Switzerland : 15 - 20 June 2010 : Day by Day
31/07/12 17:58
This section shows the details of the trip on a day by day basis. If you’re looking for loco numbers or individual workings, you’re in the right place.
Select the day you want to view from the menu on the right or scroll down through the pages below.
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Select the day you want to view from the menu on the right or scroll down through the pages below.
To return to the main report click here.
15 June 2010
31/07/12 17:58 Filed in: 15 June 2010
After catching the 06:00 Swiss flight from Heathrow to Zürich, I picked up my hire car and headed out to Frick on the Basel - Zürich main line, or to be more specific, the northerly route via the Bözberg Tunnel. The weather was totally overcast with occasional light rain so I spent the first three hours just watching the traffic. In three hours there were no fewer than 25 movements, 12 passengers, 12 freights and one light engine.
In the early afternoon I moved a few km east to the village of Zeihen to look at some potential photo positions and missed a few trains in the process. Overall, traffic levels remained at similar levels to those seen earlier.
The passenger service on the line consists of two trains each way an hour between Basel and Zürich. Destinations at the Zürich end alternate between HB and Flughafen. Other trains between Basel and Zürich run via Liestal and Aarau. The Flugzüge, as the trains to/from Z-Flughafen are known, were all worked by class 460s on push-pull sets of all sizes and shapes. the locos were consistently at the Zürich end of the formations. The trains to/from HB were a mixture of one third 460s at the Zürich end of push-pull sets and two thirds Re4/4iis on hauled stock. Only one unit was seen, a class 521 Flirt heading east ECS in mid afternoon. The biggest surprise was seeing 103.184 heading towards Zürich in the early afternoon, hauling a matching set of red and cream coaches.
Most freights were worked by SBB Cargo locos, as expected, with Re4/4iis and Re6/6s predominating. There were also a few 482s and a couple of Ae6/6s. Other operators were represented by two Crossrail 185s, two DB 185s (on separate trains), a BLS 486 and a TXL 189.
If only the sun had been out, it would have been an excellent day.
(p) = propelling
I spent the night at the Hotel St. Fridolin, just across the German border in Bad Säckingen. Several trains were seen on the Basel Bad - Waldshut line, all of them DMUs.
In the early afternoon I moved a few km east to the village of Zeihen to look at some potential photo positions and missed a few trains in the process. Overall, traffic levels remained at similar levels to those seen earlier.
The passenger service on the line consists of two trains each way an hour between Basel and Zürich. Destinations at the Zürich end alternate between HB and Flughafen. Other trains between Basel and Zürich run via Liestal and Aarau. The Flugzüge, as the trains to/from Z-Flughafen are known, were all worked by class 460s on push-pull sets of all sizes and shapes. the locos were consistently at the Zürich end of the formations. The trains to/from HB were a mixture of one third 460s at the Zürich end of push-pull sets and two thirds Re4/4iis on hauled stock. Only one unit was seen, a class 521 Flirt heading east ECS in mid afternoon. The biggest surprise was seeing 103.184 heading towards Zürich in the early afternoon, hauling a matching set of red and cream coaches.
Most freights were worked by SBB Cargo locos, as expected, with Re4/4iis and Re6/6s predominating. There were also a few 482s and a couple of Ae6/6s. Other operators were represented by two Crossrail 185s, two DB 185s (on separate trains), a BLS 486 and a TXL 189.
If only the sun had been out, it would have been an excellent day.
