Railroads & Locomotives Tourist Railroad Profiles Swiss Saga Switzerland — At the midpoint of this busy Swiss trip I have — for the time being — moved on from working on my article on the Rhätische Bahn to work for an article on the long-delayed plans to complete the Lötschberg Base Tunnel another of the massive rail infrastructure projects that help define Swiss railroading today I spent more than three hours receiving a guided tour of portions of the 34.6-kilometer (21.5-mile) tunnel between Frutigen and Raron What’s interesting about this tunnel is that while it opened in 2007 it is far from the complete two-track tunnel originally envisioned About 14 kilometers at the south end are double; another 14 kilometers are single track but the bore for the second track has been completed; and for the northern 7 kilometers finally approved the 1.7 billion Swiss francs (about $2.01 billion) needed to complete a full two-track tunnel it will be about two years before the major work begins but some preparatory work has already begun It was fascinating to visit the tunnel and drive into that second There are miles of tunneling that have nothing to do with the actual rail tunnel itself to allow for access and other functions — the 34.6-kilometer tunnel actually requires 88 kilometers of tunneling he developed many of the tests for the railroad’s locomotives and drivers.] Among other details: because the tunnel is slightly pressurized — a move involved in preventing the spread of smoke or fire if someone needs to be evacuated from one tunnel to either the other rail tunnel or the adjacent access tunnels — we had to drive through and wait in a set of airlocks before a steep downhill drive to the tunnel does offer group tunnel tours by appointment I d think my group of one was somewhat out of the ordinary there are a number of displays explaining the process at Mitholz as well as a cross-section of how the tunnel is constructed All of this will be torn out when the second bore is put into service but it was hardly just a cosmetic expense; the display area has also been used for testing and experimentation I look forward to telling you more about this project the tunnel’s capacity will jump from 110 trains a day to 280 I spent a couple of days further exploring the RhB riding areas I hadn’t previously visited and stopping in some for photos (Small disaster: a memory card malfunction appears to have eaten one day’s photos that showed heavy early snow in the Alps I am hopeful this can be salvaged when I get home.) I also spent one day around the original Lötschberg Tunnel which dates to 1913 and still sees passenger and freight operation It also is the home of a highly active auto transport service through that 14.6-kilometer (9.07-mile) tunnel; Willi told me that on its best days the auto trains have moved up to 10,000 vehicles with trains operating as often as every 7 minutes my two days here in Spiez have been something of a mid-trip reset (Laundromats exist in Switzerland only for tourists — and therefore only in the largest or most touristy cities And they are and are horribly expensive: To wash and dry two loads cost a total of 44 Swiss francs or about $52.) The laundry excursion ended up taking 5 1/2 hours of which only 45 minutes was travel by train; the rest would be worth a blog post of its own … but this isn’t Laundry-dot-com I should note that the train I took to Interlaken happened to be the GoldenPass Express where there was room in the second-class coach that BLS adds as a connection between its locomotive and the regular MOB train set The classiest 22-minute train ride I will ever take and at least starting on my expense reports I move onto the third feature subject of my trip Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands Sturgeon farming and caviar production in the middle of the Swiss Alps This has been a reality in the Kandertal for 12 years Caviar and sturgeon fillet from Frutigen are now regarded as delicacies caviar master Tobias Felix makes a fine incision above the anus and then expertly slides his knife through the abdominal wall of the sturgeon If he were to damage the fish's intestines the bright black caviar oozes out of the abdominal wall The prehistoric animal weighed ten kilograms The fish roe will later weigh one and a half kilograms - It's simple: we introduce you to people who really give their all for the best product and the finest food experience and passion it takes