Wednesday 30 August - Heavy freight power and a Swiss Model Railway

Picture of the day - by Paul Churcher. An Re 6/6 620 016 crosses the viaduct at Huntwangen Wil to take up a gravel train.

Our first objective today was to go to Bulach to see the collection of Re 6/6 powerful freight electric locomotives. These were built in the 1970s and are still active on gravel trains out of here as well as many oil trains. Their horsepower rating is over 10,000!  At the station there was one gravel train about to leave with a 6/6 which had only recently come from the main works. 

Fresh from the works (Bellinzona) last week

Evidence of the work done. These six axle locomotives have three trucks.

The blazons with which they were originally named seem to have survived different paint schemes.

In one stub end platform track there were six other 6/6 locomotives one of which left quickly to go to Huntwagen wil to pick up the next gravel train. Just as we were about to leave for Huntwagen wil a loaded gravel train came in hauled by an additional 6/6 locomotive.

We then took the short ride to Huntwagen wil which is near a single track viaduct at Eglisau. There was a loaded train of gravel ready to leave, the 6/6 locomotive coupled up and took off towards Bulach.  

An SBB Re 6/6 ready to take the next gravel train from Huntwagen wil

From Huntwagen wil we took the stopping train to Schaffhausen, with good views of the Rhein Falls as we ran in. The water was very high as a result of the very heavy rainfall we have had in the last three days. Schaffhausen was its usual busy self and the old town was very attractive with a number of very interesting buildings which have been very finely restored.

Lunch was at the local Migros restaurant which was very small compared with a number of others that we have recently visited. However, the food was up to the same standard. From Schaffhausen we took a short ride on a Thurbo two car train to Neuhaus Rheinfalls and visited Smilestones.

An archaeological dig of an aircraft

Church service

We last visited Smilestones a couple of years ago just after it had first been opened and they have now added another section which is quite well done but on the same basic premise as the original model. There is an attempt at accuracy which sometimes gets in the way the visitor would see the the model. I found it more interesting to look at some of the specific modeling aspects rather than look at the way the model railway works, much of which is hidden behind scenery.

From Smilestones we walked along to see the Rhine Falls and then crossed over on the railway bridge to get a train back to Zurich via Winterthur.

Weed of the day - SBB at Bulach.