Roaming the railways of Romandie and beyond - Geneva/Genève/Genf

[ruggedpeak]

I had the good fortune to be able to relocate from Essex to Geneva earlier this year. I live in the centre of Geneva a short walk or tram ride from Geneva Cornavin station. Having bought my British OO gauge collection with me, modelling is not feasible due to living in a small flat, however with great public transport and an amazing country to explore I can combine my love of trains and the outdoors. I have previously recounted some of my train orientated rambles around Essex elsewhere in RMWeb, and will provide similar train related content on this thread.

 

Switzerland is blessed with stunning scenery and lot of trains running through it. I am no rail expert, certainly not in relation to Swiss railways so welcome all comments, explanations etc as I am still getting to grips with basic loco identification. I will set out basic tips on travel etc which won't be news to old Switzerland hands but may be useful to others. If you haven't been to Switzerland and travelled by train then you are definitely missing out! I travel to the Stuttgart region fairly regularly from Geneva, via Zurich, and the rail and scenic sights on that journey are amazing. Also for both tourist and resident the Swiss offer various forms of "halfpass" - this basically means nearly all transport fares are half price. I have an annual SwissPass and it saves a fortune. Tourist versions are available and the Swiss Railway Society are a good source of info. I'd recommend their guidebooks, as most train related publications here are in German (being the primary one of four official languages and 'Romandie' in the title is the French speaking part of Switzerland that includes Geneva), including the model rail magazines.

 

Anyway, on with the trains. On April 15th I took the Leman Express to La Plaine before travelling around the Geneva area. Unlimited travel around the Geneva public transport system is CHF 5.60 at present with a halfpass. Approaching Cornavin, this French loco was heading south in the general direction of trains to Paris. La Plaine is the last Swiss station before the French border on the mainline towards Lyon and onto Paris. The Léman Express L5 towards La Plaine is behind 26110 and departs from bay platform 5.

 

 

 

 

Various SNCF trains come and go at Geneva, including TGV's and this from the TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes:

 

 

 

La Plaine is a terminus just off the mainline and a good spot to start hiking or getting a bus towards the Jura mountains.

 

 

Looking towards France with the La Région SNCF regional train heading out of Switzerland.

 

 

Here's the L5 Léman Express with the route set towards Cornavin:

 

 

 

For anyone interested in the infrastructure at La Plaine, there is a footpath right next to the track heading in the Cornavin direction. There are visual indicators for the points, a raised section in the middle of the crossover (which I hadn't noticed on UK track) and the arrestors(?) to stop vehicles rolling onto the mainline (instead of catch points).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good clear views in both directions as a place to take photos as well as modellable.

 

 

 

And just round the bend above towards Cornavin is a  viaduct over a tributary of the Rhone, the river L'Allondon, that you can walk through to cross the river and then follow it up the valley to a nature reserve:

 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by ruggedpeak
typo

[ruggedpeak]

Meanwhile back at Cornavin they were tamping the track at Platform 1, this sequence shows the tamper working along, before reversing back following by the road/rail digger, then the ballast train came along and dropped ballast at selected points:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DaveF]

That's lovely.  I don't think I've travelled on that line.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing and reading about more of your travels -  I model Switzerland in n gauge -based on the area served by the SOB.

 

David

Edited May 2, 2023 by DaveF

[ruggedpeak]

Hi David

 

The district is called Dardagny and is lovely, a lot of it is vineyards. This is Russin station on the L5 before La Plaine, where I got off to get a bus to nature centre near Malval https://www.pronatura-ge.ch/fr/centre-nature-du-vallon-de-l-allondon (French only). As it was a grey day and just rolling hills of vineyards I didn't take many non-train photos but on a sunny day it will be gorgeous. The Rhone is down to the left.

 

 

The following day I did a 9km walk from La Plaine station up the Val d'Allondon and around another reserve at the top of the valley and back, passed the caves. If anyone wants to see the route I have it on Komoot but you have to register (free) to see the details and photos. The return leg added just over 3.1 miles to the total.

 

https://www.komoot.com/tour/1082874407?share_token=aw0SMlGYgXkan4GrOVBQSbNU68YXrOKto8bt6S3T7HRgfWEHt5&ref=wtd

 

 

 

 

[ruggedpeak]

Bit leftfield now, this last weekend saw a trip to see family in Germany, then stayed a night in Schaffhausen on the way back. Schaffhausen is close to the Rheinfall, the largest waterfall in mainland Europe (Rheinfall is good but I've also been to Iceland so it's a bit small!). However there is lots of train stuff as the mainline runs past the falls and has an excellent view of them, and another line goes across the Rhine just above the falls and under a castle and has a station right on the falls.