E of Frick
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Re4/4 | IR1969 | 10:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 10:44 |
| Re6/6 Re4/4 |
EB Freight | 10:47 | |
| 185.xxx (Crossrail) | WB Containers | 10:52 | |
| 460.xxx (p) | IR2068 | 10:04 Zürich HB - Basel SBB | 10:55 |
| Re4/4 Re6/6 |
EB Containers | 10:59 | |
| 460.xxx | IR2071 | 10:40 Basel SBB - Zürich Flughafen | 11:06 |
| R4/4 | IR1968 | 10:36 Zürich HB - Basel SBB | 11:16 |
| Re6/6 | WB Oil Tanks | 11:25 | |
| 460.xxx | IR1971 | 11:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 11:44 |
| 482.xxx | EB Containers | 11:46 | |
| 460.xxx (p) | IR2070 | 11:04 Zürich Flughafen - Basel SBB | 11:55 |
| 482.xxx | EB Car carriers | 11:58 | |
| 482.014 | WB Containers | 12:03 | |
| 460.108 | IR2073 | 11:40 Basel SBB - Zürich Flughafen | 12:06 |
| 11157 | IR90 | 11:36 Zürich HB - Bruxelles Midi | 12:15 |
| 11357 420.186 |
EB Containers | 12:22 | |
| 11299 | EB DB Nachtzug ECS | 12:30 | |
| 11219 | IR1973 | 12:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 12:44 |
| 460.085 (p) | IR2072 | 12:04 Zürich Flughafen - Basel SBB | 12:54 |
| 482.033 | EB Containers | 13:00 | |
| 185.581 (Crossrail) | EB Containers | 13:02 | |
| 460.022 | IR2025 | 12:40 Basel SBB - Zürich Flughafen | 13:08 |
| 482.007 | WB Car carriers | 13:09 | |
| 460.034 (p) | IR1972 | 12:36 Zürich HB - Basel SBB | 13:15 |
| 11171 11668 |
WB Light Engines | 13:28 | |
| 11304 | IR1975 | 13:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 13:44 |
Zeihen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103.184 | EB Special | 14:14 | |
| Re6/6 | EB Car carriers | 14:20 | |
| Re4/4 Re6/6 |
WB Light Engines | 14:33 | |
| 185.132 (DB) | EB Freight | 14:38 | |
| 620.012 11322 |
EB Scrap | 14:40 | |
| 460.058 | IR1977 | 14:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 14:47 |
| 460.022 (p) | IR2076 | 14:04 Zürich Flughafen - Basel SBB | 14:51 |
| 521.007 | EB ECS | 14:53 | |
| 460.108 | IR2079 | 14:40 Basel SBB - Zürich Flughafen | 15:09 |
| 11158 | IR96 | 14:36 Zürich HB - Bruxelles Midi | 15:11 |
| 185.123 (DB) | WB Freight | 15:16 | |
| Re4/4 Re6/6 |
EB Freight | 15:16 | |
| 189.996 (TXL) | EB Freight | 15:20 | |
| 11668 11171 |
EB Freight | 15:28 | |
| 11244 | EB Light Engine | 15:30 | |
| 610.486 | WB Containers | 15:36 | |
| 11118 | IR1979 | 15:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 15:47 |
| 460.085 (p) | IR2078 | 15:04 Zürich Flughafen - Basel SBB | 15:51 |
| 486.502 (BLS) | EB Freight | 16:06 | |
| 460.022 | IR2081 | 15:40 Basel SBB - Zürich Flughafen | 16:10 |
| 460.058 (p) | IR1978 | 15:36 Zürich HB - Basel SBB | 16:15 |
| 620.065 11277 |
EB Containers | 16:16 | |
| Re4/4 | IR1981 | 16:13 Basel SBB - Zürich HB | 16:50 |
| 460.xxx (p) | IR2080 | 16:04 Zürich Flughafen - Basel SBB | 16:52 |
| 11202 | IR1980 | 16:36 Zürich HB - Basel SBB | 17:12 |
| 460.065 | IR2085 | 16:40 Basel SBB - Zürich Flughafen | 17:12 |
(p) = propelling
I spent the night at the Hotel St. Fridolin, just across the German border in Bad Säckingen. Several trains were seen on the Basel Bad - Waldshut line, all of them DMUs.
16 June 2010
31/07/12 17:58 Filed in: 16 June 2010
The weather hadn’t changed from yesterday so I went south after breakfast in search of the sun. The cloud continued all the way to the Gotthard without a break and from Göschenen the road was actually in the clouds. Approaching Andermatt, the visibility improved, revealing another layer of cloud above. Higher still, Oberalppass was in the second layer of cloud but not above it. I continued east to Dieni, near Sedrun, on the MGB line to Disentis and hung around for a while to see what was about.
The weather had changed by the time I got back to Göschenen - it was raining. I parked up for an hour at Intschi, about 8km south of Erstfeld, to check the traffic levels.
(p) = propelling
There was no sign of an improvement in the weather so I gave up for the day and went to find my hotel for the next four nights, the Post in Emmetten, high above the Vierwaldstättersee.
