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

[Gordonwis]

On 14/03/2024 at 09:05, ruggedpeak said:

A petition has been started for a direct London to Geneva train service, I've signed as it would be good idea, even if flights from Geneva are quick and cheap!

 

https://chng.it/b7vQvkR65n

 

 

As someone who travelled frequently to family in Ferney Voltaire for 60 years by various means, the inception of the even just the first bit of Paris - Lyon HS line and thus the creation of Paris - Geneva TGV services in 1981 (when I was living in Peterborough) made it possible for one to travel from not just London but a few places north of London to Geneva in one day for the first time.

The fact that this 'high speed bonanza' was not taken to advantage by Britain is an indictment of this country's transport ( and other) policy over decades and decades. Sadly the Thatcher government's security and safety paranoia put paid to any sensible train services (nightstar and cross channel locals included...) being introduced , because of the ridiculous rolling stock technical requirements and refusal to make border / customs arrangements simple.  

 

 

Put bluntly, it is absolutely ludicrous - and has been since the inception of the Channel Tunnel, that there is no direct train service from London to Geneva. It was the most blatantly obvious opportunity when the Channel tunnel was built given that:

Geneva already had a ready made platform with customs hall and facilities into which a train from London could have been run.

Geneva is crammed full of English speakers and expat Brits

There are about 10 flights a day just from London - every one almost always full

 

The erstwhile London - Bourg St Maurice Eurostar proved that a similar train to Geneva could easily have been created with the right political will. 

 

For the last few years I have been dealing with the legacy of my uncle's vast railway photo etc collection, such that I am still taking items from my house back to Geneva (to the AGMT tramway museum ) - I did two trips in 2023 and have one trip coming up where I will be forced to do my now usual thing - a 5am taxi from home to Gatwick, fester at Gatwick then plod along the taxiway in the giant queue of morning flight departures; Easyjet to Geneva. On both my trips in 2023 I left my office near Euston thinking how nice it would be to be able to amble after work  over to St Pancras and arrive in Cornavin the following morning.

 

 

.

 

Edited March 16 by Gordonwis

[ruggedpeak]

On 08/03/2024 at 11:02, Mol_PMB said:

Thanks for the nice photos and it's good to see the current developments in the area.

 

Do you know which of the narrow-gauge railways still carry freight on rollbocken? I think you have already featured the MBC with gravel and military trains. Do they run daily or just occasionally?

 

Is there still any seasonal sugar beet traffic on the narrow gauge?

Have you ventured as far as the Yverdon-Ste_Croix? Last time I went there (over 10 years ago) there was timber traffic on rollbocken.

 

Any news would be welcome, I'm thinking about a visit and would like to see some rollbocken freight on the narrow gauge where it still exists.

 

Cheers,

Mol

 I can advise on the following based upon observations:

1. Nyon station is a regular stabling area for PW trains. Had a lot of wagons, Kirow crane and a tamper there recently, then they left (went south towards Geneva, presumably to La Praille yard before coming back a few hours later heading up the lake, the consist having been reversed with the tamper that was on the rear both times!). Also has beet trains during the season. Can get close t to the line on footpaths north of the station. Will add photos in due course.
    
2. The MBC train featured above with blue tipplers and green hoppers seems to run most if not every day of the working week, it starts at the sidings in Gland before going up to Morges and then up the MBC towards Biere. Spoil leaves Gland in the tipplers and aggregate/ballast comes back in the hopper wagons. hopefully this week I will get to Gland to see what is going on there and then go up to Biere. These videos are from Friday 15/03/2024 as I was on the train stopping at Morges. The MBC train was waiting next to us, then moved up to the exchange sidings north of the station to then presumably be shunted onto the rollbocken. The second video shows how busy things are at Morges with shunters, wagons etc. The advantage of double decker trains, seeing into the wagons!! Didn't stop to watch as I was on my way to Chur to a 2 day train and RhB extravangza including the Bernina Express!
    

 

3. There is a large marshalling yard north of Morges that I need to get up to to see if there are good vantage points. Always seems busy, and they still do loose shunting.

 

4. There is a southbound mail train of one loco (Re 4/4) and 3 mail coaches that travels south through Rolle at about 1450 each day, no idea where it starts but would guess it goes to the new Poste siding at Geneva. Need to get photos of it.

