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This time on
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"impossible engineering:
Impossible railroads,"
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the incredible challenges
facing mountain railways...
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00:00:18,140 --> 00:00:20,840
And the remarkable
engineering solutions...
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They told me,
"Bruno, you're crazy.
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That's impossible."
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that make
the impossible possible.
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00:00:33,050 --> 00:00:36,880
Captions by Vitac...
www.Vitac.com
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00:00:36,890 --> 00:00:41,160
captions paid for by
discovery communications
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00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:43,430
as they make their epic journeys
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00:00:43,430 --> 00:00:44,560
across the continent,
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00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,760
railroads continue
to push boundaries...
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00:00:51,470 --> 00:00:53,940
Inspiring engineers
to find new ways
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00:00:53,940 --> 00:00:56,540
to tackle
all of nature's extremes.
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00:00:59,610 --> 00:01:02,280
But there is one challenge
that raises the bar
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higher than any other...
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00:01:06,780 --> 00:01:10,550
The mighty peaks
and sheer cliffs of mountains.
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From their treacherous,
winding terrain...
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Semmering features grades
and curves
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that has never conquered before
by a railroad.
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To impossible inclines
for trains...
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The steeper you make it,
the bigger the train you need in
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order to overcome this incline.
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And passengers to keep
safe and happy.
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The challenge here is,
because the natural wall
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is more or less vertical,
so we have to find a way.
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It was the challenge
of one epic climb
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that faced Swiss engineers
in the mid 1800s.
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The Swiss alps,
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part of the largest
mountain range in Europe
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and home
to some of its highest peaks.
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But with their unrelentingly
steep terrain,
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these mighty mountains
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are a railroad's
most formidable opponent.
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Railroad technician
Steffen Reichel
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is traveling on the Rigi railway
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to see how adaptations
to the track and the engine
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made it one of
the first railroads
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to take on a seemingly
impossible mountain climb.
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Look at that sunshine.
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Look at the Rigi mountain.
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I love it.
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And now you can hear the engine
start working hard,
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because it's very steep on Rigi,
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00:02:38,380 --> 00:02:40,380
and now listen to that noise.
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The fireman is doing his work.
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He needs to shovel
500 kilograms of coal
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into the boiler
up to Rigi Staffel.
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Today, this train is
one of the most popular
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00:02:56,790 --> 00:03:00,760
tourist trains in Switzerland,
but in the early 1800s,
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the only way to reach
the dizzying heights
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00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:08,500
of mount Rigi
was on foot or by carriage.
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In 1869, engineer and locomotive
builder Niklaus Riggenbach
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was commissioned
to connect Vitznau
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on the shores of lake Lucerne
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with the summit of mount Rigi
5,898 feet above sea level.
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Having seen trains
slipping and losing traction
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on other railroads
with shallower gradients,
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Riggenbach knew his solution
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would require
radical rethinking.
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The railroad would have to climb
over 3,600 feet
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in just over 3 miles.
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00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:54,074
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Riggenbach designed
a toothed rack rail
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between the running rails.
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A cog wheel was added to
the center of the wheel axle
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to mesh with this rack rail
and give the train traction.
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In 1871, the Rigi railway
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00:04:29,820 --> 00:04:32,990
was the first rack-and-pinion
railroad in Europe
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to conquer a mountain.
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It's like Riggenbach
built a stairway to heaven.
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Taking nearly
two years to complete,
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Riggenbach had finally brought
this mountain to the masses...
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And today,
as many as 500,000 people a year
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make the journey to the summit.
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Up here, this is one of
the best views
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00:05:03,290 --> 00:05:06,850
I ever have seen
in my whole life.
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00:05:06,860 --> 00:05:09,060
I have been to
many mountaintops,
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but none of them had
that panorama as we do.
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Now I know why Riggenbach
conquered the mountain
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with that tiny railroad,
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but up here,
it's only half of the problem.
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00:05:21,340 --> 00:05:22,970
Having managed to get
the tourists
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to the top of the mountain,
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00:05:24,340 --> 00:05:26,540
the elevated incline
presented Riggenbach
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00:05:26,540 --> 00:05:29,410
with a challenge
of equally tough proportions.
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00:05:31,580 --> 00:05:34,420
With a 25% gradient,
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00:05:34,420 --> 00:05:37,220
the rate of descent
was creating too much stress
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00:05:37,220 --> 00:05:40,590
on the boiler and band brakes
of his locomotive
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00:05:40,590 --> 00:05:42,720
as well as damaging the track.
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00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,030
Usually, on an incline,
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00:05:47,030 --> 00:05:50,430
most railways
encountered very problem,
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00:05:50,430 --> 00:05:53,070
because the wear on the brakes
was so high
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00:05:53,070 --> 00:05:54,640
that the brakes could fail,
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00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,370
and so you rode down without
any brakes and could derail,
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00:05:58,380 --> 00:06:01,180
and many accidents happen.
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00:06:01,180 --> 00:06:03,080
For a train full of passengers,
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00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,450
this could've been catastrophic.
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00:06:05,450 --> 00:06:10,520
Riggenbach needed to find a way
to slow the train down.
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00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,520
Rigi was too steep
for normal braking systems,
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00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,860
and so he decided to use
a different brake system,
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00:06:16,860 --> 00:06:21,460
a brake system
which could not fall apart.
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Riggenbach surmised
that if the engine was
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00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,230
strong enough to push
the locomotive
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00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:27,800
and carriages up the mountain,
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then it should be strong enough
to slow it down on its descent.
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And now we go down
by Riggenbach.
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00:06:35,380 --> 00:06:37,980
And this is what Riggenbach
really invented
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00:06:37,980 --> 00:06:39,450
is the brake system.
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00:06:39,450 --> 00:06:44,120
What we hear right now is air
is moving into the cylinders,
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00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,520
and it's pressed out by the
silencer next to the stack.
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00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,260
Did you hear it?
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00:06:51,260 --> 00:06:53,360
The chugging noise has changed.