to conjure up brilliant food from natural raw materials The joy of change instead of the frustration of change Sturgeon have been bred in Frutigen for 12 years Improvements in the rearing of these prehistoric fish are an integral part of the concept Especially when it comes to utilizing the sturgeons in their entirety In the latest episode of "Foodnerds" we take you into the exciting world of fish farming show you how to utilize the sturgeons holistically and present two recipes for you to cook If you want to watch the full-length "Foodnerds" episode about the cheese whisperer from Emmental They completed their mission in just 51 days without a support vehicle and using the same equipment throughout the adventure Seem like everyone wants to achieve crazy feats in the European Alps at the moment.  “When a dream comes true,” posted Maurer on Instagram (below) as the duo completed the challenge on Tuesday “The final flight of our #XPEAKS project from Jungfrau Hochfirn to our home village Frutigen Big thanks to all that have supported us during this unique project.” A post shared by Peter von Känel (@peter_obsig) I think it was a really strong team… We got lucky with the weather and wind and had nice flights For us it’s a really successful project with many good memories.” The pair both used new Advance Theta ULS (EN B) paragliders tips and guides to help you plan your next Advnture “The first 30 peaks was more or less ski touring but then it changed and the weather became really good.” Friday 19.7.24 was a disaster,” posted Maurer on Instagram at the time “We invest a lot but clouds and wind destroyed the thermals.” That day they only manages 30km But it was a blip and they finished with a flourish. Check out Maurer’s Instagram for more great images and video of their epic trek expert Swiss mountaineers Christian Maurer and Peter von Känel have set off on their quest to climb all 82 peaks over 4,000m in the Alps in no more than 72 days Earlier today the pair tagged Aletschhorn (4194m) their first in the official UIAA list of major peaks that surpass the 4,000-meter level Maurer and von Känel plan to travel from one mountain to the next on foot No other means of transport such as cable cars Please sign in with your Snow-Forecast account details below Create a free account to receive instant Snow-Alerts and save your favourite resorts on your personal MySnow page Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch Weather (Next 3 days): The snow forecast for Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch is: A light covering of new snow Becoming milder with light rain (total 3.0mm) on Thu afternoon Freeze-thaw conditions (max 3°C on Thu afternoon Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch Weather (Days 4-6): Moderate rain (total 10.0mm) Latest snow reports near Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch: Light rain reported from Sion at 339 metres elevation only 2 kms NW of Veysonnaz-Printse but it is forecast cold enough for snow at higher elevations in the ski area from Veysonnaz-Printse Shower light rain shower reported from Meiringen Airport at 577 metres elevation 5 kms SSE of Lungern/Schoenbueel but it is forecast cold enough for snow at the ski area from Lungern/Schoenbueel Several North American ski areas that are still open plan to celebrate the unofficial Star Wars Day tomorrow The above table gives the weather forecast for Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch at the specific elevation of 1800 m. Our sophisticated weather models allow us to provide snow forecasts for the top, middle and bottom ski stations of Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch. To access the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. For a wider view of the weather, check out the Weather Map of Switzerland Click here to read further information on freezing levels and how we forecast our temperatures Overall 3.1 Based on 4 votes and 2 reviews calme et très agréable pour skier en famille Overall: 3.1 Based on 4 votes and 2 reviews Read 1 more reviews of Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch or submit your own View detailed snow forecast for Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch at:snow-forecast.com Allein im Kanton Bern kam es zu rund 70 Verkehrsunfällen In der Stadt Bern kam es wegen Schnee und Glätte vorübergehend zu Einschränkungen im Busverkehr Die Stadtberner Verkehrsbetriebe Bernmobil mussten verschiedene