My wife and I visited Switzerland in 2004 and enjoyed travelling extensively by train. One little railway that we enjoyed was the Schynige Platte Railway near Interlaken. The track gauge for this line is 800mm. Trains leave Wilderwil station and run alongside the Berner Oberland-Bahan (BOB) for a third of a mile (0.5km) before turning away, crossing the River Lütschine and climbing the side of the valley. Forest eventually gives way to alpine pasture and views across Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. When the weather is good there are excellent views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau as the train climbs to the terminus at Schynige Platte. In 4.5 miles (7.25km) the line rises 4,659ft (1,420m).[1] The route is shown on the map below.[2]

Close to the station there are a botanical garden,[3] a hotel and a restaurant.

Technical Details: Track-gauge 800mm. Power: 1500 volt DC overhead. Rack: Riggenbach. Maximum Gradient: 1 in 4 (25%). The line’s depot and workshops are located adjacent to Wilderswil Station.

“The line is owned by the Berner Oberland-Bahnen AG, a company that also owns the Berner Oberland-Bahn. Through that company it is part of the Allianz – Jungfrau Top of Europe marketing alliance, which also includes the separately owned Wengernalpbahn, Jungfraubahn, Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen–Mürren, Harderbahn, and Firstbahn.” [1]

Photographs: Except where referenced otherwise, the photographs below were taken by us in 2004. My digital camera in those days was not of the same standard as I am used to now.

Schynige Platte Zahnradbahn.jpg – Wikimedia Commons.[4]

Taken at Schynige Platte Station by Uve Mockel in 2004.[5]

References

1. Wikipedia, Schynige Platte Railway; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schynige_Platte_RailwayRailway, accessed on 21st April 2018.
2. MySwisAlps.com; https://www.myswissalps.com/schynigeplatte/gettingthere
3. Schynige Platte Alpine Garden; http://www.alpengarten.ch/en.
4. Wikimedia Commons – Schynige Platte Zahnradbahn.jpg; https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schynige_Platte_Zahnradbahn.jpg, accessed on 21st April 2018.
5. http://www.familie-moeckel.net/Builder/sonstiges/1280/Zahnradbahn1280.jpg