Andermatt
Mention the name “Glacier Express” to almost anybody who visits Switzerland and visions of this world famous narrow gauge train will enter their mind. The constant publicity that this, the world’s “slowest express train”, has had ensures that the name “Glacier Express” is well known beyond the circles of railway enthusiasts. But how many of those who are familiar with its name know that the train isn’t just one service, but no less than four trains in each direction, all of which carry the name “Glacier Express”?
One of the key operational locations along the route of the “Glacier Express” is the junction station of Andermatt, located high in the Alps at the foot of the notorious Gotthard Pass road. Here passengers, especially it seems parties of Japanese tourists who haven’t the time to complete the entire route of the train, are brought by road coach to join the “Glacier Express”. A small army of railway workers oversees the transfer of luggage between road and rail. Until very recently Andermatt was also one of the locations that was used for the transfer of restaurant cars between westbound and eastbound services.
In addition to servicing the demands of this prestige service, Andermatt is also the operational hub of the eastern end of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) and its predecessor, the much loved Furka Oberalp Bahn. To the west is the line to Brig and, ultimately, Zermatt; to the north is the short and extremely steeply graded line down to Göschenen and the Gotthard main line whilst, to the east, is the line to Disentis and the connection to the Rhätische Bahn line for Chur and St. Moritz. This latter line clambers up the mountainside that towers above Andermatt on a rack assisted course that zigzags its way uphill.
At Andermatt can be found a large modern maintenance workshop and a surprisingly complex railway station, all located in a stunning setting. A recent holiday in Andermatt showed that station has a tremendous amount to offer a model railway enthusiast. Modellers wanting a compact location to model, which also offers a tremendous amount of operational interest, need look no further than Andermatt.
The development of the Furka Oberalp
Railways came relatively late to Andermatt, not surprisingly given its difficult location. The town had long been an important centre at the foot of the Gotthard Pass road with numerous hotels and inns. However, with the opening of the Gotthard railway tunnel, it lost much of its “raison d’être” and slipped into relative obscurity. Early in the twentieth century plans for an east-west metre gauge surfaced, buoyed up by the success of the opening of the metre gauge line from Visp to Zermatt.
In 1906 plans were put forward to build a metre gauge line from Brig to Disentis via Gletsch and Andermatt. In 1910 a new company was formed, the “Compagnie Suisse du Chemin de Fer de la Furka (Brig-Furka-Disentis)”, not surprisingly, generally shortened to BFD! Construction of the Brig to Gletsch section proceeded fairly rapidly with the line opening on 30th June 1914. Geological difficulties held up construction of the section on towards Andermatt, whilst the outbreak of World War One had serious implications for the financial survival of the BFD. By 1917 the construction of the Gletsch to Andermatt section had stopped. The line from Andermatt to Disentis was by now largely completed but wasn’t brought into service. By 1918 the BFD was in serious financial difficulties and services were only maintained with the help of the national and cantonal governments. Finally, in 1923, the BFD went into receivership.
Meanwhile Andermatt had been connected to the national rail network by the construction of the Schöllenenbahn from Göschenen on the Gotthard main line. The Schöllenenbahn (SchB) was founded in 1912 and was planned from the outset to be an electrified rack railway, using the Abt rack system and a voltage of 1200V DC. The line climbs up the Schöllenen gorge paralleling the Gotthard Pass road. The line opened for traffic on 12th June 1917.
Returning to the situation on the BFD, hopes for the completion of the line improved in 1925 with the formation of the Furka Oberalp Bahn, a company formed as a syndicate of the Cantons of Wallis, Uri and Graubünden together with the three neighbouring railways; the Visp-Zermatt Bahn, the Schöllenenbahn and the Rhätische Bahn. By the end of October 1925 the first train had run from Brig to Disentis with the actual opening being the following spring, on 19th June 1926. The through running was, however, limited to the summer season due to the impossibility of keeping the line open over the Furka and Oberalp Passes in the winter. As a result operations during the winter season were limited to the Brig to Oberwald and Sedrun to Disentis sections. With the opening of the FO line the first of the through workings, which could be said to be a precursor of the “Glacier Express”, commenced. These were through carriage from Göschenen to both Brig and Chur.
