European Railroad Discussion > Switzerland: Rhätische Bahn: Regular Service Passenger Trains

While in the Swiss Canton of Graubünden to photograph a steam special on Rhätische Bahn (Rhaetian Railway), many regular service RhB passenger trains were seen.  Several images follow:

Image 1: RhB Bernina Express approaching Castrisch, February 16, 2019: 14:31
Image 2: RhB 621 at Trun, February 17, 2019: 11:57
Image 3: RhB 623 Glacier Express departing Sumvitg - Cumpadials, February 17, 2019: 12:26

Rhätische Bahn: https://www.rhb.ch/en/home

---

---

---

Tourists seem to like the newer Glacier Express cars with windows everywhere. But they don't open!  The older cars no used primarily on local trains still have windows that open although for some reason, the Swiss sometimes frown on the practice. You can still cover the entire Glacier Express route using a combination of local trains over the three operating railways. 

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tourists seem to like the newer Glacier Express
> cars with windows everywhere. But they don't
> open!  The older cars no used primarily on local
> trains still have windows that open although for
> some reason, the Swiss sometimes frown on the
> practice. You can still cover the entire Glacier
> Express route using a combination of local trains
> over the three operating railways. 

The Alvra six-car coach sets now in use on Chur-St. Moritz trains have a photographers' compartment at the south end of the set, complete with opening windows -- power opening!

I posted photos of these near the end of a thread by bakersfielddave some time ago. Have a look.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,4680382
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/19 03:56 by railsmith.

Milepost_130 Wrote:
>
> Image 1: RhB Bernina Express approaching
> Castrisch, February 16, 2019

A.  Is that a Bernina Express, or just a pair of Bernina coaches ?

B.  Thank you for the photos of the Alvra sets.  The use of the term "Gliederzug" for a fixed formation but non-articulated set is interesting;  I am surprised there is a photographers' zone in 2nd class, but not in 1st class.   Are these sets air brake only ?
     Since some RhB locos are being converted to dual braking [ besides the auto train ones ] are the Glacier cars still dual braked ?

With best regards, SZ

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tourists seem to like the newer Glacier Express
> cars with windows everywhere. But they don't
> open!  The older cars no used primarily on local
> trains still have windows that open although for
> some reason, the Swiss sometimes frown on the
> practice. 

It seems that some Swiss and Germans have an aversion to drafts. Be prepared for a stern "Es zieht!" if you create a draft. The phrase literally means "it pulls." 

I knew one German who would wear a wool headband in an air-conditioned room, but would hike bareheaded up a mountain in the winter.  

Steinzeit2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> B.  Thank you for the photos of the Alvra sets. 
> The use of the term "Gliederzug" for a fixed
> formation but non-articulated set is
> interesting;  I am surprised there is a
> photographers' zone in 2nd class, but not in 1st
> class.   Are these sets air brake only ?
>      Since some RhB locos are being converted
> to dual braking [ besides the auto train ones ]
> are the Glacier cars still dual braked ?

In its English publicity material, RhB refers to the Alvra sets as articulated but they are definitely not - the cars do not share trucks (bogies). I tried looking for the internal coupling arrangement between the cars but the diaphragm/gangway comes down too far to see the couplings.  I don't know about their braking systems.
 

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can still cover the entire Glacier
> Express route using a combination of local trains
> over the three operating railways. 
Only two Railways now, the Brig-Visp-Zermatt Bahn, and the Furka Oberalp Bahn merged back in 2003 to form the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn(MGB).