Driver’s Eye View - Furka Steam Railway (Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke) - Part 1

There was a real sense of excitement as we left our Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn train at Realp to make our way to the legendary Furka Steam Railway (Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke), a largely volunteer run heritage railway operating via the Furka Pass, between Realp in Uri and Oberwald in Valais. The metre gauge (3 ft 33⁄8 in) line is approximately 18 km (11 miles) long reaching an altitude of 2,160 m (7,090 ft) at the (1,858 metres - 6,096 ft long) Furka Summit Tunnel. The railway is rack and pinion-operated over its steepest sections and adhesion worked elsewhere. The summit tunnel first opened to traffic on 3rd July 1926, the railway was always difficult to operate, requiring the line to be closed during the winter months due to the avalanche risk posed by the heavy winter snowfall. The original Steffenbach viaduct located on the Uri side of the summit tunnel fell victim to an avalanche in its first year of operation, it was replaced by a folding bridge that had to be dismantled every winter to avoid it suffering the same fate as the viaduct it replaced. In 1982, the original summit route was abandoned with the routing of all trains via the new Furka Base Tunnel.
Fortunately that was not the end of the story, on 11th July 1992 a group of dedicated volunteers began progressively reopening the line to give us the wonderful railway we see today.
The locomotives running on the day of our visit were HD 3/4 2-6-0 T No’s 9 & 4 built by SLM for the Furka Oberalp Bahn before being exported to Vietnam after electrification, they were aquired by the Furka Steam Railway along with two members of the HG 4/4 class built for the Song Pha to Đà Lạt Railway in French Indochina (Vietnam).
Country - Switzerland.
Track - metre gauge (3 ft 33⁄8 in)
To learn more about the locomotives of the Furka Steam Railway, please click on this link - www.dfb.ch/en/stories/informa...
To learn more about the railway, please click on these links -
echo-trails.com/furka-cogwhee...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furka_S...
For information about the Steffenbachbrücke - Folding Bridge, please click on these links • Aufbau der Steffenbach... de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steffen...
This visit was part of the Railway Touring Company’s 2022 “Alpine Steam Express” Tour. To find out more about future European tours, please click on this link - www.railwaytouring.net/europe

[@ulrichschuz2715]

Wieder ein Video, das begeistert!. Wie schön, daß es diese Bahn noch gibt und daß sie in guten Händen ist! Vielen Dank!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hallo, ich freue mich, dass Ihnen das Video gefallen hat, und wir schulden den Freiwilligen ein großes Dankeschön dafür, dass sie diesen Eisenbahnabschnitt für künftige Generationen erhalten haben.

[@user-my4bx5mj3t]

Красота природы потрясающая.Спасибо автору за ролик.👍

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Спасибо, я рад, что вам понравилось видео 😊.

[@leaart1]

A truly wonderful train ride. Many thanks.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it 😊.

[@usmale49]

Very enjoyable...thank you, Tim, for taking me along. What a beautiful "ride"! 🚅

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, it's nice to know you enjoyed the ride 😊.

[@usmale49]

@@Timsvideochannel1 You are more than welcome!!

[@salloom1949]

Thoroughly enjoyed the train ride and the spectacular scenery through the mountains. Thank you for this lovely production.!! Look forward for Part 2.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm really pleased you enjoyed it 😊.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

What a fantastic sound and sight presentation. You certainly know how to present the perfect view TIM.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Keith, this railway has been on my bucket list for a while now and it more than lived up to my expectations. Fantastic scenery, pristine locomotives and friendly staff, what more could you want? I appreciate your kind comment and I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@amfamilycreations5312]

204👍🏼 GOD BLESS 🙏 SUPER 🤩 ENJOYED MUCH : ) THANKS FOR BIG EFFORTS WAITING FOR THE NEXT 💪🏼 BIG SALUTE👋🏼👋👋🏽

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊.

[@amfamilycreations5312]

@@Timsvideochannel1 WELCOME FRIEND GOD BLESS YOU 🙏

[@michelledauvergne6830]

Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful journey !

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@oldfart6318]

Fascinating Tim, can't wait for the next part of your journey.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, it's nice to know you enjoyed Part 1, please click on this link for Part 2 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqnCpJudateIrZo

[@JimNicholls]

Another brilliant video, Tim. The scenery is great, and the locomotives are amazing for items built over 100 years ago.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Jim, I'm pleased you enjoyed it. The history of the railway and the locomotives is fascinating, both have risen from the dead like the legendary phoenix, even the railway in Vietnam the locomotives were constructed to run on is coming back to life.