Although mention has already been made of the Visp-Zermatt Bahn there was, at this time, still a gap in the metre gauge network between Brig and Visp. In 1930 this section was finally completed and the stage was set for the “Glacier Express”. In June 1930 the first through train from St Moritz to Zermatt was operated limited, of course, to the four summer months as the passes were blocked for the rest of the year. In winter tourist traffic was, at this time, almost non-existent and only a sparse local service could be operated. The first signs of a future trend came in 1926 when ski trains were operated for the first time between Andermatt and Nätschen, the first station up the hill towards the Oberalp Pass. This is a service that continues to this day every winter season.
The FO was at this time a completely steam operated line using a variety of tank locomotives designed to operate on both adhesion and rack sections of the line. The FO was continually short of funds, with the Great Depression of the 1930s not helping matters and there was simply no chance of the company being able to afford the costs of electrification. With the outbreak of World War Two, circumstances changed as Andermatt was a key military centre, with a garrison being located in the town. The strategic importance of the Oberalp Pass led to the decision by the Federal Government to electrify and equip the section of line between Disentis and Andermatt with avalanche galleries, thus allowing all-year operations for the first time. On 29th May 1941 electric operations commenced with single phase AC current at 10.5kV 16⅔Hz being the chosen system. To work the newly electrified services four He 4/4 locomotives Nos. 31 to 34 were constructed, whilst the FO also received two BDeh 2/4 railcars Nos. 42 and 43.
The Schöllenenbahn infrastructure was also converted to the same voltage. The original Schöllenenbahn HGe2/2 four wheel rack locomotives No. 1-4 were completely rebuilt electrically, whilst a new BCFhe 2/4 railcar No 41 was put into service on the line.
Further west the section from Brig to Oberwald was completed in 1941 and, by the summer season of 1942, the whole line was operated throughout by electric power for the first time. Whilst the Furka Pass section, with the famous bridge that was folded up for the winter, remained closed during eight months of the year, the FO was now able to provide a year round service between Realp, Andermatt and Disentis.
After the return of peace a period of sustained growth in traffic levels commenced that has continued almost unbroken to the present day. In 1961 the Furka Oberalp merged with the Schöllenenbahn with the blue and cream livery.
Nevertheless the Furka Pass remained a tremendous obstacle to the development of traffic levels. There were enormous variations in loadings between winter and summer, together with the expense of clearing the line and repairing the damage caused during the winter to the high sections. Inevitably, talk turned to the possibility of constructing a base tunnel under the Furka. Eventually in 1973 construction of the tunnel started and continued for nearly ten years until it was opened on 25 June 1982. Considerable geological and constructional difficulties had to be overcome and the tunnel was seriously over budget, but finally the FO was able to offer an all year round service.
The benefits to both the local population and to visitors can hardly be overstated. As well as passenger trains, the FO also operates a year round car transporter service through the tunnel. Returning to the topic of the “Glacier Express” the most obvious effect of the tunnel’s construction was the ability to run the service all year round. Perhaps more importantly during the crucial summer season, from mid May to mid October, the tunnel would allow far more trains to be run to cater for demand. To illustrate this point the writer recalls his first trip on the “Glacier Express” in 1973 when there was but a single service scheduled in the height of the season. In the summer of 2005 traffic had increased to the extent that four trains ran each day carrying this name.
Andermatt station
As will be obvious from the plan that Andermatt has some complex trackwork , although this is all compressed into a surprisingly short overall length. The line from Brig crosses over the River Reuss before curving into the station. The main platforms are capable of holding trains of only about six coach lengths. There are three platform faces, with the island platform being connected to the main platform with a subway.
The station building itself is a rather unattractive, but extremely practical modern structure, whilst the island platform also has a modern canopy over much of its length. Freight facilities are minimal as virtually no freight is now carried by the MGB. The track by the goods shed still sees some use but largely for engineering and other railway orientated traffic. Adjacent to the station at the Brig end is the large seven track maintenance depot; it seems the normal practice to stable locomotives and carriages under cover when not in service, even during the summer months. Also to be found lurking in the darkness are the MGB's snow clearing machines.
At the east end of the station the Göschenen line curves through 90 degrees merging with a series of storage loops before heading off down the gorge. The Disentis line has an equally dramatic exit, crossing the main road into the village before immediately starting the rack section up to the Oberalp Pass. Trains leaving for Disentis crawl over the level crossing as their cogs engage on the rack section. If space allows, modelling the hillside with its railway clambering up the mountainside would make a superb spectacle.
Adjacent to the station can be found the bus stops for the various Post-buses that radiate from Andermatt, together with a large car park. This is usually filled with coaches carrying passengers to and from “Glacier Express”. Coaches from Grindelwald, in particular, are a daily feature, generally filled with parties of Japanese tourists. Modellers requiring totally authenticity will require some “Grindelwald Bus” coaches.