 

I will cover Schaffhausen another time, as the highlight was taking a bus to Ramsen station. Now a preserved railway line that has to remain operational due to a German-Swiss contract from 1851 that is still in operation, you can ride a rail bike along the line and over the Rhine on a viaduct. Despite the weather being wet and windy it was great, even the non-train participants loved it. And Stadler have been testing their hydrogen powered FLIRT there before it goes to California. If you are ever in the vicinity I thoroughly recommend this, and huge thanks to Robert our enthusiastic guide.

 

Yes, various preserved locos and wagons and a brand new FLIRT sitting in the sidings. The green wagon on the left is a DB post coach that apparently has or had a HO model railway in it.

 

 

So much condensed into several hours. Inside the museum is a large scale digital railway and a hairy SBB staff member. The building is an old SBB cargo shed that was moved here to replace the station after it burnt down. Behind the station is a Migros supermarket, which is open on Sundays even though shops can't open on Sundays in CH. Due to it being built before a date in the 1950s legally it is regarded as a station kiosk, and they can open on Sundays!

 

 

 

No idea what these two green locos are, but the blue thing is self explanatory!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was onto our train and set off from Ramsen for Hemishofen and the viaduct over the Rhine. Our train was one of the blue ones......self propelled with no weather protection!

 

Right away

 

Accelerating onto the mainline

 

 

No signals!

 

Racing the road traffic

 

Running into Hemishofen

 

The viaduct

 

 

 

 

Due to wet weather we were not allowed to leave the train but apparently when it is dry you can wander around on the viaduct. After the viaduct you go up quite a steep climb to this road/rail interface, use the internal centre jack to turn it around and the roll back down the hill at some speed to the viaduct, across it and then a guided tour of Hemishofen station.

 

 

The station is exactly as it was when it closed and has a huge amount of history about the route with drawings, documents, original tickets, all the old electronic relays etc. Amazing to see and loads more photos. Robert only spoke German, don't know if other guides speak English but he was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Fun explaining the concept of paper tickets and timetables to a 7 year old when we travel all over Europe by train just using an app! If anyone wants to see pics of the inside let me know.

 

After the tour it is then pedalling back to Ramsen. Robert saw us depart from Ramsen then cycled on his normal bike to Hemishofen along the road - he passed us as we train-cycled - and then gets on board at Hemishofen to supervise the viaduct crossing. After the guided tour of the Hemishofen he then cycled back to await our return to Ramsen. As we pulled off the mainline into the station he rang the station bell to say a train was inbound, much to the bemusement of the sunday shoppers as we coasted past the Migros car park! It was also surreal pedalling furiously this little train bike thing past the brand new state of the art hydrogen FLIRT! 

 

It was hugely enjoyable as an experience, even if you are not into trains people will love it. They also run steam specials on the line, next one is May 14th. T

 

https://www.hemishofen.ch/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VES-Presse-Dampf-am-14.-Mai-2023.pdf

 

That is the same viaduct in the photo.......

 

https://www.etzwilen-singen.ch

 

Bikes details in German only https://www.etzwilen-singen.ch/schienenvelo/

 

You can book a slot online then pay when you get there. Cost us CHF 50 for 2 adults and a child and one 'schienenvelo' over the viaduct and the guided tour. Bus 25 runs from Schaffhausen station direct to Ramsen. The end of the bus route is right by Ramsen station. Lovely countryside and villages on the bus route.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by ruggedpeak
typo

[DaveF]

I think the first of the two locos is an SBB Re4/4i introduced in 1950.

 

The second much more angular loco looks like an Emmental Burgdorf Thun Bahn (EBT) Be4/4 first built from around 1932.

 

I think there are others on here who will know more than me.

 

David

[Gordonwis]

I think the Re4/4I might be 10046 and the box Be4/4 might be BT (Bodensee Toggenburg) 15

[Gordonwis]

I'm in Geneva this coming weekend.

 

Info:

1) Sybic (SNCF class 26000) are ( or were ) rare in Geneve. That's the first I've ever seen in 60 years (akthogh of course the 2600 class is only around 30 years old)

 

2) La Plaine has changed a lot in recent years (including change of system from 1500v DC to 25kV ac):

 

Here are just two of my many pictures

 

firstly a BB8100 with a local rush hour extra Geneve - Bellegarde around 1980

  

 

 

 

2) around 2009, the Swiss hired some SNCF BB25500 bi-current locos and Rhone Alpes 'RIO' inox commuter sets for the Geneve - La Plaine / Bellegarde locals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One day in the mid 1980s I was hanging around at Vernier-Meyrin station and the SNCF drivers of the trip freight from Vernier Meyrin to La Plaine offered me a cab ride there and back. Here is the train after shunting at La Plaine ready to head back towards Vernier Meyrin