[@xeneelik5037]

What an amazing and moving scene, Steam Loco crossing the Alpine pass!🚂 It's very emotional to know that the "Glacier Express" ran this route up until 40 years ago. It's a shame that the glacier has receded.　thank you so much for fantastic video！🥰

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I'm glad you enjoyed the ride. I've seen this railway several times from the window of the modern day Glacier Express and wondered what it would be like to travel behind a steam locomotive along the original route. When I saw it was included in this tour, I booked my place, it was worth every penny, this ride was the highlight of the tour for me, I loved every minute 😊.

[@johannperaus6890]

Hi Tim! This track has an exciting past, but you described everything in detail in the video description. Just a feast for the eyes 👍. Best regards from Hans and Cheers 🍻🇦🇹.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Hans, this was once part of the route served by the Glacier Express, today the train passes through the Furka Base Tunnel avoiding the difficult route shown in this video. The Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke is a real credit to the volunteers who have made it possible for us to enjoy the trip as it was in the days of steam before the Base tunnel opened. Let’s raise a beer to the volunteers, Cheers 🍺🍺🍺🍺.

[@Han-wh5ie]

Het was weer genieten. Plezier voor oog en oor.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Dat is leuk om te weten, ik ben blij dat je genoten hebt van het rijden. That's nice to know, I'm pleased you enjoyed ride.

[@Bruno.Trains]

What an excellent video and layout. Salutations de France

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride.

[@anaritarocha5938]

Vi esse vdeo numa tela grande. Pensa q satisfação tudo mto lindo natureza então esplêndida. Gratidão deus Gratidão amigo pela postagem gratidão universo.....

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Obrigado, estou satisfeito que você gostou do vídeo. Felicidades. Tim.

[@OtiAdventureToller]

Stunning scenery, the station at the beginning is very pretty too 🙂

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Abi, I'm glad you enjoyed the ride 🙂.

[@bruno68berretta53]

Bonjour, Monsieur. Mes compliments! Cette vidéo est très jolie, j'adore ces vidéos ferroviaires! 👏👏👏

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Merci, je suis ravie que ces vidéos te plaisent 😊.

[@Bigbro28]

‘Places we’d like to see’. Well, this is definitely on the list. Thanks for showing this to us. (I was surprised to see the Fireweed alongside the track.) 🐨🇦🇺

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, the video doesn't do the amazing views justice, it's such a beautiful place. Fireweed by its various names gets everywhere. For every one thing I tick off my bucket list, I seem add another three, I hope you get to ride this railway someday. Cheers. Tim.

[@xavierthomas8311]

Jolie vidéo bien filmée. La vapeur rajoute un charme certain. Merci de nous l'avoir fait visiter. Amicalement.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Merci pour votre gentil commentaire, je suis ravie que la vidéo vous ait plu.

[@roadsexplore]

Wonderful, drove 2 weeks ago on the pass road and saw this railway, the whole area is of absolutely stunning beauty. Thanks for sharing the cab ride, the railway offers a different perspective as the road, greetings from a traveler and creator from Germany!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, have you uploaded your trip to KZbin? I agree the whole area is awesome and as you say the view from the railway is different to the view from the road. I am in Northern Spain this week filming Spanish and French railways, I look forward to uploading the first videos from this trip December. Best wishes from England.

[@roadsexplore]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Hi, did this trip over Furkapass while returning from Spain to Germany :) There are definetely some nice railways there in Spain to film. My video with the drive over Furka is in editing process, tomorrow the Oberalp Pass will be online, another great alpine pass. The railway goes there directly parralel with the road.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@roadsexploreWhen I get back to the UK, I'll look out for your video, I can't watch it here in Spain because I do not have a good internet connection. Take care. Tim.

[@wizardofodds8239]

Alright now, didn't you say the McDonalds was just up this hill...'round the curve?! And why do we to walk back to Realp?? Really, very special to hear the operational sounds of a steam locomotive and its rhythm. Wonderful efforts by the volunteers, and the loco is beautiful!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The volunteers who bought the railway and the engine back to life deserve a well-earned “thank you”. Not quite a McDonalds, but there is somewhere to buy a drink and a sandwich with an awesome view just before the Summit tunnel 😊.

[@wilsonvelezcolonia4354]

Felicitaciones por su video es muy excelente bonitos paisajes ese sonido de la locomotora me llenan de nostalgia cuando era pequeño cuando viajamos de Cali a Buga Felicitaciones

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Obrigado, estou feliz que você tenha gostado do passeio, especialmente as memórias, sons e cheiros de suas próprias lembranças de infância de locomotivas a vapor.

[@by_feram]

schoenes interessantes video, bravo & like

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Danke, freut mich, dass dir das Video gefallen hat 😊.