Dieni
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54 (MGB) (p) | 839 | 11:14 Disentis/Muster - Andermatt | 11:36 |
| 55 (MGB) | 834 | 11:27 Andermatt - Disentis/Muster | 12:14 |
| 104 (MGB) | 902 | 09:00 Zermatt - Davos Platz | 12:33 |
| 24 (MGB) | 843 | 12:20 Disentis/Muster - Oberalppass | 12:45 |
| 103 (MGB) | 904 | 09:13 Zermatt - St. Moritz | 13:03 |
| 102 (MGB) | 906 | 10:00 Zermatt - St. Moritz | 13:23 |
| 106 (MGB) | 905 | 09:17 St. Moritz - Zermatt | 13:28 |
| 108 (MGB) | 907 | 09:17 St. Moritz - Zermatt | 13:32 |
| 3 (MGB) | 908 | 10:13 Zermatt - St. Moritz | 13:51 |
The weather had changed by the time I got back to Göschenen - it was raining. I parked up for an hour at Intschi, about 8km south of Erstfeld, to check the traffic levels.
Intschi
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11322 620.012 |
NB Freight | 14:51 | |
| 185.115 (DB) 185.131 (DB) 486.510 (BLS) banked by 185.110 (DB) |
NB Freight | 15:04 | |
| 186.906 (Crossrail) 186.902 (Crossrail) |
SB Containers | 15:09 | |
| 185.133 (DB) | NB Light Engines | 15:10 | |
| 500.009 | ICN679 | 13:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 15:19 |
| 460.065 | IR2182 | 13:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 15:25 |
| 11145 | IR2275 | 14:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 15:31 |
| 500.030 | ICN10018 | 14:10 Lugano - Zürich HB | 15:45 |
| 470.007 (FS) 470.053 (FS) |
EC18 | 13:10 Milano Centrale - Zürich HB | 15:48 |
| 620.088 11610 11615 |
NB Postal | 16:00 |
(p) = propelling
There was no sign of an improvement in the weather so I gave up for the day and went to find my hotel for the next four nights, the Post in Emmetten, high above the Vierwaldstättersee.
17 June 2010
31/07/12 17:57 Filed in: 17 June 2010
Some sun at last, in between cloudy periods. I spent the morning at Silenen, a few km south of Erstfeld, until the light got too harsh.
Then checked out a spot between Intschi and Gurtnellen before retiring to the vast car park beside the line at Intschi for a leisurely lunch. Despite its great size, there were no other cars there, just me and a family of wagtails, without a car, obviously.
During the midday period the sky had filled in completely and the cloud ceiling had dropped well below the tops of the mountains. I went to Wassen to check out the big curve. It was raining very gently when I arrived and soon got a lot heavier, prompting a rapid return to the car.
After being rained off at Wassen, I parked up near Gurtnellen to see if the weather would improve. Instead, it got steadily worse and I soon gave up for the day.
Silenen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11358 11650 banked by 11677 |
SB Intermodal | 09:22 | |
| 460.005 | IR2163 | 07:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 09:28 |
| 11156 11143 |
IR2170 | 07:11 Chiasso - Basel SBB | 09:32 |
| 500.038 | IR2263 | 08:31 Zürich HB - Chiasso | 09:41 |
| 11623 11316 |
NB Intermodal | 09:41 | |
| 420.346 11667 |
SB Containers | 09:44 | |
| 470.053 (FS) 470.007 (FS) |
EC12 | 07:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 09:48 |
| 182.597 (MRCE) 189.996 (MRCE) |
SB Intermodal | 09:50 | |
| 11653 11271 |
NB Intermodal | 10:07 | |
| 500.000 | ICN10015 | 09:01 Zürich HB - Lugano | 10:12 |
| 470.004 (FS) 470.054 (FS) |
EC15 | 09:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 10:19 |
| 185.106 (DB) 486.507 (BLS) |
SB Intermodal | 10:23 | |
| 11666 | NB Light Engine | 10:25 | |
| 460.026 | IR2165 | 08:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 10:29 |
| 11129 | IR2276 | 08:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 10:31 |
| 11296 11628 banked by 11289 |
SB Intermodal | 10:34 | |
| 500.035 | ICN662 | 09:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 10:45 |
| 11670 11264 |
SB Hoppers | 10:54 | |
| 500.013 | ICN671 | 09:03 Zürich HB - Lugano | 11:14 |
| 185.123 (DB) 185.126 (DB) banked by 185.108 (DB) |
SB RoLa | 11:23 | |
| 11228 | IR2267 | 10:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 11:27 |
| 11121 | IR2174 | 09:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 11:31 |
| 11233 11636 |
NB Intermodal | 11:37 |
Then checked out a spot between Intschi and Gurtnellen before retiring to the vast car park beside the line at Intschi for a leisurely lunch. Despite its great size, there were no other cars there, just me and a family of wagtails, without a car, obviously.