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

Geneve - La Plaine train west of Satigny, New Year's Day 1982

[Gordonwis]

CC6500 at Vieux Bureau halt, September 1990

 

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

Now for one of my late uncle Jeremy's  shots (he passed away last October after living 70 years in Ferney near Geneve)

 

Then new 1500 v dc CFF electric unit  and CFF Eb3/5 shunting SNCF (ex PLM ) pre-war stock in the late 1950s

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Gordonwis

[ruggedpeak]

Earlier in the year, on the 4th February, we went up to La Givrine to get some snow as there is small ski resort there. Taking the mainline from Cornavin to Nyon, along side Lake Geneva (properly known as Lac Léman) we changed to the underground platforms of the NStCMm which is a metre gauge line running up the side of the Jura mountains to La Cure. (https://www.nstcm.ch/ ) (French only)

 

One of the older units, a BDe 4/4.

 

 

Today's train, an ABe 4/8 double car unit.

 

 

 

Control office on the platform

 

And our destination

 

 

 

Great little mountain train, lots of tight curves and steep gradients but not enough to need a rack.

 

On the way up there was a bogie bolster wagon in a siding that looked like a UK Salmon, grabbed a photo as we went past and it is called a 'Salamandre'. So amphibian-kind rather than fish-kind!

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by ruggedpeak
typo

[ruggedpeak]

Back to maintenance at Cornavin, a short clip of hardcore tamping action on 15 April shortly before the tamper and digger withdrew to the Swiss end of the station as per the photos above!

 

 

The possession continued the following day but although I didn't see any work taking place from the vehicles it appeared it was more OHL focused. Note the earting poles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appears some form of signalling may be being installed based upon the black shrink wrapped boxes

 

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by ruggedpeak
typo

[chb2488]

Brilliant pictures from both @ruggedpeak and @Gordonwis! For the sake of completeness, the brown Hilfswagen (branded RM) is former diesel baggage motorcoach Dm 2/4 1692, a regular on the line until his withdrawal. Re 4/4 I 10042 and EBT Be 4/4 105 had previously been at Eisenbahn Erlebniswelt Horb.

[ruggedpeak]

Popped into the centre of Geneva for some shopping on Thursday (04/05/2023) and went via Cornavin to see what was going on. This is the view looking down Rue de la Servette towards the 'French' end of Cornavin. Two trams passing and the Léman Express is entering the station as a SBB double decker leaves for the airport. Quite a lot of wires for trams and trolleybuses. If you look carefully you can see the snow covered Alps in the left background.

 

 

Old skool SNCF push-pull

 

 

 

 

 

SNCF BB 22260 in ghost' livery - looking at the web I have found almost idential images of this train and loco going back many years. Was in this livery and consist at GVA back in 2013.

 

 

 

As I was photographing that I saw a bright red thing coming in from the north.....the Geneva based SBB Windhoff Firefighting and Rescue train. Plenty more info about it available online, serious piece of kit. It rolled in southbound and was checked briefly by a signal as it waited for an airport service to clear. Photos aren't great as it didn't stop and I had to run the length of the platform!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, in keeping with the emergency service theme a SBB Police BMW X3 outside the front of the station.

 

 

Very glad I popped in...

[Samedan]

Ah, Rue de la Servette. Driven up and down there numerous times, either nervously after picking up a rental car from the airport, or anxiously, on the way to drop off said rental car and get to the terminal to check in for my flight home! 

[ruggedpeak]

Just in case anyone is modelling contemporary Cornavin, this was the scene on 18 March 2023 when a Swiss right wing political party came to Gva from around CH by train for a meeting and the left wing types threatened to disrupt it. This is Passage des Alpes, right next to where the X3 was parked in the photo above. The roads around Cornavin were closed off and cops everywhere. When I was there it was deserted, no one around at all. Certainly not the centre of Paris just after retirement age has been pushed back!

 

 

This was just up the hill from Cornavin off Rue de la Servette

 

 

So you can go the 'Full Boris' if anyone does HO or N model water cannon!

[Michanglais]

Aaahhhh, Genève Cornavin - been in love with Geneva and the station since arriving there from Paris on an old-skool orange/grey TGV in 1986. I spend more time train-watching there than in my adopted French city of Lyon.

 

My plans for an N scale diorama of the French and adjacent Swiss platforms are (sort of) coming along (there's a topic I started on it buried elsewhere in the Swiss Railways group) in that I'm acquiring the stock but it's taking frustratingly long to find a new apartment for it to be built in! 

