Cog railway Tanvald–Harrachov

Cog railway Tanvald–Harrachov is a standard gauge cog railway in Europe. It connects the municipalities Tanvald, Kořenov and Harrachov in the Czech Republic.

					to Železný Brod
					to Liberec
				0,0	Tanvald

					Start of first rack section
					Desná (29 m)
					Tunnel Žďárský (67,2 m)
					End of first rack section

				1,4	Desná
					White Desná (28,9 m)
					Tunnel Desná (252,1m)
					Industry branch, abandoned
					Start of second rack section
					Black Desná (71,1 m; 13,6 m high)
					Tunnel Dolní Polubný (156,3 m)
				3,2	Dolní Polubný
					Maximum gradient 58 ‰
				5	Kořenov zastávka
					Tunnel Polubný (940 m)
					End of second rack section
				6,9	Kořenov
					Jizera viaduct (Border crossing till 1958)
					Tunnel Harrachov (279,7 m)
				11,6	Harrachov
					Border crossing (from 1958)
					to Szklarska Poręba (Izera railway)

Cog locomotive T 426.0 in the second cog section

The railway was built in 1902 with the intention to connect the lines Liberec–Jablonec–Tanvald and Jelenia Góra-Kořenov (Zackenbahn), that is to connect Austro-Hungarian Empire with Prussia. After the Second World War Silesia was acquired by Poland and the cross-border traffic was abolished. Following an exchange of border territories between Czechoslovakia and Poland, the Bohemian part was extended to Harrachov, that became a new terminal station. Following a one-day celebration on the 100th anniversary in 2002, cross border traffic was restored on July 2, 2010. Plans to extend the line further to the centre of Harrachov were rejected. Despite this fact, the section between Harrachov and Szklarska Poręba has been reconstructed and is in regular use.

In winter, the morning trains are packed with cross country skiers who take advantage of the gained elevation difference and continue from Kořenov to either Jablonec or Liberec via Jizerka or cross the border to make a trip to Orle. In summer, bike transport is gaining popularity. As both the express trains from Prague and Dresden terminate in Tanvald, the former plans to abolish the line were dropped.

Rail transport map of Zackenbahn

Technical parameters

Cog section entry

Rack system: two-set Abt rack system, laid in two sections, 4,744 m
Maximum gradient: 58 ‰ (Czech rail record)
Elevation difference: 235 m on 7 km

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External links

Media related to Railway line Tanvald - Harrachov at Wikimedia Commons
Cog railway Tanvald - Korenov - Harrachov (Czech only)
Website about the cog railway (Czech, English)
Map depicting the territory exchange between Czechoslovakia and Poland

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