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00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,030
It is now a noise
of compressed air.
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00:06:58,030 --> 00:06:59,270
When the engine is running,
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00:06:59,270 --> 00:07:01,340
the Riggenbach air valve
is switched
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00:07:01,340 --> 00:07:05,470
so that exhaust will leave
by the blast pipe.
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00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,440
To apply the brake,
the throttle valve is closed
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00:07:08,450 --> 00:07:09,780
and the Riggenbach air valve
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00:07:09,780 --> 00:07:12,380
is switched
in the opposite direction,
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00:07:12,380 --> 00:07:15,650
allowing the pistons
to pull clean air in.
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00:07:15,650 --> 00:07:18,190
This air becomes compressed
in the cylinder,
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00:07:18,190 --> 00:07:21,320
acting like a cushion
and slowing the pistons down,
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00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:25,090
which, in turn, slows the train.
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00:07:25,090 --> 00:07:26,660
Personally, I think this is
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00:07:26,660 --> 00:07:27,900
the best dynamic braking system
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00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:31,730
for a steam locomotive
you ever can have
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00:07:31,730 --> 00:07:36,270
because it has no additional
structure or details
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00:07:36,270 --> 00:07:38,240
which need to be special.
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00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:42,680
You can build a steam
locomotive of any type,
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00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,910
and it's an absolute reliable
brake system
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00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:50,420
because it applies
the brake pressure by itself.
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00:07:50,420 --> 00:07:53,750
As fast as the train goes,
as harder the brake is acting.
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00:07:55,860 --> 00:07:57,530
The Rigi railway became
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00:07:57,530 --> 00:08:02,100
the highest standard-Gauge
railroad in Europe.
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00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:04,770
Being here at Rigi is
something very, very special
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00:08:04,770 --> 00:08:10,870
because it's the oldest
operating cog rail in Europe.
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00:08:10,870 --> 00:08:15,640
It's an absolute
awesome ride upwards,
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00:08:15,650 --> 00:08:17,680
and then going down,
with the Riggenbach brakes,
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00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,210
smooth, soft.
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00:08:19,220 --> 00:08:21,750
That's the invention
we are all for here.
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00:08:21,750 --> 00:08:24,690
This is what makes the genius
of Riggenbach.
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00:08:24,690 --> 00:08:26,620
The Riggenbach
railroad represents
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00:08:26,620 --> 00:08:29,390
just one of the many
ingenious ways engineers
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00:08:29,390 --> 00:08:34,100
have overcome seemingly
impossible gradients.
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00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:35,760
Given enough firepower,
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00:08:35,770 --> 00:08:38,500
most ordinary trains
can climb a hill,
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00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:41,970
but cograils aren't the only way
engineers have gotten creative
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00:08:41,970 --> 00:08:44,010
to solve the incline problem.
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00:08:44,010 --> 00:08:47,510
After all, extra muscle
only goes so far.
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00:08:50,250 --> 00:08:51,880
Ecuador.
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00:08:55,650 --> 00:08:58,650
From the pacific ocean
to the mighty Andes...
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00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:05,030
It's a country full of
larger-than-life landscapes
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00:09:05,030 --> 00:09:08,400
that seemed insurmountable
in the late 1800s.
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The Andes mountains in
Ecuador ran north-south
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for about 600 kilometers
with peaks over the 5,000 meters
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and then actually getting down
to zero level.
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It was very important to connect
the capital city,
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Quito, and Guayaquil,
the main port,
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that were
geographically separated.
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Although only
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00:09:40,630 --> 00:09:44,330
166 miles apart
as the crow flies,
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these two strategically
important cities
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were separated by
raging rivers...
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Dense cloud forests,
and deep ravines.
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The ambition was to build
a railroad across this terrain,
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00:10:00,850 --> 00:10:03,920
but as Tren Ecuador's
Alex Ortiz knows,
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00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,420
achieving it would be
no small feat.
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00:10:10,530 --> 00:10:13,590
Guayaquil, it's in
the lowlands at sea level,
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00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,530
and Quito, it's over
2,800 meters above sea level
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and then getting to
the central valley.
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So the engineers had
this incredible task
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00:10:22,670 --> 00:10:25,740
to go from the coast
through the mountains
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00:10:25,740 --> 00:10:29,540
through this steep valley.
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00:10:29,550 --> 00:10:31,150
It's very difficult to imagine
a train
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going through these mountains,
through these vertical walls.
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For centuries,
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the perilous journey
between the two
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had only been possible by mule,
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00:10:43,690 --> 00:10:47,560
taking up to 12 days
to complete.
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At the end of the 19th century,
the country's leadership
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00:10:50,670 --> 00:10:53,270
enlisted the help
of two American brothers,
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00:10:53,270 --> 00:10:57,910
John and Archer Harman, to start
work on the Transandine railway,
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but there was one section
that was seemingly impossible
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00:11:00,710 --> 00:11:03,380
to overcome...
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00:11:06,450 --> 00:11:09,880
The devil's nose.
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00:11:09,890 --> 00:11:14,290
With its near, precipitous drops
and impenetrably hard rock face,
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00:11:14,290 --> 00:11:16,160
building a track
that could circumvent
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00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:17,830
and descend this section
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00:11:17,830 --> 00:11:21,730
would pose a nearly impossible
engineering challenge.
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00:11:21,730 --> 00:11:24,900
But as it turns out, the team
behind this project
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00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:27,570
did not have to look
far for inspiration.
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00:11:46,490 --> 00:11:48,420
When engineers needed
to overcome
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00:11:48,420 --> 00:11:50,990
the impossible challenge
of building a railroad
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00:11:50,990 --> 00:11:53,790
to scale the devil's nose
in the Andes,
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00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:55,800
they were inspired
by the trailblazers
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00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,900
of the region's past.
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00:11:57,900 --> 00:12:01,340
So the trails that...
They are all around over here,
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00:12:01,340 --> 00:12:05,670
the ancient trails in zigzag,
like a switchback,
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00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:08,480
like the ones I have on my back.
