The PILATUS-BAHNEN railway line, which links the municipality of Alpnachstad in the canton of Obwalden and Mount Pilatus, was built 137 years ago and is a very popular tourist attraction in Switzerland. In 2022 PILATUS-BAHNEN transported around half a million visitors.  

The train, which climbs from Alpnachstad to Mount Pilatus, remains to this day the steepest cogwheel system in the world. Since the railway was inaugurated in 1886, the fleet and technical infrastructure have been upgraded constantly and adapted so as to ensure passenger safety and to provide an unforgettable mountain experience. 

The PILATUS-BAHNEN firm has currently undertaken one of the biggest investments in the history of the cogwheel railway, which mainly involves fully replacing the rolling stock as well as incorporating a new train control system, entrusted to Actemium Schweiz AG LeitTec. 

Taking into account specific cogwheel railway requirements, Actemium developed a bespoke solution for this type of system, combining the existing visualisation and operating system for railways module (known as VBBa) and a new position-based signaling (PbS) module. 

VBBa is a remote control system that complies with safety integrity level SIL2, also developed by Actemium, which has been used for years by other railways in Switzerland and throughout the world. The PbS module comprises a train control and interlocking system which works without external signals. The interlocking system ensures routes are safe to operate on. 

“Our cogwheel train can now run every 35 minutes thanks to technical innovations. This reduces passenger waiting time and considerably enhances the appeal of Mount Pilatus. We are very pleased to have carried out this project with the support of Actemium and to have commissioned the railway in time following the approval of the initial application by the Federal Office of Transport,” explains Patrick Blaser, technical and operations director at PILATUS-BAHNEN AG. 

Photo credit: ©PILATUS-BAHNEN AG