European Railroad Discussion > Brenner Pass September 2018

late September i spent a week in Italy  coming in from Innsbruck i took time to spend an afternoon at St Jodok just on the Austrian side of the border 

freights were running at regular intervals and a few inter city trains as well 

the scenery speaks for itself

the electrified roundhouse at Innsbruck with the cobweb of catenery

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Brennero ,Italian steel train departing southbound.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/18 04:31 by bakersfielddave.

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OBB  local electric train hraded for Innsbruck from Brennero at St Jodok ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/18 04:32 by bakersfielddave.

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the sign says dont go any further.. crossing the line is verboten.....



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/18 04:36 by bakersfielddave.

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.....;some of the freights were only a block behind each other and a few had to wait for a few minutes for clearance

the majority are conveying trucks and their drivers accomodated in a coach  

a number had manned helper engines as the grade is very severe here

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,..,

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Neat to see the truck drivers enjoying the ride.

This past June my family and I rode a train from Rosenheim, Germany to Bologna, Italy and we passed through there.  It's truly a amazing stretch of railroad.  At Brennero they were setting retainers for our descent. 

On the Italian side, I would have liked to have ridden the line before the 4.5-mile Pflersch Tunnel was built, which was completed in 1999. This replaced a scenic and circuitous line segment that featured the 2,946 foot spiral Astor Tunnel.  The old right of way is now a hiking and biking trail, complete with an abandoned station. 

https://goo.gl/maps/7nWyFC1vEfQ2  

This whole area and operation pattern will drastically change after the now-under-construction 34-mile Brenner Base Tunnel opens, scheduled for 2026. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/18 21:35 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

With all of the trains and the wonderful scenery, why in the world do you need an Outlet Center at the Brenner Pass or anywhere else in the Alps?  It's worse than having outlet malls on the Oregon coast (which we unfortunately do).  Get out of the stores and hike in, or at least look at, the mountains.

BobB Wrote:
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> With all of the trains and the wonderful scenery,
> why in the world do you need an Outlet Center at
> the Brenner Pass or anywhere else in the Alps? 
> It's worse than having outlet malls on the Oregon
> coast (which we unfortunately do).  Get out of
> the stores and hike in, or at least look at, the
> mountains.

While I personally agree with you, don't forget that there are of course people who live in the Alps who need to shop (and for whom the scenery is an everyday thing). But the main reason for having one here is the fact that they can tap into the *massive* market of northern and central Europeans who travel this route to holiday in the Alps or in the warmer climes of Italy. The topography actually channels your customer base onto but a few main routes (primarily: Brenner, Semmering, Gotthard, and Lötschberg). It's pretty much the same reason why you often find outlet centers near major highways. Where there is traffic, there are potential customers -- simple as that.

I want to retire to there....

BobB Wrote:
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> Get out of the stores and hike in, or at least look at, the
> mountains.

Well said

some more

southbound OBB freights seem to coast into Brennero yard with the Pantographs lowered then stop for a loco change

this fully loaded  southbound auto train ....can any one tell us the model of the cars being conveyed  and about how many there are ?

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...helper engine returning from Brennero towards Innsbruck  ,sometimes these were attached to the rear of northbound freights  to provide extra braking

local train heading south


southbound intermodal lightly loaded

 

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northbound  truck train with specially painted Berlin loco   many truckers were at windows taking photos enjoying the views on every rola train

and the obligatory 'station cat '..although this one seemed to be interested in something below  in a field



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/18 23:59 by bakersfielddave.

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bakersfielddave Wrote:
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> some more
>
> southbound OBB freights seem to coast into
> Brennero yard with the Pantographs lowered then
> stop for a loco change

Power supply changes part way down the yard track, from 15kV 16.7 Hz AC in Austria to 3kV DC in Italy. Normally the Austrian locomotives are shunted back to their own end by a diesel, but occasionally they are just kick back to the Austrian end by an Italian e-lok. Then of course many newer locomotives are multi-system so all they need to do is switch which pantograph they are using, of course they do have to coast through the neutral section.

> this fully loaded  southbound auto train ....can
> any one tell us the model of the cars being
> conveyed  and about how many there are ?

It looks like various Volkswagen Group products. No idea how many are being carried.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/18 22:43 by SOO6617.