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00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,950
They thought this could be
the great solution.
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00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:26,390
In 1908, after 10
arduous years of construction,
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00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,930
using a workforce of thousands,
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00:12:28,930 --> 00:12:33,330
the first major rail network
of the Republic of Ecuador
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00:12:33,340 --> 00:12:35,240
was completed,
206
00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,710
finally connecting Quito
and Guayaquil by rail.
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00:12:46,350 --> 00:12:48,780
This is the devil's nose
historic railway,
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00:12:48,790 --> 00:12:50,180
a feat of engineering.
209
00:12:50,190 --> 00:12:53,050
I've seen it many times,
and it still blows my mind.
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00:12:53,060 --> 00:12:54,690
It's incredible.
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00:12:56,790 --> 00:12:59,260
Made possible only by
a feat of engineering
212
00:12:59,260 --> 00:13:02,460
at this most imposing section
of the line,
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00:13:02,470 --> 00:13:05,800
this is one of the highest
active narrow-Gauge railroads
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00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,400
in the world.
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00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:16,240
Tour guide Santiago makes
this famous journey
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00:13:16,250 --> 00:13:18,510
on a regular basis.
217
00:13:18,510 --> 00:13:21,420
I never get bored of share
these views with the world.
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00:13:21,420 --> 00:13:23,050
It's pretty amazing.
219
00:13:23,050 --> 00:13:25,650
The landscapes...
It's an amazing route.
220
00:13:27,860 --> 00:13:30,460
The ingenious solution
engineers turn to
221
00:13:30,460 --> 00:13:32,530
was a switchback,
222
00:13:32,530 --> 00:13:36,960
a zigzagged section of track
with reversing points.
223
00:13:36,970 --> 00:13:40,470
This enables the train to
traverse this extreme gradient
224
00:13:40,470 --> 00:13:43,140
and gain 330 feet in altitude
225
00:13:43,140 --> 00:13:45,640
as it travels between
two switchbacks.
226
00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,880
What is important to mention
about this maneuver
227
00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,640
that's pretty amazing,
is that the mechanism
228
00:13:50,650 --> 00:13:52,850
that allows
to exchange the tracks
229
00:13:52,850 --> 00:13:55,350
are hand-pulled by
the vaquero...
230
00:13:55,350 --> 00:13:57,050
The members of the crew.
231
00:13:57,050 --> 00:14:00,990
Right now, the vaquero leave
the car, pull the switch,
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00:14:00,990 --> 00:14:03,790
allowing us to go
through it in reverse.
233
00:14:07,930 --> 00:14:11,130
Again, when we reach the end
of the zigzag there,
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00:14:11,130 --> 00:14:13,630
we will stop
for a few seconds, the vaquero
235
00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:15,940
will leave the unit again,
pull the switch,
236
00:14:15,940 --> 00:14:19,240
and from there
we go straight forward.
237
00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:20,640
If you look closely
to the window,
238
00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,980
you get lost in the view,
and you feel like
239
00:14:22,980 --> 00:14:27,110
you're floating in the train
through the track.
240
00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:28,650
This inspired concept
241
00:14:28,650 --> 00:14:30,550
solved the most
troublesome section
242
00:14:30,550 --> 00:14:32,990
of the railroad,
and in doing so,
243
00:14:32,990 --> 00:14:37,860
a journey that once took 12 days
was reduced to just 14 hours.
244
00:14:42,630 --> 00:14:45,170
The establishment of
the track for Ecuador
245
00:14:45,170 --> 00:14:47,070
was something very important.
246
00:14:47,070 --> 00:14:50,170
The connection was better,
transportation with goods,
247
00:14:50,170 --> 00:14:51,370
cargo, passengers,
248
00:14:51,370 --> 00:14:54,170
so it was a better dynamic
on the communication
249
00:14:54,180 --> 00:14:58,750
between the two main cities,
Guayaquil and Quito.
250
00:14:58,750 --> 00:15:01,280
Despite flood damage in 1998
251
00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,050
which destroyed
much of the line,
252
00:15:04,050 --> 00:15:06,890
the devil's nose section
never closed.
253
00:15:11,030 --> 00:15:14,460
The engineering behind
the devil's nose is outstanding.
254
00:15:14,460 --> 00:15:16,100
To get through these mountains
255
00:15:16,100 --> 00:15:18,170
was thought
impossible for so long.
256
00:15:18,170 --> 00:15:20,270
Despite the massive challenge
of building
257
00:15:20,270 --> 00:15:21,870
the devil's nose section,
258
00:15:21,870 --> 00:15:24,200
today,
over a century of being built,
259
00:15:24,210 --> 00:15:26,710
it's one of the most stable
areas of this line,
260
00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:28,210
and that's the testament
261
00:15:28,210 --> 00:15:30,310
how great was
the switchback solution.
262
00:15:30,310 --> 00:15:31,680
I think this is probably
263
00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,250
the most
incredible railway in the world.
264
00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,160
Finding a route that
can reduce the gradient
265
00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,230
is one way to tackle a mountain,
266
00:15:46,230 --> 00:15:49,600
but some inclines are so extreme
their engineering
267
00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,130
is from the realms
of science fiction.
268
00:15:55,500 --> 00:15:58,670
With steep-sided mountains
and arctic winters,
269
00:15:58,670 --> 00:16:01,480
at nearly 4,300 feet,
270
00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,280
the alpine village
of Stoos in Switzerland
271
00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,250
it about as remote as it gets.
272
00:16:08,250 --> 00:16:11,250
The existing public funicular
was aging
273
00:16:11,250 --> 00:16:15,360
and failing to keep up with
the needs of the passengers.
274
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,460
Senior engineer Bruno Lifart
was all too aware
275
00:16:18,460 --> 00:16:21,230
of the increasing demands
it had to meet.
276
00:16:21,230 --> 00:16:24,000
It had to go faster,
carry more people,
277
00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:25,900
and be easily accessible.
