For this trip we join the driver for a trip along the Bernese Oberland Bahn from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen on a sunny autumn day. Track gauge - 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge.
I have been watching these videos since 2015 and I must say that this is the most beautiful cab ride I have ever been on. Thank you very much for sharing.
Thank you, it's nice to know you enjoy these cab ride videos, the driver gets the best view. RU-vid has provided a wonderful platform for creators to share videos covering every subject imaginable.
These must be the most impressive of Swiss trains - pretty swift across open ground but also climbing 12% on the rack at a good pace. I love the hint of wheel slip as it comes off the top of the first rack at high speed. And the cute whistle. And the terrific scenery. Thanks for posting (especially with the good sound and no music). Like.
Thanks for posting this, it was part of my journey to Grindelwald 2 years ago (by train from St Pancras International, took 8 hours but was fantastic, much better than flying). Lovely to see the view from the driver’s cabin
My journey started from London St Pancras too, its a relaxing way to travel, although flights to Switzerland aren't too bad from my local airport (Gatwick). I was lucky that the train driver allowed me to place a small camera in his cab so that we can all enjoy the best view in the house. Its hard to think of better place than Switzerland to see awesome scenery and ride amazing trains.
It might sound odd, but Zweilütschinen is my favourite railway station. I'm not into trains or railways, but there is something very special about just sitting on the platform at Zweilütschinen station, just watching the world, and time pass by. I just find it such a relaxing place. Thanks for sharing the film. :)
I can fully understand why you find Zweilütschinen a relaxing place, set among such beautiful scenery. It's not too busy, but there always seems to be something going on around the loco works or just the trains coming and going. Passengers do not appear stressed, mostly just enjoying the ride.
Another breath taking video Tim! I have started watching on my 60" Samsung flat screen and they are even more incredible, almost life size! I also enjoyed your drone video, it is going to be amazing to watch what you do with that tool!!! Thanks for all you share, it is most enjoyable, I enjoy everywhere you take me!!
+Scott Sinclair Cheers Scott , your comment is really appreciated and its good know the picture is OK on a large screen. The drone is a new angle, I am not quite sure what I will use it for, but I have a few ideas, just need some good weather now.
I did this run in 2008, continuing via Kleine Scheidigge to the top of the Jungfrau, returning via Grindlewald. I only saw it from the side - it's brilliant from the front! Nice one Tim.
I have always loved train travel. I also love mountains and rivers. There is nowhere better than Switzerland to travel on fascinating trains through stunning scenery.
I watch can ride videos of railroads from all over the world. You can tell the wealth of a country by the state of it's railways. Switzerland has the nearest and cleanest of them all.
I've made a lot of trips on that network and even walked te trails alongside is. Know that area since my childhood 50+ years ago. Still my favorite area
The railways that radiate from Interlaken are some of the most interesting in the world from an engineering point of view and all set in such amazing scenery. I'm looking forward to visiting again.
beautiful as it was in 1998 when I did this train. Actually it was from Zurich to Interlaken to Laterbrunnen to Wengen to Kleine Shidegg to Grindelwald and back to Zurich. All day train rides. Thank god my Swiss friends wife a former tour guide was with me to keep us on route. Saw a an avalanche while lunching at Kleine Schidegg and got a photo of it. It was February when I did this ride.
Hi, I've done a very similar trip to the one you describe, except I started out from Bern, I did in in October and I'm hard pushed to think of a more enjoyable way to spend a day.
Firstly thanks for such a high quality cab ride on a railway line I loved many years ago. In this lockdown I watch this film every morning as I take breakfast, helping to give a routine to each day in these crisis times. Although I still go to work I am on basic hours only and for the first time since the mid 1990s I have whole days off and also no school runs to do. Your videos of Lauterbrunnen, Wengen etc are priceless to me, and very much appreciated. Secondly, I wonder if you filmed any more that are not uploaded, perhaps Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken (the return journey)? If you have anything else then please upload, these films are a real huge boost in trying times. Thanks again. Terrific film.
