Notes and gleanings

Objekttyp: Group

Zeitschrift: The Swiss observer : the journal of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK

Band (Jahr): - (1931)

Heft 495

PDF erstellt am: 06.10.2021

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http://www.e-periodica.ch April 18, 1931. 2288

4 miles, thereYs'a- drop oM,868 ft. im altitude, Gothard . But the Schollenen Railway NOTES AND GLEANINGS. which the railway requires 7f miles of , now links the St. Gothard main line at By Kyburg. - - inclined continuously at 1 in 29, to overcome. Göschenen with the Furka-Oberalp Railway Entering Zuondra Tunnel, the. line curves at , and by another service a round in a complete , and after exit through coach is run in summer from f/te //ear# //te 6,'/ GRacter T/rroip/ft o/ A/ps crosses and recrosses the : valley, to enter a Göschenen to , affording a new and ßorpress ; Railway Magazine spiral tunnel—Toua—immediately below, the popular scenic route from the Lake of Lucerne To our minds an " express " which takes first. Grossing the valley again, the track is resorts to the Rhone Valley. We are still in some 10J hours, to complete a journey of but carried through Rugnux spiral tunnel anil re- the watershed at Andermatt, as the 167^-miles might hardly seem deserving of any crosses for the second time ;,then, high up,above, Reuss is a tributary of the Rhine, but in the such title. But when it is mentioned that the but in full view of Berguh, it describes an next stage of the journey we have to cross into train in question starts at an altitude of 5,844 immense loop on the open mountainside before the Rhone watershed by way of the . ft., finishes its journey at 5,415 ft., and on its the train finally gets down abreast of the vil- The 314-mile stretch from to Gletsch, way is found at successive heights of 5,998, läge. Another spiral tunnel-has to be negoti- with Andermatt at the midway point, includes 1,995, 6,720, 4,740, 7,120 and 2,140 ft., the ated ere the train reaches Eilisur, 24 miles both jiasses, and is the most difficult part of reader will realise that this is a journey of from St. Moritz, and the junction for the loop, the route. The departure from Andermatt is altogether exceptional characteristics. It is which travels up the Landwasser Valley jtp at 1.50 p.m. furthermore, the longest through journey , and reaches by way of Klosters It is on the rack-and-pinion ascent from which can be made over metre-gauge railways and Landquart. Here we are 3,555 ft. above Hospenthal, a mile further on, to the Furka in Europe, and is over a single-track route for the sea. — that the traveller over—though prob- record passes the whole of its length. Yet another is. The main line now pierces a short tunnel, ably unaware of its existence—the most that this train links up in one journey the and is immediately launched on one of the most original engineering work on the whole watersheds of the , the Rhine and the striking engineering features of the Whole journey. It is the Steffen bach bridge. The Rhone, with théir waters flowing respectively route—the viaduct over the Landwasser gorge. gorge which it spans is swept throughout the to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. This springs from a sheer precipice, into the wintertime—when, save for winter sport trains Three railways are concerned in the wall of which the first arch is built. With its from Andermatt up to Oberalp, the Furka- working of the " "—the height of 213 ft. and the radius of 328 ft. on Obérai]) Railway is closed to traffic between prosperous Rliaetian Railways of the Swiss which is has been built, this viaduct is a sen- Oberwald, in the Rhone Valley, and Sedrun, Canton of the ; the Furka-Oberalp sational structure indeed. Another remarkable near Disentis—by destructive avalanches, Railway ; and the Visp-Zermatt Railway, which engineering work is the bridge across the which iu two successive winters swept away in 1930 was extended for 54 miles up the ravine at Soli s, also built in masonry the bridge which had been erected over it. At Rhone Valley—parallel to the Simplon main —which material has been employed wherever the next replacement the engineer- of the line line—to Brigue, at the mouth of the Simplon possible, in order that these great viaducts may determined to get the better of Nature. And Tunnel, where a junction was effected with harmonise with the scenery in which they are this lie lias done by designing a