[@kaitoopop]

素晴らしい景色。乗ってみたい。

[@Timsvideochannel1]

それは素晴らしい乗り物です、あなたがそれを楽しんだことをうれしく思います。

[@panikrystyna1]

witaj Tim! Wspaniała, interesująca historia. Dziękuję, pozdrawiam.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Witam, cieszę się, że podobała Ci się jazda 😊.

[@user-my4bx5mj3t]

Природа красивая,как у нас,в Горном Алтае.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Спасибо, я рад, что вам понравилось видео 🙂.

[@bayonnetacharmozini5062]

Bom dia querido amigo já dei meu Like assisto vc do Brasil da cidade de Recife obg amigo pela carona

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Olá, espero que você esteja bem em Recife, Brasil. A Suíça é um país lindo e andar de trem é uma ótima maneira de vê-lo.

[@robertcoleman4861]

Hi tim, It's great to see your back travelling again bringing back the beautiful pictures for all of us to see cheers bob. geez it's great to see neil & top 40 at it "HAMMER & TONG"🤣😁

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Bob, It's good to be travelling again, I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. I think Neil and Top 40 Researcher should start a channel in which they discuss the videos they have watched, they have a unique way of seeing the things the rest of us missed 🥴😵‍💫.

[@robertcoleman4861]

@@Timsvideochannel1 That would be interesting i would definitely subscribe.🤠😎

[@Wallykget1]

👍👍

[@melkiorwiseman5234]

Aah, there's nothing quite like that "chuffa-chuffa-chuffa-chuffa" of a steam loco chugging along the track.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It's a relaxing sound.

[@deniskolosov8368]

It's very interesting, the car on the path, on the right side, behind the train at 0:44 - how is it possible? In terms of security

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I believe the car belonged to someone working on the railway who knew that there would be no train movements on that section of track for the time the car was to be parked there.

[@instynol9422]

Its very nice to enjoy with Steam (coal) Engine ride...where it is.... from : India

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello, I hope you are keeping well in India. This railway is located in Switzerland.

[@neilforbes416]

7:40 Just watching the cog in the centre of the track as the loco moves along, there's a stroboscopic effect happening here.

[@top40researcher31]

@Neil Forbes in that case take two aspirins and have a good lie down 😂

[@neilforbes416]

@@top40researcher31 Har-de-har-de-har-har-har-hmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I think Top 40 Researcher is poking gentle fun at you Neil. Maybe I should take an aspirin as well because I too can see a stroboscopic effect.

[@top40researcher31]

@@neilforbes416 same effect crossing the hawkesbury bridge

[@top40researcher31]

@@Timsvideochannel1 I'm a southerner and neil is a northerner our sense of humour is split right down the middle 😂

[@sellier-bellot22]

Cheers , 💤💤💤💤💤💤

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I hope you enjoyed the ride.

[@sellier-bellot22]

@@Timsvideochannel1 It was so called canyon ride ! 🙂

[@joselitoelias7733]

Bom dia Abreu e Lima Pernambuco Brasil

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Olá, espero que esteja bem. Felicidades da Inglaterra.

[@neilforbes416]

(36:25) I see the number on the loco and I'm thinking: *Dampfzug, Dampfzug Number nine,* *Coming down that Eisenbahn line......* Roger Miller with a twist!😁

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Only you could come up with that on Neil 🥴😵‍💫🙂.

[@neilforbes416]

@@Timsvideochannel1 ROFL🤣🤣

[@top40researcher31]

@@neilforbes416 or the Beatles Revolution Number 9,Number,9,Number 9,Number 9

[@neilforbes416]

@@top40researcher31 Nummer Neun! Nummer Neun! Nummer Neun! Nummer Neun!....... Remember, It's in German!

[@top40researcher31]

@@neilforbes416 ahh ja, der vorletzte track auf seite vier, aufnahme zwei (cd 2) auf dem beatles white album kurz vor gute nacht while i was typing i was impersonating Colonel Wilhelm Klink from hogans heroes 🤣

[@marcosantonio1006]

Assistir TimsvideochanneI1 em:10/10/2022, ás 10:45 minutos, Estado de Pernambuco-Brazil. Vamos, agora, conhecer Furka e suas belezas, juntos com o Tim.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Olá e bem-vindos à Furka Steam Railway. Espero que gostem do passeio 😊.

[@HeavyMETALoO6PA6OTKA]

Зачем в тоннелях ворота? Непонятно.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Привет, зимой железная дорога закрыта, потому что сильный снегопад делает движение поездов дорогим и опасным. Ворота предназначены для того, чтобы снег не задувал в туннели в плохую погоду.

[@HeavyMETALoO6PA6OTKA]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Теперь ясно, спасибо за ответ. Ждём продолжения! ))