Glorious NSE

Yep, agree that it's definitely a fine line between "iconic" and "cliched". 

Thanks - yes good call.

To all RMWeb-peeps - if there's anything specific on RhB that folk want shots of, let me know. No guarantees and no promises obviously, but if I can I will...

I would suggest including at least a representation of Campocologno station, as from what I can see, the station is where the freight traffic is attached/detached from passing trains.

No Brusio spiral either? Signature scene, and would increase the run between Campocologno and Brusio to be closer to the longer distances between the "higher" stations?

The flats can take a 40' (deck length is just over 50'), and the weight is ok (they are designed to also do log traffic!) 

I've never seen a 40' loaded tho!

Always wondered whether High cubes would fit too! 

Guess there's just not the demand to move that much of anything in one hit! 

Minor intermodal-nerd observation - I knew the wagons had the capability but i'd not seen it used - a couple of days last week there were ISO 20' boxes being carried on some of the Albula freights:

https://www.schmalspurbahn.ch/filisur/webcam/a200807113855727
https://www.schmalspurbahn.ch/filisur/webcam/a200806113939887

They all look very patched/weathered, so I'm unsure whether that points to old boxes moving to be used as storage units somewhere?

(The 30' fuel tank containers in one of those pics are pretty cool also...)

16 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Like I said above the Allegra’s are dual voltage so probably next time stock needs replacing more Allegra’s will move over to the Bernina as the Capricorn’s are online? That would ultimately shift the factors next time the power system needs substantial upgrades. 

I'd be amazed if the number of Allegra purchased wasn't based on cascading the last 3x pair of Bernina railcars out of use at some future point to be honest!

22 minutes ago, scottystitch said:

Surveying th eline via Google satelite, I've come across this little gem at Campocologno, between Tirano and Brusio.  It appears to be a timber loading terminal and a Fuel or oil unloading terminal combined.

It's also an intermodal terminal - check the crane with the spreader bars. 

If you look at the RhB website (make sure you switch to the German language version, as lots doesn't show up on the English version) there's an awful lot of info on freight traffic capability, what different terminals can handle, and even GA drawings of many of the wagon types.

A nice contrast between cab rides - Filisur to Davos with a Capricorn, and return to Filisur (including the shunt moves) on the Krok.

Performance on the Capricorns is pretty smart!

(And if anyone has the question "what does the inside of Davos shed look like?", this will help.)

 

On 05/08/2020 at 22:04, Satan's Goldfish said:

 

You don't have to rely on a prototype location if you want the tight curves but the 'wrong' voltage stock; there were never built plans for the RhB such as from Thusis down to Belinzona (over the San Bernadino pass?) Which probably would have had tight curves and shorter trains like the Bernina, but you could imagine it was electrified at the higher AC voltage so you could run ge4/4ii with coaches on tighter curves.

Also Scuol-Tarasp over the Austrian border to Landeck is another good "what if" - something that's had real-life studies done on building it more recently too!
https://www.gr.ch/DE/institutionen/verwaltung/bvfd/ds/projekte/nvv/Bahnverbindung Scuol - Landeck/Seiten/default.aspx
(The link to download the PDFs is on the right of the page - lots of other fun "what ifs" there as well for any proto-freelancing RhB fans!)

One plus with modelling the Bernina accurately is that you should be able to model most of the stock - Kato makes the 3 car Allegra units that pull most trains, plus the Bernina Express panoramic cars -  Pirata are producing the older railcars (not cheap, but for the present day you want more Allegra which are relatively affordable.)
Short Bernina versions of the various other hauled coach builds are available as 3d prints, you might be able to kitbash the Kato ones down in length too. 
The Bernina doesn't see freight trains but the freight is worked as tail traffic on the regular passenger trains, wagons (as with all bits of the RhB) are harder to find in the scale, but there are kitbash routes - logs to Tirano seems to be common so the Pirata wagon could help here.

Doesn't mean you *have* to do it accurately and exclude the other stock available of course - but if you wanted to it wouldn't be hugely hard to cover the bulk of the stock needs.

On 02/08/2020 at 02:03, PaulRhB said:

https://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/graubuenden/nach-starkem-regen-rhaetische-bahn-nahe-illanz-wegen-murgang-entgleist-id16022567.html
 

looks like a mudslide. 

That whole gorge section is effectively a massive ancient slide!

Another pic here - doesn't look like a huge amount of damage, but if they have spare power right now who knows...
https://www.suedostschweiz.ch/ereignisse/2020-08-02/zugverkehr-zwischen-reichenau-tamins-und-ilanz-laeuft-wieder

17 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Fabio’s replied on his YouTube that the Capricorn’s are carrying adaptor couplings onboard to simplify rescue. 
He also mentioned he removed the driving detail video because it was being shared in ways he didn’t approve of. Either someone’s copying it or posting it in dodgy places?!

 Or with dodgy suggestions on what people could do with the knowledge maybe?

Either way, I suppose its good that it's a choice he has made and not a situation where he's been reprimanded. 

I wish! 

Thanks - just trying to work out what I can get away with balancing riding the trains and shooting them...

On 05/07/2020 at 22:14, PaulRhB said:

Might be worth dropping them a question to check if there’s any limits to dates of operation via the website. They usually reply pretty quickly

 

but definitely worth it . .

