Old Timers!!
	On the first Saturday of each month SBB Historic's Ae8/14 and Ce6/8 ll are allowed to "stretch their legs" around the station area at Erstfeld. This keeps their moving parts operating freely and also highlights any potential problems. In this shot Ae8/14 no.11801 is threading its way through the station area as it returns to the depot. 04 June 2005		Ce6/8 ll Krokodil no.14253 at Erstfeld. 04 June 2005
	Another shot of 14253 "exercising" in the station area. 04 June 2005		Ae4/7 no.10997 is privately owned and normally kept at Mendrisio but on this occasion it is seen passing through Bellinzona station on its way to Brunnen to collect two new SBB Cargo Class 474 locos which were being hauled south by a diesel. 06 June 2005
	Local Trains on the Gotthard
	Most Gotthard freight trains use the line through Muri AG and Rotkreuz. Although primarily a freight route the intermediate stations on this line are served by local passenger services operated by either Class 540, 560 or the newer 520 trains. In this shot 520 015 is leaving Dottikon-Dintikon with a service from Brugg to Muri AG. 11 Sept 2004		Train S2 of the new "Stadtbahn Zug" serves the intermediate stations between Zug and Erstfeld. This hourly service is operated by either SBB Class 560 NPZ's or the recently introduced Class 523 FLIRT units. In this photo 523 003 enters Zug with an afternoon service from Erstfeld. 01 June 2005
	523 010 approaching Arth-Goldau with an S2 service from Erstfeld to Zug. 08 June 2005		523 012 leaving Stutzeck-Axenberg tunnel to the north of Flüelen with a Zug - Erstfeld S2 service.  02 June 2005
	A nice bonus for travellers in the new trains is the view of the tracks through the front and rear driving cabs. This rear view shot was taken from a Class 523 FLIRT between Flüelen and Brunnen. 04 June 2005		Older trains are still used on some services. Here a Class 560 NPZ is approaching Flüelen with a southbound S2 service. 04 June 2005
	Re10/10's
	The trusty Re4/4 - Re6/6 combination is still used to power most of the SBB Gotthard freights. Here an Re10/10 with Re6/6 11651 "Dornach-Arlesheim" leading passes through Dottikon-Dintikon with a southbound working. 11 Sept 2004		Cargo liveried 620 055 "Cossonay" and an unidentified Re4/4 at Dottikon-Dintikon. 11 Sept 2004
	SBB Re4/4 ll no.11252 and an Re6/6 passing through the now closed Amsteg-Silenen station with a southbound freight. 10 June 2005		This Re10/10 hauled southbound freight led by Re4/4 ll no.11296 is passing Silenen shortly after leaving Erstfeld. 10 June 2005
	Most of the daytime Gotthard RoLa services that I saw were lightly loaded. Although the overnight trains might be busier I am led to believe that much of this traffic has been lost to the Lötschberg route. An afternoon southbound service is seen here passing Steinen behind Re4/4 ll no.11303 and a Cargo liveried Re6/6. 08 June 2005		An early morning northbound freight passing Brunnen with Re6/6 no.11654 "Villeneuve" leading. July 2005
	Because of the strain imposed on the couplings,1400 tonnes is the maximum load that can be hauled over the Gotthard unassisted. However, with rear end assistance taking up the additional load, an Re10/10 combination can haul up to 1800 tonnes. Here 620 086 "Hochdorf" returns to Erstfeld after assisting a southbound freight to Göschenen . 10 June 2005		A sad end for Re4/4 ll no.11323. The loco was badly damaged by fire whilst working with Re6/6 no.11603 on 23 March 2005 and is seen here at Arth Goldau awaiting further investigation. June 2005 * 11323 was officially withdrawn from service in October 2005*
	"Swiss Express" Re4/4 ll's
	During my visit two of the "Swiss Express" liveried RE4/4 ll's were regularly employed on Gotthard IR services. In this photo 11108 descends towards Erstfeld with a morning Locarno-Basel IR service. 10 June 2005		Later the same day 11108 passes Amsteg-Silenen with a southbound IR service returning to Locarno. 10 June 2005
	11141 climbing through Silenen with a midday Basel-Locarno IR service. The panorama-wagon next to the loco is for "Wilhelm Tell Express" passengers who joined the train at Flüelen. 10 June 2005