 

Finding a decent spot somewhere between Geneva and Morges on a week day will through up lots of interesting freight trains. There are good photo spots at Nyon, Gland (On a footpath south of the station), Rolle (next to the track) and of course the MBC exchange activity can  be observed at Morges.

Edited March 18 by ruggedpeak

[Mol_PMB]

Super! Many thanks for the update. I’ll get planning a trip. 

[ruggedpeak]

On 18/03/2024 at 20:26, Mol_PMB said:

Super! Many thanks for the update. I’ll get planning a trip. 

Give it a day or two, they've broken the rollbockenmachinen!

 

 

As it was sunny today I decided to do some exploring, and also to help Mol's planning. So first to Morge expecting to see the tippler and hopper train. It was there but as above the conversion track was being worked on and so the train was sitting still loaded with spoil from Gland behind the workers, unable to go up the MBC.

 

Before going to Morges I went to my photo spot at Rolle, just south of the station to await the approx 1450-1500 postal service. Sun is still quite low in the sky and the track orientation is not ideal for the light but a useful spot to see things going past:

 

 

 

 

Unidentified Re 420, the side numbers were missing and not quite sharp enough to read the front number or data panel. Should be distinctive as I think the number to the right of the Swiss falg on the nose is not common, nor side numbers missing::

 

 

 

 

And then the post train, and by pure skill on my part I managed to get a Postbus going under the bridge at the same time!!! UPDATE - I passed this train whilst en route to Le Brassus, I suspect it originates at the large La Poste parcels depot at Daillens.

 

 

 

 

 

Then onto Morges for the MBC:

 

 

 

Leman Granulats are a quarry company with quarries at Apples and Biere https://www.mbc.ch/marchandises

 

"The Bière - Apples - Morges railroad contributes to the transfer from road to rail and transports goods such as gravel, wood, agricultural products and military vehicles. Since 2016, our trains have been transporting gravel from the Délices gravel pit in Apples, operated by Léman Granulats SA, to the Ballastière area in Gland, helping to reduce heavy road traffic. Over 235,000 tonnes are transported every year on our network."

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

 

 

 

The Swiss are quite practical with things, this PW wagon has normal skips on it (rollbocken in the foreground).

 

 

 

Whilst I was walking under the bridge at Rolle the Rescue train passed by which was a tad annoying, but luckily it was coming back through Morges when I was there:

 

 

 

I had to wait a while for the next train but it didn't look like the repairs were going well....!!

 

 

From Morges it was onto Denges-Echandens, where things were going to get even better........

 

 

Edited March 26 by ruggedpeak
Update re post train

[Mol_PMB]

Great, many thanks for the research and the interesting photos!

 

I've just found out about this and booked myself a ticket. I hope there are still a few places left:

https://www.bahnoldtimer.com/romandie/

It's a 2-day vintage train trip in June, over the whole MOB / TPF / CEV metre gauge network, mostly with RhB Bernina motive power but with GFM 131 on the TPF section.

 

[ruggedpeak]

That looks an excellent trip, will check tickets, thanks.

[ruggedpeak]

 

Denges is the station next to Lausanne Triage marshalling yard. From the station you have to walk up steps to the road overbridge that sits over the neck between the receiving yard and the sorting yard. The yard uses hump shunting to sort the wagons like Tinsley used to in the UK. The wagons are uncouple and then pushed over the hump to be sent to the appropriate line, passing through retarders. I was fortunate to arrive just as they started a shunt and have added a video in the next post. The yard is big. Note the control tower, and also the line running underneath. There is a complete loop under yard and back out - see map below.

 

 

 

 

The overpass is the yellow road running north/south, the receiving yard to the east/right and sorting yard to the west/left. Directly next to the hump is a public car park that can be access by stairs from the overpass. Map extract courtesy/copyright of Swiss Topo/Federal Government https://map.geo.admin.ch/?lang=en&topic=ech&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisstopo.zeitreihen,ch.bfs.gebaeude_wohnungs_register,ch.bav.haltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swisstlm3d-wanderwege,ch.astra.wanderland-sperrungen_umleitungen&layers_opacity=1,1,1,0.8,0.8&layers_visibility=false,false,false,false,false&layers_timestamp=18641231,,,,

 

 

Views of receiving yard:

 

 

 

Re 420 296 brings in a new 960 into the yard...
 

