The line was opened in 1903, and has always been notable for its spectacular civil engineering achievements, spirals, tunnels, and bridges. This material was obtained in summer 2003 and includes some of the special trains run to mark the line’s centenary - the bleu liveried Pullman sets, and vintage green stock, hauled by the classic Crocodiles, augment a procession of modern RhB motive power on the service trains and frequent freights, an aspect of the RhB sometimes ignored in tourist-orientated souvenir programmes but covered in some detail here, with the loading of a car transporter and the transfer of swap bodies at Thusis, a recurring theme between passing trains. Traffic is varied - including logs, tank wagons, and vans - and often double-headed.

The first screen of the DVD offers a choice of Dutch, English, French, or German but as there is no commentary, the choice simply relates to the on-screen instructions.

The second screen allows the viewer to start the film, access specific scenes, or go to previews of other programmes.

The scenes cover activity at Thusis station (over 20 minutes), Sils (4 ½), Solis, (9 ½), Tiefencastel (13), Surava (4), Alvaneu (10), and Filisur (17). There is also a six-minute section where a crocodile-hauled train is paced on the parallel road.

With the trains to Davos connecting with crossing services on the mail line, interest in the workings at Filisur certainly justifies the time devoted to it.

REOS are never content to simply film from station platforms. Between the major points noted above, they have south out some excellent locations, some familiar and others offering a new perspective. The coverage of the famous Landwasser viaduct is especially notable in this respect.

Their careful planning can also be enhanced by good luck: for example, while watching open swap bodies being transferred from rail to road in Thusis yard, the camera pans across to follow the lorry turning and finds the Bernina Express pulling into the station - perfectly timed! It could not have been done better if it were staged.

To explain the camera locations for each sequence, detailed maps are presented. There is a good balance between striking views of trains in the landscape and observation of detail and operation, such as the loading of bicycles into the baggage van at Tiefencastel.

The material was made using digital cameras (two simultaneously on some occasions, it seems). The weather was mostly good, and the picture quality is excellent. Camera work is steady, with moderate and sensible use of zoom and pan. The editing and mastering was done digital, and the joins between sections are smooth without gimmicks.

The only sound is the original location recording, so there is sometimes a little wind and other ambient noise. There is no music, and no commentary.

Highly recommend to present and potential RhB fans.

REOS, the Dutch railway video specialist with a particular interest in Switzerland, have been exploring the Gotthard line, one of the most important alpine transit routes in Europe, since 1994 and this compilation includes material from several recent visits, concentrating on various of the special trains run in 1997 as part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Swiss railways. These include a couple of steam specials, both double headed, and one also banked: this train is shadowed by an electric railcar on the parallel track carrying the official SBB film crew! Vintage electrics also feature prominently, in various combinations, and we watch the motive power of one special being changed at Erstfeld - there is much shuffling of locos, and matching activity from the watching photographers! The twin Rote Pfeil railcar and the now withdrawn 'Grey Mouse' RABe set, often used on the Euro-City Gottardo service, also feature briefly. Traffic over the route is heavy and we also observe a wide variety of regular trains, often boasting four locos at the head: this is not so much because the power is needed but for balancing purposes, as there are more trains southbound then northbound. Occasionally the consist will include a shunter being towed dead attached, either being transferred or taken for servicing, and there are quite a lot of light engine movements.
The Class 460 is to the fore, and while several advertising liveries are seen plain red is still predominant. All loco types seen are listed on the sleeve. The crew are clearly very familiar with Wassen, the village where the tracks pass on three levels as the route twists and turns through loops, spiral tunnels, and over several bridges as it climbs towards the summit tunnel, and they use their experience to find a good range of locations, from lineside to wider views: they tend to set up a good shot and let the train run through it, and there is comparatively little panning and only moderate use of the zoom. Shots are usually held for the whole length of the train. Most of the material was obtained using a Hi8 camera, with the most recent on a digital device. The picture quality is generally good, though the camera does not perhaps cope as well as a professional one might with the poorer light conditions in the occasionally inclement weather. The editing and mastering was also digital, but cuts between sequences are quite sudden and there is no video trickery. The only sound is the original location recording, so there is sometimes wind and other ambient noise. There is no music, and no commentary - subtitles identify the locations and the loco classes (though not specific numbers), as well as providing a lot of other interesting background information. The tape is VHS with stereo sound; it can also be supplied as S-VHS, and the programme is also available on DVDR. Payment can be made by sterling cheque.

