Sun 11 Mar 2012
14/03/12 11:55
Probably the least typical day I’ve ever spent on the Rhätischebahn with hardly anything working to its normal diagram. The reason was the Engadin Ski Marathon, a bizarre ritual where thousands of normally sane people tie sticks to their feet and throw themselves off mountains. Numerous special trains ran to and from the Engadin via the Vereina and Albula routes and the normal Pontresina - Scuol-Tarasp service was replaced by frequent shuttles between the finishing line at S-chanf Marathon and St. Moritz.
As it was my last day and I wanted to be sure of getting away on time, I steered well clear of the Engadin but even then wasn’t immune to the fallout. The day started with a run down to Chur on RE1120, usually a Ge4/4iii but, just for today, worked by an ABe8/14 unit. I took the opportunity of sitting at the front of the unit and got a driver’s eye view of the line. The biggest surprise of the day came very early in the journey when we crossed the Landwasser Viaduct - no check rails!
After first dropping my bag in left luggage at Chur, i spent the whole day on the Reichenau-Tamins - Disentis/Mustér line where a number of trains were worked by the Ge4/4iis and push-pull sets that normally shuttle back and forth in the Engadin. That wasn’t the reason for going there. Ge4/4is 605 and 610 were also pressed into service double heading Disentis - Scuol-Tarasp trains and Ge6/6ii 707 worked the Glacier Expresses.
After a brilliant start it rapidly clouded over and the Ge4/4is and 707 both passed in the gloom. I decided on a ride up to Disentis and back to fill the time until 707 returned with the eastbound Glacier and was surprised to find the sun out at the top end of the line. Attempts to find a good location to photograph 707 failed, although I did get a pleasant shot of MGB 106 leaving Disentis. Even more frustration followed on the return to Chur as the sky had largely cleared and my original planned location to photograph 707, on the bridge at Reichenau was in sun.
There was no time to stop as I had to get back to Zürich for my flight home, catching the IR service that follows the IC in the hope it would be less crowded, which it was. And so another trip came to an end with plenty of pictures in the can and plenty more still to be got. It looks like I’ll have to go back again!
Filisur
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 3513 |
RE1120 |
07:02 St.Moritz - Chur |
07:58 |
| 650 |
1117 |
06:44 Chur - St.Moritz |
08:00 |
Thusis
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 641 |
RE1121 |
07:58 Chur - St.Moritz |
08:30 |
Felsberg
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
605
610 |
RE1216 |
08:56 Chur - Disentis/Mustér |
08:58 |
Chur West
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 646 |
RE1125 |
08:58 Chur - St.Moritz |
09:00 |
Chur
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 629 |
RE1229 |
07:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
09:20 |
| 513 |
1551 |
09:48 Chur - Thusis |
09:21 |
| 3514 |
955 |
09:31 Chur - Tirano |
09:21 |
| 3513 |
RE1129 |
09:58 Chur - St.Moritz |
09:21 |
| 616 |
RE1220 |
07:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
09:36 |
| 3504 |
1508 |
09:31 Rhäzüns - Schiers |
09:50 |
Chur West
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 631 |
RE1233 |
08:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
09:57 |
Felsberg
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 651 |
RE1124 |
08:02 St.Moritz - Chur |
09:59 |
Domat/Ems
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 511 |
1554 |
09:36 Thusis - Chur |
10:02 |
Castrisch
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 612 |
RE1237 |
09:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
10:27 |
W of Ilanz
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
610
605 |
RE1241 |
10:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
11:18 |
619
propelling |
RE1224 |
08:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
11:35 |
| 707 |
903 |
09:02 St.Moritz - Zermatt |
11:50 |
Ilanz
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 616 |
RE1245 |
11:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
12:24 |
625
propelling |
RE1228 |
09:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
12:40 |
Trun
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 619 |
RE1249 |
12:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
13:00 |
Disentis/Mustér
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 106 (MGB) |
839 |
13:14 Disentis/Mustér - Andermatt |
13:16 |
| 101 (MGB) |
836 |
12:27 Andermatt - Disentis/Mustér |
13:40 |
| 625 |
RE1253 |
13:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
13:44 |
Sumvitg-Cumpadials
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
611
propelling |
RE1232 |
10:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
13:59 |
| 707 |
910 |
09:52 Zermatt - St.Moritz |
14:32 |
| 611 |
RE1257 |
14:44 Disentis/Mustér - Scuol-Tarasp |
14:51 |
Rabius-Surrein
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
627
propelling |
RE1236 |
11:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
14:57 |
Castrisch
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 631 |
RE1240 |
12:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
15:27 |
Chur West
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 612 |
RE1240 |
12:40 Scuol-Tarasp - Disentis/Mustér |
15:58 |
Chur
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 3513 |
RE1153 |
15:58 Chur - St.Moritz |
16:00 |
| 460.065 |
IR784 |
16:16 Chur - Basel SBB |
16:16 |
Landquart
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 649 |
RE1057 |
16:47 Landquart - Davos Platz |
16:27 |
| 3101 |
|
Stabled |
16:27 |
Zürich HB
| Loco |
Train
No. |
Train Details |
Notes |
| 450.095 |
|
17:55 Zürich HB - Zürich Flughafen |
17:55 |
