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
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
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
Hope these few images can interest, in my personal idea Switzerland is a railfan paradise.
Ciao
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