Linien einstellen Gegen 9 Uhr war nur noch die Buslinie nach Münsingen unterbrochen Auf den übrigen betroffenen Linien war der Betrieb noch unregelmässig Im Berner Kantonsgebiet kam es zu verschiedenen Unfällen Die meisten davon seien Selbstunfälle gewesen sagte eine Sprecherin der Berner Kantonspolizei der Nachrichtenagentur Keystone-SDA An verschiedenen Orten behinderten querstehende Lastwagen den Verkehr so etwa auf der A1 zwischen Bern Brünnen und Mühleberg Wegen umgestürzter Bäume mussten diverse Strassenabschnitte gesperrt werden etwa die Hauptstrasse zwischen Frutigen und Adelboden Auf der A3 zwischen der Verzweigung Luterbach und Solothurn Ost blockierte laut TCS ebenfalls ein querstehender Lastwagen eine Ausfahrt Aufgrund einer schneebedeckten Fahrbahn war auch die Kantonsstrasse zwischen Welschenrohr und Flumenthal im Kanton Solothurn gesperrt Im Kanton Schwyz haben sich am Sonntag und in der Nacht auf heute innert 24 Stunden rund ein Dutzend Verkehrsunfälle ereignet Verletzt wurde auf den schneebedeckten Strassen niemand Vorwiegend habe es sich um Selbstunfälle gehandelt blieben im Wiesland stecken oder kollidierten mit Leitplanken In den meisten Fällen entstand Sachschaden In Rickenbach SZ war die Strasse im Gebiet Lauenen blockiert Die Feuerwehr Schwyz wurde zur Räumung aufgeboten Neben den Unfällen gaben umgeknickte Äste oder umgestürzte Bäume Arbeit für die Einsatzleitzentrale Zwischen Andermatt und Dieni ist es nach einer Entgleisung beim Oberalppass zu einem Unterbruch der Linie R45 gekommen Nach einem Augenzeugenbericht kam es zu keinen Verletzten Es werden Verspätungen und Ausfälle bis heute Abend erwartet Für die Registrierung benötigen wir zusätzliche Angaben zu Ihrer Person {| foundExistingAccountText |} {| current_emailAddress |} Geben Sie die E-Mail-Adresse Ihres Benutzerkontos an über den Sie ein neues Passwort erstellen können Sie erhalten in Kürze eine E-Mail mit einem Link Wenn Sie nach 10 Minuten kein E-Mail erhalten haben prüfen Sie bitte Ihren SPAM Ordner und die Angabe Ihrer E-Mail-Adresse Bitte versuchen Sie es später noch ein Mal oder kontaktieren Sie unseren Kundendienst Wir senden Ihnen einen SMS-Code an die Mobilnummer Wir haben Ihnen einen SMS-Code an die Mobilnummer gesendet Bitte geben Sie den SMS-Code in das untenstehende Feld ein Bitte fordern 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Bitte geben Sie Ihre E-Mail-Adresse erneut ein damit wir Ihnen einen neuen Link zuschicken können Ihr Account wird deaktiviert und kann von Ihnen nicht wieder aktiviert werden Wollen Sie Ihren Account wirklich deaktivieren SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen,Zweigniederlassung der Schweizerischen Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft Sign In Subscribe Now survived by his loving wife of 61 years Lisa He served two years in the Swiss army and trained as a Cabinet Maker before immigrating in 1952 to work at logging in the Columbia Valley Peter met his future wife in1956 when he arrived at the Rock Creek Hotel for a meal late one night just as Lisa They married in 1957 and moved to Prince George where Peter built their first home That first winter was spent with plastic sheeting for windows and plywood floors but in time they realized their dream home on an acreage on Chief Lake Road Peter joined the maintenance department at Northwood Pulp Mill in 1965 He unleashed his creativity and old-world craftsmanship at home in his workshop He was also happy to use his skills to help his children with their own homes Peter & Lisa also enjoyed square dancing with the PG Northern Twisters and socializing with the Swiss Club They retired to Creston and later Salmon Arm and spent their time gardening and cross-country skiing or hiking with the grandkids Peter will be sadly missed and remembered for his commitment to family as well as his epic 3-year woodpiles and radiant smile Peter's family extend a heartfelt thank you to the caring staff at Mt Ida Mews where Peter spent the last two years of his life and to doctors Keith and Laura Hepburn who cared for him over the years Peter requested that there be no funeral service Share memories and condolences online through Peter's obituary at www.fischersfuneralservices.com Fischer's Funeral ServicesAdditional Photo(s): Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the 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We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The information on this