bridge of the Furka-Oberalp line. This has made placed—with 11 arches, of which the central unique type, which takes to pieces and packs possible the running of through coaches be- one, 138 ft. in span, carries the rails at a height away for the winter tween St. Moritz, iu the Engadine, and Zer- of 292 ft. above the rushing river. The track The photographs reproduced make clear matt, a distance of 163 miles, the train con- is then carried through the abysmal Schyn how this is done. The central span is hinged cerned being known as the " Glacier Express," ravine, from which it emerges at , cros- at one end, and when the time for dismantling even though its average speed works out at sing the Hinter Rhein by a steel bridge 263 ft. arrives, is unbolted at the opposite end and the modest figure of but 15 miles an hour. long just before entering the station. The swung round towards the diagonal support. Two other metre-gauge railways are also con- Rhein at this point flows out of an even more Each of the diagonals is also hinged at the nected with this narrow-gauge Swiss system— extraordinary gorge—the Via Mala—of which base, and the next operation is to lift both the Schollenen Railway, coming up from the sides, 1,600 ft. high, are in places so close of the side spans at their abutment ends and Göschenen, at the mouth of the St. Gothard together that they could both Ite touched by to draw them back on to the track at the sides Tunnel, to join the Furka-Oberalp Railway at the same pair of outspread arms. Thusis, 384 of the gorge. The diagonals are thus drawn Andermatt ; and the , which miles from St. Moritz and 2,300 ft. above sea- round until they lie flat against the abutment climbs from the Italian frontier at over level, marks the end of the Albula Railway walls, against one of which, also, the central the Bernina Pass to link with the Rliaetian proper, which, apart from the span then hangs vertically. Thus the whole system at Pontresina and St. Moritz. By itself, was completed at the remarkable gorge is now left completely open, and the means of the latter it would be possible to run moderate cost of £9,400 per mile. A short run avalanches can sweep down in the winter a through coach from Tirano to Zermatt, a down the Rhine Valley now brings us to the time without causing a moment's concern. distance of almost exactly 200 miles, by metre confluence of the two sources of the Rhine— Before the resumption of service, in the late gauge tlirouglitout. Not only so ,but the water- ttie Hinter Rhein and the Vorder Rhein—at spring or early summer, the engineers descend shed of the .River Po, draining into the Reichenau-Tamins, 494 miles from St. Moritz, upon the bridge, and by aid of the cranes Adriatic,, would be added on the one journey at 10.40 a.m., and here we part company With erected permanently at both ends,' draw the to those of the Danube, Rhine and Rhone ; and the Gliur train, which con tinues down the spans out from their resting-places, bolt them an ascent from 1,405 ft. at Tirano to 7,400 ft. valley to the capital. together, and in a very short time the line is. on the Bernina Pass, to the dizzy alternations Meanwhile, the 'Disentis train, also again ready for traffic. Truly " necessity is of altitude already mentioned. restaurant-car equipped, has left Chur at 10.24 the mother of invention " We will assume that our journey by the a.m., and reaches Reichenau at 10.39 a.m., to In the Furka Tunnel, which is 7,120 ft. " Glacier Express " is in the westbound direr- this the " Glacier Express " coach is attached, above sea-level, though still 870 ft. below the tion, and so is being begun at St. Moritz, at and having already descended the Hinter Rhein summit of the pass, the train passes from the 8.15 in the morning. Actually only one valley, we now start, at 10.43 a.m., to ascend Rhine watershed to that of the Rhone ; the through coach is run, a first and second class that of the Vorder Rhein, from our compara- length of the tunnel is 2,138 yards. Then composite, attached to a train running from tively low level of 1,995 ft. above the sea. The follows the thrilling descent for 24 miles to St. Moritz to Chur, the capital of the Grisons, chief engineering feature of this section is the Gletsch, in full view of the mighty Rhone where connection is made with the standard- passage of the railway through the deep ravine Glacier, and, of course, by aid of the rack gauge lines of the Swiss Federal