15484 posts
Hi Slowpoke,
They are indeed working on the route for some years now. We stayed in Zweisimmen in 2011 and even then this project was ongoing. Here’s what I know: the train change in Zweisimmen will no longer be necessary as of 2022 or so. Not because they are changing the tracks but because they will be using rolling stock that can operate on both narrow and normal gauge tracks. An installation to change from one gauge to the other will be installed in Zweisimmen.
There’s some brief information about it on http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass
7567 posts
Hi Arno-
Thanks for the update.
<<“Not because they are changing the tracks but because they will be using rolling stock that can operate on both narrow and normal gauge tracks.”>>
Hmmmn. I thought that they were going to lay a 3rd rail inside the standard gauge line to Spiez and Interlaken. So, now that I think about it, the track work further west would not be part of hat project.
However they do it, its interesting. Meter gauge on the Zentralbahn from Luzern to Meringen, then reversed direction, still meter gauge to Interlaken Ost.
Standard gauge from Interlaken Ost to Spiez and onward to Zweisimmen. The MOB line from Zweisimmen to Montreux is meter gauge and has rack sections on the descent to Montreux. That is the section where the panoramic trains run.
So, I wonder how that will be managed. I don’t think there is much standard gauge cograil equipment, so perhaps they’ll run the meter gauge rolling stock as far as IO.
If they can do that, unless there are voltage dfferences, I suppose it would be technically possible to pick up the Zentralbahn tracks to Luzern at IO, and go super panoramic all the way.
It would not surprise me if that is the goal.
Slowpoke
8889 posts
Unrelated to Golden Pass. Just a Swiss train snippet.
72625 posts
There’s more information about it here (in German):
http://www.bls.ch/de/unterneh men/medien/medienmitte ilungen/2018/03-12-bestellung-rollmaterial-mob-gpe
They expect the new trains, which will enable a transfer-free trip between Interlaken Ost and Montreux, to go into regular service at the December 2020 timetable change.
And here is some information about the works at Zweisimmen station:
http://www.bls.ch/en/unterneh men/projekte-und-hintergruende/bauproje kte/modernisierung-bahnhof-zweisimmen
Alpenrose
7567 posts
Thanks, Rockoyster.
A very useful link.
http://www.newlyswissed.com/f uture-of-swiss-train-travel/
For me, at least. 😉
Slowpoke
8889 posts
Attached for the English speakers . . . .