Here are some videos of the first rolling tests of the new french cog wheel train PANORAMIQUE DES DĂ”MES which goes to the top of the Puy-de-DĂ´me mountain. The opening is planed on May 26, 2012 and the inauguration ceremony is planed on June 23, 2012… after the french presidential election!
The first train STADLER of the PANORAMIQUE DES DÔMES, the new cog railway of the Puy de Dome, was delivered to be displayed throughout the Fair of Clermont-Ferrand-Cournon of 3 to 12 September 2011. However, the first use of the new trains is still planned for June 2012.
La première rame STADLER du PANORAMIQUE DES DÔMES (photo Cyberbougnat)
Autres photos sur le site de/Other photos on : Cyberbougnat
DFB 02 – From Gletsch to Oberwald (1/2)
At 1:00 level crossing on the Furka road
At 3:20 note, on the right, the track after the exit of the helical tunnel and the bridge over the Rhone river.
At 3:40 the entrance in the helical tunnel
At 4:30 the cylinder tank filled with water from the mountain and which is used to feed the sprinklers arranged all along the line in the wonderful Oberwald forest.
DFB 03 – From Gletsch to Oberwald (2/2)
The crossing of the Oberwald forest.
At 0:30 the bridge over the Furka road.
At 3:30 the sprinklers all along the right side of the track which are used in case of fire in the forest.
At 4:47 a marmot runs on the green grass and hides int the stones.
Note the…… arrival over Oberwald which is the first village of the wonderful Goms valley. Then
the level crossing (with retractable cog) on the Furka road before the
final arrival at Oberwald station where Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke
(DFB) joins the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) (Glacier Express).
DFB 04 – Level crossing with retractable cog at Oberwald (1/2)
The section Gletsch -Oberwald at least was opened on August 13, 2010 after quite 30 years of the association. A level crossing with retractable cog has been installed at Oberwald to cross the Furka road.
DFB 05 – Level crossing with retractable cog at Oberwald (2/2)
DFB 06 – On section Gletsch – Oberwald
The locomotive HG 3/4 DFB 1 Furkahorn, recovered from DĂ -Lat Vietnam, pulls the train along the Gletsch – Oberwald section.
The bridge over the Rhone river and the twisting Furka road.
At 0:17 the train exits from the helical tunnel…. you can see the wooden doors of the helical tunnel.
At 3:14 the same traingoes up to …Gletsch.
At 5:21 the diesel Tmh 985 cog tractor follows the train to keep an eye in case of fire in the forest.
DFB 07 – From Oberwald to Gletsch
DFB 08 – At Oberwald station
At Oberwald station, the locomotive HG 2/3 no. 7 Breithorn maneuvers to be at the head of the train for the next departure to Gletsch.
DFB 01 – Diesel Locomotive HGm 4/4 from MGB at Gletsch
The Diesel Locomotive HGm 4/4 lent by MGB to DFB… arriving at Gletsch after passing the Furka pass.
Note the Rhone glacier at 0:10 behind the chapel.
My first travel on the new section from Gletsch to Oberwald.
At 3:20 note, on the right, the track after the exit of the helical tunnel and the bridge over the Rhone river.
At 3:40 the entrance in the helical tunnel
At 4:30 the cylinder tank filled with water from the montain and which is used to feed the sprinklers arranged all along the line in the wonderful Oberwald forest.
The Glacier Express derailed between Lax and Fiesch
On Friday July 23rd 2010, the famous Glacier Express train derailed between Lax and Fiesch in Goms Valley.
One japanese tourist was killed and 42 other passengers were injured… dozen of which were seriously injured.
In Novembre 2009, Stadler Rail has won an order, around CHF 25 million, for four articulated multiple-unit trains for the rack railway on the Puy-de-Dôme in France’s Massif Central. All the trains will be available after two years; the opening of the new Puy-de-Dôme line is planed for June 2012. Stadler is a Swiss company and is the world leader of rack railways: Montserrat in Catalonia, Martigny-Châtelard-Chamonix, Gornergratt Bahn, and Jungfrau Bahn in Switzerland, Zugspitzbahn in Bavaria, etc.
Here is the first image of the new train for Puy-de-DĂ´me.
Remember, on December 2nd, 2007, the new route of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) was unveiled at Brig (Valais) to avoid to pass through Natters after leaving Brig. Now Brig-MGB station is no more a ‘cul-de-sac’ station… Now MGB trains, as Glacier Express, coming from Zermatt continues after Brig on the same sense to Andermatt.
Last July I went to Naters to see how is the old line after it was abandoned. In the slide show you will see that the track was completely removed. The architects Vomsattel Wagner from Visp were chosen to rearrange the area of the old FO track. They will built a 2 km way for pedestrians. The old FO bridge will be preserved and it will be used at a new footbridge for this walk.
After that you will see two videos I did of the Glacier-Express at the new Brig-MGB station.
Line C is part of the Lyon Metro and it is also the only cog wheel Metro line!
In 1974, cog wheel trains replaced the old funicular which linked Croix Paquet to Croix Rousse since 1891.
In 1978, the cog wheel line was extended to HĂ´tel de Ville and in 1980 the line was extended to Cuire.