N of Gurtnellen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 470.007 (FS) 470.053 (FS) |
EC17 | 11:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 12:18 |
Intschi
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11677 | NB Light Engine | 12:29 | |
| 11300 | IR2169 | 10:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 12:31 |
| 11251 11637 banked by 11269 |
SB Freight | 12:36 | |
| 470.xxx (FS) 470.002 (FS) |
EC14 | 09:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 12:43 (60 late) |
| 500.010 | ICN666 | 11:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 12:46 |
| 185.103 (DB) 486.504 (BLS) |
SB Intermodal | 13:11 | |
| 185.130 (DB) 185.116 (DB) |
NB Intermodal | 13:11 | |
| 11269 | NB Light Engine | 13:18 | |
| 500.037 | ICN675 | 11:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 13:18 |
| 420.160 620.086 |
SB Empty Flats | 13:24 | |
| 11202 | IR2178 | 11:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 13:28 |
| 11213 | IR2271 | 12:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 13:31 |
| 11683 | SB Postal | 13:37 | |
| 11606 11317 |
SB Hoppers | 13:47 | |
| 11666 | SB Light Engine | 13:50 | |
| 470.051 (FS) 470.001 (FS) |
EC16 | 11:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 13:59 (15 late) |
| 470.009 (FS) 470.059 (FS) |
EC19 | 13:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 14:18 |
| 620.060 11252 |
NB Intermodal | 14:20 | |
| 460.xxx | IR2282 | 12:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 14:23 |
| 185.130 (DB) 185.115 (DB) |
SB Freight | 14:23 | |
| 11143 | IR2173 | 12:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 14:32 |
| 500.030 | ICN670 | 13:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 14:44 |
During the midday period the sky had filled in completely and the cloud ceiling had dropped well below the tops of the mountains. I went to Wassen to check out the big curve. It was raining very gently when I arrived and soon got a lot heavier, prompting a rapid return to the car.
Wassen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 460.026 | IR2182 | 13:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 15:17 |
| 185.108 | NB Light Engine | 15:20 | |
| 186.907 (Crossrail) 186.902 (Crossrail) banked by 185.591 (Crossrail) |
SB Intermodal | 15:22 | |
| 500.039 | ICN679 | 13:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 15:26 |
| 500.020 | ICN10018 | 14:10 Lugano - Zürich HB | 15:37 |
| 11129 | IR2275 | 14:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 15:39 |
| 470.xxx (FS) 470.xxx (FS) |
EC18 | 13:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 15:39 |
| 11615 620.088 11610 |
NB Postal | 15:43 | |
| 11316 11623 11625 11257 banked by 11677 |
SB Intermodal | 15:50 |
After being rained off at Wassen, I parked up near Gurtnellen to see if the weather would improve. Instead, it got steadily worse and I soon gave up for the day.
N of Gurtnellen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 470.002 (FS) 470.052 (FS) |
EC21 | 15:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 16:18 |
| 11351 11671 banked by 11269 |
SB Freight | 16:25 | |
| Re4/4 | IR2286 | 14:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 16:25 |
| 11677 | NB Light Engine | 16:28 | |
| 11202 | IR2177 | 14:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 16:31 |
| 185.103 (DB) 486.502 (BLS) |
NB Intermodal | 16:37 | |
| 500.037 | ICN674 | 15:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 16:40 |
| 11322 620.012 |
NB Freight | 16:46 |
18 June 2010
31/07/12 17:57 Filed in: 18 June 2010
A dull, wet day when it never really stopped raining, although it did ease off enough in the middle of the afternoon to tempt me to the lineside.
The whole day was spent a few km to the north of Gurtnellen, at a couple of locations within a km of each other, mainly at a spot where I could sit in the car and watch the proceedings without getting soaked. As a result, no trains were missed, although a couple got through without being fully identified while I was changing positions. It felt like a fairly quiet day, with what seemed like long gaps between trains, but the record shows over 70 movements in less than 8 hours. Admittedly there were a number of light engine moves, mainly 11677 returning north after banking freights to Göschenen, but there can’t be many lines with heavier traffic.
