Virtual Railfan Tour of Switzerland - Tuesday - Changes of Gauge

On the face of it this looks like an ordinary freight train. However, the locomotive is metre gauge while the log cars are regular standard gauge cars running on narrow gauge "skates".  The locomotive is fitted with standard gauge and narrow gauge couplings. This is the MBC at Vufflens.

Switzerland has many narrow gauge lines, almost all metre gauge, connecting its rural and alpine regions to the standard gauge (4' 8½") mainline backbone. This presents a challenge to shipping freight and passengers between the narrow and standard gauge systems. There are several methods implemented in Switzerland that allow these transfers to occur.

Transporter wagons
In the Jura area, narrow gauge transporter wagons are used carry standard gauge cars over the narrow gauge network. A gauge transfer point uses a ramp to raise the standard gauge track sufficiently to push cars on or off of transporter wagons. Transfer points for the Jura are at Glovelier, Tavannes and possibly La Chaux de Fonds.

A narrow gauge flatcar for carrying standard gauge cars at Glovelier.

At Combe Tavellion, where the Jura line reverses direction, we found some stored transporter cars

A standard gauge ballast car on a narrow gauge transporter at Noirmont.  The ballast can presumably be dropped on to the track through the open frame of the narrow gauge car.

Narrow gauge skates

Another approach is to use individual skates to carry each axle. Each skate is hooked up to an air hose to allow braking. Skates are used in several parts of Switzerland.

Morges is a good place to see the gauge transfer from the SBB to the MBC since this can be seen from the platform. This seems to happen twice daily and can involve loads of gravel from a quarry at Apples, army vehicle or logs headng to and from the end of the line at Bieres.

Hopper cars of aggregates being loaded onto skates at Morges

Train of logs at Vufflens - see opening photograph at top.

The actual operation is quite complicated. The skates are stored in a track inside and underneath the standard gauge. The standard gauge car is pushed over and the wheel makes contact with a lever on the skate which is then pushed out the correct distance until the standard gauge wheel drops on to the skate and is secured.

New skates in storage at Biere - the air hose connections can clearly be seen. When used with standard gauge cars a flexible hose is used to take account of the individual distances between the skates.

A similar system is used at Yverdon-les-Bains for the narrow gauge line to Ste. Croix.

At Yverdon there was a heavy sugar beet traffic, which has recently moved to road

Here we can see the skates stored between and below the standard gauge.

The power used at Yverdon. A bar coupling connects to the standard gauge car

Gauge Changing
Another approach to gauge transfer is to change the gauge of the axles dynamically. This is being put into place at Zweisimmen and will allow the MOB trains to run directly between Montreux, Spiez and Interlaken. Currently the Golden Pass route requires a change of trains from the metre gauge MOB to the standard gauge BLS route to Spiez. When visiting in 2018, the gauge changing infrastructure was being built.

Colin is showing off his Swiss flag t-shirt

This video shows the way the wheels are moved to take account of the change of gauge as well as the variation in platform heights

Dual gauge track
Finally, dual gauge track will allow areas to be served by both standard and narrow gauge. 

This is Chur.

Although usually three rails are used to accommodate two gauges, here at Stein am Rhein four rails are used to distribute the locomotive weight evenly on the turntable