Between Lucerne And Interlaken Ost Stations On Die Zentralbahn
The Zentralbahn is the scenic railway, that connects Lucerne and Interlaken Ost stations along the Brünig Line. Wikipedia says this about the ownership of the railway.
The Zentralbahn is a Swiss railway company that owns and operates two connecting railway lines in Central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland. It was created on January 1, 2005, with the acquisition of the independently owned Luzern–Stans–Engelberg line, and the Brünig line of the Swiss Federal Railways.
I don’t know, but as the railway is metre rather than standard gauge, I do wonder, if it was to Swiss Federal Railways, a bit like the Settle-Carlisle Line was to British Rail; Expensive to run, loved by locals and tourists and in need of new investment.
These pictures show the railway.
As some of the pictures show, the line was busy in places. and judging by the number of Asian groups on the train, a lot were tourists.
The trains are modern Stadler SPATZ trains.
- Fully-electric.
- Metre gauge.
- They are able to use sections of the line which have a rack to assist climbing.
- Large panoramic windows for good views.
It appears that the three-car train has been designed with all the electrical gubbings in the middle car, with the end sections similar to the Stadler GTW.
Stadler seem to be able to shuffle their ideas and especially, the central power-pack to produce trains for all purposes.
Greater Anglia’s Class 755 trains, and the tri-mode Flirts of the South Wales Metro, will be just more variations on the same theme.
Next Time I Go To The Area
There are two groups of mountain railways grouped at Interlaken and Lucerne, which are linked by the
Brünig Line. The route is not simple and there is a reverse about half-way at Meiringen station.
Searching the web, it appears that there is reasonably-priced accommodation in and around Meiringen.
With a Swiss Pass, which gives a worthwhile discount on the expensive mountain trains, I shall be staying around there on my next trip to Switzerland.
Consider.
- You could fly in to Zurich Airport and buy your Swiss Pass there.
- Lucerne and Interlaken are about an hour away on the scenic Brünig Line.
- Bern and Zurich are close enough for a day trip.
I didn’t explore Meiringen, so check the guides first. But it looked OK from the train.
The View From The Schilthorn
These pictures were taken from the viewing platform by the side of the Piz Gloria restaurant on the Schilthorn.
It was certainly worth going up to the top of the Schilthorn.
In Piz Gloria; The Rotating Restaurant On Top Of The Schilthorn
I took these pictures in Piz Gloria, which is the restaurant on top of the Schilthorn.
Note.
- During my meal, the restaurant did a complete rotation.
- The food was typically Swiss; reasonable but pricey.
- It was certainly better than any other rotating restaurant I’d eaten in.
- The three prominent peaks grouped together are the Eiger, Mönch and the Jungfrau.
- All the Swiss, were saying that the weather was exceptional.
I think the Swiss couple sitting opposite me, might have been celebrating a birthday or anniversary and they seemed to enjoy the experience.
Up The Schilthorn
I took these pictures on the ascent by cable-car of the Schilthorn.
Note.
- The ascent was on three successive cable-cars.
- As the weather was good, it was rather busy with waits at the cable-car changes.
- This ascent is included in a Swiss Pass and the only thing, I needed to do was get a free ticket at the first change.
- The windows on one cable-car could have done with a good clean.
It was certainly a good value ride.
Riding The Bernese Oberland Railway
The Bernese Oberland Railway, is one of the rail lines, that meet at Interlaken Ost station.
This short description is from Wikipedia.
The Bernese Oberland Railway (or correctly translated Bernese Highlands Railway; German: Berner Oberland-Bahn, BOB) is a narrow-gauge mountain railway in the Bernese Highlands of Switzerland. It runs, via a “Y” junction at Zweilütschinen to serve Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. The railway is rack assisted (that is although an adhesion railway, rack and pinion operation is used on steep sections of the line to assist traction).
These pictures show the railway.
On my trip I used the railway twice.
- To get to and from Lauterbrunnen station to go to the Schilthorn.
- To get to and from Wilderswil station to go to ride on the Schynige Platte Railway.
It is very much the railway to start your trip into the mountains.
It is a route included in a Swiss Pass.
Nice Work If You Can Get It!
There are pictures of Boris’s screwee all over the papers.
Screwee is a legal term, as used by my late wife for the other party in a divorce.
She used it for every sex and sexual orientation.