278
00:16:28,740 --> 00:16:32,840
Here, we stand on
the old Stoosbahn.
279
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:35,410
This, in 1933, it was really
280
00:16:35,410 --> 00:16:39,410
the steepest funicular
in Europe,
281
00:16:39,420 --> 00:16:43,480
but the track is going around
the mountain
282
00:16:43,490 --> 00:16:46,490
this 120 degrees,
283
00:16:46,490 --> 00:16:50,890
and we had to find out
a new track possibility
284
00:16:50,890 --> 00:16:53,330
with a straight track.
285
00:16:53,330 --> 00:16:57,900
So therefore, after 84 years
in use,
286
00:16:57,900 --> 00:17:02,040
we had to replace it,
and we had to build it
287
00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,140
in parallel
to the old funicular.
288
00:17:06,140 --> 00:17:07,440
But to find a new route
289
00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,250
meant confronting
grueling mountainous terrain.
290
00:17:12,250 --> 00:17:14,420
They told me,
"Bruno, you're crazy.
291
00:17:14,420 --> 00:17:15,920
That's impossible."
292
00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,090
But I was not happy
with this answer,
293
00:17:18,090 --> 00:17:21,920
so I challenged them, say,
"hey, as long as you don't say
294
00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,990
it's no go,
we will find a solution,"
295
00:17:24,990 --> 00:17:27,800
and now you can see
the solution is built.
296
00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,940
Stoosbahn, the greatest incline
297
00:17:39,940 --> 00:17:41,940
ever conquered by rail,
298
00:17:41,940 --> 00:17:45,480
opened to the public
in December 2017.
299
00:17:47,650 --> 00:17:50,650
We have done something
nobody else has done before,
300
00:17:50,650 --> 00:17:52,650
so it's really a new area,
301
00:17:52,660 --> 00:17:57,520
and we created
a new type of funicular.
302
00:17:57,530 --> 00:18:00,990
Ascending a whopping 2,500 feet
303
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,130
from the base of the mountain
304
00:18:04,130 --> 00:18:07,940
at a jaw-dropping angle
of 48 degrees,
305
00:18:07,940 --> 00:18:11,910
this 21st-century funicular
is truly groundbreaking.
306
00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,250
With such a precipitous incline,
307
00:18:21,250 --> 00:18:23,450
keeping the passengers
upright on the journey
308
00:18:23,450 --> 00:18:26,920
was the first challenge.
309
00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,090
The answer was
a cutting-edge carriage.
310
00:18:30,090 --> 00:18:33,260
One of the main goals
of the new Stoosbahn
311
00:18:33,260 --> 00:18:37,360
was we make it
horizontal at both stations.
312
00:18:37,370 --> 00:18:39,670
Mechanical engineer
Niklaus Moser
313
00:18:39,670 --> 00:18:41,640
was part of the design team.
314
00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,840
The demand for easy access
315
00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:45,970
for the passengers
is increasing,
316
00:18:45,980 --> 00:18:50,640
and then we have some very steep
sections and flat sections,
317
00:18:50,650 --> 00:18:53,810
which, really,
it required a leveling system.
318
00:18:53,820 --> 00:18:55,520
What the team came up with
319
00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,180
was a carriage
with a fixed chassis
320
00:18:57,190 --> 00:19:00,150
and individual cylindrical cars
that rotate
321
00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,720
to keep the passengers
and freight horizontal
322
00:19:02,730 --> 00:19:05,190
during transit
at such a steep angle,
323
00:19:05,190 --> 00:19:07,130
the first of its kind
in the world.
324
00:19:07,130 --> 00:19:09,430
We now are below the train,
325
00:19:09,430 --> 00:19:12,130
where we see best
how the leveling device
326
00:19:12,130 --> 00:19:13,700
is done during the ride.
327
00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:16,070
And then you see these two
cylinders on the left-hand side
328
00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:17,500
and the right-hand side?
329
00:19:17,510 --> 00:19:22,240
They are connected to the lower
part of the round-shaped cabins,
330
00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,650
and once they move this way
or that way,
331
00:19:24,650 --> 00:19:29,180
that means that the cabins
are rotating around.
332
00:19:29,190 --> 00:19:32,850
Built-in inclinometers
sense the angle of the track,
333
00:19:32,860 --> 00:19:35,820
signaling the hydraulic
cylinder system to kick in
334
00:19:35,820 --> 00:19:37,660
and compensate for the incline
335
00:19:37,660 --> 00:19:40,390
by rotating the carriages
accordingly,
336
00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:42,500
always keeping
the floor horizontal
337
00:19:42,500 --> 00:19:44,500
and the passengers upright.
338
00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:45,600
You don't really feel
339
00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:47,170
that the train is changing
the gradient
340
00:19:47,170 --> 00:19:48,640
as you stay on the floor.
341
00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:54,340
You just glide up to the top
station, and you don't feel it.
342
00:19:57,010 --> 00:20:00,210
A routine test reveals
just how the mechanism works
343
00:20:00,220 --> 00:20:03,720
to overcome the 110% incline.
344
00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:05,290
So, now we are testing again,
345
00:20:05,290 --> 00:20:10,560
and we go to a full inclination
of the train on the track
346
00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,930
would have respectively now
with our cabins.
347
00:20:13,930 --> 00:20:17,360
I'm holding on strong here
that I don't fall over.
348
00:20:17,370 --> 00:20:19,070
We're not yet there,
but we're getting there.
349
00:20:19,070 --> 00:20:21,700
I hope my muscles are strong
enough to hold on
350
00:20:21,700 --> 00:20:24,140
till we get to the very end.
351
00:20:24,140 --> 00:20:26,570
Oh... oh.
352
00:20:32,150 --> 00:20:33,780
That's the limit.
353
00:20:38,150 --> 00:20:39,650
But for the railroad engineers
354
00:20:39,660 --> 00:20:41,860
of this pioneering project,
355
00:20:41,860 --> 00:20:44,320
traveling up wasn't
the only challenge.
