Swiss Narrow Gauge Question

[ss122]

20 years ago I had the good fortune of spending a day riding trains in Switzerland. I may have that opportunity again and I am seeking help to remember a particularly fun narrow gauge line. All I remember about the train is that it was meter gauge, overhead electric, with 5 cars, with the engineer operating from a cupola above the center car. The scenery and other equipment seemed straight out of an LGB catalog. When in Switzerland we stayed in Interlaken, I remember being in Brig, but can't say for sure I caught this particular narrow gauge line in either town. TIA all you world travelers. Ken

[daveklepper]

There is a very scenic narrow gauge line from Interlaken to Lucern.  When I rode it in 1960, it was a conventional train, with a B-B  (0-4-4-0) locomotive and four or five aliminium quater-point-door large window coaches. I think I remember that part of the line is rack-operated, with the locomotive equipped both rack and regular adhesion operaton.   Overhead catenary operation. but do not remember the voltage or if ac or dc.  There are several other scenic routes out of Interlaken, inlcuding the route of the Glacier Express to Chur, through 'Dessentes.  Part of this line has been relocated in a tunnel since I rode it, but the old mountain-pass route is now run by a steam railroad railfan group, and regular trips are run, and they are well worth riding, I am told.

From San Moritz one can ride the scenic line to Tirano, Italy.  All of this is narrow gauge.

[PJM20]

Are you asking about the name of the railroad? It's the RhB, the Rhaetian Bahn. The RhB does not go to Interlaken, the farthest west is Disentis:

Perhaps you remember the SBB, the state owned standard gauge railroad? It goes through both towns that you mention.

[NorthWest]

Interlaken has the BOB and Zentralbahn, Brig has the MGB, which connects to the RhB.

[daveklepper]

You are correct, but the Rhaetian does run through trains with the Furka Oberalp through to Interlaken, with both railroads, both narrow gauge, contributing to the consist, and engnines changed at Dessentis.  Zermat- Interlaken may be a third narrow gauge line involved.  You are correct about Interlaken - Lucern being the narrow gauge line of Swiss Federal.  Swiss Federal does have standard gauge fromj Lucern to Chuir, but going round-about using the narrow gauge lines is far more scenic.

Interlaken is also a good base for going to the highest railroad station in the world at the Jungfraujoch(Sp)via two mountain-climbing cog narrow gauge lines feeding to one. Interlaken and Chur are both dual-gauge stations,with lots of three-rail tracks.

[NorthWest]

There are no narrow gauge connections between Interlaken and Brig, sadly. To get between them one must take a BLS train from Brig to Spiez and then another to Interlaken, or take a MGB train to Göschenen, an SBB train to Lucerne, and a Zentralbahn train to Interlaken (Zentralbahn took over the former SBB narrow gauge line.) The FOB is the seasonal steam powered line over Furka Pass.

 

[daveklepper]

You are correct.   In the past there was a narrow gauge connection, with standard gauge having three rails to accomodate narrow gauge trains.   Long gone.   At least that is what my memory says, and I will certainly appreciate any corrections.

The map shows a bus between Tirano and Lugano, a beautiful lakeside town.   But there is a standard gauge rail connection between them via Sondrio (Sondreo?)   The Tirano - Sondrio line was one of the last three-phase AC lines with two trolley wires and two pantographs on the locomotives.  I think it has been converted to 3000V DC.

[ss122]

Thanks for all your responses. In doing some research myself (and watching ALOT of Swiss railroad videos) I'll bet it was the Golden Pass train between Interlaken and Lucern. Might not be narrow gauge, it is hard to tell from the videos, but the scenery and equipment to match my memory, plus, we did travel between Interlaken the Lucern by train. Ken

[NorthWest]

Well, it's both , although the Interlaken-Lucerne section is meter gauge.

The train starts out in Montreaux, and travels on the narrow gauge MOB to Zweisimmen. Then passengers must change to a standard gauge BLS train to Interlaken, and another narrow gauge ZB train to Lucerne.