system. As which the river lias carved out for itself throughout, until we pull up in Gletsch with all the principal trains on this service, a through the prehistoric landslip of Elims. The Station, 1,410 ft. below the Furka Tunnel, at restaurant car is attached, of the type intro- precipitous sides of this valley do not consist 3.5 p.m., the last 134 miles having been allowed dueed in recent years on both the Rliaetian of i-ock, but of the rubble and debris of the 75 min. It is here that the motor route over and Bernina systems by the Company landslip, and from this stones often fall in the the Grimsel Pass is seen across the valley. of . On leaving St. Moritz, we pro- spring. The railway has, therefore, had to be Now follows the long descent of the Rhone ceed down the wide Valley of the Inn—the protected, partly by the preservation of a space Valley, for 28§ miles to Brigue. We léave famous Engadine—as far as Samaden, where between the track and the cliff', into which the Gletsch. at 3.10 p.111., and run down to Ober- the branch from Pontresina joins the main line, stones may fall, and partly by building the wald, the first village of any size in the valley, and through coaches from there for Chur are track in the bed of the river, which is very and the limit of the train service from Brigue attached to our train ; one mile further on, at bi-oad here, with the further protection of large in winter ; this is a distance of 3 miles, 24 of Bevers, we are joined by the 30f-mile branch masonry dykes. So we are carried past Ilanz which are rack-and-pinion equipped, as there which lias come up from Schuls-Tarasp, the up to Disentis, 304 miles from Reichenau and is a drop of 1,215 ft. between these points. well-known spa of the Lower Engadine. We 80 miles from St. Moritz, where we are due at There are various other shorter rack-and- are now to leave the Danube watershed, in 12.1 noon. Our time to this point has been 3f pinion lengths, including one near , order to cross under the crest of the Albula hours, and the average speed 21 m.p.h., stops where the line makes a wide loop round the Pass to that of the Rhine, and take a farewell included. lateral Fiescher Valley, and another near of the 13,000-ft. summits of the Bernina group, At Disentis the Rliaetian Railways hand Grengiols, where we pass through a spiral tun- such as the Piz and Palfl Piz Roseg, towering our coach oyer to the Furka-Oberalp Railway. nel. Shortly before Brigue the mouth of the across the valley to the southward. For the next 554 aides steam is to take the great is seen to the South of Shortly after leaving Bevers, the. train place of electricity as the motive power, and the train, and presently the Furka-Qberalp enters, at Spinas, the Albula Tunnel. In the iii consequence of the terrific gradients, loads Railway sweeps roiind across the-Rhone, and centre of the tunnel—which is perfectly must, be drastically limited, and the restau- under the Lötschberg and Simplon main lines, straight, and through which it is possible to rant car is now dispensed with ; the maximum to come round into the south side of the Inter- see from end to end, despite its length of 3f formation of the "Glacier Express" is the national Station at Brigue, which we reach at miles—the railway is 5,998 ft. above sea-level. through coach, with a couple of third-class 4.55 p.m., having completed 140 miles of the Great difficulties were experienced in the com- coaches and a brake-van of the Furka-Oberalp journey. pletion of this bore, which is one of the longest Company. On leaving Disentis, at 12.10 noon, At Brigue steam gives place to electricity, narrow-gauge in the world, owing to we are at an altitude of 3,760 ft., and now com- and the " Glacier Express " is handed over to the high altitude ; one of the worst troubles nience the short but toilsome ascent of the the Visp-Zermatt Railway. Since the connec- the was tapping at various points of springs Obérai]) Bass ; we have to climb to 6,720 ft. ting link between this line and the Furka- of ice-cold water, which at one stage caused altitude in a distance, of 12. miles, two lengths Oberalp Railway was opened in 1930 over the an interruption of fifteen months in the work of rack-and-pinion propulsion, on the Abt 54 miles from Brigue to Visp, both railways on the northern side. After coping success- system, being used ew route, In the midst of have come under the same management. No fully with' these