad]]. This tunnel and stretch of line was newly built in the 1960s to connect the Stansstad–Engelberg line to the Brünig line. The former line starting from the terminal station at Stansstad steamer pier no longer exists, although the station building still does.<ref name=saw/><ref name=ebaf2>{{cite web | url = http://www.eingestellte-bahnen.ch/22048/22069.html | title = Stansstad-Engelberg Bahn | language = German | work = www.eingestellte-bahnen.ch | accessdate = 2013-01-18 | archive-date = 2013-07-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130712053000/http://www.eingestellte-bahnen.ch/22048/22069.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Beyond the current [[Stansstad railway station|Stansstad station]] the line continues on its original 1890s route to [[Stans]] and [[Dallenwil]], along the valley of the [[Engelberger Aa]] river which the line will follow as far as its destination in Engelberg. [[Wolfenschiessen railway station|Wolfenschiessen]] station is the terminus of the S4 S-Bahn service, and the LSE line continues alone.

The line uses adhesion as far as [[Grafenort railway station|Grafenort station]].  Then after this station the line enters the
[[Grafenort – Engelberg Tunnel|Grafenort to Engelberg Tunnel]], using rack propulsion through the tunnel.<ref name=saw/><ref name=sar>{{cite book | title = Switzerland's Amazing Railways | year = 1958 | publisher = Thomas Nelson and Sons | location = London | first = Cecil J. | last = Allen | page = 102}}</ref>
At the point of entering the tunnel, the pre-2010 surface alignment can be seen diverging to the right. The line formerly continued on adhesion as far as [[Obermatt ZB railway station|Obermatt ZB station]], where the rack section started for the climb via [[Grünenwald railway station|Grünenwald station]]. Here the main road originally crossed the line via an unusual double [[bascule bridge]], used instead of a [[level crossing]] because of the presence of the rack rail.<ref>
{{cite book| author=Josef Flüeler-Martinez|language = German|title=Im Land der 100 Bahnen|location=Stansstad|year=2010|isbn=978-3-906997-56-8|page=65}}</ref>
The rack section ended above Grünenwald at the Ghärst passing loop.

At Boden on the outskirts of [[Engelberg]] the old and new routes rejoin, and run under adhesion into the terminal [[Engelberg railway station|Engelberg station]].<ref name=saw/><ref name=sar/>

==Stations==

The service pattern on the Luzern-Hergiswil section is complex because the line is shared by four separately timetabled services: the LSE, the [[Brünigbahn]], and the [[Lucerne S-Bahn|S4 and S5 S-Bahn]] services.
<ref>{{cite book
|year=2012
|title=Fahrplan 09.12.2012-14.12.2013
|publisher=Zentralbahn
|language=de}}
</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;"
! rowspan="2" | Station
! rowspan="2" | Distance
! colspan="4" | Served by
|-
! LSE
! Brünigbahn
! S4
! S5

|-
|[[Lucerne railway station|Luzern Bahnhof]]
|{{convert|0.0|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{yes|Starts}}
|{{yes|Starts}}
|{{yes|Starts}}
|{{yes|Starts}}

|-
|[[Lucerne Allmend/Messe railway station|Luzern Allmend/Messe]]
|
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}

|-
|[[Kriens Mattenhof railway station|Kriens Mattenhof]]
|{{convert|3.4|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{Partial}}<br><ref group="Note" name="note5">Only the first Luzern-Engelberg train of the day.</ref>
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}

|-
|[[Horw railway station|Horw]]
|{{convert|4.5|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{Partial}}<br><ref group="Note" name="note2"></ref>
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}

|-
|[[Hergiswil Matt railway station|Hergiswil Matt]]
|{{convert|7.4|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}

|-
|[[Hergiswil railway station|Hergiswil]]
|{{convert|8.7|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{Partial}}<br><ref group="Note" name="note2"></ref>
|{{no}}<br><ref group="Note" name="note4">Then branches off to follow the Brünig line.</ref>
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}<br><ref group="Note" name="note4"></ref>

