4. Hmm, what does Aussichtspunkt mean? Wassen
Entry posted by eastwestdivide
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There's a leaflet in Göschenen station showing the Gotthard rail path, which runs down the valley, close to the track at some points, past the three levels of track at Wassen, and onwards. There's also a detour to an Aussichstspunkt (viewpoint) marked. Looks like a plan for the day. Load up the rucksack, and we're off for a day's linesiding. Apologies in advance to the Swiss train experts, but I'm no expert on identification, so some of the descriptions may be a bit vague.
First, in a little garage in Göschenen, not attached to any line, was the snow clearance thingy from the Furka steam railway (based in Realp), presumably there for summer maintenance/overhaul (the sign says Revisionswerkstatt - overhaul workshop).
Next, some trains around Göschenen, including a DB/BLS double-header: the DB loco came off here, and headed off back downhill, as a single loco is enough for the onward journey. Also an Italian job, on a Milan/Zurich journey, high above the motorway, which thankfully enters the road tunnel before the village:
The levelling out of the gradient into Göschenen station is very noticeable. The avalanche shelter half way up the picture is the MGB line to Andermatt again:
From here the path goes down alongside the line and then steeply downwards away from the line, until you get a panorama of Wassen village, with the famous church on the left, the motorway and below, the lowest of the three levels of railway which curve up passing the village three times:
At this point, the detour to the viewpoint kicks off uphill, very steeply, seriously, ridiculously steep - take walking poles if you can - severely testing my water rations, until you make it to a little railway workers' hut (Wärterhaus Eggwald), with a nice bit of shade. This is on the top level of the three, at the Göschenen end of Wassen:
and a good sturdy fence for fixing the compact camera + mini-tripod, for a video moment:
Back down through the woods:
To Wassen station (no train services stop here as far as I can tell), on the second of the three levels. ICN tilting train (IC Neigezug) and another BLS freight. Both trains here are pointing northwards, but travelling to the south, as this is the middle level, where the line has already turned 180 degrees in order to gain height. It does this at both ends of the village to end up pointing the same way but many metres higher. The lowest level is visible on the left in the first picture. You could spend ages there even without a camera, just watching the same train appear and disappear. Even the motorway wasn't that intrusive I thought:
From the station, it's a short walk into the village, for refreshments, and a little climb to the churchyard, where spiritual refreshment wasn't my purpose. Useful bit of shade again, as the temperature was still climbing.
ICN on the second level Meienreuss viaduct, plus, out of its area, a "Tilo" (Ticino-Lombardia) EMU from the Swiss/Italian border region, presumably empty for maintenance somewhere(?). The Tilo unit is on the third level, with the second level visible below it.
From the same spot, a short freight, single Re6/6 including postal wagons, and then a GSM radio measurement coach (Funkmesswagen Telecom SBB), loco at the back and driving trailer at the front
And a few videos, of which one here:
From the church, it was down to the village again, and up part of the Sustenpass road, to a viewpoint near the top level Meienreuss viaduct. A little obstructed by trees, but a few nice angles. ICN and church / Gotthard stopping train / another freight, double-headed Crossrail:
Back to the village, and drop exhausted onto the bus back to Göschenen, passing a sign on a garage that said 33 degrees.
The freights just kept rolling, with this once I got back to Göschenen:
A great day, and that was only a small selection. There were freight trains both ways at least one per hour, plus one ICN, one regional stopping train (loco-hauled), and two-hourly Milan trains. Catch them while you can though, as the base tunnel will be opening in the next few years, drastically reducing traffic over this section.
To finish, a bit of bilingual poetry at the linguistic barrier between the German and Italian speaking parts of Switzerland:
Does the mountain whisper?
Does it sleep?
Does the mountain hear?
Does it weep?
Does the mountain sing?
Does it dream?
Perhaps we should start a campaign for an artwork at Shap summit:
This is the night train, crossing the border
Bringing the cheque and the postal order
...
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