European Railroad Discussion > Gottard Pass Last week, 3 more weeks before new tunnel opens

Spent last week catching up on some photo locations that I have simply passed by since my last visit to Gottard Pass in 1973. Seems too many other things got in the way, so I took a week to catch some freight and passenger trains over the route that will soon only see one hourly local train and a few freights.  According to various sources (hard to get real info in english), after the early June "festive opening", freight traffic will operate through the new 57 km (approx 36 mile) tunnel that is almost centered under the existing 17 km (approx 10 mile) tunnel that was opened in 1882.   That would be like constructing a 40 mile tunnel under the Moffat Tunnel, effectively eliminating a lot of interesting curves and tunnels. 

So here is my take on what will soon be bypassed:

These photos taken at the north end of Erstfeld. This is the first station that will be bypassed by most traffic.  

1. Sign posted near the north portals, in Erstfeld. 
.2. The north portal of the new Gottard Tunnel.  Kind of utilitarian.  Right now fences block off most of the views.  Left is towards Zurich, right is south towards Italy. 
3.  Currently the old mainline has been pulled up.  To the left a bypass track has been built that passes over the new tunnel entrance. Northbound traffic (they run left handed in Switzerland) stays lower, while southbound traffic passes up and over the tunnel.  See next posting. 

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1. From same location as last posting, looking north.  On the left is the removed former mainline, and looking far away you can see the rerouted lines.  Train approaching is headed south over the tunnel on the new bypass
2.  Same train as above headed up the short hill over the bypass.
3. Same lcoation looking south, this is a northbound train to Zurich about to pass the new tunnel portal.

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1. Existing loco servicing shops at Erstfeld. These shops will be bypassed and are posted as closing by the end of May, this year.   Shops had been located here for over 100 years. 


Next a few trains at Erstfeld station

2. Souothbound local departing Erstfeld. This train operates almost hourly between Zurich and Milan. The same train , or some version of it, is supposed to keep running over the pass servicing a few local stops.  All other passenger trains will be rerouted by early fall according to some postings. 

3. NEW rail waiting to be installed on mainlline through the station. One wonders why this is planned if little traffic is to be operated over this line within 6 months.   

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Last of the in station shots for a while as we move up the line along the highways. 

1. Just north of Erstfled a the northbound local comes down off the hill. 
2. Just past Amsteg are some large bridges.  Later we will drive up the narrow wiinding road in the background for some different views.  Train on bridge is headed north. 

3. Taken from about 100 feet from shot 2, here is a southbound MU that is being assisted by an electric loco. 

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1, Taken from location just south of Amsted, the southbound European Orient Express snuck up on me.  

2.3  A few southbound freights.  Usually a freight train would follow a passenger train by about 4-8 minutes, then a short lul, followed by another freight or a passenger train. 
 

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Returning back to Amsted and taking the winding road up behind the bridge offers a few overlook locations.  They also run a full sized "Post Bus" up and down that road every hour or two requiring one to move from any spot that might block traffic passing.  

The second shot shows the line looking south with a northbound freight about to pass over the big bridge. 

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Moving a few miles south to Intschi one finds several S curves as the grade climbs the pass.   One day it did pour down rain, as can be seen by the lack of blue skies. 

 

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A few more miles up the line, just north of Gurtnellen is an overlook above the main highway.  You have to drive up a logging road to get to this location, and park on top of an avlanche cover over the motorway. 
 

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More from the overlook above the motorway. 

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Wassen Loops area.  This is probably the best area for multiple shots of the same train without needing to move more than 3 feet.  Also great views of the Wassen Church which sits on a hill.   Too many locations to post, plus I could have spent a week just hiking around different trails to get variouis views.   

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More from the Wassen area.  Again, too many locations, too little time (and too little money, Switzerland is expensive!)

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Movig along to the current Gottard Pass Summit tunel at Goeschenen I'll just post a few shots. This is the most poplar station for railfans as the local train makes a stop here to connect with the Furka narrow gauge line  A few freights passed while I was there, along with some passenger traffic.  Last view gives an idea of the grade. The arriving train is about to enter the almost level station trackage and you can see the grade dropping off behind the train. 

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1. At the summit, one of the through southbound trains is entering Gottard Tunnel. 
2  A few minutes later the northbound "local" to Zurich exists the Gottard Tunnel about to make its station stop. 
3. Meanwhile the hourly Furka shuttle from Andermatt (15 minutes away) arrives. This is a meter gauge line.

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The other side of the Gottard Tunnel (south portal) at the town  Airlo of is impossible to photograph as it is hidden under a highway bridge.  

1. Northbound local departs Airlo station about to enter the Gottard Tunnel 
2. Just south of Airlo the local is about to arrive at the summit station. 
3. 5 miles south of Airlo at Rodi-Fresso station the southbound local is shown departing, heading towards the first set of loops (spiral tunnels) on the south side of Gottard Pass.  All of this will be bypassed by most trains starting in June. 

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The Rodi-Fiesso loops area looks great on a map, but loops are impossible to photograh (most of the track is in a spiral tunnel!), So here are some views of the tracks approaching these tunnels. 

2nd 3rd photo show the same northbound loco hauled passenger train, 34d photo shows a soughtbound train above the loops. These trains will pass inside the spiral tunnel. Next posting shows that same upper train passing below after a few minutes. 

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1. Same train as previous post exiting the spiral tunnel. 
2. After  long hike to get under the highway bridge foir a few differnet views.
3. Finally from under the highway bridge,looking back to the postion of the last postings. 
 

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THANKS  for posting these photos.

Many of us have not the time or money to visit this great country and its rail operations.

Views from across the valley after driving up another winding road. Same set of loops but looking northward from a higher vantagepoint.   Plus, you gotta have at least one photo with cows in Switzerland.  Bells were ringing.....

Last view a grab shot of a northbound train about to enter the lower spriral tunnel at this location. 



 

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1. View from the same location as last photo last posting, but after hiking up the hill a ways.  This is a northbound local train just after departing Faido. 
2. Same location as 1, but further up the hiking path. 
3. After passage of 3 more passenger trains finally a freight came by

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A few freight moves, including a meet,  just north of the famous Giornici Loops.  Next I moved a bit south to get to the loops. 

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