 

then departs leaving the 960 in the yard. Re 620 064 and 420 285 sit in lines 5 and 4 respectively.

 

Locos all over the place! Re 420 273 and 240:

 

 

Re 420 336

 

 

 

Shunter 923 013

 

 

Hump shunt signal. The shunter was uncoupling as the consist was moving, consulting his list and using a long pole.

 

 

As can be seen in the video, a long Coop container train came into the receiving yard and then passed the by the hump to take the loop back out the yard directly underneath the hump

 

 

Was there about an hour in late afternoon and a lot of movements going on.

 

 

The yard is right next to the mainline and the main road up the lake

 

 

As I waited for the train home a long tanker train arrived in the receiving yard.

 

 

 

Edited March 19 by ruggedpeak

[ruggedpeak]

Hump shunting 2024! Not a great video as the train pulled up ready to start just as I arrived soI  just grabbed the phone, plus directly into the sun.

 

Different time of day and proper video set up would be great. They hump all sorts, covered wagons, container flats, hoppers etc. Staff all friendly, shunter gave a wave.

 

 

 

[ruggedpeak]

Keeping the freight theme, La Velo Postale use rail services for parcel deliveries between cities, Red Star style. Here at Geneva today loading onto the RABDe 500 ICN Rorschach service, something that happens every day.

 

 

[Mol_PMB]

I've been looking at the MBC gravel traffic a bit more. The graphic on this webpage...

https://www.mbc.ch/marchandises

...shows that there are 3 trains every day, each of 7 wagons.

The route between Apples and Morges is quite curvaceous with two horseshoe curves, giving opportunities for trains in both directions to be captured facing the sun.

Along with a half-hourly passenger service, that suggests a day photographing on the MBC line would be well worthwhile.

A quick search on flickr would indicate the same:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=mbc gravier

This example from Yannik Gartmann:

 

At present my plan is to land in Geneva early afternoon on 13th June, and proceed to Morges. I'll travel the MBC network that afternoon/evening and spot some locations, also try to find out the freight train timings. Then the next day I'll go out walking with the camera to some nice locations. Overnight in Morges then it's only a short journey to Vevey to pick up the railtour on the Satuday morning.

[Mol_PMB]

Incidentally I just went on the TPF website to find them advertising the Glacier Express! Perhaps they've fallen out with their neighbours at the MOB and decided to promote an alternative panoramic express train?

 

The railtour I've myself booked on in June will see a former RhB train running over the TPF metre-gauge network.

 

[ruggedpeak]

The Glacier Express and Bernina Express overlap. The Glacier is run jointly by the two companies and is in fact based in RhB's offices in Chur. So no falling out. The Glacier runs from Zermatt to St Moritz, through Andermatt, and is mountain resort to mountain resort, whereas the Bernina is an RhB only service from Chur to Tirano. If you travel on one Express you will see trains from the other pass by. Both do the Landwasser but the Glacier does not do the Brusio Spiral.

 

The Zermatt section of the Glacier is not covered by the normal SBB Daypass, unlike the whole of the Bernina route. On my yet to be posted trip I did the full Glacier and Bernina route except the Zermatt to Visp section of the Glacier as that was another 50-100 CHF. All of the routes can be done by normal service trains so you don't have to pay the extra - the main benefit of paying the extra is the panoramic coaches. However service trains on the route have large drop down windows that open half way down so you can lean out for photos etc! None of the health and safety worries about decapitation etc here despite the tight tunnels! 

 

Here's a couple of pics from my recent trip - and my Bernina Facebook post on the "Swiss Railways" group has had over a 1000 likes 😁, far more than my freight train photos get!

 

 

 

 

 

All the windows you can see pull down, see handles at the top and photographer at the open window at the rear of the coach - the Brusio Spiral is in the background. They really have designed the train with tourists in mind. Doesn't seem like too many decapitations!

 

Edited March 24 by ruggedpeak

[5944]

On 19/03/2024 at 19:22, Mol_PMB said:

Great, many thanks for the research and the interesting photos!

 

I've just found out about this and booked myself a ticket. I hope there are still a few places left:

https://www.bahnoldtimer.com/romandie/

It's a 2-day vintage train trip in June, over the whole MOB / TPF / CEV metre gauge network, mostly with RhB Bernina motive power but with GFM 131 on the TPF section.