Highlights were 11109, still in orange and grey livery, on a couple of IR services and Ae6/6 11479, still in green, tacked on the back of an Re20/20 lokzug heading north.
The whole day was spent a few km to the north of Gurtnellen, at a couple of locations within a km of each other, mainly at a spot where I could sit in the car and watch the proceedings without getting soaked. As a result, no trains were missed, although a couple got through without being fully identified while I was changing positions. It felt like a fairly quiet day, with what seemed like long gaps between trains, but the record shows over 70 movements in less than 8 hours. Admittedly there were a number of light engine moves, mainly 11677 returning north after banking freights to Göschenen, but there can’t be many lines with heavier traffic.
Highlights were 11109, still in orange and grey livery, on a couple of IR services and Ae6/6 11479, still in green, tacked on the back of an Re20/20 lokzug heading north.
N of Gurtnellen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11109 | IR2170 | 07:11 Chiasso - Basel SBB | 09:29 |
| 11677 | NB Light Engine | 09:33 | |
| 11300 | IR2163 | 07:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 09:33 |
| 11132 11126 |
SB VSOE | 09:37 | |
| 470.054 (FS) 470.004 (FS) |
EC12 | 07:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 09:47 |
| 500.039 | IR2263 | 08:31 Zürich HB - Chiasso | 09:47 |
| 185.108 (DB) 185.119 (DB) |
SB Freight | 09:51 | |
| 500.030 | ICN10015 | 09:01 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 10:17 |
| 182.597 (MRCE) 189.996 (TXL) |
NB Intermodal | 10:23 | |
| 470.002 (FS) 470.052 (FS) |
EC15 | 09:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 10:23 |
| 11203 | IR2276 | 08:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 10:29 |
| 11151 | 2165 | 08:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 10:36 |
| 500.018 | ICN662 | 09:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 10:41 |
| 11292 11641 banked by 11677 |
SB Intermodal | 10:42 | |
| 11606 11317 |
SB Tubs | 10:47 | |
| 482.014 482.034 |
NB Intermodal | 10:57 | |
| 11677 | NB Light Engine | 11:20 | |
| 500.020 | ICN671 | 09:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 11:20 |
| 11219 | IR2174 | 09:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 11:26 |
| 460.026 | IR2267 | 10:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 11:32 |
| 185.132 (DB) 185.098 (DB) banked by 185.110 (DB) |
SB RoLa | 11:37 | |
| 470.057 (FS) 470.003 (FS) |
EC14 | 09:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 11:45 |
| 470.004 (FS) 470.054 (FS) |
EC17 | 11:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 12:17 |
| 460.004 | IR2280 | 10:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 12:24 |
| 420.160 620.086 11654 11228 |
NB Light Engines | 12:32 | |
| 11228 | IR2169 | 10:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 12:32 |
| 500.037 | ICN666 | 11:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 12:41 |
| 185.116 (DB) 185.126 (DB) |
NB Freight | 13:08 | |
| 11358 11650 banked by 11666 |
SB Intermodal | 13:12 | |
| 500.025 500.000 |
ICN675 | 11:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 13:17 |
| 11148 | IR2178 | 11:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 13:27 |
| 620.058 11321 banked by 11677 |
SB Intermodal | 13:28 | |
| 460.000 | IR2271 | 12:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 13:33 |
| 500.030 | ICN10016 | 12:10 Lugano - Zürich HB | 13:41 |
| 11683 | SB Postal | 13:41 | |
| 11366 11634 |
SB Freight | 13:45 | |
| 470.053 (FS) 470.007 (FS) |
EC16 | 11:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 13:45 |
| 843.074 | SB Departmental | 13:50 | |
| 185.xxx (DB) 185.xxx (DB) 185.xxx (DB) |
NB Freight | 14:14 | |
| ? | NB Intermodal | 14:17 | |
| 470.xxx (FS) 470.xxx (FS) |
EC19 | 13:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 14:21 |
| 11300 | IR2282 | 12:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 14:24 |
| 11677 | NB Light Engine | 14:25 | |
| 185.138 (DB) 185.125 (DB) |
SB Freight | 14:31 | |
| 11109 | IR2173 | 12:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 14:36 |
| 500.020 | ICN670 | 13:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 14:44 |
| 620.065 11277 banked by 11269 |
SB Steel Coil | 14:44 | |
| 843.002 | NB Departmental | 14:47 | |