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride, These are indeed strange times, I returned from filming in the Czech Republic and Austria just before the the Czech Republic introduced a strict regime limiting mobility across borders along with the imposition of social isolation on all but essential workers. I am a self employed designer/engineer, firstly work dropped off a cliff due to Brexit causing companies to hold off on new projects until new trading arrangements are in place, now Covid-19 has closed all but one of my customers until such time as it is safe for companies to start trading again, assuming they reopen. If Brexit is delayed yet again, I'll probably give up work and retire earlier than I originally intended. All my life up until June 2016 I'd worked continuously, usually 55+ hrs a week, I never dreamt the day would come when the services of a highly skilled, up to date engineer were no longer required. I don't have any more material from my last visit to Switzerland, although I do intend to return in the next year or so. Most of the material I have yet to edit is from the UK, Austria, New Zealand and Italy. I can't arrange any trips until restrictions on travel are lifted, for now I'll enjoy my garden and limited walks to the beaches and creeks near my home. This is a playlist showing the videos I've taken in Switzerland since 2005 - ru-vid.com/group/PLPdTWbkwx85pxn6sCUctVWREyW7pEOZbS I hope you keep well over the coming months. Stay safe and take care. Tim.
Eine sehr schoene fahrt aus Interlaken bis nach Lauterbrunnen mit der Bernische Oberlandbahn(in der Schweiz)! Don't mind me, Tim, I'm just showing off! In English I said "A very beautiful ride from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen with the Bernese Overland Railway(in Switzerland).
I took this train on April 5, 2015 to Lauterbrunnen. Spectacular scenery and a trip i'll never forget. For those who know the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, this is the train Bond takes to meet the villians henchmen who are waiting for him in Lauterbrunnen. Needless to say, that's why I took the trip. Very nice video!
+DJ Ciro Thank you, the the James Bond connection, is interesting. I hadn't realised it was this line he travelled on, several people have asked which train Bond took, now I know the answer..
Quando eu assisto aos vídeos de Tim;por exemplo este vídeo de 2016, fico pensando o que eu estava fazendo neste ano. Que viajem...Fico viajando no tempo.
Tudo muda, adoro a forma como as fotos, o cinema e o vídeo capturam momentos do passado para olharmos para trás e relembrarmos. Everything changes, I love the way photograghs, cine film and video captures moments from the past for us to look back at and reminisce.
I think there is a long queue of people who would love to drive trains through the wonderful Swiss landscape in all seasons. I've never met a grumpy Swiss train driver.
I can imagine they wouldn't be! Ok, I wasn't entirely serious. But yeah, I've taken a few train rides in Switzerland and each time been gaping with amazement. That scenery would light up any workday.
+Akshay Udeshi I am very grateful to the Swiss train drivers for allowing me to place a small camera in the cab to obtain and share this wonderful series videos.
Tim WELL DONE, being a Australian Narrow Gauge NUT, I will be in Switzerland in 2018 this doing that trip on the train, wether its raining or not. Jeff from Oz
+Jeffrey Evans Hi Jeff, I hope you have really good time, there is so much variety around interlaken. Which lines are you planning on visiting? ... the Bernina line into Italy is well worth visiting, if you get the chance.
Timsvideochannel1 Tim ,I was on the Berina line back in 2007,I went to Torino then I caught the Standard gauge line to Como, stayed their a few days then i got the train from Como to Ersfeld to see the Crocodile running,missed out on the running of the croc so I walked over to the workshops and got atour around the Workshops, and saw the Electric Locos.
+Jeffrey Evans Hi Jeffrey, your 2007 trip covered a route I have seen but not traveled over ... Torino to Como ... must do it one day along with the Centovalli railway. I have yet to see a Crocodile loco in action, although I have seen one in a siding with a vintage train near Chur. I love the Swiss railway workers attitude to people who are interested in their railway, as they are far more likely to say "come in and have at look around", than any place I have visited in the world. Have you planned your 2018 trip or is it still at an early stage?