On a serious note, is 24 years an acceptable age difference in a relationship.
If it is then, perhaps this 71-year-old should be looking for available 47-yeae-old ladies.
Borders Railway: More Than 4 Million Journeys In 3 Years
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in Global Rail News.
The Borders Railway may only be a thirty mile route with a frequency of two trains per hour, but I believe it shows the economic and lifestyle benefits that new rail routes can bring.
And all at a cost of around £200million.
We should be looking to build other lines like this in the UK.
And all over the World!
Would Third-Rail Tram-Trains Affect The Design Of The Proposed Streatham Interchange Station?
Transport for London’s proposal for the Bakerloo Line Extension comes with a very nice map of the various projects that will be carried out to improve rail services in South London.
It is all good stuff and most is easily explained.
There is a little yellow box, which has a title of Streatham Common and contains the words.
Potential new interchange hub.
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the rail lines around Streatham and Streatham Common stations.
Streatham Interchange station has been proposed and could be at the major junction to the North of Streatham Common station.
Trains on the following routes could call.
- Thameslink services on the Sutton Loop Line, through Wimbledon and Sutton.
- Various Southern services between London Bridge and Victoria in the North and Caterham, Croydon, Epsom and Sutton in the South.
- Fast services between Victoria and the Brighton Main Line pass through.
I have also seen speculation on respected web sites, that the Overground will be extended to the new Streatham Common Interchange.
I suspect Transport for London’s plans will improve the lot of many travellers.
Third-Rail Tram-Trains To Streatham
If Streatham Interchange is going to be an important hub, then surely, it should be served by the Tramlink.
Third-Rail tram-trains would be able to run from any of these power sources.
- Overhead electrification on tramways.
- Third-rail electrification on rail tracks.
- Batteries on any tracks, including those without any electrification.
Most power changeovers would take place at tram-stops or stations. Although, I suspect that changing bertween battery and third-rail power would be automatic.
Third-rail tram-trains could run into Streatham Interchange on any standard third-rail track and could use any platform, be it a through platform or a bay one, that is used by standard trains.
These are the two obvious routes.
Use The Sutton Loop Line From Mitcham Junction Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout at Mitcham Junction station and Tramlink between Mitcham and Beddington Lane tram stops.
Note that the black tracks are the Sutton Loop Line with Mitcham Eastfields station to the North and Hackbridge station to the South.
I think it would be possible, from what I have seen on other tram-train systems, to link the Sutton Loop Line to Tramlink, so that tram-trains could go between Bedddington Lane and a proposed Streatham Interchange.
A tram-train going between Croydon and Streatham Interchange would do the following.
- Stop in Beddington Lane tram stop.
- Drop the pantograph and change to battery power.
- Proceed to Mitcham Junction station.
- Connect to third-rail electrification.
- Run as a train to Streatham Interchange.
In the opposite direction, the sequence would be reversed.
Use The Sutton Loop Line From Wimbledon Station
This map from carto.metro.free.fr shows the track layout at Wimbledon station.
Haydons Road station is on the Sutton Loop Line going towards the proposed Streatham Interchange.
This picture shows a Thameslink train in Platform 9 and a tram in Platform 10b at Wimbledon station.
I think it could be possible to make Platform 10b into a bi-directional Tramlink platform to connect to Streatham Interchange.
Currently, twelve trams per hour turn at Wimbledon and I suspect that this needs two terminating platforms.
Conclusion
Connecting tram-trains at Wimbledon to the Sutton Loop Line may be tricky, but it should be easier at Mitcham Junction.
However, so long as Streatham Interchange has enough capacity for Tramlink services, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Clean Drivers To Sport Green Numberplates
The title of this post is the same as that as an article on page 11 of today’s Sunday Times.
The first paragraph gives a few more details.
Electric and hydrogen-powered cars, vans and taxis may be awarded green numberplates in a public display of virtue.Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, said giving clean vehicles a “green badge of honour” was a “brilliant way of helping increase awareness” ans “might just encourage people to think about” getting one themselves.
I think it’s a good idea and apparently Norway, Canada and China have green plates.
I like it as it would be easier to spot a battery taxi, which are so much nicer than the older models.
Jesse Norman, a junior Government minister is also thinking about tax breaks for e-Bikes and for ecargobikes for “last mile” deliveries.
The Anonymous Widower 