| 11251 11637 |
NB Freight | 15:03 | |
| 11151 | NB Relief / Special | 15:14 | |
| 500.018 | ICN679 | 13:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 15:18 |
| 11269 | NB Light Engine | 15:23 | |
| 843.002 | SB Light Engine | 15:25 | |
| 11195 | IR2182 | 13:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 15:33 |
| 11203 | IR2275 | 14:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 15:33 |
| ? | NB ? | 15:37 | |
| 11231 11676 banked by 11677 |
SB Intermodal | 15:39 | |
| 500.038 500.008 |
ICN10018 | 14:10 Lugano - Zürich HB | 15:44 |
| 470.052 (FS) 470.002 (FS) |
EC18 | 13:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 15:46 |
| 843.074 18442 |
NB Light Engines | 16:08 | |
| 500.030 | ICN10021 | 15:01 Zürich HB - Lugano | 16:14 |
| 11677 | NB Light Engine | 16:16 | |
| 470.007 (FS) 470.053 (FS) |
EC21 | 15:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 16:20 |
| 460.026 | IR2286 | 14:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 16:28 |
| 11148 | IR2177 | 14:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 16:34 |
| 11257 11625 |
NB Freight | 16:35 | |
| 500.000 500.025 |
ICN674 | 15:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 16:42 |
| 186.907 (Crossrail) | NB Light Engine | 16:46 | |
| 11171 11668 |
NB Intermodal | 16:57 | |
| 185.097 (DB) 185.121 (DB) |
SB Freight | 16:59 | |
| 11126 11132 |
NB Light Engines | 17:01 | |
| 11243 11656 Re6/6 11173 11479 |
NB Light Engines | 17:08 |
19 June 2010
31/07/12 17:57 Filed in: 19 June 2010
Another wet start but the rain eased and it brightened up a bit south of Erstfeld. Andermatt was brighter still and the top of the Oberalp Pass was even brighter. By that I mean it was dull but not as dull as the terminal gloom further north. There was never a real hope of the sun breaking through.
No.24 was out on the Disentis - Andermatt trains again, as was No.22, both coupled at the Andermatt end of their respective push-pull sets, instead of the usual position at the Disentis end. The use of locos on these trains must be a winter only thing as all the local workings I’ve seen on this trip have been powered by motor coaches.
After a while it started to rain heavily and I drove up to Realp before settling on a position where I could observe the action on the line from Andermatt towards Brig and Visp. The reprehensible practice of coupling extra coaches to the back of push-pull sets seems to have been adopted here, requiring the coaches to be shunted round at each end of the journey and sandwiching the motor coach in the middle of the formation when propelling. Surely it would be easier just to run the engine round and pull the thing in both directions. At least the Glacier Expresses are hauled.
Eventually it was time to drop down to the Gotthard main line and spend a couple of hours near Gurtnellen, watching in vain for any chance of the sun. Needless to say it didn’t appear.
Almost as many 460s seen in two hours as were seen all day yesterday.
No.24 was out on the Disentis - Andermatt trains again, as was No.22, both coupled at the Andermatt end of their respective push-pull sets, instead of the usual position at the Disentis end. The use of locos on these trains must be a winter only thing as all the local workings I’ve seen on this trip have been powered by motor coaches.
Andermatt
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95 (MGB) propelling |
627 | 09:12 Göschenen - Andermatt | 09:20 |
Oberalpsee, W of Oberalppass
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 (MGB) | 824 | 09:27 Andermatt - Disentis/Muster | 09:47 |
| 24 (MGB) | 831 | 09:14 Disentis/Muster - Andermatt | 09:56 |
| 24 (MGB) propelling |
828 | 10:27 Andermatt - Disentis/Muster | 10:46 |
| 22 (MGB) | 835 | 10:14 Disentis/Muster - Andermatt | 11:00 |
After a while it started to rain heavily and I drove up to Realp before settling on a position where I could observe the action on the line from Andermatt towards Brig and Visp. The reprehensible practice of coupling extra coaches to the back of push-pull sets seems to have been adopted here, requiring the coaches to be shunted round at each end of the journey and sandwiching the motor coach in the middle of the formation when propelling. Surely it would be easier just to run the engine round and pull the thing in both directions. At least the Glacier Expresses are hauled.
