Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke

[EC106]

Just an update on works so far....

Gletsch now has a transfer created from the digital "Swissmap 25" maps, this was created to check the positions of the markers as well as to locate the position and orientation of buildings. Most of the markers do line up very well with the transfer, a couple that are slightly off-line are probably due to my inaccuracy in placing the nodes in Swissmaps:



Setting-out for the eastern section of the route from Furka to Realp is now complete. The accuracy of the markers and .hgt files is impressive - the screen below shows the location of the abutments for the folding Steffenbach Bridge, generated from Swissmaps and sitting exactly on the DEM "humps" either side of the Steffenbach gorge:




Here is the path of the route as set out, down the mountain from Furka....



....to the shed and small terminus at Realp, with markers for the Furka-Oberalp main line to Hospental and Andermatt visible in the background:




With the setting out now finished, work can finally begin on road construction in Gletsch (important in getting the terrain modelled correctly down to the small station plateau) and track laying on the first ramp section from Gletsch to the level crossing near Muttbach.

[phat2003uk]

Good to see work is progressing well on this . Out of interest, which service is the EC106, I'm interested because I travelled on the EC101 (Hannover - Chur) this year

[bigvern]

Looks promising though early days yet.

There are a few Swiss lines about as evidenced by the recently released (and superb) Bernina Express. I guess Swiss rail enthusiasts are out and about enjoying the real thing, rather than sat at home in front of the RE trying to build it.

I'm sure there's quite a few people outside Switzerland who would have a go at building a route but biggest problem is obtaining information. Track plans and gradient profiles can be very hard to get hold of and are essential to an accurate reproduction of the route. Much of the reference material may not be in the user's native language and books on European railways are often prohibitively expensive.

Admittedly I did manage to build a rather obscure Swedish rural line but much of that was guesswork. The contour maps had to be imported at considerable expense and I had no gradient profile so worked off best guess.

Not just Switzerland but there are all manner of European scenic routes that would make interesting topics for MSTS or it's successor (the Norwegian Andalsnes branch is one) but without best possible information it is an uphill struggle.

[EC106]

@ phat2003uk

EC 106 was the EuroCity "Lötschberg" Brig - Dortmund/Hannover, ran for the last time in 2002?

@bigvern

I have been gathering information on this route for many months, and I agree with you in that it can be both difficult and expensive. The maps cost a fortune, as does the published reference material, but making the two biggest investments (2x Swissmaps at CHF 180,- each, and "Bahnprofil '05 for CHF 40,-) yields all the information required to build many, many mountain routes.

On the other side of the coin, the internet is an absolute gold mine of free and very useful information. I must have downloaded nearly 200 photographs of this line from the various DFB websites, and (critically) the whole of the Alps is available free-to-use as detailed 20m .hgt files, which is really what makes all this possible. Add to that the emergance of ZTracks as a comprehensive rack railway system, and the only things that require real work are the objects and rolling stock - and even some of this is available to download.

But this is still early days - once all the tracklaying is done, and the objects all built and positionend, I have to build a small fleet of narrow-gauge rack-and-pinion steam locomotives.......

[bigvern]

Now *that* is route building committment!

Plenty of resources there for projects both MSTS and beyond.

Look forward to hearing further progress reports.

[EC106]

Track now laid between Muttbach and Gletsch


Leaving Muttbach for Gletsch




View towards Furka Pass (above left)




View towards Rhone Glacier (no terrain textures placed yet):




On the descent down to Gletsch:






Shortly before Gletsch station:




The next parts of the project are as follows:

Track laying - Gletsch
Track laying - Muttbach
Furkatunnel through to Furka Station
Buildings and Objects at Gletsch (Station, Bridge, Retaining Walls, Hotels)
Furka Tunnel Portal
Pass Road Furka
Pass Road Grimsel

No terrain textures have been laid yet, these will be taken from the Europe 2 Route (Arlbegr?) as they seem to offer a good representation of rocky, mountainous terrain. The terrain right beside the track still needs work, mainly to remove the "ledge" beside track embankments. The rack rail sections are from Clemens Hamel (HCL - ZTracks), the RhB and BOB vehicles are by "Giancarlo" who is building some of the DFB coaches and diesel vehicles.

Distant Mountains are yet to be created but will help lend extra realism to the long view down the vally toward Gletsch and especially on the other side from Furka down to Realp.

[petethetim]

Good to see work is progressing

[EC106]

Just an update - Tracks now laid in Gletsch Station (complete) and at Muttbach, next job is Furka Tunnel and station buildings / shed at Gletsch. Next screens will also feature Distant Mountains, first terrain textures and a sneak peak at some new DFB rolling stock...... watch this space

[petethetim]

Approx Date of Finish ?

[EC106]

@a former user

No date in mind -when it's done, it's done. I just got hold of very detailed track geometry plans for the whole route, so will be taking my time over the difficult section from Tiefenbach down to Realp.

The Furka Tunnel is now finished, the next screens will be from Furka station with Distant Mountains and new Furka rolling stock.

[EC106]

Tracks are now laid for the whole of the route from Furka to Realp, the following screens are from this :

- Trackwork in Furka, looking towards Tiefenbach



Location of the Steinstaffel Viaducts, looking westwards




Location of the Steffenbach folding bridge:




Location of the Wilerbrücke




The end of the rack and pinion section near Realp (still have to add the ramps for the cog wheels)




....and trackwork in Realp




Object building is now the next phase of the project - all three bridges come first (Steinstaffel / Steffenbach / Wilerbrücke), tunnel portals and retaining walls, then station buildings in Teifenbach and Furka, then station buildings in Realp and Gletsch. The pass road will be laid as work progresses, and Gletsch and Realp villages will be added in the final phase.

[mccormackpj]

Excellent news! I just love rails that climb and have a plan to visit the Furka Bergstecke in the near future. I regularly ascend and descend 1 in 29 adhesion with steam power, but this is something else

Patrick

[EC106]

@mcccormackpj

You'll be able to tackle gradients three times as steep as this, some sections of the DFB line are laid at 11% - yes, per cent (not promille)!

The whole issue of performance for the steam locos I am building for this route will need to be looked at in great detail when they are ready for testing, in order to get the right balance between power, friction, weight and performance.

[phat2003uk]

What's 11% in 1 in x?

[mccormackpj]

1 in 9!