page is intended for journalists If you click NO you will come back to Mynewsdesk.com The 81st International Inferno Races 2025 in Mürren are history: a Bernese Oberland triple victory was thwarted in both the men's and women's downhill races Kilian Burri from Boltigen and Tanja Brawand from Grindelwald both came out on top the race was clearly dominated by the warm temperatures which simply made it impossible to win with a high start number A warm breeze was already blowing early in the morning as the first racers made their way to the start of the 81st Inferno downhill race above the Engetal Although the racetrack firmed up a little during the night the warm temperatures remained the dominators of the race meaning that victory was already decided among the first racers: Kilian Burri from Boltigen im Simmental took victory in the men's race he completed the downhill in a fast time of 5:45;37 putting him more than two seconds ahead of last year's winner Alexander Zöschg from Tirol Last year's runner-up Kilian Rufer from Zweisimmen took third place on the podium British woman and Italian thwart two Bernese Oberland triple victories While an Italian thwarted a Bernese Oberland triple victory in the men's race it was a British woman in the women's race: Amy Donnellon from the Kandahar Ski Club placed herself between the winner Tanja Brawand from Grindelwald and third-placed Corinne Rohrer from Frutigen the winner Brawand crossed the finish line an incredible 15 seconds faster than all the other women Despite the increasingly soft race track and numerous falls This is not least thanks to the 250-300 loyal helpers who put their heart and soul into ensuring that everything runs smoothly and safely every year this year's Inferno downhill race with a start above Seewlifuren at the entrance to Engetal and a finish at Winteregg was around 1 kilometre shorter than with start on the Kleine Schilthorn the new aerial cableway to Schilthorn will be in operation But it's already worth taking a look at the 2028 edition: That's when the Inferno descent celebrates its 100th anniversary five ski-mad Brits skied the very first Inferno Cup - with a steep ascent to the Schilthorn first Schilthorn Cableway Ltd is based in Stechelberg and connects the Lauterbrunnen valley from Stechelberg with the car-free mountain villages of Gimmelwald and Mürren continuing via Birg station to the Schilthorn summit at 2970 m.a.s.l the Schilthorn region offers numerous activities for guests from all over the globe The Schilthorn acquired international prominence through the filming of the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1968 When you choose to create a user account and follow a newsroom your personal data will be used by us and the owner of the newsroom for you to receive news and updates according to your subscription settings To learn more about this, please read our Privacy Policy, which applies to our use of your personal data, and our Privacy Policy for Contacts which applies to the use of your personal data by the owner of the newsroom you follow Please note that our Terms of Use apply to all use of our services You can withdraw your consent at any time by unsubscribing or deleting your account Professional paraglider Chrigel Maurer and mountain guide Peter von Kanel have climbed all 82 of the 4,000m peaks in the Alps in 51 days they linked all the peaks by paraglider and foot They began and ended their epic in the pair’s hometown of Frutigen Von Kanel and Maurer on one of the 82 summits They had no support vehicle and used the same equipment throughout the adventure. “The pair both flew Advance’s new Theta ULS (EN B), which is billed as an ultralight mid-B adventure tourer,” reports Cross Country magazine The abundant snowfall in the Alps enabled them to ski at least partway up the first 30 peaks Chrigel Maurer during their alpine climb-and-fly adventure their climb-and-fly adventure moved onto the Jungfrau region This seems to be the first time that anybody has linked all 82 4,000′ ers by paraglider the late Ueli Steck climbed all 82 peaks in 62 days KrisAnnapurna is a writer with ExplorersWeb Kris has been writing about history and tales in alpinism Sign up to receive ExplorersWeb content direct to your inbox once a week Chrigel Maurer and Peter von Känel ‘open a new chapter in mountain movement’ as they climb-and-fly all 82 Alpine 4,000m peaks in just 51 days It was an ambitious project: to climb all 82 of the