Several military buildings can be found in the station area; the warehouses behind the carriage storage loops, which appear to be rail connected, could form a useful backdrop on a layout, perhaps modelled in low relief.
Summer operation at Andermatt
Andermatt is one of the busiest stations to be found on the Swiss metre gauge and a day could easily be passed observing operations with relatively few long periods of inactivity. As can be expected operational practices vary from year to year but in this section I will try to present some of the key features of recent years and explain some of the background to them.
Starting first with the “Glacier Express” my timetable collection shows that in summer 1973 the train paused here from 11.56 to 12.08 on its way from St Moritz to Zermatt whilst the eastbound train stopped from 12.16 to 12.23. The westbound train conveyed a restaurant car from Chur to Andermatt which was detached at Andermatt to be added to the eastbound service. Clearly westbound passengers had to have an early lunch, although it has to be said that they train had left St Moritz at 07.20 so perhaps the passengers would be hungry earlier than usual!
Two further express or semi-fast services operated in each direction between Brig and Chur. Eastbound the trains called at Andermatt arriving at 11.04 and 18.08, whilst westbound services were at 13.10 and 16.16. These trains stopped at Andermatt for between 6 and 13 minutes. A third group of trains linked Brig with Disentis eastbound at 09.42 and 16.15 and westbound at 16.16 and 18.00. Brig to Andermatt trains arrived at 12.55 and 20.29 with return workings at 11.10 and 14.02. There were two Brig to Göschenen trains at 13.15 and 14.43 with balancing workings at 08.33 and 10.15.
Trains from Andermatt to Disentis departed at 07.33, 08.33 and 14.11, with the latter actually starting at Göschenen. In the opposite direction trains from Disentis arrived at Andermatt at 09.19, 10.11 on weekdays, or 11.03 on Sundays and finally at 19.25. To complete services on the main line of the FO there was an early morning working to Realp at 06.40 returning at 07.13. In short there were just thirteen scheduled trains in each direction every day. On the Schöllenenbahn there were an identical number of services between 06.05 and 21.22.
Jumping forwards thirty two years to the summer 2005 timetable we find a somewhat different pattern of train services is operated on the present day MGB. Eastbound “Glacier Expresses”, all from Zermatt, now call at 11.52/55 for Chur, 12.07/15, 12.42/55 and 13.07/15 (all to St. Moritz). The corresponding westbound trains stop at 13.44/47, 14.02/07 (both from St Moritz), 14.44/47 from Chur and 14.49/54 from St. Moritz. Except in the winter season, when only one train runs, the “Glacier Express” no longer exchanges restaurant cars at Andermatt; they are either changed at Disentis or work through to Brig. For a short period in the late 1990s and early 2000s one train in each direction ran to Davos Platz rather than St. Moritz but this service has now been discontinued.
Local services to Brig depart Andermatt on a regular interval basis almost hourly from 07.10 until 18.06. Most of these trains now operate through to Göschenen. As a result of the frequency of “Glacier Express” services this pattern is reduced at times to every two hours; a similar pattern applies in the opposite direction. On the line to Disentis a basic two hourly service Andermatt to Disentis service operates with one or two summer extras bringing the service up to hourly at certain times of the day. On the branch to Göschenen there are now two trains an hour ensuring passengers at Göschenen have good connections both north and south. Personal observation suggests that these connections are often over optimistically tight. Yes, trains on the narrow gauge frequently run a few minutes late despite what everybody imagines!
In summer 2005 there were 14 trains a day between Brig and Andermatt and 11 heading east towards Disentis. On the Göschenen line the total has doubled to 26 services a day.
Motive power and rolling stock
In the 1973 summer seasons power for the Furka Oberalp services was shared between three principle types. The HGe 4/4 BoBo electrics numbered 31 to 37 and built in four batches between 1940 and 1956 worked the principle services and some of the regional trains. The five BDeh 2/4 railcars, Nos. 41 to 45, which were built in 1941 and 1942 at the time of the conversion of the Schöllenenbahn, were used on both the main line and on trains to Göschenen.
By the early 1970s both the BDeh 2/4 railcars and the HGe2/2 locomotives were struggling to cope with the increased loadings on the steeply graded Schöllenenbahn, particularly in the winter sports season. It was also becoming operationally inconvenient to have so many passengers having to change trains at Andermatt. Therefore in 1972 FO ordered five powerful motor luggage railcars the Deh 4/4 type numbered 51 to 55. They were capable of hauling the new three car push-pull trains, or “Pendelzug”, on the steep section from Göschenen to Andermatt. They can also haul either one extra strengthening coach between Brig and Andermatt, or two between Andermatt and Disentis where gradients are less severe. The “Pendelzug” always have the Deh 4/4 at the Göschenen end of the train because of the exceptionally steep gradients on the Schöllenenbahn.
As a result of the success of these new trains FO ordered a further batch of six motor luggage railcars, the Deh 4/411, which were delivered in two batches in 1979 and 1984, being numbered 91 to 96. On the Brig to Andermatt section the type are allowed to haul an extra two vehicles, whilst on the Disentis line three extra coaches can be added. All of the Deh 4/4 type have received names of the towns and villages along the line.
Moving forwards to the opening of the Furka Base tunnel in 1982, a requirement for more powerful and faster motive power was foreseen. The locomotive that the FO ordered was the HGe 4/411, a type that was also purchased by the BVZ and the SBB for its Brunigbahn. The first locomotives Nos. 101 to 103 were placed into service in 1985, with Nos. 104 and 105 being taken over by the FO from SBB in 1990. The remaining three locomotives, Nos. 106 to 108 arrived in 1989. Today these locomotives, together with the former BVZ locomotives, Nos. 1 to 5, dominate the working of the “Glacier Express” and also appear on other workings, especially between Andermatt and Disentis. Since the amalgamation of the BVZ and FO into the MGB it is normal practice for the former BVZ and FO HGe4/4II locomotives to be used over the entire MGB network.
Lest it be thought that the old HGe 4/4s have faded completely from the scene I can assure readers that they remained active in 2005. During the winter season they were used on luggage in advance trains; I saw two workings made up of half a dozen vans during February 2005. I believe these trains operate on Fridays and Saturdays during the winter sports season. In August 2005 an HGe 4/4 also worked between Andermatt and Disentis on some local trains. From time to time MGB also uses the HGe 4/4s on nostalgic excursion trains of old four-wheel and bogie coaches.
One further locomotive type deserves a paragraph of its own. Tm2/2 no. 4973, the resident Andermatt shunting locomotive, has a rather interesting history. It was built in 1958 by the Ruhrtaler Lokfabrik and operated on the metre gauge Kerkerbachbahn, until this line was re-gauged in 1961. The locomotive was then rebuilt to standard gauge and following the takeover of the line by DB in 1975 became No. 333902. In 1979 the locomotive was sold to FO and was converted back to metre gauge.
Train formations
Operations at Andermatt are surprisingly intensive with all three platforms being used simultaneously many times each day. TM2/2 No 4973, is in almost continuous use shunting coaches. A typical duty for this locomotive will follow the arrival of a Brig to Göschenen train.
This will be a three car “Pendelzug” set with a Deh 4/4 at the Göschenen end of the train. Behind the “Pendelzug” set there will be either one or two strengthening coaches. These will be uncoupled whilst the train is standing in the platform, usually track 3. Once the train has departed for Göschenen the diesel shunter will move the empty carriages to one of the loops near the maintenance depot. Quite often these carriages will be of the older centre door stock with their gaudy “Sportwagen” livery depicting skiers, cyclists or hikers.
When the train returns from Göschenen these extra coaches will be added by the shunting locomotive to the rear of the Brig bound train, but this time they will be behind the Deh 4/4.
Tm2/2 no. 4973 has a rather interesting history. It was built in 1958 by the Ruhrtaler Lokfabrik and operated on the metre gauge Kerkerbachbahn, until this line was re-gauged in 1961. It was then rebuilt to standard gauge and following the takeover of the line by DB in 1975 No. 333902. In 1979 the locomotive was sold to FO and was converted back to metre gauge.
Local trains between Andermatt and Disentis show more variety in composition. Some trains are formed of “Pendelzug” stock and Deh 4/4s but others are locomotive hauled with HGe 4/4 and HGe 4/411 power. In these cases the train locomotive appears to do any necessary shunting.
During the summer months the four “Glacier Express” trains all exhibit different train formations. These are listed below and reflect my observations in August 2005.
1) St.Moritz to Zermatt: Restaurant Car and five MGB Panoramic coaches
2) St Moritz to Zermatt: MGB Panoramic coach, RhB 2nd,MGB 2nd, RhB 2nd, two MGB 2nd
3) Chur to Zermatt: RhB 2nd, MGB 2nd, RhB 2nd, MGB 2nd, two RhB 1st.