 

Very jealous! I saw that advertised the other day. Pretty cheap for what's included, and return flights are less than £100 at present. I don't think the wife would be happy if I disappeared to her favourite country for the weekend without her though!

[Gordonwis]

4 hours ago, ruggedpeak said:

The Glacier Express and Bernina Express overlap. The Glacier is run jointly by the two companies and is in fact based in RhB's offices in Chur. So no falling out. The Glacier runs from Zermatt to St Moritz, through Andermatt, and is mountain resort to mountain resort, whereas the Bernina is an RhB only service from Chur to Tirano. If you travel on one Express you will see trains from the other pass by. Both do the Landwasser but the Glacier does not do the Brusio Spiral.

 

 

 

 

Could I politely suggest that if you are posting about trains on the other side of Switzerland from Romandie, that you post in a separate thread. 

 

Because my 70 year family connection with Romandie has very sadly now been broken by the death of my late Uncle, I am most  interested in your updates  from Suisse Romande - a region I have been closely associated with for all of my 64 years on this earth - and where the railways are much less commonly visited and talked about by English speaking enthusiasts than further East in Switzerland, but I believe a study of the Bernina - much more visited  / photographed / reported upon by the same enthusiasts demographic, IMHO really belongs in a separate thread. 

 

Just an idea: perhaps you could split this thread into two ongoing threads 'Romandie' and 'beyond Romandie'

 

 

 

Edited March 25 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

 

 

I remember seeing Denges yard being built...😲

[ruggedpeak]

On 25/03/2024 at 02:04, Gordonwis said:

 

 

Could I politely suggest that if you are posting about trains on the other side of Switzerland from Romandie, that you post in a separate thread. 

 

Because my 70 year family connection with Romandie has very sadly now been broken by the death of my late Uncle, I am most  interested in your updates  from Suisse Romande - a region I have been closely associated with for all of my 64 years on this earth - and where the railways are much less commonly visited and talked about by English speaking enthusiasts than further East in Switzerland, but I believe a study of the Bernina - much more visited  / photographed / reported upon by the same enthusiasts demographic, IMHO really belongs in a separate thread. 

 

Just an idea: perhaps you could split this thread into two ongoing threads 'Romandie' and 'beyond Romandie'

 

 

 

Hi Gordon

 

The thread is my reports and photos of the contemporary Swiss rail scene as I get out and about, having had the good fortune to move to Geneva. As I radiate out from Geneva I report on what I see, some of which will be beyond Romandie but the bulk is in the area. Hence the "and beyond" in the title.

As there is little modelling to report (due to living in a small flat and having a surfeit of OO British outline!) I don't want to clog up the forum with multiple threads. I doubt think it will turn into a major discussion of the Bernina, but it is clear my various trips are of interest and people want to discuss them and find out more for their own trips. Anyone not interested can skip over those bits. Given your late Uncle's extensive photo collection, have you considered a dedicated thread for his pictures, they are clearly an invaluable archive?

 

Best.

 

Tony

[ruggedpeak]

Took the opportunity yesterday to explore the far end of the Jura, taking the line to Le Brassus. This involves going to Renens (VD) and then taking the line towards Vallorbe, then changing at Le Day for the single track line to Le Brassus. I hadn't done my homework on the lines, so was a little surprised to find the line to Vallorbe as a full spec double track mainline. The area is rolling countryside below the Jura with limited population so it seemed overkill. However the route through Vallorbe is in fact a primary route into France, with the TGV Lyria running a direct service from Paris to Lausanne through the Tunnel Mont d'Or. The route taken is highlighted, copyright Swisstopo/Swiss Federal Government

 

Renens (Vaud) is at the heart of one of the major intersections of Swiss railways, effectively a large triangle with routes coming west through Lausanne/Bern, north from Geneva and south/east from Vallorbe/France and the Yverdon les Bains/Neuchatel/Biel, with extensive passenger and freight traffic all trying to pass through. SBB is investing heavily in new track, flyovers and other features to deconflict the movements. As mentioned the loop at the Morges yard forms part of this. Next to Renens station at the Lausanne end is a large yard, and shunting in the yard includes movements into the station. 960 017 is just pulling a rail carrying PW train out of the yard into the station

 

 

Despite being under the wires the 960 had its pant down and diesel engine running. Quite a few Swiss train drivers do seem to like enthusiasts taking photos, and this one was sounding his horn to get my attention and giving lots of waves 🙂

 

 

 

The Robel travelling crane was them moving up and down the train followed by the chap in middle of the picture bashing things with a sledge hammer whilst his colleagues watched!
 

