Bellinzona–Mesocco railway

The Bellinzona–Mesocco railway (Italian: Ferrovia Bellinzona–Mesocco; BM) was a Swiss metre gauge railway that linked the towns of Bellinzona, in the canton of Ticino, and Mesocco, in the canton of Graubünden. The line was built by the Società Anonima della Ferrovia Elettrica Bellinzona-Mesocco and later became part of the Rhaetian Railway. Before complete closure, the section of the line between Castione-Arbedo, and Cama was operated by the Società Esercizio Ferroviario Turistico (SEFT) as a tourist railway known as the Ferrovia Mesolcinese.^[2]

Bellinzona–Mesocco railway
Train at Cama in 2007
Overview
Status	Partially closed and removed
Locale	Cantons of Ticino and Graubünden, Switzerland
Termini	Bellinzona Mesocco
Stations	17
History
Opened	1907
Closed	1972 (Bellinzona–Castione) 1978 (Cama–Mesocco) 2013 (Castione - Cama)
Technical
Line length	-1972: 31.3 kilometres (19.4 mi) -2013: 12.7 kilometres (7.9 mi)
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Minimum radius	80 metres (260 ft)
Electrification	1500 V, DC, overhead
Maximum incline	6‰
Route map Legend km elev in m 0.0 Bellinzona BM 227 2.0 Molinazzo 236 Gotthard Railway to Lugano Moesa 3.5 Arbedo-Castione 241 Gotthard Railway to Arth-Goldau 4.2 Castione Villaggio 5.7 Lumino 258 6.9 Canton of Ticino Canton of Grisons 8.1 Valmoesa ( factory siding ) 262 9.1 San Vittore 275 Moesa (75 m) 10.8 Roveredo 294 Moesa (81 m) 11.2 San Antonio 302 12.2 Grono Bahnübergang 325 12.7 Grono 332 13.3 new depot 15.2 Leggia 340 16.2 Cama 351 17.6 Piani di Verdabbio 367 18.7 Sorte 403 21.4 Lostallo 423 23.3 Cabbiolo 446 25.4 Vigna 486 Piotta tunnel (42 m) Capella tunnel (31 m) 28.5 Soazza 620 San Giovanni tunnel (13 m) 31.3 Mesocco 766 Source: Swiss railway atlas[1] This diagram: view talk edit

Project and construction

The Gotthard railway opened in 1882, providing a transport link to the communities of the valley of the Ticino River. In order to provide a link to the communities of the Val Mesolcina, a concession for the Bellinzona–Mesocco railway a committee was formed in 1891, which led to a concession being granted in 1899.^[3] The tributaries of the Moesa river carry large quantities of rock, which historically had occasionally dammed the Moesa and changed its course. The route had to be chosen for resilience to this risk, resulting in an initial estimate of CHF2.7 million.^[3] Raising the capital proved difficult, so the budget was very tight. As a consequence,^[3] although intended as a feeder line to the Gotthard railway, the Bellinzona terminus of the BM was located some 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the main line station, and the main transfer point was Castione-Arbedo station further north.^[4] The original line was 31.284 kilometres (19.439 mi) long, and rises 538.4 m (1,766 ft),^[3] mostly in the last 7 km (4.3 mi) after Cabbiolo. There were 17 stops, a maximum gradient of 60‰ and a minimum radius of 80 metres (260 ft). 160,000 cubic metres (5,700,000 cu ft) of earthworks, four short tunnels and 27 bridges were required.