356
00:20:44,330 --> 00:20:46,090
One of the biggest challenge
357
00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:50,930
was to ensure the safety
for the workers.
358
00:20:50,930 --> 00:20:54,370
How to build up
required a unique solution.
359
00:21:13,090 --> 00:21:15,160
High-altitude railroads...
360
00:21:18,190 --> 00:21:20,460
Testing the limits
of engineering...
361
00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,470
To conquer nature's
most difficult terrain.
362
00:21:29,170 --> 00:21:33,470
And one ambitious train
that faced a series of problems
363
00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,580
is the Stoosbahn funicular.
364
00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,920
Today, project leader
Bruno Lifart is heading back
365
00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,590
to the site of Stoosbahn's most
demanding engineering ordeal,
366
00:21:48,590 --> 00:21:50,220
building the track.
367
00:21:50,230 --> 00:21:52,630
Even now, the final stage
of this journey
368
00:21:52,630 --> 00:21:56,600
is not for the fainthearted.
369
00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,170
The challenge here is
because the natural wall
370
00:21:59,170 --> 00:22:02,640
is more or less vertical,
so we have to find a way.
371
00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,970
And so, therefore, we created
this tunnel that's 48 degrees.
372
00:22:07,980 --> 00:22:11,610
Three tunnels would be
cut through solid mountain,
373
00:22:11,610 --> 00:22:13,150
starting with the highest,
374
00:22:13,150 --> 00:22:16,450
excavated using the simple
drill-and-blast method.
375
00:22:21,590 --> 00:22:23,590
But with
a near-vertical gradient,
376
00:22:23,590 --> 00:22:27,830
the lower two tunnels would need
a completely new approach.
377
00:22:27,830 --> 00:22:29,930
So the steepest area
was right here,
378
00:22:29,930 --> 00:22:31,870
and the next 200 meters down.
379
00:22:31,870 --> 00:22:34,370
This tunnel here is 250 meters
long,
380
00:22:34,370 --> 00:22:40,270
and 200 meters of this 250
are 110%.
381
00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,510
The team used
the raise-drill technique
382
00:22:42,510 --> 00:22:45,910
with a specially designed
drilling device.
383
00:22:45,910 --> 00:22:48,050
A very small pilot hole
is drilled
384
00:22:48,050 --> 00:22:50,480
using a directional
drilling tool.
385
00:22:50,490 --> 00:22:53,420
Once it emerges, the drill
is then replaced with
386
00:22:53,420 --> 00:22:55,460
a rotating metal cutting tool,
387
00:22:55,460 --> 00:22:59,290
which is drawn upwards,
creating a wider circular hole
388
00:22:59,290 --> 00:23:02,100
big enough for the explosives
to be inserted
389
00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:06,100
and the tunnels to be
enlarged to their final size.
390
00:23:06,100 --> 00:23:09,640
That seems to be
the most efficient method,
391
00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,940
to create tunnels
in such steepness.
392
00:23:12,940 --> 00:23:14,440
During the enlargement,
393
00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:19,150
all the rocks which came out
went down because it's so steep,
394
00:23:19,150 --> 00:23:26,020
and the total amount was around
25,000 tons of material
395
00:23:26,020 --> 00:23:27,790
which we had to move.
396
00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,130
Having managed to use
it to their advantage
397
00:23:32,130 --> 00:23:33,990
with waste disposal,
398
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,430
gravity still posed
a significant risk
399
00:23:36,430 --> 00:23:40,730
for the construction team
harnessed to the mountainside.
400
00:23:40,740 --> 00:23:44,340
One of the biggest
challenge was really here
401
00:23:44,340 --> 00:23:49,410
to ensure the safety for the
workers because it's so steep.
402
00:23:49,410 --> 00:23:52,080
When you lose, for example,
a tool
403
00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,150
and somebody else stands
10 meters below,
404
00:23:55,150 --> 00:23:57,750
this tool will have
such an energy
405
00:23:57,750 --> 00:23:59,820
that is very, very dangerous.
406
00:24:01,890 --> 00:24:04,690
I can say now, really,
to summarize,
407
00:24:04,690 --> 00:24:09,960
we didn't have any really
strong accident,
408
00:24:09,970 --> 00:24:12,530
and therefore,
we are very thankful.
409
00:24:15,570 --> 00:24:17,870
At 5,700 feet long,
410
00:24:17,870 --> 00:24:21,040
the new track includes
1,900 feet
411
00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:25,610
of some of the steepest
train tunnels in the world.
412
00:24:25,610 --> 00:24:27,210
Suddenly, you're out
in the open again,
413
00:24:27,220 --> 00:24:29,120
and then the next tunnel
is coming,
414
00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:30,750
getting same steepness,
415
00:24:30,750 --> 00:24:33,090
and it's really rather
an amusement ride
416
00:24:33,090 --> 00:24:37,060
than a transport
from "a" to "b."
417
00:24:37,060 --> 00:24:39,230
Two of these massive motors
418
00:24:39,230 --> 00:24:42,330
enable both carriages to achieve
maximum speed,
419
00:24:42,330 --> 00:24:45,700
whatever the gradient.
420
00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:47,370
Actually, we are now
in the machine room.
421
00:24:47,370 --> 00:24:48,940
That's why it's a bit noisy.
422
00:24:48,940 --> 00:24:50,440
That's the bull wheel.
423
00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:52,610
It's actually transferring
the movement
424
00:24:52,610 --> 00:24:54,040
from the mount to the rope,
425
00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,840
and the rope is connected
then to the car.
426
00:24:56,850 --> 00:24:58,810
That's how the movement
from the drive here,
427
00:24:58,810 --> 00:25:02,320
from the bull wheel
is transmitted to the car.
428
00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,950
Imagine 36 kilometers an hour
at 50 degrees inclination.
429
00:25:05,950 --> 00:25:08,220
That's a big speed.