Alpine 4,000m peaks linking the summits for the first time by paraglider and foot But after only 51 days of non-stop of climbing and flying the Swiss pilots Chrigel Maurer and Peter von Känel have succeeded in their epic quest “It was an unbelievable two months,” he told us “We got lucky with the weather and wind and had nice flights For us it’s a really successful project with many good memories.” setting themselves strict rules for the challenge: to stand together on all 82 4,000m peaks of the Alps to move only by foot and paraglider and to start and finish in Frutigen Additionally they had no support vehicle and set themselves the goal of using the same equipment without changing any of it during the trip The pair both flew Advance’s new Theta ULS (EN B) which is billed as an “ultralight mid-B adventure tourer.” the first part of the mountain adventure was on skis “The first 30 peaks was more or less ski touring but then it changed and the weather became really good.” moving onto the Jungfrau region – home to the Eiger – and then onto Monte Rosa and the Breithorn group and then west to the Mt Blanc massif which turned out to be one of the easiest peaks after the pair successfully top landed at 3,900m on 20 July “We landed and got up to the peak in 30 minutes,” Chrigel said “Friday 17th was a disaster,” Chrigel posted on Instagram On that day they managed just 30km after five flights and hiked an incredible 3,900m of vertical ascent The pair were not able to top land on the summits and were only able to launch from a few The Grandes Jorasses proved quite an adventure for Chrigel as he found himself out of his comfort zone during the ascent He described the climb as “very stressful” They set off from the Torino hut at 2.30am and pushed for 12 hours to Point Walker “I do not like this ridge climbing that much,” he posted at the time a mountain guide (and no relation to Advance pilot Patrick) found himself with a stressful takeoff which was that at least one of them should always be having fun Fifteen minutes later they were back at the Torino Tributes have begun to pour in from pilots “Chrigel and Peter have opened a new chapter on movement in the mountains,” says Tom Payne who has followed the adventure from the start “What most alpinists dream of achieving in their lifetime Chrigel and Peter have achieved in just 51 days “It’s hard to really understand the skill and level of achievement here – their skills complemented each other perfectly They have together opened a new chapter on mountain movement It should go down in history as the most epic Alpine tour ever.” The pilot and Mt Blanc mountain guide Fred Souchon was also among the first to congratulate them “Very impressive sequence after top landing in the Col de Peuterey.” is situated among a hugely complicated amphitheatre of rock and glacial ice and not somewhere many pilots would consider landing The route of their adventure is available on the weather, mapping and tracking app Burnair burnair.cloud/xpeaks and the climbs can also be seen on Chrigel’s Strava account This is the first time anyone has successfully linked all 82 4,000m peaks by paraglider In 2015 the late Swiss climber Ueli Steck climbed all 82 peaks in 62 days The full story of Chrigel and Peter’s adventure will appear in the next issue of Cross Country magazine. Subscribe today for eight issues a year plus full access to premium content online, six masterclasses a year and the chance to win a brand new paraglider Swiss practice Haller Gut Architekten has completed its latest architectural endeavour in Aeschi a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland Seamlessly weaving together four decades of history within a school complex, Haller Gut Architekten has added several new classrooms to Aeschi School as well as dedicated spaces to accommodate the municipal administration Positioned thoughtfully to connect two existing premises a new building solves the school’s spatial needs the new addition helps facilitate a harmonious flow between the school facilities on the upper floor and the administrative offices on the ground floor Through a design that prioritises inclusivity and functionality the architects have ensured that all three buildings are easily accessible with the entire complex linked by a single elevator a passageway to the schoolyard and access to the administration gives the building a sense of flow Outside, architectural details such as a circular façade