REOS, the Dutch railway video specialists with a particular interest in Switserland, have come up with an interesting idea: a complete programme made from the balcony of a hotel room overlooking Brig station on 22nd February 2003. This single location is not as boring as you might fear, partly because of the level of railway activity and the inherent interest of what can be seen, and partly through the skill of the cameraman, capitalising on the considerable reach of the zoom lens at maximum telephoto, and achieving remarkable steadiness during pan and zoom.
The balcony is also well-chosen: it looks out on one end of the standard gauge joint SBB/BLS station, which is of course at the centre of the busy route via the Lötschberg and Simplon tunnels, and is also immediatly above the Furka Oberalp - Brig Visp Zermatt metre gauge tracks in the forecourt. Both standard and metre gauges therefore offer a lot of rail activity, and plenty of veriety of stock and services, with a certain amount of shunting to augment the interest of the trains just passing through. Sometimes it gets quite hectic, with several trains moving at once, though no doubt editing has spared us the intervals when nothing at all was happening!
Some of the main line trains are very long indeed, and have interesting consists (has anyone told the operators that driving trailers are supposed to be at the end of the train?). A good range of Swiss liveries will be noted, on both motive power and rolling stock, and there are some international workings - a pair of German locos double head one freight, and a double TGV Réseau set is also seen.
We observe the action over quite a time (the acual duration is not specified) and into the evening, when the lights add a new dimension. At times, the evelated viewpoint makes it very much like looking at a layout!
At the time of filming, the two metre gauge companies had recently combined to form the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB). While the cover is language specific (Dutch, English, French), the first screen of the DVD offers a choice of these three. However, as there is no commentary, the choice simply relates to the on-screen instructions.
The second screen allows the viewer to start the film, access specific scenes, or cut straight to the previews of other programmes. The scenes simply seem to be points at convenient intervals through the programme - no joins are apparent if it is watched continuously. The material was obtained using a digital camera, and the picture quality is very good. The editing and mastering was also digital, and the cuts between sequences are smoothly made though without video trickery. The only sound is the original location recording, so there is sometimes a little wind and other ambient noise. There is no music.
In short, an unusual approach, but one that works well. The programme is also available on VHS (ref. 048En). REOS can accept sterling cheques.

REOS, the Dutch railway video producers who specialise in Swiss subjects, invite us to join them on a short excursion on the Furka Oberalp from Andermatt to the summit of the Oberalp Pass. We get an excellent view from the window, catching glimpses of the baggage motor railcar at the head of our train on the sharp curves, accompanied by squealing flanges. We pass Nätschen station and ride through the snow protection gallery before disembarking at Oberalp station itself. It is a bright clear day, making for some excellent images as we gaze down into the Rhine valley, and there is much snow on the ground, showing just why the gallery is needed. Walking back alongside the line, we see loco-hauled trains crossing at Oberalp, and witness a number of passing services, including one headed by the first loco in the new livery of the merged FO/BVZ Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. We also watch with some trepidation as a group of skiers struggle across the line as a train approaches! A range of motive power is observed, and most of the local trains seem to be tailed with a flat wagon carrying cars.
While the cover is language specific (Dutch, English, or French), the first screen of the DVD offers a choice of these three. However, as there is no commentary, the choice simply relates to the on-screen instructions.
The second screen allows the viewer to start the film, access specific scenes, or cut straight to the previews of other programmes. The scenes simply seem to be arbitrary points at convenient intervals through the programme - no joins are apparent if it is watched continuously.
The material was obtained in February 2003 using a digital camera, and the picture quality is very good. Camerawork is very steady, even when using a very long telephoto to hold the shots of receding trains. Zoom and pan are used with restraint. The editing and mastering was also digital, and the cuts between sequences are smoothly made without effects.
The only sound is the original location recording, so there is sometimes a little wind and other ambient noise, including some chatty fellow passengers during the train ride. There is no music, and no commentary. A good simple idea that is not over extended: all the visual delight of taking a stroll at the Oberalp without having to get you feet cold! The programme (ref.D050En) is also available on VHS (ref.050En).

