Old/Unusual Traction in Switzerland

[lbradshaw55]

Planning a possible trip to Switzerland in the summer. Can anyone suggest some areas/railways which still run older types of traction (locos, units etc.) (1980s or older). I’m looking for normal passenger railways, but heritage lines are fine.

Also, do Re420s still haul any passenger trains? If so, what’s the best place to find them?

 

[StephenHunter]

The 420s still haul sleeper trains out of Zurich, I believe.

 

[30907]

A couple of sites that may help, though not completely updated for 2025 yet, but confirming the 420s.
https://www.reisezuege.ch/

vagonWEB » Řazení vlaků » 2026

www.vagonweb.cz

A couple of minor lines:
Yverdon - Ste-Croix (ISTR repurposed trams), due for rebuilding
Le Locle - Les Brenets (a trad 50s/60s railcar), still open - just!

RhB loco-hauled stock on the Disentis and Scuol-Tarasp routes, on the way out (or even gone?) plus the Filisur-Davos tourist working (Crocodile?).

 

[Segedunum]

I can second Le Locle to Les Brenets. I did it in 2022 when it was supposedly about to shut for good, but as @30907 says it's had a reprieve - until at least 2031:

The train that connects Le Locle and Les Brenets (NE) will continue to run at least until 2031, i.e. for the duration of the work on the bypass road around the watchmaking town. The line is under threat of being replaced by a bus.
Nicknamed the "Regional", this train is a real tourist attraction and provides a service to Brenassier students attending school in Le Locle, as well as to workers, recalled the association "from the Régio to the Neuchâtel RER ".
According to her, the reprieve granted to this short railway line of around 4 kilometres is a victory in a stage, but the fight must continue. "It is appropriate to introduce a half-hourly cadence to ensure a systematic connection with the trains at Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds. And it will be necessary to set up car parks so that cross-border workers can use the railway line in greater numbers," she argued.

 

[bahnause]

There are refurbished "Lion" units with top and tail Re420. You can find the during monday to friday peak around Zürich on the S19 and some other lines.

 

[nwales58]

If Rheineck-Walzenhausen is still running (about to be modernised) it's a 65-year old single car and the start *on* the platform at Rheineck is amusing.

Schynigge Platte is *110* year old electric locos though the coaches seem more recent.

Edit: more keep coming to mind ...
Arth-Rigi (the blue units) are a mixture of ages, some 1950s some more recent for the time being. The Vitznau side seems only to use the new Stadler units.

and of course Brienzer Rothorn Bahn, now that the heroic work to dig it out of the 2024 landslides is finished.

 

[DanielB]

Rorschach - Heiden is also a great route, though the units are not that old. But during summer an open top car is attached making the great views even greater.
Also an old unit on a line under threat is Altstätten - Gais, once again with open top cars attached during summer.

Those three lines near eachother are easily combined in one day like I did in 2023, for some inspiration my trip report (in Dutch, though translators may help)

 

[robvulpes]

A couple of minor lines:
Yverdon - Ste-Croix (ISTR repurposed trams), due for rebuilding

I think you are confusing two different lines, near each other. Yverdon - Ste-Croix is metre gauge with typical Swiss light railway units, not (AFAIK) due for rebuilding as it has been gradually modernised over the last decade or so. Orbe - Chavornay is standard gauge at 750v dc, currently using second hand ex-Karlsruhe tram-trains, due to be re-electrified on Swiss standard voltage (15Kv ac) in the next few years. The lower part of the short line (c. 4km) has extensive diesel-hauled freight working on/off the SBB main line. The operating company Travys operates both lines. Chavornay is about 12km by main line from Yverdon.

 

[blackfive460]

RhB loco-hauled stock on the Disentis and Scuol-Tarasp routes, on the way out (or even gone?) plus the Filisur-Davos tourist working (Crocodile?).

Disentis and Scuol-Tarasp have been Capricorns since last year.
The only only passenger services to be booked for Ge 4/4 II are Glacier Express from St.. Moritz to Disentis.
The Davos - Filisur heritage train should run again this year but not with a Croc. Like last year it should be Ge 4/4 I.