430
00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:14,190
It's the fastest in the world
on an inclination like 110%.
431
00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,330
Accomplishing all the
demands it set out to achieve,
432
00:25:17,330 --> 00:25:20,970
the Stoosbahn can carry
1,500 people every hour
433
00:25:20,970 --> 00:25:24,840
on the steepest railroad
in the world.
434
00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,610
Travel speed is about 2.5 times
as much
435
00:25:27,610 --> 00:25:29,340
as the old funicular was.
436
00:25:29,340 --> 00:25:30,880
The cars are bigger.
437
00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:32,580
This means that we have
drastically
438
00:25:32,580 --> 00:25:35,420
increased
the transport capacity.
439
00:25:39,690 --> 00:25:41,790
Every day,
the brilliant engineers
440
00:25:41,790 --> 00:25:44,090
of this futuristic funicular
441
00:25:44,090 --> 00:25:46,960
keep the villagers
and their visitors connected.
442
00:25:49,830 --> 00:25:53,300
All the time when I see
the train is passing here,
443
00:25:53,300 --> 00:25:55,340
it's a great feeling.
444
00:25:55,340 --> 00:25:57,540
It's, in a way, undescribable.
445
00:25:57,540 --> 00:26:00,170
After 14 years hard work,
446
00:26:00,180 --> 00:26:04,280
I'm so proud to see
how the train goes up,
447
00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,410
and the baby's really born,
and it works.
448
00:26:13,020 --> 00:26:16,090
But for other
railroads around the world,
449
00:26:16,090 --> 00:26:18,090
a climb doesn't have to be steep
450
00:26:18,090 --> 00:26:20,760
to be an enormous
engineering challenge.
451
00:26:23,330 --> 00:26:27,500
Birmingham... a city
in the Midlands of Britain...
452
00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:29,340
And one that,
in the 18th century,
453
00:26:29,340 --> 00:26:32,870
was striving to be
at the heart of industry.
454
00:26:32,870 --> 00:26:34,910
But without a railroad
connecting the city
455
00:26:34,910 --> 00:26:39,210
to a major port,
it was yet to become a reality.
456
00:26:39,210 --> 00:26:41,880
Civil engineer Fraser Godfrey
is at a site
457
00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:43,580
on the outskirts of the city
458
00:26:43,590 --> 00:26:47,250
that would see
engineering opinions divided.
459
00:26:47,260 --> 00:26:50,060
Birmingham, by the late
16th century,
460
00:26:50,060 --> 00:26:52,390
was a center of manufacturing.
461
00:26:52,390 --> 00:26:53,990
So growing in its industry,
462
00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,230
it was very keen
to connect to Bristol
463
00:26:56,230 --> 00:26:58,570
in order to facilitate
that transportation
464
00:26:58,570 --> 00:27:02,400
of goods,
possibly around the world.
465
00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,670
At that time,
the port town of Liverpool
466
00:27:04,670 --> 00:27:08,410
had direct trade
with America and was thriving.
467
00:27:08,410 --> 00:27:10,480
Bristol and Birmingham
dreamed of a link
468
00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,680
that would allow them to compete
with these big coastal cities
469
00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,220
and boost their economy.
470
00:27:16,220 --> 00:27:17,750
In the 18th century,
471
00:27:17,750 --> 00:27:19,790
the only way to get
from Birmingham
472
00:27:19,790 --> 00:27:23,790
to Bristol was by canal,
and that was a six-day journey.
473
00:27:23,790 --> 00:27:26,830
So, really, railways became
an obvious choice
474
00:27:26,830 --> 00:27:30,430
to use to distribute
their goods around the country.
475
00:27:30,430 --> 00:27:32,170
But there was one major obstacle
476
00:27:32,170 --> 00:27:35,700
for engineers to overcome.
477
00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:39,010
Birmingham, as we can see quite
clearly here, is on a plateau,
478
00:27:39,010 --> 00:27:43,110
and it is about 70 meters higher
than the surrounding area.
479
00:27:45,180 --> 00:27:47,750
Along the southwestern
edge of the plateau
480
00:27:47,750 --> 00:27:50,550
are two parallel ranges
of hills with a valley
481
00:27:50,550 --> 00:27:53,850
in between,
known as the Lickey hills.
482
00:27:53,860 --> 00:27:56,590
Hills are a great
engineering challenge.
483
00:27:56,590 --> 00:27:58,690
How do you overcome a hill?
484
00:27:58,690 --> 00:28:00,730
Engineers would need to develop
485
00:28:00,730 --> 00:28:01,930
a groundbreaking solution
486
00:28:01,930 --> 00:28:04,430
to negotiate
this challenging landscape
487
00:28:04,430 --> 00:28:07,130
and connect Britain�s
major hubs.
488
00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,480
Determined to conquer
489
00:28:24,490 --> 00:28:26,620
the Lickey hill
region of Britain,
490
00:28:26,620 --> 00:28:30,090
designers called up some of
the world's best engineers,
491
00:28:30,090 --> 00:28:32,860
including
Isambard kingdom Brunel,
492
00:28:32,860 --> 00:28:36,500
to power through the region's
dramatic inclines.
493
00:28:36,500 --> 00:28:38,670
His approach was to
take a different route
494
00:28:38,670 --> 00:28:43,840
to enable a much shallower
gradient, about 1 in 300.
495
00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:45,370
But Brunel's proposed route
496
00:28:45,370 --> 00:28:48,310
would take the railroad
three miles further east,
497
00:28:48,310 --> 00:28:52,350
making it longer
and more costly to build.
498
00:28:52,350 --> 00:28:54,750
Instead, beating him
to the contract,
499
00:28:54,750 --> 00:29:00,550
captain William Moorsom came up
with a much bolder solution.
500
00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:03,660
He decided on this
route straight up the side
501
00:29:03,660 --> 00:29:06,730
of the Lickey hills,
which formed the Lickey incline.