It makes sense to consider this pair of programmes from Reos, the Dutch railway video specialists with a particular interest in Switzerland, together: the north ramp takes from Tellenburg to Kandersteg while the south ramp covers Brig to Goppenstein.
The Bern - Lötschberg - Simplon was inaugurated in 1913 as an alternative to the Gotthard line, and forms an important route to Italy. When opened, much of the line was single track, but with foresight conversion to double track had been anticipated, and the two major tunnels were double track from the outset. As the second track was constructed later - much later in some places - there are modern bridges and embankments alongside the original installations; the Kander viaduct at the foot of the Tellenburg is a good example from the very first of the north ramp scenes. These continue with Kandergrund station; the Felsenburg tunnels; Blausee Mitholz station; around Felsenburg tower, with dramatic views of the trains below; along the Rotbach bridge; Kandersteg station; the car transporter service (the last vehicle on makes heavy going of manoeuvring into position!); and the Lötschberg tunnel itself.

Although only 35 minutes long, this video offers a wide variety of train views taken in February 2000 of the BVZ line between Visp and Zermatt. The programme starts in sunshine with some "old" snow , but as it continues the weather gets progressively more wintry with many shots taken whilst the snow is falling. All of trains shown are powered by either the HGe 4/4 II locomotives or Deh 4/4 baggage cars and demonstrate the dependence of Zermatt on this railway for its supplies. There are many passenger trains with a wagon or two attached at the rear as well as some pure freight trains. Your reviewer was particularly impressed with the freights hauled by HGe 4/4 II locomotives and could not help thinking that here lay some exellent food for throught for the modellers. Also memorable ware a real time interlude with trains passing at Randers, and telephoto shots of trains which clearly showed the gradients on the line. Overall this was a very enjoyable video to watch, but was somewhat spoilt by the last six minutes being devoted to a rather unintresting out of the window view of an edited run from Täsch to Zermatt. How much better it would have been to fill the time with more train shots of the quality in earlier section of the programme. Nevertheless at half the price of most videos this represents good value and is worth buying.

If you like looking at trains -lots of them- then this is for you. Recorded in February and March 2000, the video covers a relatively small, but nevertheless dramatic section of the Gotthard line. In all the scenes the ground is covered in snow to some extent, and in many cases the recordings are made with the snow falling. Because of these weather conditions the video pictures lack some sparkle, but this deficiency is more than outweighed by the diversity of the trains. The Regional, InterCity and EuroCity passenger trains are mostly hauled by Re6/6 locomotives whilst the many freight trains are in the hands of Re10/10 or Re 460 sometimes assisted by a banker. The occasional Ae6/6 is seen as well as a number of light engine movements. Sadly, the lighting conditions inhibit more then the occasional identification of individual locomotives. The camera locations, which are at various points between Gurtnellen and the Mühl tunnel, are in many cases identified by sub-titles. There is extensive use of the telephoto lens to produce some excellent shots ot trains in this stunning scenery. The video case has a good clear map of the line in the Wassen area, and daspite the reservations already expressed about the lack of sparkle in the pictures, can be recommended as a valuable record of operations on the line at the turn of a century.