The RhB publish the daily allocations online at the link below.

Locomotive allocations

Which engine is in service and where? The table showing details of daily and seasonal locomotive allocations provides further information.

www.rhb.ch

 

[30907]

I think you are confusing two different lines, near each other. Yverdon - Ste-Croix is metre gauge with typical Swiss light railway units, not (AFAIK) due for rebuilding as it has been gradually modernised over the last decade or so. Orbe - Chavornay is standard gauge at 750v dc, currently using second hand ex-Karlsruhe tram-trains, due to be re-electrified on Swiss standard voltage (15Kv ac) in the next few years. The lower part of the short line (c. 4km) has extensive diesel-hauled freight working on/off the SBB main line. The operating company Travys operates both lines. Chavornay is about 12km by main line from Yverdon.

Apologies, you are right. Should have done the research not relied on memory.

 

[JKP]

I think you are confusing two different lines, near each other. Yverdon - Ste-Croix is metre gauge with typical Swiss light railway units, not (AFAIK) due for rebuilding as it has been gradually modernised over the last decade or so. Orbe - Chavornay is standard gauge at 750v dc, currently using second hand ex-Karlsruhe tram-trains, due to be re-electrified on Swiss standard voltage (15Kv ac) in the next few years. The lower part of the short line (c. 4km) has extensive diesel-hauled freight working on/off the SBB main line. The operating company Travys operates both lines. Chavornay is about 12km by main line from Yverdon.

I went to use the Orbe - Chavornay line last June only to find the tram parked up and buses being used. Perhaps I was just unlucky.

 

[rvdborgt]

I went to use the Orbe - Chavornay line last June only to find the tram parked up and buses being used. Perhaps I was just unlucky.

The line is being re-electrified with 15 kV and in Chavornay a new curve is being constructed for direct trains from/to Lausanne. The engineering works started last summer and will last until the end of 2026. There are periods with bus replacement.

 

[Alpine Rider]

The Blonay Chamby railway museum located in the hills above Lausanne/Vevey is a great place to visit. Access is only by trains which run from Vevey and then connect at Blonay and Chamby with vintage rolling stock operated by the museum which contains a huge array of historic mainline and narrow gauge rolling stock and sometimes fires up pieces of ancient support kit like their massive steam powered snow-blower.

Chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby | Le chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby est un musée vivant qui préserve et fait circuler des trains historiques à vapeur ou électrique dans un cadre unique.

blonay-chamby.ch

 

[blotred]

Still a few SBB Dominos (RBD 560) knocking around the network. S42 in Zurich for example (definitely on the 1713 from Zuri Altstetten, I saw it last week).
Also on the Basel S-Bahn too and various other places.

 

[magpiespy]

There is some lovely old rack railway stock still working in Aigle (April 2024 - see photo showing a unit outside the main station).

Rheineck - Walzenhausen and the other lines in that area are great recommendations too.

 

[Mag_seven]

Le Locle - Les Brenets (a trad 50s/60s railcar), still open - just!

Rorschach - Heiden is also a great route

If Rheineck-Walzenhausen is still running (about to be modernised) it's a 65-year old single car and the start *on* the platform at Rheineck is amusing.

I can recommend these three having just done them a couple of weeks back.

 

[rvdborgt]

There a bus from Walzenhausen to Heiden connecting the 2 lines. With great views onto the lake.

 

[geoffk]

The Blonay Chamby railway museum located in the hills above Lausanne/Vevey is a great place to visit. Access is only by trains which run from Vevey and then connect at Blonay and Chamby with vintage rolling stock operated by the museum which contains a huge array of historic mainline and narrow gauge rolling stock and sometimes fires up pieces of ancient support kit like their massive steam powered snow-blower.

Chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby | Le chemin de fer-musée Blonay-Chamby est un musée vivant qui préserve et fait circuler des trains historiques à vapeur ou électrique dans un cadre unique.

blonay-chamby.ch

On the gala day when I visited last year, a WW1-era electric loco took the vintage train all the way back to Vevey (we had steam in the morning).

