I couldn't resist putting in this picture I took on my first visit to Switzerland in April 2010. The passenger train is locomotive hauled by a GE 4/4.
This morning we took the 8.07 train from Zurich to Landquart. The weather was much better and the run along the south side of the lake through Pfaffikon and Sargans was very pleasant. At Landquart we changed to a narrow gauge local train to take us to Untervaz-Trimmis. This was a request stop and we had to press a special button in the train to advise the driver to stop.
At Untervaz-Trimmis took a short break to take a look at the dual gauge trackwork into an industrial area which was served by both standard and narrow gauge locomotives.
Narrow gauge switcher
Some of the trackwork was complex
A post bus battery charging point
We took the next train into Chur admiring the mountain scenery on the way. At Chur we split up with Paul going a little way out of town to photograph an incoming Arosa train running down the highway. I took a short walk outside the station and also saw the train coming in along the highway.
This nicely restored building dates from 1908
A traon from Arosa has just crossed a traffic circle on its way into the main station
An Arosa bound train just leaving the main station and running through Chur on the highway.
A quick lunch and we then took a standard gauge train back to Landquart and changed to a narrow gauge train for Davos Platz. The sun was shining brightly and the scenery is excellent as we climbed steadily into the mountains.
The two crocodile locomotives that have been used by the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) in the past are not available this year and the company is using a red GE 4/4 locomotive built in 1947. These are still in use in regular service although now mainly in freight. We rode in a beautifully restored first class car.
The upholstery was exquisite
The RhB make this round trip to Filisur twice daily as part of their regular service and charge just regular rates
The train was not full and we had this compartment to ourselves. At certain places, particularly closer to Filisur, the train engineer blew the whistle and ran slowly to alert the passengers of a notable view such as from a high viaduct or a waterfall.
At Davos Platz this 1947 built GE 4/4 took the heritage train to Filisur and back
This waterfall comes into view during a passage through a long tunnel.
Filisur there was a short pause while the locomotive ran around the train and two service trains called. We made our way back to Davos Platz, calling at local stations because this was also running as a regular passenger train.
There was just time at Davos Platz to get this picture of another GE 4/4, this time on freight.
There was a quick transfer to platform 1 to catch our train back to Landquart where there was also a quick transfer to our train back to Zurich - it was seven minutes late and the crew apologized several times.
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