simonbpOf the tourist activities of Nice, I don't recommend falling on an escalator and dislocating your shoulder. It ain't fun.
But I did manage to leave France a day early last night to dodge the strike today.
Now back on a Trenitalia InterCity to Milano. I really do like the new blue livery, but the old power sockets that have no room to plug anything in really let it down.
And finally for the Swiss portion of this trip, starting on the SBB ETR610 named after Goethe. Hopefully not a Faustian bargain.
Of all the weird Italian Right of Way equipment I've seen, a cement truck welded to a rail wagon has to be strangest. Makes sense, just not typical.
Made it through the Simplon Tunnel to Brig. Only passed through here once before, excited to spend a few nights.
Finally Swiss Narrow Gauge Time, starting on a ride on an MGB ABDeh4/10 that was initially full of very loud Swiss middle schoolers (thankfully they got off after 10 minutes).
Not bad scenery, but it's only the prelude.
And finally, Swiss Steam #1, the DFB HG 3/4 No.9, crossing the Furka Gap! It's pretty awesome tbh. Took a lot of these pics left handed with the camera sideways...
#steam #trains #Narrowgauge #switzerland
#steam #trains #Narrowgauge #switzerland
And then back to Oberwald on the same train, minus a carriage. The two carriages were mostly empty, which was a cool vibe. Felt chill after the phrenic photo taking of the morning.
And a return to Brig, this time in carriages pushed by a Deh 4/4 baggage locomotive (as in, a locomotive with a big space inside for luggage, particularly bikes). At one point, the train suddenly stopped and we could see the driver running back to the locomotive. When the train restarted, a flat monotone recording declared, "A solution to the problem has been found, the train will now continue".
First today was an SBB regional to Montreux pulled by an Re 460. Simple, fast enough, and reliable, the backbone of the Swiss network.
In order to ride behind this lovely little loco to the Blonay-Chamby railway museum. It's a Ge 4/4 built in 1916 for the RhB.
Lots of cool stuff at the museum, including an ex RhB rotary plow, the first steam tram built in Switzerland, and the sister of the locomotive I rode behind the day before.
And then the main attraction, a ride to Blonay and back to Chamby behind No. 105 Todnau, a 0-4+4-0 Prussian Mallet built in 1918. The ride had great views of the lake, and we stopped to do a blow down on the historic viaduct.
Then back down on the meter gauge MOB, and over to Vevey on an SBB double decker regional train
To go up the Mont Pèlerin funicular. It's a civic funicular that goes nowhere, but the views are nice.
And then across down on the trolleybus to the Glion funicular. It's even smaller, but the views were great in such perfect weather.
Sunday started with a train I've been looking forward to since I read about it, the gauge-changing Golden Pass Express! The first half is pulled by a MOB meter gauge loco, and then halfway that is detached, the carriages reconfigured to standard gauge on a special track, and a BLS standard gauge locomotive added on back. The entire gauge change experience was extremely fast and smooth and almost unnoticeable. After decades of hand wringing I'm so glad someone has finally cracked the gauge change nut.
Ben Brockert@simonbp That's interesting, I'm fairly sure there's a bunch of gauge changing trains in Spain. I always thought it was interesting going through the shed and would love to get a tour, but I didn't know they were uncommon.
@wikkit There are, though it's broad to standard gauge. Narrow to standard has been a lot harder to do. The Japanese worked on it for 20 years before giving up and putting the train in a museum.
Kevin Karhan 
AI6YR Ben