This Cab Ride is longish at 3 hours 41 minutes. The trainload of tankcars are carrying Diesel fuel for two terminals in Eastern Switzerland. The train originated at Switzerland's only Oil Refinery at Cornaux, on the Zihlkanal which links Lac du Neuchatel with the Bielersee. The videographer joins the train at Olten Hammer Bahnhof. The train had been waiting there for an open path through the very busy station at Olten, the Crossroads of the Swiss Railway network. Because of its location and the fact that the freight cannot access the freight bypass on the south side of the station as it would have to cross every track in the station's throat it must wait for a gap in traffic to use one of the platform tracks. Further east it avoids the heavy passenger traffic by using the older mainline though Brugg and Baden(home of giant power systems supplier ABB) and uses a secondary line to avoid downtown Zürich and again the airport. The train proceeds past St. Gallen - Wilkeln station where it will return later with the rear half of its train as it can only spot its cars when heading westward as it must setback into the unloading tracks to avoid trapping the locomotives. The train proceeds east through the city of St. Gallen and begins the steep descent to the shores of the Bodensee(Lake Constance) arriving at the town of St, Margrethen after passing the hpme of Stadler Rail. St. Margrethen is where the Rhein River flows into the Bodensee and where Switzerland meets Austria. The locomotives will run-around their train in the yard here and will detach the rear portion to return to St. Gallen - Winkeln station for spotting. One very interesting thing to observe is that Swiss railways attach signs to the Cantenary masts showing the gradient and every time the gradient changes there will be a new sign showing the change. The sign consists of a white Pentagon(house shape) with the point either up or down depending on whether the grade is ascending or descending, On the sign there are two numbers, one larger and one smaller, the larger number is the gradient in pro mille, 10 pro mille is 1 percent, the second smaller number is the distance in meters to the next change of gradient.
Swiss Freight Cab Ride
This is a BLS Cargo cab ride operated under "Open Access". By regulations SBB Cargo provides all carload services, but any operator licensed in Switzerland can provide trainload or Unit train service. In practice this means that service is provided by SBB Cargo, BLS Cargo, Railcare, or Widmer Rail Service. DB Cargo, TXLogistics, and Captrain are also licensed, but choose to provide only service between Switzerland and adjoining countries or bridge service across Switzerland.
I only skipped along through it (no way I'd watch 3 hours and 41 mins.), but that's a great video! Very cool.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.