This is the third time I have watched your video. I'm coming back to Switzerland on April 3rd and will be riding your train again to Lauterbrunnen. Hope you're still the operator. Would love to say Hi
Hi, I look forward to returning to this area of Switzerland, but I will have to wait for a year or two. There is so much to see and do around Interlaken, I would love to see the gorge at Innertkirchen and spend more time looking around Lauterbrunnen. I live in England and visit interlaken on holiday about every five years. I hope you enjoy your visit, especially riding the trains of the Bernese Oberland Railway.
Tim, please can you mention in the future the type of trains you driving with in the cab rides. For real train lovers a necessity. What type is this ? Sorry for the inconvenience but you'll understand. Thanks a lot and keep going the nice job.
+PDR1963 Hi, I am not really familiar with Swiss locomotives, so I found a photo of the train I was on and looked it up on the internet - class ABeh4/4 - here is a link for information en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernese_Oberland_railway The train can be seen in another of my videos at 25 seconds ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u-E_umvzXYk.html ... If I can find out this information in future I will include it.
So it appears that for parts of this ride, they need to engage the cog with the rack in order to provide enough traction? I guess I'm a train nerd. I was more interested in the track than I was in the scenery, beautiful though it is.
"Yes" your observations about the rack rail are correct. There are a lot of us train nerds about, it's a nice hobby, it gives me a reason to get out and do things.
Lovely effect with the mist on the mountaintops and the sun in the valley. I wonder why there's a section of rack between 13:20 and 15:30? It seems fairly level along that stretch.
+AndreiTupolev The sun takes a long time to rise over the mountains and the vista changes by the minute as the rays begin to light up the valleys burning off the morning mist. I noted the rack and like yourself wondered if it was really necessary as the line is rising, but not at a rate normally associated with the use of rack and pinion. Maybe the answer lies in the length and weight of the train - 14 carriages with just two power cars.
+AndreiTupolev At German Wikipedia (Google translator works) de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berner_Oberland-Bahn there is more info about track sections together with altitude profile of line.
1:11 (so shallow for a rack railway but too steep for pure adhesion) The Grindelwald branch is steeper! I wonder though if it's more provided for braking on the descents on that section...
Hi, I just looked on Google Maps, please click on this link - www.google.com/maps/place/Staubbach+Falls/@46.5922589,7.9127058,14.49z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x478fa04b16ad435f:0x12a1415bd82e8786!8m2!3d46.5896318!4d7.9052932 The falls look to be on your left riding to Lauterbrunnen, although to be honest the views either side are amazing.
+Michael W Stack HI, Mike it was another superb day in the Bernese Oberland, that is an impressive waterfall at the end of the video, I wish I had had more time to visit and photograph it.
The short sections of cog rail are there to help trains climb the steeper sections of track and all trains engage with the cog rail. The train slows to engage the cog, but once engaged they travel at reasonably high speeds.
Yes, it does switch between cog traction and straight forward adhesion, the train simply slows down to engage the cog then speeds up again, repeating the procedure to leave a cog section.
+Timsvideochannel1 Hi Tim Thank you. I also film many cab rides and I know sometimes the difficulties to film from the cab. So I can compare it, but I must say, yours are very good!
+Timsvideochannel1 Hi Tim, when you com back to Grindelwald, I wish you good luck by filming. Although I'm filming myself, so I'm always interested to see good cab rides from everybody in Switzerland and all over in the world.
+Andreas Perren Hi Andreas, I too enjoy watching cab rides on You Tube, I will have to hope the driver doesn't mind the camera in the cab when I return to Grindelwald, maybe I should ask the railway company first.
+Timsvideochannel1 Hi Tim Yes, this is what I do, so I think, it's easier. I can give you many (important) tipps about this, because I have visited all train companies (and all filmed with authority). You find my mail-adresse on my homepage (www.fuehrerstandsmitfahrten.ch) and you can write to me via Mail. Ok?