Realp
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81 (MGB) | Stabled on Car Shuttle | 11:25 |
W of Hospental
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103 (MGB) | 902 | 09:00 Zermatt - Davos Platz | 11:34 |
| 92 (MGB) mid-train |
535 | 11:37 Andermatt - Visp | 11:45 |
| 102 (MGB) | 904 | 09:13 Zermatt - St. Moritz | 12:10 |
| 54 (MGB) | 534 | 10:08 Visp - Andermatt | 12:14 |
| 91 (MGB) mid-train |
539 | 12:37 Andermatt - Visp | 12:44 |
| 5 (MGB) | 09:06 | 10:00 Zermatt - St. Moritz | 12:55 |
| 108 (MGB) | 908 | 10:13 Zermatt - St. Moritz | 13:01 |
| 96 (MGB) | 538 | 11:08 Visp - Andermatt | 13:16 |
| 53 (MGB) mid-train |
543 | 13:37 Andermatt - Visp | 13:44 |
| 105 (MGB) | 905 | 09:17 St. Moritz - Zermatt | 14:03 |
| 95 (MGB) | 542 | 12:08 Visp - Andermatt | 14:15 |
| 104 (MGB) | 907 | 09:17 St. Moritz - Zermatt | 14:28 |
Andermatt
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 (MGB) mid-train |
547 | 14:37 Andermatt - Visp | 14:39 |
Eventually it was time to drop down to the Gotthard main line and spend a couple of hours near Gurtnellen, watching in vain for any chance of the sun. Needless to say it didn’t appear.
Almost as many 460s seen in two hours as were seen all day yesterday.
N of Gurtnellen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 185.116 (DB) | NB Light Engine | 15:00 | |
| 500.025 | ICN679 | 13:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 15:21 |
| 460.090 | IR2182 | 13:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 15:24 |
| 11223 | IR2275 | 14:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 15:36 |
| 500.026 | ICN10018 | 14:10 Lugano - Zürich HB | 15:40 |
| 11625 11257 |
SB Intermodal | 15:41 | |
| 470.058 (FS) 470.008 (FS) |
EC18 | 13:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 15:43 |
| 11677 11124 |
SB Light Engines | 15:47 | |
| 470.009 (FS) 470.059 (FS) |
EC21 | 15:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 16:18 |
| 185.102 (DB) 486.501 (BLS) |
SB Intermodal | 16:24 | |
| 460.081 | IR2286 | 14:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 16:25 |
| 460.026 | IR2177 | 14:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 16:31 |
| 11321 620.058 banked by 11250 |
SB Freight | 16:37 | |
| 185.122 (DB) 185.119 (DB) |
SB Freight | 16:43 | |
| 500.030 | ICN674 | 15:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 16:45 |
20 June 2010
31/07/12 17:57 Filed in: 20 June 2010
Guess what? It was raining again. I parked up at the usual spot north of Gurtnellen and was surprised to see quite a few freights running as it was a Sunday. None of them were hauled by SBB engines though. DB were well represented with three trains, one of them a 185 double heading with a BLS 486 and the others solid 185 doubles. Two of the trains had 185 bankers. There was also one train with a pair of Crossrail 186s and another with an MRCE pair, a 182 piloting a 189. Apart from the usual motive power on passenger trains, all that SBB could rustle up in the surprise stakes was a Class Ce6/8ii Crocodile, No. 14253 heading south light engine. As surprises go it wasn't bad.
After a few hours it started to look brighter to the north and I set off to check out a few locations around Immensee and Rotkreuz on the way back to Zürich Airport. Needless to say, the brightness didn’t last too long so I settled down to see what was running around Rotkreuz. Traffic on the line north of Immensee appeared to be exactly the same as on the Gotthard, minus the Zürich passengers. SBB made up for the total lack of freights in the morning by running three within nine minutes, two of them passing right in front of me. The lead loco on the third freight was also a surprise, being 11601, one of the prototype Re6/6s with an articulated body (in the vertical plane) as on the RhB Ge6/6iis.
The other line at the east end of Rotkreuz, towards Zug and Zürich, appeared to be far busier than the one I was on. Despite being single track there was a steady stream of 460 worked double-deck push-pull sets and Flirts all the time I was there. Unfortunately it was just too far away to get the numbers without getting wet.
