Friday, October 14, 2016

Friday 14 October - Aarlberg Sugar Factory and the Waldenbergerbahn

The weather was not too promising this morning but it was certainly warmer and we managed to miss the rain which fell in the Neuchatel area during the day.

We first went to Aarlberg where there is one of the two sugar factories in Switzerland that process sugar beet. We had to change trains at Biel/Bienne and Lys but found there was not a great deal to see.
Aarlberg Sugar Factory
From Aarlberg we went via Lys and Bern to Liestal to ride over the roadside tramway to Waldenberg.  This line is laid to the 750 mm gauge which is unique in Switzerland.  The line has now been taken over by Basel and it seems the gauge will be changed to 1.00 meter so as to conform to the gauge of the Basel tramways.  All the tracks and trams will have to be replaced - it seems by 2020.
Waldenberg
Oberdorf
Oberdorf
Oberdorf.  The red setter was looking forward to the ride.
We rode to the end of the line at Waldenberg than came back to Oberdorf where we found a restaurant that had lunch time specials.  I had fish and chips while Paul had bratwurst.

We returned to Liestal and spent an hour or so watching the trains and then went to Olten to catch the train to Neuchatel.  We took about an hour at Olton and were amazed at the number of trains, there were at least ten freights that had to be interleaved through the frequent passenger trains.
Liestal
Liestal.  A BLS freight with a brown Re 4/4 in behind.
Liestal.  A BLS train with flatcars for trucks and a sleeping car for the drivers.
Back at Neuchatel it had just stopped raining.

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