31-08-2017, 03:39 PM
In Italy, Switzerland and the United States three-phase AC electrification was used at the beginning of the 20th century. Italy was the main user, from 1901 to 1976, although the lines through two tunnels also used the system; the Simplon tunnel between Switzerland and Italy from 1906 to 1930 (but not connected to the Italian system) and the Cascade tunnel of the Great Northern Railway in the United States from 1909 to 1939. The first standard gauge line was in Switzerland, from Burgdorf to Thun (40 km or 25 miles), since 1899.