It’s not often that I’m glad to be going home from a trip but this was one of the most frustrating I’ve been on for years. Lots of trains, superb scenery but, for the second trip in a row, no sun worth speaking of. It was also my fourth trip in a row to Switzerland that’s suffered from awful weather. Oh well, fifth time lucky, or will it be thirty fourth time, or eighty ninth? Will the sun ever shine on a train in my presence again, who knows?
N of Gurtnellen
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11139 | IR2163 | 07:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 09:32 |
| 470.057 (FS) 470.003 (FS) |
EC12 | 07:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 09:41 |
| 500.020 | IR2263 | 08:31 Zürich HB - Chiasso | 09:43 |
| 186.906 (Crossrail) 186.903 (Crossrail) |
NB Intermodal | 10:02 | |
| 500.022 | ICN10015 | 09:01 Zürich HB - Lugano | 10:17 |
| 470.009 (FS) 470.059 (FS) |
EC15 | 09:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 10:21 |
| 11193 | IR2276 | 08:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 10:24 |
| 185.106 (DB) 486.503 (BLS) banked by 185.105 (DB) |
SB Intermodal | 10:30 | |
| 460.115 | IR2165 | 08:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 10:34 |
| 500.000 | ICN662 | 09:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 10:39 |
| 185.132 (DB) 185.121 (DB) banked by 185.139 (DB) |
SB Intermodal | 10:56 | |
| 182.597 (MRCE) 189.986 (MRCE) |
NB Intermodal | 11:10 | |
| 185.105 (DB) | NB Light Engine | 11:12 | |
| 500.026 | ICN671 | 09:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 11:16 |
| 11209 | IR2174 | 09:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 11:26 |
| 460.095 | IR2267 | 10:09 Zürich HB - Locarno | 11:32 |
| 470.058 (FS) 470.008 (FS) |
EC14 | 09:10 Milano Cen. - Zürich HB | 11:43 |
| 14253 | SB Light Engine | 11:52 (Class Ce6/8ii "Crocodile") |
|
| 470.003 (FS) 470.057 (FS) |
EC17 | 11:09 Zürich HB - Milano Cen. | 12:18 |
| 460.055 | IR2280 | 10:45 Locarno - Zürich HB | 12:24 |
| 460.090 | IR2169 | 10:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 12:31 |
| 185.098 (DB) 185.123 (DB) |
NB Freight | 12:32 | |
| 500.010 | ICN666 | 11:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 12:39 |
After a few hours it started to look brighter to the north and I set off to check out a few locations around Immensee and Rotkreuz on the way back to Zürich Airport. Needless to say, the brightness didn’t last too long so I settled down to see what was running around Rotkreuz. Traffic on the line north of Immensee appeared to be exactly the same as on the Gotthard, minus the Zürich passengers. SBB made up for the total lack of freights in the morning by running three within nine minutes, two of them passing right in front of me. The lead loco on the third freight was also a surprise, being 11601, one of the prototype Re6/6s with an articulated body (in the vertical plane) as on the RhB Ge6/6iis.
The other line at the east end of Rotkreuz, towards Zug and Zürich, appeared to be far busier than the one I was on. Despite being single track there was a steady stream of 460 worked double-deck push-pull sets and Flirts all the time I was there. Unfortunately it was just too far away to get the numbers without getting wet.
Buonas, E of Rotkreuz
| Loco | Train No. |
Train Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11219 | IR2178 | 11:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 14:25 |
| 500.030 500.000 |
ICN679 | 13:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 14:31 |
| 500.026 | ICN670 | 13:12 Lugano - Basel SBB | 15:26 |
| 11219 | IR2177 | 14:03 Basel SBB - Locarno | 15:30 |
| 482.008 | NB Intermodal | 15:47 | |
| Re4/4 Re6/6 |
SB Intermodal | 15:47 | |
| 11601 11251 11637 |
SB Intermodal | 15:56 | |
| 460.115 | IR2182 | 13:45 Locarno - Basel SBB | 16:28 |
| 500.007 500.010 |
ICN683 | 15:03 Basel SBB - Lugano | 16:32 |
It’s not often that I’m glad to be going home from a trip but this was one of the most frustrating I’ve been on for years. Lots of trains, superb scenery but, for the second trip in a row, no sun worth speaking of. It was also my fourth trip in a row to Switzerland that’s suffered from awful weather. Oh well, fifth time lucky, or will it be thirty fourth time, or eighty ninth? Will the sun ever shine on a train in my presence again, who knows?
