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  • Some images from swiss private railways

  • Discussion about railroad topics everywhere outside of Canada and the United States.
Discussion about railroad topics everywhere outside of Canada and the United States.

Moderators: Komachi, David Benton

 #1351861  by philipmartin
 
I hope that you don't find this offensive, Benny, but Mussolini was known for making the trains in Italy run on time; something my own employer, a state agency, can only do about sixty or seventy percent of the time.
Last edited by philipmartin on Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
 #1351905  by Benny
 
Don't worry, frankly I consider the fascist era one of the few periods in which Italy has been a serious nation.

Ciao :wink:
 #1351914  by philipmartin
 
Benny wrote:Don't worry, frankly I consider the fascist era one of the few periods in which Italy has been a serious nation.

Ciao :wink:
No nation can compare with Italy for cuture, which is why I spent time in Firense among other places there.
 #1351963  by Benny
 
Something more.

One of the most spectacular railways I ever rode is the Bernina line (and not for nothing has been appointed as Unesco world heritage site).
This meter gauge railway is operated by RhB but, as was born as an independent company, is electrified at 1000 V DC. It reach the 4456m ASL without cog help and is open 365 days a year, although in winter there can be more than 4m of snow.
In the lower part, near Brusio, the line snakes in a S before reach the homonymous station and the world famous open air helicoidal. I like this point because the rails seem to draw the territory and limit the village. The shot is from April 1989 and shows railcars ABe 4/4 42 and 49 (now retired) with a Tirano bound train.
DN8r ABe 4-4 42 e 49 RhB e vetture in corsa sui tornanti di Brusio il 2 aprile 1989.jpg
DN8r ABe 4-4 42 e 49 RhB e vetture in corsa sui tornanti di Brusio il 2 aprile 1989.jpg (75.11 KiB) Viewed 2324 times
The north-eastern part of Switzerland softly slopes to the Bodanic lake offering bucolic landscapes and quiet corners.
During the august 1991 vacations we stopped in a shaded place to have a lunch and in the same time take some images of this nice viaduct in the little town of Bussnang that just in that period was becoming renowned being the seat of Stadler, a trains builder that revolutionized railroad concepts in Europe.
The photo shows driving trailer Bt 202 and railcar ABDe 4/4 16 of the Mittel Thurgau Bahn (MThB), a standard gauge railroad electrified
at 15000 V single phase that connected the Zurich to Austria line with Konstanz, just over the border with Germany on the lake.
This company, after a period of continuous growing with the takeover of various services also in Germany, went bankrupt and its line and services were taken by SBB.
The railcar is a standard swiss model bought by nearly all standard gauge railroads in the '70s.
DN9r  Bt 202 e ABDe 4-4 16 MThB in transito sul viadotto di Büssnang il 14 agosto 1991.jpg
DN9r Bt 202 e ABDe 4-4 16 MThB in transito sul viadotto di Büssnang il 14 agosto 1991.jpg (91.26 KiB) Viewed 2324 times
And finally another baby crocodile. In 1983-84 I was in the army and during a permission I decided to ignore the prohibition of expatriation (it was ridiculous, at the time I was serving in Lebanon, so well outside) and make a visit to Engadina, the area of St. Moritz. So in march 25, 1984 I left Milano in a cold but sunny morning. At Tirano our train was headed by a snowplough and we were asking ourselves why. After Poschiavo we saw the answer: an heavy snow storm that made our travel something incredible. In the AC/DC station of Pontresina we were very impressed by the normal working of RhB despite the storm.
On the shot you can see Ge 6/6' 402 in one of its last services shunting in Pontresina and the photo is awry because it was not simple take photos with strong wind and protecting the camera from the snow. It has been a very exciting day, helped by an excellent deer stew eaten in the restaurant in front of the station.
DN10r Ge 6-6´ 402 RhB in manovra a Pontresina durante una nevicata  il 25 marzo 1984.jpg
DN10r Ge 6-6´ 402 RhB in manovra a Pontresina durante una nevicata il 25 marzo 1984.jpg (57.66 KiB) Viewed 2324 times
Hope these few images can interest, in my personal idea Switzerland is a railfan paradise.

Ciao :wink:
 #1352003  by philipmartin
 
Thank you for such an interesting post, Benny. I hadn't heard of Stadler Rail before, but here is info on it from Google/Wiki.
http://www.stadlerrail.com/en/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadler_Rail" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am somewhat familiar with the Bernina Bahn. There are a number of Youtube videos of it. Here's one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t83AlVs49a0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1520033  by Benny
 
I reopen this topic because my son encountered some old photos probably lost in some moving between homes.

BAM (Biere-Apples-Morges) is a meter-gauge railroad that runs in the western, agricoltural part of Switzerland. The most iconic image is this one: the train, in this case Be 4/4 12+Bt 52, running in front of the Vufflens castle. Image taken in August 1987.
img164.jpg
img164.jpg (265.54 KiB) Viewed 1529 times
Another big classic. In the 80s the RhB crocodiles still made some regular services, between them some "freight with passengers".
In April 1988 I shooted Ge 6/6' 411 at the head of one of these trains running on the famous Landwasser viaduct.
img165.jpg
img165.jpg (356.04 KiB) Viewed 1529 times
The Bernina line has, in its lower part, an open air spiral. In April 1989 I was there to catch ABe 4/4 48 with its train to Tirano.
img163.jpg
img163.jpg (369.43 KiB) Viewed 1529 times
Follow...
Last edited by Benny on Fri Sep 13, 2019 7:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1520035  by Benny
 
another image of the Landwasser viaduct, this time with Ge 6/6 414, taken from the river in october 1991.
img166.jpg
img166.jpg (337.08 KiB) Viewed 1527 times
In Pontresina, in March 1984, Ge 6/6 413 was coming from Samedan under an heavy snow storm.
img177.jpg
img177.jpg (91.18 KiB) Viewed 1527 times
In August 1991 I was in Schaffausen and wait half an hour to take a photo with a bird and the train (a SBB Re 4/4") together.
img178.jpg
img178.jpg (128.65 KiB) Viewed 1527 times
Re-follow...
 #1520036  by Benny
 
A local freight train from Disentis to Chur at the hook of Ge 6/6' 414 in the spectacular and savage Rhine gorge in October 1991.
img179.jpg
img179.jpg (156.05 KiB) Viewed 1524 times
Near Morteratsch the Bernina line makes a U turn and crosses the road. In April 1989 I took this image of the ABe 4/4 53, at the time new, at the so-called Montebello curve.
img182.jpg
img182.jpg (135.17 KiB) Viewed 1524 times
Hope you will enjoy them (Phil should be extasiated... :-D )

Ciao :wink: