Niklaus Riggenbach (21 May 1817 – 25 July 1899) was the inventor of the Riggenbach rack system and the counter-pressure brake. He was also an engineer and locomotive builder.
Niklaus Riggenbach, from Rünenberg, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, was born in Guebwiller, Alsace. After the death of his father, his mother returned to Basel with her eight young children. At age 16 Riggenbach began an apprenticeship as a mechanic, going abroad after completing his training. In 1837 he found his way to Paris, where he accepted employment. By taking technical courses in night school, he acquired considerable knowledge in mathematics and physics. With the opening of the Paris-St. Germain railroad line in 1839 he found his vocation to build locomotives.
In June 1840 he moved to Karlsruhe, Germany, and found employment in the machine works of Emil Kessler. Here he soon rose to managing director and was involved in the construction of no less than 150 locomotives. One of these steam engines was the "Limmat" of the Schweizerischen Nordbahn (Swiss Northern Railway), opened on 9 August 1847, also called the Spanisch-Brötli line, which he ferried to Switzerland in order to test it on the Zürich-Baden line.
As construction of the Basel-Olten line began in 1853, the board of directors of the Schweizer Centralbahn Gesellschaft (Swiss Central Rail Association) appointed him chief of the machine works. He made several official trips to England and Austria, and crawled under a fair number of steam locomotives and into their boilers, "to make the good even better." Various improvements in railroading bear his name. In 1856 he became a master machinist and boss of the new main workshop of the Centralbahn in Olten. Under his direction this workshop evolved into a full-fledged engine works, building the company's own locomotives and bridges.
Track grip (adhesion) on the Hauenstein line caused him concern. The difficulties led Riggenbach to the concept of the rack railway. After many attempts he discovered that one could negotiate steeper stretches of track by bolting a rack between the rails, which a toothed wheel or cog on the underside of the locomotive could engage. He built his first locomotive in 1862, and on 12 August 1863 France awarded him Patent No. 59625 for the invention. The Vitznau-Rigi line was inaugurated in 1871 as the first mountain railway to use the Riggenbach system in Europe. The locomotives were equipped with his counter-pressure braking system.
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Some of their strengths
Niklaus Riggenbach has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intelligent, Communicative, Charming, Energetic, Extroverted, Intense, and Idealistic.
Charming and Quick-witted
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Niklaus Riggenbach is someone who is a charming, quick-witted, and energetic person who combines passion and intelligence with an ability to feel what others are feeling and to effectively communicate with them. A person who really cares about helping others make the most of what they have.
Helpful and Supportive
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Niklaus Riggenbach well know them as someone who can be accepting, supportive, and productive, like a garden.
Courteous and Easygoing
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Niklaus Riggenbach as someone who is polite, modest, and diplomatic.
A person who tends to be socially popular, who loves intellectual or creative activities, who has a talent for communicating with and understanding the needs of others, and who seems to have a knack for getting recognized for their efforts.
Stable and Creative
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Niklaus Riggenbach is someone who thrives in volatile situations, and who tends to be a source of stability and comfort for others who are experiencing challenging times .
They are also someone who is mysterious, intuitive, and diplomatic, and who has a keen intuition, charisma, and a focus on balance and partnership.
Logical and Reasonable
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Niklaus Riggenbach tends to be someone who is understanding, logical, and reasonable. Who can be intellectual and intuitive, speak the truth at any cost, be witty and sociable, and live life to its fullest.
Some of Niklaus Riggenbach's challenges
While Niklaus Riggenbach has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Niklaus Riggenbach can be Status-seeking, Indecisive, Hypocritical, Self-centered, Arrogant, Complicated, and Brusque.
Hypocritical and Self-centered
One of Niklaus Riggenbach's key challenges is that they are someone who can be perceived as hypocritical and self-centered.
Niklaus Riggenbach must also exercise caution as they can be excessive and unrealistic, and can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Indecisive and Materialistic
Niklaus Riggenbach is someone who can be indecisive, indulgent, and materialistic, who can have difficulty focusing on a single career or profession, have difficulty following orders or respecting authority, and who can suffer from "analysis paralysis".
Indecisive and Distracted
Finally, Niklaus Riggenbach also can have a hard time staying focused and can easily become restless.