in the access area and floor-to-ceiling doors between classrooms enhance the overall aesthetic appeal and functionality of the building giving the façade a modern and sophisticated look which feels in keeping with the surrounding area Utilising a mixed construction approach with concrete slabs, exposed brickwork, and wooden elements The integration of wooden beams and columns creates an inviting atmosphere in the classrooms complemented by strategically placed windows that offer picturesque views and plenty of natural light Through thoughtful use of colour and materiality Haller Gut Architekten has created a dynamic and visually engaging learning environment By treating individual components with contrasting colours against a backdrop of white walls and wooden structures the architects have added depth and personality to the school Addressing both the practical needs of the school complex and municipal administration Haller Gut Architekten sets a new standard for education buildings and architectural integration By blending past and present in a seamless and cohesive manner this project stands as a testament to the power of collaborative design in creating dynamic and functional spaces for the future Get a curated collection of design and architecture news in your inbox by signing up to our ICON Weekly newsletter If you’re flying SWISS first class in the next couple of weeks Unlike many of the other top first class airlines, SWISS doesn’t consistently serve caviar in first class the airline rotates limited time offerings I imagine people have mixed feelings about that there’s not much consistency to what’s offered as I feel like Lufthansa hasn’t changed up its first class menu in the past decade Along those lines, SWISS is launching what’s probably the most liked limited time first class offering of the year SWISS first class passengers departing from Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA) will be served a special caviar tasting The first is Osietra Carat by Oona from Switzerland First in the selection is the Russian sturgeon caviar Osietra Carat with its exquisite taste harvested from the warm waters of the Tropenhaus Frutigen in Switzerland crafts this traditionally matured delicacy ensuring utmost freshness with deliveries just days after harvesting The second is ​Prunier Osciètre Classic by Balik and Caviar House & Prunier from France grown in France by the caviar House Prunier guests can further look forward to a French caviar masterpiece distinguished by its coarse-grained texture and aromatic character of roasted walnuts and hazelnuts The third is Kaviari Kristal by Sense of Delight from China With the third caviar of our tasting selection guests can savor the Kaviari Oscietra Prestige caviar by Sense of Delight A delicacy caviar featuring amber and golden grains and a subtle maritime and nutty aroma the Russian sturgeon caviar offers a unique taste experience Let me of course acknowledge the obvious issue here, for anyone interested in this experience. There’s no easy way to redeem miles for SWISS first class unless you are a Miles & More Senator member or above Your best bet for flying SWISS first class with a decent deal is one of the following: SWISS will be offering a special caviar tasting in first class whereby passengers can sample three different caviar options on flights departing Switzerland It’s not worth going out of your way to fly SWISS first class just for that but it’s a nice treat to be aware of Anyone flying SWISS first class during the caviar tasting period Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Does this mean they will be introduce caviar in the first class menu as a regular item or is it just a short time gimmick Had the pleasure to be on board during their "Caviar Weeks" last year It's a great tasting menu but I also really love them for having their signature Balik Salmon on board Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe The comments on this page have not been provided approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered Had the pleasure to be on board during their "Caviar Weeks" last year It's a great tasting menu but I also really love them for having their signature Balik Salmon on board You have successfully joined our subscriber list Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. See more about our ethics policies here comes from farmed Siberian sturgeon in the Swiss Alps It's an unusual business venture