 

 

 

The PW train reversed back into the yard and then the chap on the left got his bigpole out and I assume earthed the OHL?

 

 

Various other shunting moves went on, with wagins being deposited in the station, and 960 031 turned up with some wagons and unhitched. It has its pant up but was also running its diesel engine...they are bi mode locos for heaving shunting and PW trains.

 

 

Then up to Le Brassus on a RER service that starts in Aigle, goes through Lausanne, and then splits at Le Day, one 523 EMU reversing up the Le Brassus branch and one continuing to Vallorbe. On the way up to Le Day the open countryside provides a complete panorama of the Alps.

 

 

Le Brassus is clearly designed with snow in mind, although the Jura mountains get a lot less snow these days. Snow poles were in the car park and showing where the station entrance doors were!

 

The ABt NPZ Domino unit 50 85 39-43 803 runs the shuttle to Vallorbe.

 

Le Brassus as just beyond the end of an attractive lake and located on main traverses by foot, ski and cycle along the Jura.

 

 

On the line there is an attractive spot at Le Pont on the lake where there is also a small heritage railway that runs steam trains on the line https://www.ctvj.ch/

 

 

On the return the Le Brassus service has to wait for the Vallorbe to join up, so I got to photograph one of these. I have seen them from train windows but they were always in remote locations. A SBB mobile substation:

 

 

 

 

I have yet to go to Vallorbe but the line through it into the Tunnel can be seen on the other side of the valley, and there is major PW works going as the extensive range of yellow wagons demonstrates. The WW2 Toblerone anti-tank defences are in the foreground as the Jura were a key part of preventing Switzerland being invaded. The Tunnel Mont d'Or (off to the left) was sealed up during the war.

 

 

Where the Vallorbe line merges with the Yverdon line towards Renens there is a large La Poste and container depot, so passing shots. Not too long after leaving Renens the 3 wagon Poste train that travels to Geneva mid-afternoon every day passed my train, so I would guess it may originate here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in Renens the sun had gone in but shunting continued, Re 6/6 620 075 shunts a single refuse DROPS/roro wagon

 

 

Then take a busy commuter train back to Geneva.

Edited March 26 by ruggedpeak
Update re post train

[ruggedpeak]

If you look carefully at the track at Renens, it looks like SBB are using Maerklin 3 rail in some areas!

 

 

A bit of research shows that it is monitoring the building site next door - that hoarding on the right hand platform edge is a major building side, and there was a large drilling rig operating within a few feet of the platform when I was there. There was also at least two of those laser theodolite mounted on OHL posts doing their automated checks as well. The view looking back from the end of the platform:

 

 

The wireless gizmo on the track.

 

 

 

https://www.senceive.com/flatmesh-geowan-platforms/flatmesh

 

Edited March 26 by ruggedpeak

[ruggedpeak]

Tuesday 2nd April 2024 was a trip to Gland and Romont (FR) to explore the sidings that the MBC trains go to and then the rail served Nespresso factory. Not getting out of bed early enough meant not seeing the MBC train at Gland but plenty to explore.

 

Gland: The short branch line leaves the western end of Gland station and heads north into La Ballastière. This is an industrial zone dominated by a cement and aggregate works. It is very close to the existing settlement, and the site is being redeveloped to provide more homes and offices.

 

 

 

 

The western end of the site alsmot reaches the WW2 Toblerone anti-tank defence lines - the first photo is taken stood next to the pillbox in the following photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a huge pile of aggregate and material which is sent by conveyor to the sorting 'shed'.

 

 

 

 

 

A short video of the site can be download here: NOTE it will download immediately from this link.....it is 23MB. Good views of the site and trains.

 

https://ronchi-graviers.ch/assets/Video-La-Ballastiere/La_Ballastiere.mp4?vid=3

 

The view towards the station and the OHL isolation.

 

 

 

There is access to the sidings from both east and west directions off the mainline, with a short headshunt in the station.