 

Still, it's giving me time to get everything DCC'd and Sounded-up (the diorama will be powered and will hopefully be long enough to at least allow the odd loco to run through light engine). 

 

Nice catch of the Sybic in Fantôme livery, Tony. I've no doubt Fleischmann will grace us with one sooner or later. I've only seen a Béton one there before - didn't think they were still putting in appearances. Excuse for another future purchase...

 

And the classic Nez Cassé + Corails as opposed the much less interesting - to my eyes - multiple units that are slowly but surely replacing them (tho they are still hanging in there, somehow...). If only Piko would produce a pilot coach to match their fairly decent standard Corails. (I may be wrong, but I think there are some 3D prints available but I'm no airbrusher - no idea how much someone would charge to do the dirty work for me :)

 

Glad to see you appear to be enjoying your new Swiss life! No doubt you've experienced the biting cold wind off the lake as you cross the bridge during the winter - that wind becomes your friend at the height of summer!

 

Enjoy!

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

[ruggedpeak]

13 hours ago, Michanglais said:

Nice catch of the Sybic in Fantôme livery, Tony. I've no doubt Fleischmann will grace us with one sooner or later. I've only seen a Béton one there before - didn't think they were still putting in appearances. Excuse for another future purchase...

 

Hi Michael

 

Cornavin is a great station. Shopping there is pretty good too!

 

Whilst searching on the web I found this photo from 18 October 2013 of it in almost identical situation (not my photo full details here https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SNCF_BB_22260_and_CFF_Re_4-4_II_11111_-_Geneva,_18th_October_2013.jpg Credit: Fabien Perissinotto)

 

 

Tony

[cornish trains jez]

On 08/05/2023 at 13:12, ruggedpeak said:

Popped into the centre of Geneva for some shopping on Thursday (04/05/2023) and went via Cornavin to see what was going on. This is the view looking down Rue de la Servette towards the 'French' end of Cornavin. Two trams passing and the Léman Express is entering the station as a SBB double decker leaves for the airport. Quite a lot of wires for trams and trolleybuses. If you look carefully you can see the snow covered Alps in the left background.

 

 

Old skool SNCF push-pull

 

 

 

 

 

SNCF BB 22260 in ghost' livery - looking at the web I have found almost idential images of this train and loco going back many years. Was in this livery and consist at GVA back in 2013.

 

 

 

As I was photographing that I saw a bright red thing coming in from the north.....the Geneva based SBB Windhoff Firefighting and Rescue train. Plenty more info about it available online, serious piece of kit. It rolled in southbound and was checked briefly by a signal as it waited for an airport service to clear. Photos aren't great as it didn't stop and I had to run the length of the platform!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, in keeping with the emergency service theme a SBB Police BMW X3 outside the front of the station.

 

 

Very glad I popped in...

Nice photos of the fire train. I’m tempted to have a go at scratch building this for my N gauge layout one day.

 

Keep the images coming! Really enjoying this thread.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

 

[Gordonwis]

The fire train passing Les Tuileries (GE) on Tuesday afternoon (May 9)

 

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

I was in Geneva this past weekend to pass on some of my Dad's vast archive of tram photos to AGMT ( the Geneva Transport Museum), and to cheer on my nephew who posted a sub 3 hour time and came 63rd out of over 100 runners in the Geneva marathon on Sunday.   

 

The AGMT historic tram ran on Sunday as well. The AGMT archivist who I had met inside Bachet works on Saturday is the conductor seen at the back door

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

On 10/05/2023 at 20:26, cornish trains jez said:

Nice photos of the fire train. I’m tempted to have a go at scratch building this for my N gauge layout one day.

 

Keep the images coming! Really enjoying this thread.

 

Best regards,

On 10/05/2023 at 20:26, cornish trains jez said:

 

Jeremy

 

 

 

Prices have gone up a bit but - nevertheless available via Shapeways:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/platformmodels

 

 

[ruggedpeak]

Stuck at home in GVA today but my partner was passing through Zurich and saw the SBB's RAe 4/8 1021 “Roter Pfeil Churchill” (Churchill Red Arrow).

Was set up for dining and SBB do regular Sunday Brunch trips with it but today is not on their list so may have been something else? Red carpets were out.

 

 

 

Looks like a rather good day out https://newinzurich.com/2023/01/sunday-brunch-by-train-on-the-churchill-red-arrow-from-zurich/

 

https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/ideas/offer.html/zuege/brunchfahrt-roter-doppelpfeil

 

 

[cornish trains jez]

On 12/05/2023 at 00:01, Gordonwis said:

 

 

Prices have gone up a bit but - nevertheless available via Shapeways:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/platformmodels

 

 

Wow! It’s pricey! I might have a go at making my own first.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy