Brunig
line No.1063 is to the rear whilst in the foreground is G3/3 No.6 'Waldenburg'.
October 4 2003
'Verkehrshaus'
The
Swiss State Transport Museum, Lucerne
October 4 2003
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Brunig
line No.1063 is to the rear whilst in the foreground is G3/3 No.6 'Waldenburg'.
October 4 2003 |
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No.9
used to run of the world's steepest rack railway - the Pilatus Bahn. The
line opened in 1889 and was steam operated until electrification was completed
in 1937. October 4 2003 |
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Pilatus
Bahn steam railcar No.9 was built by SLM in 1888. October 4 2003 |
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With
the boiler sideways the firehole door had to be in the side wall of the
firebox. Given the small opening and the restricted cab space these locomotives
could not have been the easiest to fire. October 4 2003 |
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A
view looking 'uphill' from under the cab toward the cylinders with the
slide valve on the outside. Also visible is some of the mechanism to turn
the drive thought 90° and one of the two rack cogs. On the Pilatus
Bahn the central rack bar has the toothed edge facing outwards horizontally
and not upwards as on all other lines. There are teeth on either side
of the bar to each rack fitted vehicle has two cog wheels, one for either
side of the bar. October 4 2003 |
A view looking up from the floor to the underside of the railcar under the passenger compartment. Note the wheel flange is on the outer face of the rail. October 4 2003
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This
is Class C5/6 2-10-0 4 cylinder compound 2965 which was built in 1916
for the SBB. It was not withdrawn from service until 1964. The high pressure
cylinders are inside the frames. Note the lack of sharp bends in the main
steam pipes and the spark arrestor cage around the blast pipe. October
4 2003 |
The crank axle is a fairly substantial piece of kit. It has the advantage of not having to support eccentrics for the valvegear. The inside motion is derived from the outside via rockers. October 4 2003
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The
low pressure cylinders are huge - 690mm (27") diameter by 640mm (25")
stroke. October 4 2003 |
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2965's
conical smokebox door with the very Swiss lamp. October 4 2003 |
'Gnom' is a 2-2-0 built in Olten in 1870. It is an early rack and adhesion tank with the rack being of the Riggenbach type. October 4 2003
This shows the Riggenbach rack cog wheel and some of the Allen straight link valvegear. October 4 2003
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Later
rack and adhesion locomotives permanently operate the adhesion side with
the rack being cut in and out as required. Gnom is the reverse. A very
primitive dog clutch is used to engage and disengage the the adhesion
drive. I would imagine this clutch was engaged at very low speed ! October
4 2003 |
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This
works shunting locomotive is somewhat different too ! Built in 1927 this
Ta 2/2 971. Not only is it tiny and battery operated but to facilitate
shunting the buffers act as electro magnets ! It was in use until 1992.
October 4 2003 |
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Class
E 2/2 11 is a 0-4-0WT built in 1881 for the construction of the Gotthard
Pass line. The drive from the cylinders is via a series of levers on the
system developed by Brown. October 4 2003 |
Outside this lovely model of a Climax geared locomotive was giving rides. October 4 2003
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The
Vitznau Rigi Bahn was the first rack railway in Switzerland. This model
shows the Riggenbach rack system used to this day. October 4 2003 |
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One
of the very early Rigi locos, No.7, is on display. The locomotive is a
rack only machine built in 1873. The large vertical boiler is very prominent
! Originally passenger travelled in the front section of the locomotive.
October 4 2003 |
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Rigi Bahn No.7 is another locomotive with Allen Straight Link valvegear. October 4 2003
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750mm
gauge 0-6-0t G3/3 No.6 'Waldenburg' was built in 1912 for the Waldenburg
Railway. It was preserved on withdrawal in 1958 by a group of enthusiasts
eventually becoming the first locomotive to enter the Verkehrshaus. October
4 2003 |
With most of the locomotives studied there was enough time to very quickly have a look at some of the, again very interesting, ship related exhibits. Once this was done and the shop had been visited it was time to make our way back to Lucerne railway station. Instead of taking another expensive taxi we decided to check out the ferry times across the lake. We were in luck so waited the ten minutes or so for a ferry to take us to the jetty opposite the station.
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The
ferry for Lucerne approaches the jetty at Lido. Sadly this ferry is diesel
powered. October 4 2003 |
The clouds were down on Mount Pilatus. Lucerne is off to the right. October 4 2003
This is the view more of less south as the ferry crosses Lake Lucerne. Sadly the mountains are shrouded in mist. October 4 2003
Uri is one of the paddle steamers on Lake Lucerne. Sadly it was stored for the winter and not in service. October 4 2003
Once back at the station we had a bit of time before out train to Interlaken so had a bite to eat and recovered our luggage.
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Back
at Lucerne station we boarded the next metre gauge service for Interlaken
for the run via the Brunig Pass. October 4 2003 |
One of the very numerous Class 460 electrics stands at the head of a set of double deck carriages in Lucerne station. October 4 2003
Sadly given the time of year and time of train most of the trip over the Brunig Pass and onwards to Interlaken made in the dark. Whilst the views may have been lost the rack sections could not fail to impress. Once the rack was engaged the speed with which the train climbed was very impressive indeed. Needless to say the service ran to time.
Once in Interlaken we took a taxi to out hotel and relaxed !
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This
was the night time view from the hotel room balcony in Interlaken. October
4 2003 |
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