for this region since the world's most well-known and sought-after caviar comes from sturgeon found in the Caspain Sea The Swiss have been able to produce caviar that rivals even Russian brands through a delicate process that involves employees in white aprons and latex gloves who meticulously hand-pick fish eggs In December 2011, a Reuters photographer visited the facility On the second north-south mainline crossing of the Swiss Alps the original 14.6km Lötschberg Tunnel opened in 1913 World's longest wholly land-based rail tunnel (third longest overall) Part of environmental protection measures for Alpine region Incomplete project – cutback due to limited resources It created a route to Italy in combination with the first Simplon tunnel opened in 1906 Steep and (from the north) circuitous climbs to the Lötschberg summit left a legacy of slow transits notably for freight on what has become the key Basel-Milan axis Like the longer Gotthard base tunnel which is unlikely to open before 2017 the new Lötschberg tunnel is part of Die Neuen Eisenbahn-Alpentransversalen (NEAT) / New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA) project to shift transit traffic from road to rail In gaining EC acceptance for restrictions on road goods vehicles Switzerland undertook to provide rail infrastructure for handling increasing tonnages and faster transits In providing a lower – around 400m lower than the old tunnel – and level route through the Alpine massif north of the Rhone Valley Switzerland has also created a mixed-use high-speed railway The new Lötschberg route was created under the control of specially formed BLS Alp Transit AG second in size to SBB for 1,435mm operations 'Private' BLS is largely in public ownership the largest shareholders being Bern canton (55.8%) and the Swiss Confederation (21.7%) constructing the base tunnel was carried out from five sites the 2.6km Engstlige Tunnel was created by cut and cover For BLS local services and the accompanied car carriers between Goppenstein and Kandersteg also to maintain capacity on the freight corridor Due to tight pathing of trains through the incomplete tunnel schedule slippages can lead to rerouting over the old line the new Lötschberg route is built for clearance by shuttles of complete freight road vehicles For servicing and part of the emergency arrangements the tunnels are connected every 333m by cross passages The tunnel has separate power supply systems for services and traction current The Lötschberg base tunnel is composed of twin single-track bores 40m apart between the north portal at Frutigen where it diverges near the station from the original line The routing on to Brig is over parallel viaducts bringing the tracks down to the SBB Brig-Geneva line thereby greatly increasing traffic on this section which largely runs alongside the metre-gauge Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn Visp station has been completely rebuilt for its increased interchange role Due to concerns about overall NEAT project costs and the need to divert resources to the Gotthard line the Lötschberg scheme was modified in advance of construction to operate with an incomplete infrastructure there were six months of testing plus freight transits prior to timetabled operations starting in December The western bore remains an unfitted carcass on the Ferden to Mitholz section with the running tunnel to be constructed between Mitholz and Frutigen the Lötschberg Base Tunnel thereby requires single-line working over the majority of its length With a realignment of responsibilities in 2004 SBB operates long-distance passenger services over the BLS-operated Lötschberg routes Intercity trains of Class 460 locomotives and double-deck push-pull formations transferred to the base tunnel in late 2008 Able to make use of the tunnel's eventual clearance for 250km/h operation tilting Cisalpino high-speed trains provide the stock for Basel-Bern services to Italy the FIAT/Alstom Ferroviaria multi-voltage ETR470 to be joined by the ETR610 the base tunnel project has almost halved timings of passenger services a BLS subsidiary which has encouraged external involvement to generate international traffic By 2008 DB Schenker owned 45% of the shares and BLS has ordered ten Bombardier multi-system TRAXX Class 486 for operation in Switzerland Requiring use by appropriately fitted stock and obviating lineside signalling the tunnel is equipped throughout with ETCS Level 2 which