 

[lbradshaw55]

Thanks for the great recommendations. Do the lines operated by Transports Publics du Chablais (Aigle->Leysin, Bex->Villars-Bretaye etc.) still use the older units, or is all the newer Stadler units now?

 

[Krokodil]

plus the Filisur-Davos tourist working (Crocodile?).

No crocs serviceable at the moment. Still, the 1980s-rebuilt Ge 4/4(I)s just about qualify as "heritage" these days.

 

[magpiespy]

Image shows a rack multiple unit in Bex
A unit seen in Aigle is shown upthread, I do not know which service it was on.

 

[zuriblue]

Still a few SBB Dominos (RBD 560) knocking around the network. S42 in Zurich for example (definitely on the 1713 from Zuri Altstetten, I saw it last week).
Also on the Basel S-Bahn too and various other places.

There are quite a few working on the Aargau S Bahn as well although they have all had the original modernised EW1/II cars replaced by Bombardier Domino low floor cars. Example would be the S27 Baden-Waldshut/Bad Zürzach (the Waldshut leg is being cut short at Koblenz AG due to the Rheinbuücke renovations)

 

[in_luzern]

There are quite a few working on the Aargau S Bahn as well although they have all had the original modernised EW1/II cars replaced by Bombardier Domino low floor cars. Example would be the S27 Baden-Waldshut/Bad Zürzach (the Waldshut leg is being cut short at Koblenz AG due to the Rheinbuücke renovations)

Also the S3 between Luzern and Brunnen, which is quite scenic.

 

[AdamK325]

Are the Wengernalpbahn’s older green/cream BDhe 4/4 railcars still occasionally used for passenger services?

Am travelling to the region in Summer and hoping to have a ride on one if possible.

 

[Krokodil]

I don't believe so, the trailers are all in Romania so their usefulness would be rather limited. They get used on departmental work.

 

[35B]

I don't believe so, the trailers are all in Romania so their usefulness would be rather limited. They get used on departmental work.

I’ve seen some pictures of them in use on the Lauberhorn races.

I stayed in Wengen last summer, first time in the area for 25 years. The service is much quieter than before now that the Eiger Express cable car runs, and it was the same three formations in use the whole week on the Lauterburnnen side.

 

[youngpete]

Dont forget the steam workings in the Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke, running from Realp to Oberwald. It uses the mountain section of the Furka Oberalp Bahn t aht was abandoned when the Furka Base Tunnel opened. The FO is now merged into the MGB. The locos date from the 1913 and a large part of the route is rack assisted.

 

[Krokodil]

Dont forget the steam workings in the Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke, running from Realp to Oberwald. It uses the mountain section of the Furka Oberalp Bahn t aht was abandoned when the Furka Base Tunnel opened. The FO is now merged into the MGB. The locos date from the 1920s and a large part of the route is rack assisted.

I'd like to do a photo charter with the snowblower (R12) but both of the organisers who've done it before are taking breaks while considering retirement. Maybe the RhB will have the Bernina Monster (1912) out on one next winter now that the overhaul has been completed.

 

[lbradshaw55]

The only only passenger services to be booked for Ge 4/4 II are Glacier Express from St.. Moritz to Disentis.

Not entirely. Checking the RhB loco allocations on their website shows that 2 out of the 3 Chur-Arosa diagrams are Ge 4/4-hauled, since the normal Allegra sets are needed on the Bernina line (I believe). Plus there’s also the new push-pull Landwasser viaduct shuttle which runs from Filisur to Alvaneu (as well as to/from Davos Platz) which is Ge 4/4 II hauled.
Also, are there still any remaining locomotive (or baggage car) hauled services left on the Matterhorn Gotthard or have the Orion units completely taken over?

 

[blackfive460]

Not entirely. Checking the RhB loco allocations on their website shows that 2 out of the 3 Chur-Arosa diagrams are Ge 4/4-hauled, since the normal Allegra sets are needed on the Bernina line (I believe).

That's the situation now but wasn't the case back in January when you asked!

Regarding haulage on the MGB; I am given to understand that there are still some hauled trains aside from the Glacier Express and, if I can find the latest diagrams, I'll post them here.