 

 

 

Other things of note include OHL poles of some sort

 

 

Temporary speed restriction sign

 

 

Upgrade work is ongoing on the lines in the area. The nearest track is on the north side/Lausanne direction and is old timber sleepers, whilst newly laid concrete sleepers and ballast are on the Geneva bound side, with the imprint of the lifted centre line visible.

 

 

Mixed freight thundering through as I was distracted so missed it arriving!

 

 

 

Then on to Romont, via Morges of course. Two consists of the gravel trains, one waiting to depart up the MBC, the other in the sidings on the standard gauge. Re 420 506 in attendance and moving up towards the sidings.

 

 

 

 

Romont is on a hilly plateau between Lake Leman and Lake Neuchatel, on the route to Fribourg, and is where the Broc line south meets the mainline. It is lovely countrside with the Alps in the background. It is towards the northern edge of Romandie. My interest was seeing the Nespresso rail served factory (purple circle). This is located just south of the town, with the Nespresso sidings being a spur off the Broc branch. It is a huge factory and is being extended. Inside there is what appears to be a full double slip. The sidings has no OHL so it is assumed a diesel shunter attends at some point. No sign of George Clooney though...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For weathering fans the difference in colours of the Cargowaggons was interesting as they have faded.

 

 

 

 

Handily there is a roundabout over the mainline and siding neck for good views, including of the Broc branch which goes through an S bend as it starts its ascent. Immediately on the Romont side of the roundabout is another transformer station and wagon:

 

 

 

A Broc to Romont service is descending. The line uses Domino units.

 

 

The return service leaving Romont and heading for Broc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As trains back to Geneva were not frequent I decided to walk up to the top of the ridge that has a chateau, towers, ramparts and a church and is the old fortified part of Romont. Beautiful to walk around and explore.

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst up there the Chocolate Express arrived into Romont from Bern, before departing for Broc:

 

 

 

From up on the ridge there is a good view of the branch line and the station. From a distance the train does look like it is some form of military train painted in camouflage.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 8 by ruggedpeak
typo

[Re6/6]

A splendid selection Tony!

[Samedan]

Interesting stuff. Lots of detail and coverage of a part of the region that I don’t know well. But clearly has a lot of interesting traffic and infrastructure. I confess, I’d never heard of, let alone seen, a mobile substation! 

[ruggedpeak]

I love the mobile substations (Fahrbares Unterwek), they look like the cross between a battleship gun turret on a wagon and some giant mutant Dalek!

 

Found a wiki page about them https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrbares_Unterwerk#Schweiz

Firefox has an auto translation function so can translate the page. Essentially these wagons arose during the war when it was realised the substations were the weak link in the railway - track and OHL could be replaced/repaired quickly, but a bombed out substation couldn't, and at the time it was reported much of the steam and diesel motive power was end of life so couldn't replace electric.

 

Post war new versions were acquired as stand-ins during repairs or refurbishment of fixed installations, but over time SBB found that using them was quicker and easier than doing a full fixed installation. SBB run their own power network, plugging into the national grid but operating on 16.7 Hertz. So these wagons allow SBB to connect to the national grid anywhere the grid is near the railway and where there is a siding. Reportedly 17 in use. We know there are ones at Le Day and Romont and I have passed one just north of Roche (VD) on the mainline between Montreux and Martigny (you can see it on Google Maps), so they are around.

Edited April 8 by ruggedpeak

[Gordonwis]

3 hours ago, Samedan said:

Interesting stuff. Lots of detail and coverage of a part of the region that I don’t know well. But clearly has a lot of interesting traffic and infrastructure. I confess, I’d never heard of, let alone seen, a mobile substation! 

 

The mobile substations occur all over Switzerland - I've seen them frequently on my travels

[Samedan]

13 hours ago, Gordonwis said:

The mobile substations occur all over Switzerland - I've seen them frequently on my travels

Maybe I just never registered what they were. But I’m surprised myself that such a distinctive vehicle hasn’t registered previously. Nor have I seen anything about them in books or articles. ….. No need to point me to any, thanks. I know all I need to now. 

[ruggedpeak]

Whilst at Cornavin today they removed a Passenger Control Car from a service and left it sitting in platform 4, whereupon Tmf 232 303 promptly appeared from Montbrillant, coupled up and took it away back towards Montbrillant so as not to delay the following service. Was a pretty speedy turnaround.