irruptions, the engineers sue- wild" scenery the train skirts the lake known connections are made from the Italian direc- ceeded in gradually increasing their average as Oberalpsee, and after passing the village tion at Brigue; but an excellent connection progress from 190 to 239 ft. per day, and the of Oberalp has ah even more abrupt descent to is made with the express which has arrived whole tunnel was finished in less than four Andermatt, the râck-equipped track sweeping from Berne, tua the Lötschberg line and Kan- years, between 1898 and 1902. It cost £282,000. to and fro in two great loops on the open hill- dersteg, at 4.40 p.m. So we leave at 5 p.m. Some of the most remarkable side for 5 miles to bring the train down to 4,740 for Zermatt, and after the brief run down to railway where location work in Europe is seen as. the train ft. altitude at Andermatt Station, we Visp, where we are down to a level of but descends the, abrupt Albula Valley. Between are due at 1,43 p.m. i, - 2,140 ft. above the sea,we pick up more passen- Preda, at the north end of the tunnel, and Almost immediately below us'here, roughly gers who have come up the Rhone Valley from Bergiin, the direct distance between which is 1,000 ft. down under: the rock, is the St. the Lake of Geneva direction, and have ar- 2289 THE SWISS OBSERVEE. April 18, 1931

^ rivèd there at 4.29 p.m. A short halt:at, Visp, NEWS FROM THE COLONY. CK'« CORNER. and we leave for Zermatt at 5.20 :p.m. ,No scheduled of stop is over this final 2If miles The Swiss Observer is going to start a new there is the journey, although little scope for feature which it hopes will be a success and will speed on the climb ahead, with its rack-and- interest that important section of the public, the pinion sections, and the 95 min. schedule readers, regular or occasional, of this is worked paper. normally allotted to stopping trains The powers that watch over its destinies have to. decided to reserve from time to time a space in There are no engineering features of note the paper for the benefit of ck who will be allowed on the Zermatt line, but there is some incom- to air his views on most subjects and to give his parable scenery. With the beautiful snow advice on the way in which the universe should pyramid of the Balfrin, 12,474 ft. high, ahead be conducted in general and on matters which he of us, we mount to , where the valley thinks will be interesting to the readers of the forks, the left-hand branch ascending to the Swiss Observer in particular. This will, of favourite resort of Saas-Fee, which cannot yet course, be counted to me as presumption and will be reached by rail. The railway, however, in due time, no doubt, evoke numerous letters to takes the right-hand valley, or Nikolai-Tal, the Editor, much to the Editor's delight as he crossing to and fro over the rushing Matter seeketh diligently after copy. Visp, through a profound gorge to the village I am incited to give utterance to the above of St. Niklaus, which is so shut in by the remark after reading the last two numbers of the tremendous mountains on both sides of the S.O. for when ST's have much in the I came across article I was valley that for several weeks in the winter the We pleasure publishing almost that he would into trouble and of M. Ch. whose of sure, get •sim never succeeds in reaching the village at portrait Ghapuis, term office, so he did. Such is the ingratitude of the human all. As we pass Rauda and Täsch—names as President of the City Swiss Club, lias come race. ST takes the trouble to write TWO AND of beloved mountaineers—we have immediately to an end last Tuesday. A HALF COLUMNS and tlien as a reward he is the east of the on us highest purely Swiss For Mr. Chapius was President told that his taste is low, bordering almost on mountains in the Dom and many years, , Täschhorn of the Entertainment Committee of the Swiss vulgarity. Poor ST. And yet am consoled for in the Mischabel 14,942 and I group, 14,758 ft. I seem to remember that the same epithets"Were high, while the west side is lined such Mercantile Society of which institution he is an with applied to some of my own efforts about a year as the the and Honorary Member. giants Weisshorn, Mettelhorn or two ago. So I am in good and I others. offices company, Glaciers are in view on every hand. Amongst the many which Mr. Chapuis feel strengthened and encouraged for goodness the the Finally, great cone of , the held and still holds