European Railroad Discussion > Swiss Alps, Part 5, SBB at Martigny, Switzerland, 7/27/26

Martigny is on the line between Lausanne, Switzerland, and Domodossola, Italy, by way of the Simplon Tunnel.  I am here from about 11:05 to about 13:15 and see 15 passenger trains, two 1-car freight trains and one MoW move.
1. This s/b train arrives shortly after I do.
2. MoW is working on yard tracks.
Unfortunately, not pictured, is a n/b high speed Italian EMU passenger train that doesn’t stop here.

Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:23 by GPutz.

---

---

3. On the south side of the station is this standard gauge TMR EMU that serves two branch lines in the mountains southeast of Martigny, and
4 & 5. switcher CH SBBC Tm 98 85 5 232 143-8 with one freight car.

Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:23 by GPutz.

---

---

---

6 – 8. This is a double passenger train.

Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:24 by GPutz.

---

---

---

9 & 10. Monthey is about 14 miles north of Martigny.
11. This s/b is the only freight train I picture.  There is an almost identical n/b that I’m not ready for.

Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:24 by GPutz.

---

---

---

12 & 13. A s/b EMU meets a n/b train, both stopping at the station.  Look at the crowds.

Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:25 by GPutz.

---

---

14 – 16. A s/b double deck EMU arrives at 12:26 and departs n/b at 12:32 for Annemasse, France, just south of Geneva, Switzerland, by way of the south side of Lac Leman, about 67 miles according to Google Maps.

Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:26 by GPutz.

---

---

---

17 – 19. A group of MoW equipment strolls by.
 
References:
Swiss locomotive/EMU classification seems very complicated to me, so good luck.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stock_used_by_Swiss_Federal_Railways
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_locomotive_and_railcar_classification
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/services-on-train/our-trains.html
 
Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/26 14:26 by GPutz.

---

---

---

GPutz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 6 – 8. This is a double passenger train.
>
> Gerry

That is either an IR90 (Geneva Airport-Brig) or an IR 95 (Lausanne-Brig) train, probably the former given its length. These operate an intensive service, with trains every 30 minutes.  Power is always Re 460 locomotives, operating in push-pull mode.  

  

GPutz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 14 – 16. A s/b double deck EMU arrives at 12:26
> and departs n/b at 12:32 for Annemasse, France,
> just south of Geneva, Switzerland, by way of the
> south side of Lac Leman, about 67 miles according
> to Google Maps.
>
> Gerry

There is no through route anymore on the south side of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva). This train will run along the north side of the lake and take a horseshoe route around Geneva and the west end of the lake, some of it with recently-built underground stations, and emerge into daylight at Annemasse on the other side of the border. 

From Annemasse one can travel eastward along the south side of the lake, but the line now terminates at Evian les Bains, where it has been severed. East of there, the line picks up again at St. Gingolph on the Swiss side of the border, and trains from there run to Martigny and farther east. 

The EMU is an RABe 511, built in Switzerland by Stadler. These come in four-car and six-car variants.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/26 02:21 by railsmith.

Thanks, railsmith, for the information on these trains.  Gerry

GPutz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 9 & 10. Monthey is about 14 miles north of
> Martigny.

Great catch with photos 9 & 10. This is the new generation Class 533 FLIRT Evo by Stadler, which has just entered service. SBB and two regional operators (one being the RegionAlpes shown here) have ordered 329 of these sets, which will become Switzerland's standard single-level train for regional services over the coming years. https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/services-on-train/our-trains/flirt-evo.html

These will displace the RBDe 560 "Domino" type (seen in photos 12 and 13), which date back to 1984.