extends as far south as Domodossola in Italy Much of the control equipment is in specially designed containers designed to withstand the 35°C and up to 80% humidity in the tunnel these were assembled and tested prior to tunnel installation To encourage patronage of the more scenic original line via Kandersteg and to restructure its regional operations from late 2008 BLS is replacing hauled stock with 13 purpose-built four-car Bombardier-Alstom RABe 535 "Lötschberger" EMU sets for Bern-Brig services The enforced cutback of the Lötschberg project means that the present operation has substantial potential for increased traffic subject to full completion This will complete the western bore to give two single tracks throughout plus fitting the in-tunnel Steg branch to the west-facing southern portal at Niedergesteln Developing organisation BLS Alp Transit AG will go out of existence during 2008 Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Mit Jonathan Schmid und Christine Müller gewinnen bei idealen Bedingungen gleich zwei Oberländer den Niesentreppenlauf über 11’674 Stufen Wenn diese Treppe dann noch 11’674 Stufen zählt Neben der gut trainierten Wadli ist für den erfolgreichen Aufstieg entscheidend Negative Gedanken führen rasch mal zum Scheitern während einem bei einem offenen «Mindsetting» Flügel wachsen Austragung des Niesentreppenlaufs über 1669 Höhenmeter vom frühen Samstagmorgen nehmen bei idealem Laufwetter über 350 Teilnehmende aus 27 Ländern der Welt teil bekräftigt Niesenbahn-Geschäftsführer und OK-Chef Urs Wohler fast ein bisschen ungläubig Start in Mülenen: Das Lächeln im Gesicht zeigt – Jonathan Schmid ist gut drauf.Foto: Bruno PetroniWeniger unglaublich ist dass Jonathan Schmid aus Adelboden einmal mehr eine eindrückliche Leistung abliefert und nach 2017 und 2022 seinen dritten Sieg auf der Niesentreppe feiert «Ich konnte mich bereits nach der Überquerung der Kander nach dem Start an die Spitze setzen und meine Verfolger distanzieren.» Und so bleibt dem Zürcher Vorjahressieger Jérémie Lehner diesmal nur Platz 2 obwohl er das Ziel drei Sekunden schneller erreicht als letztes Jahr In den Top Ten klassieren sich noch drei weitere Berner Oberländer Athleten So wird das erst 14-jährige Nachwuchstalent Elmo Frei aus Kandersteg Siebter; Neunter wird der Spiezer Ursin Wohler und Zehnter Gian Frei (16 Jonathan Schmid erreicht den Gipfel des Niesens in der zweitbesten in der Neuzeit gelaufenen Zeit von 57:22 Minuten Nur der Walliser Emmanuel Vaudan war vor 13 Jahren noch eineinhalb Minuten schneller sagt Jonathan Schmid nach seinem Zieleinlauf Der 31-jährige Adelbodner Briefträger hat sich von seinen Verletzungssorgen vom letzten Jahr nicht nur vollständig erholt; so feierte er im April auch bereits seinen vierten Berglauf-Schweizermeistertitel und seinen fünften Sieg beim Lauberhorn Run Der steilste Abschnitt des Rennens mit 68 Prozent Steigung: Die Hegerenbrücke unterhalb der Bergstation.Foto: Bruno PetroniWieder Christine MüllerDas Rennen der Frauen gewinnt wie letztes Jahr Christine Müller aus Aeschi Sie ist diesmal 21 Sekunden schneller und kreuzt das Ziel nach 1:16:09 Stunden Zweieinhalb Minuten nach ihr läuft die Unterseenerin Karin Jaun auf den zweiten Rang – nach 2002 und 2007 zum dritten Mal Die weiteren Oberländerinnen in den Top Ten: 3 Insgesamt erreichen 295 Teilnehmende das Ziel Unter ihnen auch eine Handvoll Feuerwehrmänner aus Hamburg und Metz (Frankreich) welche die Strapazen der 11’674 Treppenstufen in ihren schweren Einsatzkombis bewältigen Der erst 14-jährige Elmo Frei wird am Niesentreppenlauf hervorragender Siebter.Foto: Ursula Du Pasquier«Diese Emotionen»Bereits am Freitagnachmittag fand zum vierten Mal auch ein Staffelrennen über die Niesentreppe statt Bei den Herren gewannen Helmut Perreten und Thomas Graf aus Unterseen in 1:09:26 Stunden bei den Frauen das Duo Monika Plüss und Anna Seewer aus Thun (1:29:14) und in der Mixed-Kategorie Lilian Broisat und Gianna Wohler aus Spiez (1:09:58) Die komplette Rangliste kann hier eingesehen werden. Christine Müller aus Aeschi gewinnt den Niesentreppenlauf zum zweiten Mal in Folge.Foto: Ursula Du Pasquier«Tatsächlich, es sind 27 Nationen.» AboEvents Thun/OberlandSchafft Schmid die 11’674 Stufen wieder am schnellsten? Abo20. NiesentreppenlaufFurer rettet Oberländer Ehren bei den MännernNewsletterGuten Morgen OberlandErhalten Sie die wichtigsten News aus der Region auf einen Blick.Weitere Newsletter Fehler gefunden?Jetzt melden.