are :—Hon. Treasurer of the only knows what is going to happen to me after of. "lion" Zermatt, 14,780 ft. high, comes Committee of the Fête Suisse, Delegate on Ad- I have written a few more articles. into sight as we round a mountain shoulder visorv Board of the Employment Dept. of the the feel just before reaching Zermatt, and we draw In meantime, I rather nervous about Swiss Mercantile Society, etc., etc. ST do lie has up in the famous mountain resort at 6.55 as I not think improved matters p.m., his second in nice time for dinner. The complete journey We also wish to put it on record that he was with article. But I would ask those of 167| miles has taken 10 lus. 40 and the happy originator of the Entertainment given who find criticism so facile to sit down and en- min., deavour and although this only works out at an of to wounded soldiers by the Swiss Colony during to write two a half columns, Per- average when have done 15.7 m.p.li., given a line day no one would the War. sonally, I half a column, I con- have done seek any acceleration of this speed, in view fo sider I very well, but of course, it is the unrivalled spectacular attractions of the very much easier and more satisfactory to go for route. SWISS CHORAL SOCIETY. the other fellow. I often think of all the scathing could he In the reverse direction the " Glacier things I say about Kyburg, but as never " is replies (wise man) I generally write a lovely Express booked to leave Zermatt at 7.30 The Swiss Choral Society announces its and article and then put it into the wastepaper basket a.m., to reach Brigue at 9.15 a.m. ; 15 Annual Concert for May the 1st, which min. later the we con- instead of posting it to Leonard Street. How- journey is resumed, the arrival sider a most appropriate (late. times on the F.urka-Oberalp section being 11.20 ever, be of good cheer, ST. Sursum corda. And Can the be a.m. at Gletsch, 12.28 at Andermatt and beautiful spring time heralded we will see what we can do in the future. p.m. in better than of 2.12 p.m. at Disentis. From here the Raetian on "Wings songs."? We And now for a few remarks about ck's learn the consist corner. Company provide a restaurant car to that programme will of songs have got a lot of beautiful ideas. Of which will gladden and I course, Reichenau, leaving Disentis at 2.25 and reach- everyone's heart, satisfy I must not tell you what they for the even the most and feel are, pleasure ing Reichenau at 3.45 p.m., where another severe critic, we sure that of a surprise would then be and would all those who will wend their to Conway Hall gone you restaurant car train is waiting to convey the way not be able to open copy of the S.O. to read on that day, will spend a most your "Glacier Express" through coach to St. enjoyable evening. with a superior air the nonsense that fellow ck Moritz, the capital of .the Engadine being There is no need to enlarge on the merits of writes or take up your pen in righteous indigna- attained at 6.20 p.m., after a journey 10 min. this most active Society, Miey have given iunumer- tion to tell the Editor that he should buy a new longer than that in the reverse direction. able proofs of what they are able to do, and they pair of scissors and a new blue pencil anil a new During its course a total " vertical rise " of have given us untold pleasures. To many of our pot of paste and a new brush and do a little cen- less no than 11,000 ft. has been surmounted, compatriots, who, through one reason or another suring and thus keep the S.O. up to that intel- and the astonished passenger may well settle were unable to visit the green hills of our beloved lectual standard required by such an intellectual down in one or other of the delectable holiday country, they have brought back cherished race and remember the world-wide reputation and centres at its two ends while he recovers his memories of long ago. not sully the fair name nor besmirch the white breath from such Alpine railway achievements We are furthermore informed that the pages of the S.O., etc., etc., etc. as these. Society has been able to engage solists of great I wonder if by this time I have written reputation, which will no doubt add to the bad HEIMAT. greatly enough to satisfy Editor. The man never the attractiveness of the evening. told me how many words he required. Ich ein wanderfroh' The Swiss Choral Society has given their help However, in order to celebrate the inauguration zog, Geselle, of ck's