View From Pontresina Bahnhof Parking Lot, Pontresina, Switzerland, 1998

The Bernina Express

The Bernina Express is a Swiss (but not technically SBB) narrow-gauge train of the Rhatische Bahn which runs from St. Moritz to Tirano on the Italian border. I took the trip over the Christmas Break of 1998, and it stands out in my mind as one of the most amazing train trips I've ever taken. The scenery was amazing, the train exotic, and my camera worked perfectly. :-) I've put these in an ord…  (read more)

30 Nov 2007

293 visits

Cavaglia Bahnhof, Switzerland, 1998

Cavaglia Bahnhof is interesting in that it has an altitude marker on it, giving an idea of how high up this line is.

30 Nov 2007

348 visits

Altitude Marker and Station Sign, Cavaglia, Switzerland, 1998

There's the altitude marker...1693 meters, or 5555 feet!! The Rhatische Bahn is by no means the highest railway in the world, but it's certainly at a higher altitude than average!!

30 Nov 2007

308 visits

Swiss Landscape, Picture 19, Switzerland, 1998

I'm fairly certain that I took this on the way down into Italy.

30 Nov 2007

265 visits

Swiss Landscape, Picture 20, Switzerland, 1998

Here the downgrade is really noticeable, as we're approaching the Italian border.

30 Nov 2007

293 visits

Swiss Railway Viaduct, Switzerland, 1998

The route from Pontresina to Tirano is steeply graded, but less so than it could have been. Because it is a rail line, frequented by mostly conventional trains using bare steel wheels on bare steel rails, there are still limits as to what the trains can take. Therefore, there are a number of rail spirals, like this one, and switchbacks as well. That building we're heading into is a snowshed.

30 Nov 2007

261 visits

Swiss Railway Snow Shed, Switzerland, 1998

Here's a shot taken from the snowshed.

30 Nov 2007

453 visits

Swiss Railway Snow Shed, Picture 2, Switzerland, 1998

The Rhatische Bahn also has a number of concrete snowsheds, in addition to the traditional wooden ones. Here's one of them.

30 Nov 2007

709 visits

Swiss Railway Snow Shed, Picture 3, Switzerland, 1998

And....here's another snowshed shot. :-)
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