502
00:29:08,830 --> 00:29:12,700
A 2-mile stretch with
a gradient of 10 degrees,
503
00:29:12,700 --> 00:29:14,270
around 10 times steeper
504
00:29:14,270 --> 00:29:17,070
than heavy trains
of the time could negotiate...
505
00:29:21,340 --> 00:29:23,810
And the only way to overcome
the gradient
506
00:29:23,810 --> 00:29:25,680
would be to use
an additional engine
507
00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:29,050
designed to push each train
up the incline
508
00:29:29,050 --> 00:29:31,350
by giving an extra
boost of power,
509
00:29:31,350 --> 00:29:34,450
an ingenious system
known as banking...
510
00:29:34,460 --> 00:29:36,860
And one
that they still use today.
511
00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:44,700
Engine driver Richard Higgins
512
00:29:44,700 --> 00:29:47,230
shows us how
to bank a freight train.
513
00:30:03,820 --> 00:30:06,250
There are two methods
of banking...
514
00:30:06,250 --> 00:30:08,720
Buffering, which is simply
pushing the train,
515
00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,520
or coupling, attaching
the banking engine
516
00:30:11,530 --> 00:30:13,690
to the train it is assisting.
517
00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,120
Today's more powerful
locomotives
518
00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:19,130
are able to cope
with the incline,
519
00:31:19,130 --> 00:31:21,930
but the principle of banking
is still needed for trains
520
00:31:21,930 --> 00:31:24,660
heavier than 1,300 tons,
521
00:31:24,670 --> 00:31:27,270
or those with
a low coupling strength.
522
00:31:42,150 --> 00:31:45,590
It's the maximum
horsepower of 3,300
523
00:31:45,590 --> 00:31:48,150
that these mighty
banking engines provide
524
00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:53,160
that make it possible to push
1,100-ton trains up the incline.
525
00:32:13,580 --> 00:32:15,780
And this is still
the main rail link
526
00:32:15,780 --> 00:32:17,780
between Birmingham and Bristol,
527
00:32:17,790 --> 00:32:21,420
made possible by this steepest
sustained mainline railroad
528
00:32:21,420 --> 00:32:23,190
incline in Great Britain.
529
00:32:27,460 --> 00:32:29,000
So, as a piece of
civil engineering,
530
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,330
the Lickey incline
is really quite basic.
531
00:32:31,330 --> 00:32:33,600
It's a railway up
the side of a hill.
532
00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:35,700
But as a piece of
mechanical engineering,
533
00:32:35,700 --> 00:32:39,070
this challenge forced engineers
to develop more
534
00:32:39,070 --> 00:32:40,870
and more powerful locomotives,
535
00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:43,180
which helps with the development
of locomotives,
536
00:32:43,180 --> 00:32:45,610
ultimately, across the world.
537
00:32:45,610 --> 00:32:47,210
But not all terrains
538
00:32:47,220 --> 00:32:49,420
can be conquered with
sheer horsepower.
539
00:32:52,790 --> 00:32:57,360
The alps, Europe's highest
and widest mountain range.
540
00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:05,200
Stretching over 745 miles
of forbidding peaks and valleys,
541
00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:08,070
this impenetrable landscape
should put the brakes
542
00:33:08,070 --> 00:33:12,340
on any plan to build a railroad.
543
00:33:12,340 --> 00:33:14,870
But in the heart of Austria's
alpine country...
544
00:33:20,820 --> 00:33:22,880
operation manager Klaus Benesch
545
00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,220
is taking to the tracks
546
00:33:24,220 --> 00:33:26,420
to see how a seemingly
impossible line
547
00:33:26,420 --> 00:33:28,990
through the mountains
became a reality.
548
00:33:52,410 --> 00:33:55,450
Today, trains like
this one carry tourists,
549
00:33:55,450 --> 00:33:58,420
but in the golden age of steam,
they played a vital role
550
00:33:58,420 --> 00:34:02,020
in trade across the mighty
Austro-Hungarian empire.
551
00:34:02,020 --> 00:34:05,220
The steep peaks of Austria's
Semmering pass, though,
552
00:34:05,230 --> 00:34:06,930
made plotting a route
for the trains
553
00:34:06,930 --> 00:34:10,560
to travel here
an engineer's worst nightmare.
554
00:34:27,220 --> 00:34:29,720
Austria's Semmering pass,
555
00:34:29,720 --> 00:34:32,790
a forbidding stretch
of the Austrian alps
556
00:34:32,790 --> 00:34:35,290
that long stood in the way
of a vital railroad
557
00:34:35,290 --> 00:34:38,190
connecting major trade hubs.
558
00:34:38,190 --> 00:34:41,630
The dramatic terrain presented
a daunting challenge.
559
00:34:56,780 --> 00:34:59,850
640 feet above sea level,
560
00:34:59,850 --> 00:35:02,680
the steep gradients and tight
curves the line would need
561
00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:08,490
to navigate left many convinced
it simply couldn't be done.
562
00:35:08,490 --> 00:35:10,760
But one man thought otherwise.
563
00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,730
In 1848, engineer
Carl Ritter Von Ghega
564
00:35:14,730 --> 00:35:17,360
decided he could defy the odds.
565
00:35:33,720 --> 00:35:36,650
His solution to
overcoming the perilous pass
566
00:35:36,650 --> 00:35:39,490
was the game-changing
Semmering railway...
567
00:35:48,830 --> 00:35:53,730
The first mountain railroad
ever built.
568
00:35:53,740 --> 00:35:56,440
Its 25 miles of looping tracks
569
00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,270
carve a path
through the landscape
570
00:35:58,270 --> 00:36:01,870
with 15 tunnels and 15 viaducts.
571
00:36:04,250 --> 00:36:07,280
The Semmering railway is
the first railway line
572
00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:10,380
in the world to become
UNESCO world heritage,
573
00:36:10,390 --> 00:36:14,190
and so is very famous
all over the world.
