Lac D'Emosson and Lake Steamers - Wednedsay 4 September 2024

 

L:c D'Emosson with the dam on the left hand side

Getting to Lac D'Emosson is quite a journey. We started on the regular SBB train from Montreux along the Rhone valley to Martigny where we had to transfer to a narrow gauge train to Chatelard. There was a very large group also waiting for the train and we wondered whether there would be seats for all. However we planned out strategy carefully and were into the train and in seats on the right side before the group had itself sorted out. In the end there was room for all. This train ride is quite spectacular. We quickly were on a rack section and made a spectacular climb out of the Rhone valley. This line uses over head power pick up in places and third rail in others. We spoke to a driver about this a couple of years ago and he told us the system was the same and the company decided which system is convenient at any location.

Our next problem was to get the train to stop at our station which was a request stop. There was a button to press as well as a light which should come on when accepted. No lights came on but the driver stopped the train for us and a couple of others. Some members of the large party thought that this was the signal for them to detrain and there was mass confusion getting them back on the train again.

Our train at Chatelard request stop

We hurried down to the ticket office and bought our tickets for the rides to the top to see Lac D'Emosson. This is the bottom of the first funicular.

At the top of the first funicular we had to transfer to a two foot gauge train, seen entering the station here. This was originally built to aid in the construction of the dam

It runs along the side of the mountain and gives spectacular views.

This brings us the the bottom of the second short funicular which takes us up to the top.

Lac D'Emosson.

We returned to Montreux the same way.

Having come down the short funicular there was a little time before the train arrived

The driver of the battery electric locomotive ran round his train.

Waiting for the long funicular the views were excellent, we were above many of the clouds.

We saw this Re 420 locomotive on a freight train while we were waiting for our train to Monteux. It is fitted for automatic couplers on passenger equipment.

We returned to Montreux in good time to take the Classic Lake Cruise from Montreux via Chillon, Le Bouveret to Vevey.

While waiting for our steamer, the Vevey, La Suisse arrived. It left on time at 1632 giving Vevey ample time to dock and depart on schedule at 1645.

The Vevey on approach

We called at the Chateau de Chillon, a beautiful building

On the way to Le Bouveret we passed this island which is part of a wildlife area in the delta of the Rhone river at Lac Leman.(Lake Geneva)

At Vevey we returned to Montreux on the 201 route trolley bus. This runs a ten minute interval service all the way from Vevey, through Montreux to Territet and Villeneuve.

I got back to the room just in time to record the last steamer of the day coming into Montreux. This was the Montreux.

The three steamers working this part of the lake were:

Montreux - built in 1904

Ls Suisse - built in 1910

Vevey - built in 1907 (diesel electric)