 

Quick query - this is just outside Filisur? If you shoot this one here - is there still time to get back to the station to ride it back?

Looks tight but do-able for the heritage train due to the runround, but presumably won't work for the normal trains?

Buchs is the traditional traction change point for wagonload freight between OBB and SBB/CFF/FFS, common to see both railways loco's there.

5 hours ago, 5944 said:

https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/zeitenwende-bei-der-rhb-aelteste-loks-der-schweiz-verschwinden-ld.1568274?fbclid=IwAR32_L6XVF4MOgkv8sYqqQM6KKGhW8rMr182b0VyYWo3W4tF_zpRoDcwF74

 

Article (in German though makes sense when run through Google Translate) about Ge 6/6 II. From European Rail Gen group, it appears 701 has already been withdrawn to provide spares, in particular traction motors, for the rest of the fleet. 

Makes note to try and add trains R4367 and R4718 to the must-try-and-ride list....

Here's 701 on R4718 waiting to depart Ilanz for Chur last August:

 

Yep, it'd be getting the Parsennbahn funiculars up to the ridgeline then walking down to pick up the Arosa train at Langweis, that's a marked path so far as I can tell.

Not sure I like the idea of walking up the mountains as well. 

Yep, will be just me rather than the family, which is a shame, but on the up-side it'll let me chase more trains and go to places I wouldn't have taken them. 

(Looking at things like going Davos to Arosa including a walk down from the ridge to Langweis for example, Sophie and Rach wouldn't have handled that walk but it looks fun.)



 

They've had essentially 4x spare Allegra's for the past few months with the 4x pairs of BEX trains being out of action, so their use in different places is logical - i'm expecting that to have reduced now that most of the BEX pairs are back, they should only have one extra spare now in theory.

Don't think much else will change till the December timetable change - even then the depot for them is still under construction and there are only a relatively small number of the 56 delivered at this time. Looks like delivered Capricorns are being stored in odd quiet sidings though.

I'd still expect fewer loco hauled trains diagrammed every year for the next couple of years.

Though maybe, despite the extra 20 ordered the impact will be less than we thought - did anyone else pick up on the "new standard platform length" for the Landquart to Klosters section in one of the youtube video's - it's sized for 4 sets - 16 car trains!

Think I've posted a link to this really useful site with booked passenger train formation info before - but the Allegra variant of this particular working makes my head hurt :

https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=RhB&cislo=1036&nazev=&rok=2020

Well, it would show off a Milka cow quite nicely anyhow. 

Update on RhB passenger ops:

Normal timetables running on all lines bar the panoramic trains.
Davos-Filisur "Heritage" turns are running.
Sat/Sun Rhine Gorge trains are running.
Weds/Thurs 15/16 Jul to 12/13 Aug the historic Bernina cars are running a service running between Pontresina and Alp Grum

GEX:
Only 902/903 are running currently (Zermatt-St Moritz)
904/905 (Same end points) restart 18th July according to the GEX site (but weirdly not the RhB one!)
The Zermatt-Chur and St Moritz-Brig and return runs look unlikely (to me) to restart this year.

BEX:
Only  950/951 (Chur-Tirano) operating at present, with extra stops at Filisur, Pontresina and Campocologno to keep service there
From July 30th 973/974/975/976 (the St Moritz-Tirano pairs) recommence running from Thursdays to Sundays only
The Landquart-Davos-Tirano pair again look unlikely to restart this year.

Pure guesswork on the gondola loads, but the construction materiel that you sometimes nowadays see on flats (eg prefab concrete parts) - and non-bulk stuff with no need of weather protection (oil/chemical drums?)

Strikes me the sides are deliberately very high also, and I wonder if that's to allow them to be used for cattle transport if needed?

Just for a more precise answer to support MOB FAN's post: From the Swiss embassy page: https://www.eda.admin.ch/london
 

Quote

From Friday 10 July Switzerland is listed as a country with travel corridor exemption by the UK, meaning that persons travelling from Switzerland to England will be exempt from the need to self-isolate as set out below if they have not been to a country without travel corridor exemption in the previous 14 days.

(I highlighted England - as this may be different for Wales/Scotland/NI...)

And the Swiss end:
 

Quote

Switzerland lifted entry restrictions involving EU/EFTA states and the UK on 15 June. UK/EU/EFTA citizens travelling from the UK to Switzerland face no restrictions; freedom of movement has been re-established. Non-UK/EU/EFTA citizens will still face entry restrictions to Switzerland.

Worth also noting that face masks are now mandatory on public transport in Switzerland - I think that also is the case for the other countries you'd travel through if going overland...

8 hours ago, jonhall said:

STC have sent me a couple of emails this week pointing out Switzerland is open for tourists, my move at work has mostly happened, and it looks like we will be expected to use at least 20 days of this years leave allowance this year.... my head stays stay at home, my heart can already hear cow bells and yodelling.

 

Jon

I have a non refundable deposit on accom for a week in Davos in Aug which was supposed to be the family holiday - I'm considering going on my own as a railfan trip due to the circumstances tho, It's in the back of my mind it'll start to be a very different railway after this year... 

Looks like they were lucky, the damage to the low floor car is pretty catastrophic. 

Option taken up for 20 additional Capricorn units, making it 56 sets in total:

https://railcolornews.com/2020/06/12/ch-option-confirmed-twenty-more-capricorns-for-rhatische-bahn/