In 1999 Mt. Rigi railways has developed a new rack and pinion switch. This unique system is based on a thoroughly new idea: The switch consits of a single flexible piece of rail that swings from one position to the other and fits almost seamlessly with the fixed railway track.
The system is patented world wide. It was developed by Mt. Rigi railways in close cooperation with the company Verkehrs- und Industrietechnik AG (CH), the technology company Windhoff (D), with the Swiss federal institute of technology in Zürich and with the national authority of traffic and transport. Since 1999/2000 two of these new switches are sucessfully in operation on Mt. Rigi. The Dolder railway in Zürich uses a corresponding system with two switches.
You can download more detailed information and picutres here.
Fact sheet rack and pinion switch (131 KB)
Detailed report (1.18 MB)
Principle of switch (25 KB)
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