|-
|[[Stansstad railway station|Stansstad]]
|{{convert|11.4|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{Partial}}<br><ref group="Note" name="note2">Only the first Luzern-Engelberg train of the day and some additional peak time seasonal services.</ref>
|
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|[[Stans railway station|Stans]]
|{{convert|14.5|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{yes}}
|
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|[[Oberdorf NW railway station|Oberdorf NW]]
|
|{{eliminated|Closed 2003}}
|
|{{eliminated|Closed 2003}}
|
|-
|[[Buren railway station|Buren]]
|
|{{eliminated|Closed 2003}}
|
|{{eliminated|Closed 2003}}
|
|-
|[[Dallenwil railway station|Dallenwil]]
|{{convert|18.2|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{yes}}
|
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|[[Niederrickenbach railway station|Niederrickenbach Station]]
|{{convert|18.9|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{Depends|Request stop}}
|
|{{no}}
|
|-
|[[Wolfenschiessen railway station|Wolfenschiessen]]
|{{convert|21.2|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{yes}}
|
|{{yes|Terminates}}
|
|-
|[[Dörfli railway station|Dörfli]]
|{{convert|22.5|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{eliminated|Closed 2013}}<ref>{{cite book
|year=2013
|title=Fahrplan 15.12.2013-13.12.2014
|publisher=Zentralbahn
|language=de}}
</ref>

|
|
|
|-
|[[Grafenort railway station|Grafenort]]
|{{convert|25.8|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{Depends|Request stop}}<ref>{{cite book
|year=2023
|title=Fahrplan 10.12.2023-14.12.2024
|publisher=Zentralbahn
|language=de}}
</ref>
|
|
|
|-
|[[Obermatt ZB railway station|Obermatt ZB]]
|
|{{eliminated|Closed 2010}}
|
|
|
|-
|[[Grünenwald railway station|Grünenwald]]
|
|{{eliminated|Closed 2010}}
|
|
|
|-
|[[Engelberg railway station|Engelberg]]
|{{convert|33.5|km|abbr=on|1}}
|{{yes|Terminates}}
|
|
|
|}

{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

== Rolling stock ==

Prior to the opening of the Grafenort-Engelberg tunnel, the line was operated by
[[:de:LSE BDeh 4/4|BDeh&nbsp;4/4]]
electric multiple units.  Various combinations of power and trailer cars were used depending on passenger demand, although a maximum of four-car trains could be used over the rack section.  Longer trains had to be split at either
[[Obermatt ZB railway station|Obermatt ZB]] or when starting from Engelberg,

Since the opening of the tunnel, the line is served by longer trains usually made up of
a [[HGe 4/4 II|HGe&nbsp;4/4&nbsp;II]] locomotive at the uphill (Engelberg) end, then some of the original BDeh&nbsp;4/4 trailer cars,
then a newer [[Stadler GSW]] multiple unit at the valley (Luzern) end.  The latter is similar to the [[Stadler SPATZ]] but with the addition of a rack system.<ref>{{cite web|title=Our rolling stock|url=http://www.zentralbahn.ch/en/zentralbahn/rollingstock|publisher=Zentralbahn|accessdate=2013-03-14}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

For the summer 2013 season a first class panoramic car was added to the Engelberg end of the trains, the service being renamed
"Luzern-Engelberg Express".<ref>
{{cite web|title=Luzern-Engelberg Express|url=http://www.zentralbahn.ch/en/luzern-engelberg-express|publisher=Zentralbahn|accessdate=2013-08-18}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Luzern-Stans-Engelberg railway line}}
[[Category:Metre gauge railways in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Mountain railways]]
[[Category:Railway lines in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Rack railways in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Transport in the canton of Lucerne]]
[[Category:Transport in Nidwalden]]
[[Category:Transport in Obwalden]]
[[Category:Zentralbahn railway lines]]
[[Category:15 kV AC railway electrification]]