Rhaetische Bahn Steam Day

[faded_Glory]

Earlier this month I took a trip to Switzerland, my first one in years and my first one entirely by rail. I ticked most of the touristy boxes like the Golden Pass Express, the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express, and I also went to the Lucerne Transport Museum and rode the Centovalli Line from Locarno to Domodossola. The high point in more than one sense was undoubtedly the trip from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch.

 

I had planned my trip so I could take part in the Rhaetische Bahn Steam Weekend on October 14 and 15. Specifically, I rode the vintage steam train from Samedan to Surava, and back via Filisur to Berguen/Bravougn on October 14th. The trip included a visit to the Albula museum with lunch. The steam train was pulled by Ge 3/4 11 'Heidi' and consisted of four 4-wheel vintage coaches (with very hard wooden benches!). The train staff was all dressed up in period uniforms, and a good time was had by all.

 

Here are some of the pictures I took:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by faded_Glory

[faded_Glory]

The engine ran round the train in Surava, and then it was turned in Filisur. We stopped for an hour there to allow the operation to fit in with the ordinary services (Filisur station is quite busy on a Saturday morning). After that we rode to Berguen/Bravougn for lunch and the museum.

 

I bailed out early and took a normal train back to Samedan because I wanted to have time to go up and down to Scuol as well. Besides, the seats in the modern trains are a lot more comfortable ;)

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by faded_Glory

[faded_Glory]

There was a lot to see in Filisur during our stopover: Ge 4/4 II 620 with the Glacier Express, Ge 4/4 I 605 with some heritage coaches, Ge 4/4/ III 648 'Watson' with an ordinary service, and another normal service with red Ge 4/4 III 644 (with world record graphics).

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by faded_Glory

[faded_Glory]

Passengers were given a programme laid out as a vintage paper, the 'Engadiner Dampfpost' which was a nice touch.  Also, at the station of Berguen/Bravough there was a brass band (the 'Blasmusik Rhaetische Bahn') on the forecourt playing traditional music. Tickets for the museum were old-fashioned cardboard ones. Lunch was as a group on long tables in the loft of the museum.

 

All in all a lot of fun, and worth going to if you happen to be in the right place at the right time.

 

Back in Samedan I saw a train passing with a Gourmino coach, and waiting in a siding a container train dual-headed by two Ge 4/4 II's (633 and 622).

Edited October 31, 2023 by faded_Glory

[faded_Glory]

Let me link to a couple of short vids:

 

The start of the day in Samedan (unfortunately photobombed):

 

 

After turning the engine in Filisur:

 

 

And the Blasmusik :)

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by faded_Glory

[Samedan]

I’ve done plenty of holidays to Switzerland, but only one what I would call a full-on rail-riding week, which was for my 50th, alas some years ago now, with my son as my travelling companion. He still complains of exhaustion to this day (Millenial snowflake!) 😊. I travel with my wife, who likes train travel, but not quite as intensively as I would like. I hope that, one day, I might sneak in a heritage rail day such as this. 

[faded_Glory]

I travel mostly by myself these days. I got a flexible 10-day Interrail card (10 train days within 2 months) so I could take breaks from the trains. Although, in fact I only had one totally train-free day (on the way back I stayed for a day in Aachen to see the sights of the town). My off-day in Lucerne was largely spent in the Museum of Transport, and there are plenty of trains there :)

 

I ended up using only 9 days of the card (in a 13 day period) - I knew that the card only gives a discount on the Interlaken - Jungfraujoch trip and not free travel, but I hadn't realised that you don't actually have to use up a train day for that, all you need is for the pass to be valid on the day you go there. So I still have a leftover day, but I can't use it in the UK and I have already used my inbound and outbound journeys. I suppose I could fly to somewhere in Europe and use the free train day there, but hey ho :)

Edited November 9, 2023 by faded_Glory