4) St Moritz to Zermatt: Restaurant Car, two MGB Panoramic coaches, RhB 2nd, two MGB 2nd
Identical formations were seen on the eastbound workings.
Freight operations play a very small part in the life of Andermatt’s railway. Engineering trains, such as ballast wagons, can be seen from time to time; I saw such a train behind one of the older HGe 4/4s, whilst four wheel vans appear from time to time. Quite what the two “Cardinal” liveried vans were doing sitting next to the goods shed one day I never did discover; I suspect that it would be a working connected with moving railway equipment rather than bring beer to Andermatt! Nevertheless the modeller wishing to operate some freight traffic does have some possibilities. Until recently the Swiss Post Office used to sort mail on trains and one of the postal vans was still to be seen in the formation of some trains in summer 2005.
Winter at Andermatt
Train services at Andermatt in the winter are significantly different to those in the summer. From mid October until the end of May there is but one “Glacier Express” in each direction. The westbound train arrives at 13.44 for a three minute halt, during which time the restaurant car is uncoupled from the rear of the train. At 13.55 the eastbound service arrives; the loco then couples the restaurant car to the front of the train, which departs for Chur and St. Moritz at 14.05. From my observations in February 2005 the loading of the train east of Andermatt is rarely more than four coaches, usually a couple of 2nd class RhB vehicles and two Panoramic 1st class coaches.
The basic Andermatt or Göschenen to Brig service operates as in the summer months, but with the addition of some extra trains at weekends. Some of the Göschenen to Andermatt shuttles are extended on Saturdays and Sundays, from the end of January to the beginning of April, as far as Reckingen. These services are to cater for the cross country skiers wishing to reach the Goms area between Oberwald and Reckingen.
On the Andermatt to Disentis line the winter timetable lasts from the second week in December until the beginning of April. Here the service caters for downhill skiers and tobogganing. An hourly service operates to Disentis with additional trains as far as Oberalppass giving a half-hourly service until midday. Perhaps not surprisingly these “Sportzug” return empty stock to Andermatt. On the main platform at Andermatt are the automatic Ski Pass gates used for these services; these would certainly be an unusual feature to model.
One feature of many of the Andermatt to Disentis trains is that they convey car transporter wagons between Andermatt and Sedrun. In the winter 2004 timetable seven trains on Mondays to Fridays and five on Saturdays and Sundays had up to three of these Skl-v wagons attached. Until the delivery of the HGe4/411 locomotives the Deh 4/411 railcars worked these car trains but, nowadays, they are usually handled by the more powerful locomotives. Cars are loaded on to the wagons at Andermatt where a loading ramp has been built at the end of the siding near the goods shed.
Of course one aspect of operations at Andermatt in the winter is the clearance of snow. Whenever snow is falling or strong winds may cause drifting, continuous ploughing of the line takes place. The MGB has a variety of snow clearing equipment ranging from relatively unsophisticated four wheel ploughs, which are usually propelled by one of the small Tm2/2 diesel locomotives, through to the large rotary ploughs. The sight of one of these being propelled through deep drifts by an HGm4/4 diesel is a sight the author will not forget.
Modelling operations at Andermatt
Modelling the FO and the MGB has become considerably easier in recent years with Bemo offering the key models needed to operate a layout based on the line. To increase visual interest I would recommend setting the layout in summer 2004 for, in that year, rolling stock was only just beginning to appear in the new white and red livery, whilst the old FO and BVZ colours could still be seen. Couple these three liveries with that of the RhB and it can be seen that there was considerable variety for a short time.
Bemo, at the time of writing, have produced models of all the motive power needed to operate Andermatt in recent years. The HGe 4/4 and HGe4/411 together with both varieties of Deh 4/4 are available in a variety of liveries and numbers. The key “Pendelzug” coaches are also available, although some of the other FO/MGB coaches are still to appear. All the necessary RhB coaches, including the “Gourmino” restaurant car, are also produced by Bemo as are the all important FO and BVZ Panoramic coaches. At the present time the diesel shunter Tm 2/2 hasn’t been made by Bemo but no doubt the inventive modeller could discover a suitable alternative.
In all of the many layout suggestions that I’ve penned for European Railways, and its predecessor ERR, I can think of none that offer such variety and interest in such a compact area. The old adage that Switzerland’s railways are just one big train set certainly seems to have some credibility when Andermatt is concerned. What I find so fascinating about the station is the combination of a true mountain railway that feels like a main line. It’s truly a heady mixture.