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. At last 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	31.3 kilometres (19.4 mi) now 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 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]

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, the Bellinzona–Mesocco railway was opened in 1907. 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.[3]

From the beginning, an extension over the San Bernardino Pass to Thusis was planned, in order to provide a rail connection to the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), but this was not constructed. In 1942 the line was merged into the RhB, but it was never connected to that railway's main network. In 1972, all passenger traffic ceased and the line between Bellinzona and Castione-Arbedo was closed, whilst freight traffic continued on the rest of the line.[3]

In 1978 the upper section of the line was damaged by a bad storm, and was never repaired. The remnant of the line between Castione-Arbedo and Cama continued carrying freight traffic until the closure of the factories on the line removed that traffic. In 2003, freight traffic ceased and the line was transferred to SEFT.[3]

The original line was 31.3 kilometres (19.4 mi) long, and was electrified at 1500 V DC using overhead lines. It had 17 stops, a maximum gradient of 6% and a minimum radius of 80 metres (260 ft). The surviving tourist line was at last 12.7 kilometres (7.9 mi) long.[2][3] It was closed at end of 2013.