From Davos, we took a train over the Albula pass to Pontresina, from where we went back and forth over the Bernina line. Here are, without much comment, a few pictures from this trip:
Points no. 1, Davos Platz, 14.8.1988
Too close, too blurred:
RhB 623, Davos Platz, 14.8.1988
RhB 607, Davos Platz, 14.8.1988
Filisur:
RhB Be1 511, Filisur, 14.8.1988
RhB 706, Filisur, 14.8.1988
Points no.18, locally operated, Filisur, 14.8.1988
Many points on the RhB had already gotten claw blade locks—but the following set of points (whose number I do not know; might be no. 18 from above, but it is pointing the other way) had the traditional Swiss center lock, which presses the blades against the stock rails with an elbow lever:
Blade locks, Filisur, 14.8.1988
RhB, 14.8.1988
RhB, 14.8.1988
Preda station building, 14.8.1988
This type of double-slip points indicator was also used in Austria, but it has been replaced there with "Cauer's signals" that are also standard in Germany. However, in Switzerland, this type of indicator remained the standard type:
Souble-slip points, Pontresina, 14.8.1988
The following shots of the trip to Poschiavo and back are mere snapshots:
Snowplow, Pontresina, 14.8.1988
On this sunny day, some Bernina trains had open cars:
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
At Ospizio Bernina, the highest point of the line at 2,253 m (7,392 ft), the weighted points levers were mounted on pedestals at the hillside—maybe this helped to keep them clear of snow in the winter:
Ospizio Bernina, 14.8.1988
I took this miserably lighted picture of the famous curve at Alp Grüm, where the steep descent into the Val Poschiavo starts:
Alp Grüm, Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Going downwards on 7%:
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
At the approach to Poschiavo, the steep down-grade can also be seen:
Poschiavo, 14.8.1988
About an hour later, here is the train back:
Poschiavo, 14.8.1988
For some reason, I sawed off a piece of this "tractor":
RhB Ge 2/2 161, Poschiavo, 14.8.1988
On the way back, we enjoyed the open cars at the end of the train:
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
Once more, the tight curve at Alp Grüm, this time going upwards:
Bernina line, 14.8.1988
And then, a long train brought us to Thusis:
Landwasser viaduct, 14.8.1988
Thusis had an older interlocking panel. If I remember correctly, it was the last station on the Rhaetian Railway without a push-button panel:
Interlocking panel, Thusis, 14.8.1988
The following detail of the picture above shows the push buttons and the labels somewhat more readable. Apparently, only the outermost points were controlled from this panel. The points towards Sils (i.e., towards the Albula) is labelled inconsistently: On top, there is a label saying W21, whereas the number below the push button is W24:
Interlocking panel, Thusis, 14.8.1988
On the platform, there was another small panel. At the top, it had two voltage meters for the lines on both sides, both showing 11.5 kV at this time. Below, small track plans has lamps showing the points—however, only the indications for the outermost points are lighted. Maybe the switch on the right side is used to light them, or to reverse the points ... Below this small panel, another one controls two sets of flashing lights at level crossings.
Another interesting instrument, albeit not really railway-related, is the minimax thermometer on the right side: Small metal needles are pushed up by the mercury in the lower part of the instrument, while the alcohol on the left side expands or contracts. Thus, the needle on the left shows the minimum temperature, whereas the one on the right is moved up when the temperature increases. Below the instrument, there is a typewriter-written label saying "Maximum temperature: 28th July 1983, 3 p.m."—unfortunately, the actual value is missing from my photograph:
Points indicator panel, Thusis, 14.8.1988
Reichenau-Tamins controlled all stations on the lines to Chur, Thusis, and Disentis. The next picture shows the signalling panel, elegantly laid into a wood-panelled wall. The control table in front of it contains two panels, one for controlling the double-track line to Chur, the other one for the single-track lines to Thusis and Disentis. On the right, part of the panel for controlling the signals of Reichenau-Tamins can be seen:
Control panel of dispatching center Reichenau-Tamins, 14.8.1988
In the following picture, one can see that on this Sunday, all train traffic was running automatically: At each station, the indicator for automatic running is lighted. At Versam-Safien, a train has triggered both the home and the starting signal:
Control panel of dispatching center Reichenau-Tamins, 14.8.1988
The panel for manually controlling the signals, points, and barriers on the single-track lines is laid out for efficient operation: For each station, there is a single station button in the track plan. It can be pressed together with a function button in the lower part to trigger various effects. From left to right, these buttons have the following purposes:
- Locking and unlocking signals on the Chur side of each station, setting a route into the station, reversing the outermost set of points, setting a route leaving the station.
- Opening and closing of the barriers of up to three level crossings (in Switzerland, these are actually called "Barrieren").
- Points heating, timer reset (for what I do not know), "set up crossing" and "cancel crossing" (probably to tell the system whether an approaching train should trigger the starting signal or not), "running through points" (probably accepting such an event and indicating that the points are in order), emergency route unlock and emergency stop.
- And finally, the same functions as in the first item on the Thusis or Disentis side of each station.
Control panel of dispatching center Reichenau-Tamins, 14.8.1988
Finally, here is a picture of the control panel for the station tracks of Reichenau-Tamins. At the left, there is the double-track line to Chur, whereas the right side shows the junction where the lines to the Surselva and the Albula diverge. On the Integra panel, all the single function buttons are near the rim, whereas the track diagram contains only buttons for setting up various routes:
Control panel for Reichenau-Tamins station, 14.8.1988
The last train then brought us to Disentis, where we stayed overnight at a small hotel directly above the station tracks.
Update 2.5.2016: I am happy to announce that I can add English translations of comments by Hanspeter Thöni, who specializes in Swiss interlockings, to my postings. Here is his comment for this posting:
The "interlocking" at Thusis was actually a "block case:" When line block working was introduced, such cases were installed at many stations without interlocking frames. Originally, there existed no control of points. However, at later times, the points needed for crossings were provided with electric point machines, and controls for these where added to the cases in many installations. The two differing points numbers might be correct. As far as I know, the upper lamp is not a locking indicator, but an occupation indicator. These were necessary to control block working and return signals to stop. Therefore, the first set points [on each side] was equipped with a track circuit. As the electrified points might not necessarily be the first set of points, the different numbers might be correct.
Incidentally, one of these block cases is installed on my model railway.
The timer reset [at Reichenau-Tamins] is probably for the timer that switches off signal lamps. In earlier times, it was typical to switch off all signals when no trains were running (e.g., during the night).
Regarding "set up crossing" and "cancel crossing:" The automatic crossing operation of the RhB not only prevents clearing the starting signal, but is capable of executing the complete crossing automatically. If automatic crossing is activated, the following will happen:
- The first train will be routed to the track nearer to the station building (there are no overpasses or underpasses).
- After the first train has arrived, the home signal as well as the starting signal for the second train is cleared on the track farther from the station building.
- After the second train has arrived, the starting signal for the first train is cleared.
- The automatic crossing operation is cancelled so that it has to be activated manually for the next crossing.
[Hanspeter Thöni]
