Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Today's Railways: Sassnitz (Rugen) Ferries and The Matterhorn Railway

Today's impulse purchase was the February edition of Today's Railways (Europe) from WH Smiths.  I normally have a quick look through and if there is enough that I want to keep or read in depth then I buy it. I think this is the second issue I have bought.


One gems of this issue is the Sassnitz (Rugen) Ferries article which is about the 1520mm and 1435mm gauge ferries that left Sassnitz for Sweden and Russia.  The 750mm Narrow gauge gets a brief mention but an interesting article.  What I hadn't realised was how the Rugen lines were used for transporting Uranium Ore in the days of the DDR and cold war. 

The other is about the Matterhorn Railway - (Brig-Vest-Zermatt-Gornergrat).  Zermatt is a car free town (some electric service vehicles) and I knew trains were used to bring goods and people in and out.     This is the BVZ home of the famous Steam Pub (LGB 31550), which was an early acquisition for the Iscatalbahn when one came up.  This is a stock picture as mine has been fitted out with some people.  The internet has relatively few decent pictures of this actual coach - mostly its an oblique shot with the emphasis on the loco at the front - for example the BVZ site has a picture of the 4/4 red baby croc with this in the background.  
The other BVZ item (although sold as Rhb) is the 2/2 Tractor, and mine is currently away for chipping and having sound fitted.  

What the article does have is a picture of a railcar hauling away container cars of rubbish (cardboard and plastic are clearly visible), whilst another picture appears to have a low gondola with furniture piled up in.  There is mention of how goods (containers, pallets or boxes) get into Zermatt, and that some 2 axle tank wagons (alas no pictures in the article) are used for fuel.  The internet might reveal some pictures of these though.   (Part of the alternative Bodensee envisages that some of the islands have banned cards but have some light railways and electric vehicles, as do some parts of the Rugen Islands).  






1 comment:

  1. I stumbled upon your blog via google, I'm glad I did... What a cracker, I will check back regular for future posts.

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