Durch fremde Dörfer, fremde Städte; in a commendable manner to many of the func- corner, I am going to offer a prize for the first correct solution received at the Offices of the Mir war, klang noch mein Lied so helle, tions in the Colony, is it too much to ask that Ob ich etwas verloren hätte. they should now reap the benefit of their unselfish S. O. to the following devinette. collaboration? have set hearts Dann They, their on Mon premier est une partie du corps. Mon plötzlich starb, ich war erschrocken, the Hall and we make an earnest à Das filling appeal second ne convient guère une Sainte. Mais mon Wanderlied mir in der Kehle; to all readers to them to realize Der letzte our help their tout est très convenable pour un Saint. Ton drang aus der Seele ambition, they well deserve it. Wie weher Klang gesprungner Glocken. The usual conditions should be observed and It is hoped that all the passive members of the Editor's decision, or rather ck's decision will Da zog ich heim Als deine Gauen the Society will bring along their friends, both be filial. There is no entrance fee and no dupli- Im Abendsonnengolde stunden, Swiss and English, to show them that in " Song rate tickets will be issued. This competition is Könnt' ich vom Berg dich wieder schauen, Land." does not lag behind any other suitable for persons of all ages and children in 1 nd alle Trauer war verschwunden. nation. arms may compete. The solution will be pub- Awto/i Bolster//. Therefore keep your date free on May the 1st lisheil in the columns of the S.O. in due course. and join the happy pilgrimage to Conway Hall, " FUNNY CUTS." you will not regret it. C. E. SCHNEIDER-HALL, f " I am a woman of few words," announced the haughty mistress to the new maid. "If I SWISS ATTRACTIONS. We regret to inform our readers of the sud- beckon with my finger, that means 'Come'." den death, which occured in Switzerland, of Mr. " Suits the C. E. Schneider-Hall. nie, mum," replied girl. " I'm a A eorre«/io«i/e»f (cr/te.?: woman of few words myself.. shake head, The interment took place at Basle on Mon- If I my there of that means I ain't comin,." " If. are any us who cannot manage day last. Mr. Schneider-Hall was.Joint Manag- a real holiday in Switzerland this year, the sight ing Director of the European and General of a new film which the Universal people are soon Express Co., Ltd., of 37, Upper Thames Street. Standing at the entrance to a large estate to launch will be something of a compensation. E.C.4., and had been a member of the Swiss in the country were two large dogs carved out of City It is called ' A Song of Switzerland ' and is full Club since 1927. granite. A tourist, thinking to have some fun with a native asked him. of Alpine scenery, Alpine stations and Alpine types. The star is natural and unspoiled. I " How often do'they feed those two big SWISS MERCANTILE SOCIETY. •dogs?" am not personally a great-admirer of the 'fi00'% talking-ladies" from Hollywood, and the stân- W henever The Swiss Mercantile Society-, Limited, they bark, sir," was the reply. dard of their singing it is better not to discuss. was * * * registered on April 9tli as a company limited by What I liked about what I saw of 'A Song of guarantee, without share 500 He found his hair the capital, with mem- was leaving top of his Switzerland' was that it seemed to have nothing bers, each liable for £1 in the event of head, and took his barber to task about winding-up. it. whatever to do wiili Ilollywood: the singing of The income and property of the society, whence- sold "You me two bottles of stuff to make the Guides .anil village folk was real Swiss sing- soever derived, shall be applied solely towards my hair grow." ing, and the mountains were real Swiss moun- the promotion of its objects. The objects are : "It is very strange that it won't grow again," tains—and how beaut//»//?/ i/o t/iey pfeofoi/rap/i To acquire all or part of the property and under- said the barber. take all or of the of the "I can't understand it." The film will be released soon, and the any liabilities unincor- now; porated Swiss Mercantile of Swiss " Well, look here," said the man. " don't prewiière, at which I hear sonte people Society, I I important House, 34 and 35, Square, TV.' The mind (jrinjong another bottle, but must be the of the Swiss be be Pitzroy it Colony will present, will at registered office is Swiss 34 last!" the at House, afid 35, Marble Arch Pavilion, W. Fitzroy Square, W.l.