574
00:36:17,590 --> 00:36:20,160
Heritage rail expert
Kerstin Ogris
575
00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,090
has come to Kalte Rinne,
576
00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:24,060
where the monumental scale
of the task
577
00:36:24,070 --> 00:36:29,070
which faced Ghega
is still clear to see today.
578
00:36:29,070 --> 00:36:31,340
We see here
the Kalte Rinne viaduct,
579
00:36:31,340 --> 00:36:33,570
one of
the most important viaducts
580
00:36:33,580 --> 00:36:37,040
of the Semmering railway.
581
00:36:37,050 --> 00:36:39,650
Standing 150 feet high
582
00:36:39,650 --> 00:36:44,320
and curving 620 feet
across the valley,
583
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:47,190
its rows of towering arches
are a testament
584
00:36:47,190 --> 00:36:51,560
to the treacherous terrain
the line needed to cross.
585
00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:56,160
A big challenge was these
viaducts have narrow curves,
586
00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:58,630
and this in combination
with the gradients,
587
00:36:58,630 --> 00:37:01,700
it's very difficult to build it.
588
00:37:01,700 --> 00:37:05,140
And they used such ordinary,
simple tools.
589
00:37:05,140 --> 00:37:08,770
They'd take the stone chisel
and an ordinary hammer
590
00:37:08,780 --> 00:37:12,750
and also this iron
to split the stones.
591
00:37:12,750 --> 00:37:15,180
It was very amazing
when you think about
592
00:37:15,180 --> 00:37:20,950
that these big viaducts
only made by hand.
593
00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:23,190
But deep ravines
weren't the only obstacle
594
00:37:23,190 --> 00:37:26,230
Ghega had to overcome.
595
00:37:26,230 --> 00:37:28,560
The route he chose meant trains
had to climb
596
00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:32,670
a precipitous
1,500-foot height difference,
597
00:37:32,670 --> 00:37:36,400
an impossible feat for existing
locomotives of the time.
598
00:38:06,070 --> 00:38:08,870
Negotiating both
gradient and tight curves
599
00:38:08,870 --> 00:38:12,510
called for
a brand-new, custom-made train,
600
00:38:12,510 --> 00:38:14,110
but Ghega knew
that it would take
601
00:38:14,110 --> 00:38:16,140
more than one
engineering visionary
602
00:38:16,140 --> 00:38:19,610
to conquer this impossible
stretch of mountain range.
603
00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:39,170
The Semmering railway
was the first mountain railroad
604
00:38:39,170 --> 00:38:42,100
to ever cut
across the Austrian alps.
605
00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:45,670
Engineer Carl Ritter Von Ghega
needed to devise a train
606
00:38:45,670 --> 00:38:48,540
capable of powering through
the track's steep inclines
607
00:38:48,540 --> 00:38:50,140
and tight turns.
608
00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,120
Instead, it was one
of the contest judges,
609
00:39:04,130 --> 00:39:06,430
engineer Wilhelm Freiherr
Von Engerth,
610
00:39:06,430 --> 00:39:08,160
who solved the conundrum.
611
00:39:25,950 --> 00:39:28,210
Although built around 60 years
612
00:39:28,220 --> 00:39:29,520
after Engerth's engine,
613
00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,450
this MH-class locomotive
shares the innovations
614
00:39:32,450 --> 00:39:34,620
which made it so groundbreaking.
615
00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:55,880
Unlike traditional trains
616
00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:58,040
where the tender
is a separate wagon,
617
00:39:58,050 --> 00:40:00,050
Engerth's idea
was to build an engine
618
00:40:00,050 --> 00:40:02,820
and a tender
on an articulated frame.
619
00:40:24,670 --> 00:40:26,470
The extra weight of
part of the engine
620
00:40:26,470 --> 00:40:28,240
on the driving wheels
of the tender
621
00:40:28,240 --> 00:40:32,710
helped increase
the traction on the rails.
622
00:40:32,710 --> 00:40:35,480
Engerth's innovation also
addressed the challenge of long,
623
00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:38,920
straight cars navigating
tightly curved tracks.
624
00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:05,950
In 1853, Engerth's locomotive
625
00:41:05,950 --> 00:41:10,150
successfully traversed
the entire 25-mile length
626
00:41:10,150 --> 00:41:12,120
of the Semmering line,
627
00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,990
finally connecting Vienna
with the sea
628
00:41:14,990 --> 00:41:17,220
and completing
Carl Ritter Von Ghega's
629
00:41:17,230 --> 00:41:21,330
railroad through the alps.
630
00:41:21,330 --> 00:41:23,630
Ghega was very intelligent
631
00:41:23,630 --> 00:41:25,700
and a great visionary,
632
00:41:25,700 --> 00:41:28,830
and, of course,
he had the courage to do this,
633
00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:32,140
to realize this project.
634
00:41:32,140 --> 00:41:34,640
So he was perhaps crazy.
635
00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:41,050
Since the invention
of the railroad,
636
00:41:41,050 --> 00:41:43,850
mountains have been
their major adversary...
637
00:41:46,950 --> 00:41:50,490
Inspiring
remarkable creations...
638
00:41:50,490 --> 00:41:54,090
It was the highest
mountain they pass by railway,
639
00:41:54,100 --> 00:41:56,700
so it was a big challenge
for an engineer
640
00:41:56,700 --> 00:41:59,270
and also for a human.
641
00:41:59,270 --> 00:42:03,300
Elevating engineering
to new heights...
642
00:42:03,300 --> 00:42:06,470
This absolute genius,
these marvelous machines,
643
00:42:06,470 --> 00:42:12,810
and engineering of the whole
mountain-rail system.
644
00:42:12,810 --> 00:42:16,450
To create impossible railroads.
645
00:42:16,450 --> 00:42:19,790
It's really a great experience
to see it running.
646
00:42:19,790 --> 00:42:22,660
I think it's an amazing
engineering achievement.
647
00:42:22,660 --> 00:42:24,260
Pretty special, yeah.
648
00:42:25,305 --> 00:42:31,393
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649
00:42:31,443 --> 00:42:35,993
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