International Rhine Regulation Railway

2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)Electrification750 V DC

Route diagram

Legend

					Lake Constance
					Mouth of the Alpine Rhine canal
					Austria–Switzerland border (Alter Rhein)
					Lustenau depot
					St. Margrethen–Lauterach line
					Wiesenrain bridge
					Wiesenrain
					Unterklien quarry
					Widnau depot
					Heerbrugg–Diepoldsau tram (until 1956)
					Kriessern
					Kadelberg quarry Koblach
					Kolbenstein quarry Montlingen

The International Rhine Regulation Railway (German: Internationale Rheinregulierungsbahn) was an industrial railway situated on both banks of the Alpine Rhine canal to the south of its outfall into Lake Constance. As this stretch of the River Rhine forms the border between Austria and Switzerland, the railway is located in both countries (further north the border follows westwards along the Alter Rhein). Large parts of the system have been preserved, and part of the tracks are used as heritage railway.^[1]

Infrastructure

The railway opened in 1892. It is constructed to 750 mm gauge (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in gauge) and is partially electrified at 750 V DC using overhead lines. As its name suggests, the railway's original purpose was to assist in the engineering works needed to regulate the Rhine in this area - the so-called Rhine Regulation. Rocks from nearby quarries were used to build and reinforce the levees along the river (today, transportation of rocks to the levees is done using trucks).^[2]

Current use

In 2006, the then 33 km (21 mi) long line was closed for industrial use. Some of the tracks, mainly on the left bank of the river, have been subsequently removed, including the bridge at Kriessern in 2020.^[3] However, most of the line remains. Part of the tracks were converted to a heritage railway. Since 2008, operations on the line between Lustenau (where a small platform was built) and the river outflow are done by the Verein Rheinschauen (Rheinschauen association), which also conducts maintenance work on the line.^[2] Diesel-electric locomotives push-pulling passenger coaches operate on weekends during the warmer seasons.^[4]

Gallery

Heritage train on the Wiesenrain bridge over the Alpine Rhine
Heritage train on the Wiesenrain bridge over the Alpine Rhine
Heritage train "Nikolaus" in 2007
Tracks in Lustenau
Route section near Hard in 2009
Tracks under Fussach-Hard bridge

References

^ "Strecke" [Route] (in German). Rhein-Schauen. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Die Internationale Rheinregulierungsbahn". alpenbahnen.net (in German). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
^ "Abbruch der Rhein-Brücke Kriessern/Mäder [Demolition of the Rhine bridge between Kriessern and Mäder]" (in German). 13 March 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
^ "Rhein-Schauen (Fahrplan & Events)" (in German). Retrieved 9 May 2024.

External links

Media related to International Rhine Regulation Railway at Wikimedia Commons
Rhein-Shauen; Museum und Rheinbänle - the society that preserves the railway

Lake Constance (Bodensee)

Austria
- Vorarlberg
  - Bregenz
Germany
- Baden-Württemberg
  - Bodenseekreis
  - Konstanz
- Bavaria
  - Lindau
Switzerland
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden
- Schaffhausen
- St. Gallen
  - Rorschach
- Thurgau

Settlements

Austria	Bregenz Hard Höchst Hörbranz Fussach Gaissau Lochau
Germany	Allensbach Bodman-Ludwigshafen Eriskirch Friedrichshafen Gaienhofen Hagnau Immenstaad Konstanz Dingelsdorf Litzelstetten Paradies Petershausen Wallhausen Kressbronn Langenargen Lindau Meersburg Moos Nonnenhorn Öhningen Radolfzell Reichenau Sipplingen Stetten Überlingen Hödlingen Uhldingen-Mühlhofen Unteruhldingen Wasserburg
Switzerland	Altnau Arbon Berlingen Bottighofen Egnach Ermatingen Triboltingen Eschenz Frasnacht Goldach Gottlieben Güttingen Heiden Horn Kesswil Kreuzlingen Lutzenberg Mammern Münsterlingen Romanshorn Rorschach Rorschacherberg Salmsach Salenstein Steinach Steckborn Stein am Rhein Tägerwilen Tägermoos Thal Uttwil Walzenhausen Wolfhalden

Islands

Rivers

Valleys

Marien Gorge
Spetzgarter Gorge

Mountains

Landmarks

Obersee
- Bay of Bregenz
- Constance Hopper
- Überlinger See
- Rhine Delta
Untersee
- Gnadensee
- Markelfinger Winkel
- Rheinsee
- Wollmatinger Ried
- Zeller See

Buildings	Alt Dettingen Castle Arbon Castle Arenenberg Castle Bernegg Castle Castell Castle Eugensberg Castle Freudenfels Castle Gottlieben Castle Heiligenberg Castle Hohenfels Castle Hohenklingen Castle Hohentwiel Castle Konstanz Minster Louisenberg Castle Mammern Castle Meersburg Castle New Castle (Meersburg) Petershausen Abbey Reichenau Abbey Seeburg Castle Wettingen-Mehrerau Abbey
Touristic	Bregenzer Festspiele Pile Dwellings Museum Sea Life (Konstanz) Zeppelin Museum

Transportation

Railway

Chur–Rorschach	S2 S4 S5 S7
Friedrichshafen–Lindau	RB 93
High Rhine Line	S6 RE 2
Lake Line	S1 S7 S14 S44 RE1
Radolfzell–Mengen	RB 31 RB 32 IRE 3
Stahringen–Friedrichshafen	RB 31 IRE 3
St. Margrethen–Lauterach	S3 S7 R5
Vorarlberg Line	S1 S3 S7
S-Bahn	Bodensee St. Gallen Vorarlberg
Stations	Allensbach Altnau Arbon Arbon Seemoosriet Berlingen Bermatingen-Ahausen Bottighofen Bregenz Bregenz Hafen Bregenz Riedenburg Egnach Enzisweiler Eriskirch Ermatingen Eschenz Friedrichshafen Stadt Friedrichshafen-Fischbach Friedrichshafen Hafen Friedrichshafen Kluftern Friedrichshafen Landratsamt Friedrichshafen-Manzell Friedrichshafen Ost Güttingen Hard-Fussach Hegne Heiden Horn Kesswil Kreuzlingen Kreuzlingen Hafen Konstanz Konstanz-Fürstenberg Konstanz-Petershausen Konstanz-Wollmatingen Kressbronn Kurzrickenbach Seepark Landschlacht Langenargen Lindau-Aeschach Lindau-Insel Lindau-Reutin Lochau-Hörbranz Ludwigshafen (Bodensee) Lustenau Mammern Mannenbach-Salenstein Markdorf (Baden) Markelfingen Münsterlingen-Scherzingen Münsterlingen Spital Nonnenhorn Nussdorf Radolfzell Reichenau (Baden) Rheineck Rorschach Rorschach Hafen Romanshorn Ruderbach Salem (Baden) Sandbüchel Schwendi bei Heiden Seebleiche Sipplingen Staad Stahringen Steckborn Stein am Rhein Steinach St. Margrethen Tägerwilen-Gottlieben Triboltingen Überlingen Überlingen Therme Uhldingen-Mühlhofen Uttwil Walzenhausen Wartensee Wasserburg Wienacht-Tobel