# 5 days in Switzerland.



## Neil_M (Dec 20, 2009)

Bit of a last minute plan, had some days with nothing much to do, the weather forecast was good, if cold, the Hotel Grishuna at Filisur had rooms available, and BA managed to offer a reasonable fare.

Flight on time, near enough, to Zurich, but slightly delayed getting off due to the plane door sticking shut! Oh well...

Weather overcast and snowing, not much good for photos, so decided to head to Filisur via the scenic route.

Zurich airport to Zurich on a double deck IC train, Zurich to Arth Goldau on an Italian Pendilino tilting train, Arth Goldau to Goschenen on an SBB IR train with a few older coaches on the front with the fully opening windows, then onto the metre gauge MGB line up the steep hill to Andermatt then change trains and over Oberalppass to Disentis, burst through the clouds near Oberalppass into bright sunlight and very deep snow, this was the area the train was knocked off the rails by an avalanche a week or so ago!

Change at Disentis onto the RhB system, and then again at Reichenau-Tamins onto a St Moritz bound train for the last leg to Filisur and the Hotel Grishuna on the end of the station platform.

The next 3 days was spend riding the RhB network and grabbing a few photos, mostly wonderful sunshine although it did get down to -26c at night! h34r:

Friday walked between Bever and Celerina, not far from St Moritz, in wonderful sunshine and crispy snow under foot, magical!

Had a few trips over the Bernina Pass, possibly my favourite route I have travelled on so far, and the restaurant at Alp Grum was open as well, which was most welcome...

I stayed for 4 nights at Filisur in the Hotel Grishuna, a wonderful place, rooms are functional, not flashy, but great views down the Albula Valley, reasonable prices ,75CHF a night, and a restaurant which is just fantastic, superb food.

Oh, and it is located about 10 paces off the end of the Chur bound platform, so its not that far to walk to the trains!

Anna and her staff run a great hotel, if you are ever in the area then stay there, highly recommended!

Home was yesterday, via Davos, Klosters, Landquart and Zurich, -22 at Klosters in the morning, snowing heavily south of Zurich, but as usual the Swiss just get on with it.

The Christmas market at Zurich Hbf provided a large Bratwurst and mulled wine for a quick lunch and kept the cold out!

Flew back home about 30 mins late and just glad I didn't use Eurostar....

Good few days, excellent Christmas gift to myself!!

Photos here, enjoy!

And Seasonal Festive Wishes to all you lot over there!

http://50031.fotopic.net/c1793893.html

http://50031.fotopic.net/c1793918.html


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 20, 2009)

As always great job Neil! The Swiss do know how to do winter, I'm sure you are aware of the mess we have over here in the NE, guess in a couple of more centuries we might learn how to handle winter storms! :lol: All the best to you and yours for the holidays and to all our cousins in the isles!


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## MikefromCrete (Dec 20, 2009)

Beautiful photos, Neil. Looks like another great trip.


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## gaspeamtrak (Dec 20, 2009)

WOW!!! Great pictures Neil! Thanks for the early Christmas present. 

I'm happy you weren't stuck on those stalled Eurostar trains in the Chunnel 

What the hell happened and how come this has never happened in the past winters? :huh: Only this winter? Something doesn't seem right! :unsure:

All the best Neil and have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!


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## WhoozOn1st (Dec 20, 2009)

Fine photos, Neil - although several didn't entirely make the leap - and captions are always appreciated. I gotta get a new camera.


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## Neil_M (Dec 20, 2009)

WhoozOn1st said:


> Fine photos, Neil - although several didn't entirely make the leap - and captions are always appreciated. I gotta get a new camera.


Just for you, been busy this afternoon and put captions on!

I hate all the typing!


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## Neil_M (Dec 20, 2009)

gaspeamtrak said:


> WOW!!! Great pictures Neil! Thanks for the early Christmas present.  I'm happy you weren't stuck on those stalled Eurostar trains in the Chunnel
> 
> What the hell happened and how come this has never happened in the past winters? :huh: Only this winter? Something doesn't seem right! :unsure:
> 
> All the best Neil and have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!


This particular type of Eurostar failure has happened before, but only maybe one train at a time, not several at once. The trains get very cold running across France at 186 mph and at this time of year can get very cold, then they enter the warm tunnel, which can be as warm as the mid 20s centigrade and condensation forms in the power cars and causes all manner of electrical nonsense.....

The fact that the trains are built to run on ordinary tracks in the UK mean they are smaller than the TGV design they are based on, so space is even more of a premium.

From what I have read elsewhere, it's not an easy fix, without major redesign or even new trains.


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## gaspeamtrak (Dec 20, 2009)

Neil_M said:


> gaspeamtrak said:
> 
> 
> > WOW!!! Great pictures Neil! Thanks for the early Christmas present.  I'm happy you weren't stuck on those stalled Eurostar trains in the Chunnel
> ...



Thanks for the explanation Neil.

They had better get this fixed somehow as it has been and public relations nightmare for Eurostar.  h34r:

It's been on the National news here in Canada and the USA.

Sigh, even rail is not dependable in the winter as it used to be...


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## Neil_M (Dec 20, 2009)

gaspeamtrak said:


> Thanks for the explanation Neil.They had better get this fixed somehow as it has been and public relations nightmare for Eurostar. h34r:
> 
> It's been on the National news here in Canada and the USA.
> 
> Sigh, even rail is not dependable in the winter as it used to be...


It's not the best time of year for something like this to happen, plus it is the main route to Paris and Brussels these days, so there is not even a lot of plane seats to fill. Ho hum.

Since moving to the HSL it has been very reliable, but there is no back up diversion for a lot of the route, obviously that would b a bit hard in the case of the tunnel anyway.


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## varnish (Dec 20, 2009)

Neil,

Thanks a whole lot for those GREAT Photos.....Fantastic.

I'm a fanatically devoted SwissRail enthusiast...that's what makes your photo-log so priceless.

I don't think there exists one kilometer of rails I have not travelled on during my last 17 visits.........

Boy....those SwissRail guys sure know how to run a railroad...

The area you visited is quite scenic and....buzy !! I've done the whole Bernina line as well as the Glacier Express line all the way to Brig. Winter and summer. One would be hardpressed to find a better vista than that line, on a sunny winter day....

Thanks again for a superb photo-log 

Cheers

Claude


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## Neil_M (Dec 21, 2009)

varnish said:


> Neil,Thanks a whole lot for those GREAT Photos.....Fantastic.
> 
> I'm a fanatically devoted SwissRail enthusiast...that's what makes your photo-log so priceless.
> 
> ...


Thanks mister! If you are into Swiss railways then I do have quite a lot of shots on my photo site, I normally go over a few times a year to sample well organised and wonderfully scenic railway operations!

The Bernina line is just wonderful.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Dec 21, 2009)

Thanks great photos.

In the second gallery loco 621 would you happen to know the model/manufacture?


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## Neil_M (Dec 21, 2009)

Long Train Runnin said:


> Thanks great photos.
> In the second gallery loco 621 would you happen to know the model/manufacture?


621 is a Ge 4/4 ll, one of the most common RhB locos, small and perfectly formed, still crank out 2,200 HP though.

http://www.rail-info.ch/RhB/technik/Ge_4_4_II.en.html

Built by SLM , now part of Stadler Rail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Locomot...d_Machine_Works

The Swiss don't tend go outside the country for their railway needs.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Dec 21, 2009)

Neil_M said:


> Long Train Runnin said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks great photos.
> ...


Very interesting thanks for posting all the links!


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## jis (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks for the great photos Neil. Having been to those places it brings back memories.


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