	Cisalpino, Euro-City and Inter-City services
	The "Canaletto" and "Cinque Terre" Euro-City services are now operated by Cisalpino AG using refurbished FS and SBB passenger cars in a silver/light blue livery. The Cisalpino EC "Cinque Terre" service from La Spezia to Zürich is seen here passing Brunnen hauled by a pair of SBB Re4/4 ll locos with 11121 leading. June 2005		A Basel-Milano IC service passing Steinen hauled by SBB 460 044. When I last visited the Gotthard many SBB Re460 locos were working freight trains but now they are all employed by the passenger sector. 8 June 2005
	ETR Pendolino 470 006 passing Amsteg-Silenen with a Stuttgart - Milano Cisalpino service. 10 June 2005		Re4/4 ll's 11227 and 11120 rounding the curve at Wattingen with a southbound IC working. 13 Sept 2007
	Ae6/6's still hard at work
	SBB Ae6/6 locos can still be seen on parts of the Gotthard route hauling lighter freights and giving rear end assistance. In this photo 11458 "Rorschach" passes through Arth Goldau with stone hoppers returning to the AlpTransit site at Erstfeld. 08 June 2005 (To prevent theft all Ae6/6 nameplates have been temporarily removed until a more secure method of attachment can be found.)		11493 "Sissach" leaving the Gruonbach gallery to the north of Flüelen with a short freight. 02 June 2005
	New SBB locos
	Siemens quad-voltage 474 002 piloting an Re10/10 hauled train of car-carrying wagons through Steinen. During my visit this was a regular occurence and I assumed it was a means of testing the 474 and returning it to it's home territory of Ticino/Italy. 08 June 2005		482 012 entering the sidings at Brunnen with a nortbound mixed freight. The train stopped here whilst a number of wagons were detached and shunted into one of the local industries. 03 June 2005
	482 019 returning to the SBB Cargo stabling point at Arth Goldau after handing over a southbound freight to an Re10/10 combo. 08 June 2005		482 014 passing through Brunnen with a northbound freight on a dull damp June morning. 06 June 2005
	Bombardier quad-voltage 484 002 passing through Bellinzona station with a freight bound for Italy. It will have taken over from more conventional power in San Paolo yard to the north of the station. 01 June 2007		The old and the new!! One of SBB Cargo's new Vossloh 1700 Am843 diesel locos no.843 068 in the company of Ae6/6 no.11422 "Vaud" outside Bellinzona depot. 06 June 2005
	Basel/Zürich - Locarno Inter-Regio's
	11226 leaving Stutzeck-Axenberg tunnel to the north of Flüelen with an afternoon IR service to Locarno. 02 June 2005		11261 departing from Arth Goldau with an afternoon  Zürich - Locarno IR service conveying a "Wilhelm Tell Express" panorama wagon. 08 June 2005
	Not all Locarno IR services are hauled by Re4/4 ll's. In this photo 460 030 descends through Silenen with a Locarno-Zürich IR service. 10 June 2005		460 056 climbing from Erstfeld with a Zürich-Locarno IR service. 10 June 2005
	"Open Access" freight operators
	Although the SBB still carries most of the freight across the Gotthard there are a growing number of other railfreight companies now providing services. Most of these alternative services are operated by "Railion" (formerly DB Cargo) who, in collaboration with BLS, generally use Class 185/485 locos for haulage. In this photo 185 098 with RAILION logo is passing Arth Goldau with a southbound working. 08 June 2005		A pair of DBAG class 185's headed by 185 107 passing Silenen with a southbound freight. 10 June 2005
	Like the SBB, Railion also has locos available at Erstfeld to assist heavy trains over the North Ramp. Here 185 120 provides rear end assistance as the train climbs past Silenen. 10 June 2005		185127 approaching Flüelen with a southbound freight. Trains often work as far as Erstfeld with a single loco where additional power is then provided for the mountain sections. 04 June 2005
	185 137 leading a pair of class 185's through Arth Goldau with a southbound working.  08 June 2005		185149 and 100 entering Erstfeld with a northbound hopper train. 04 June 2005
	"TX Logistics" also operate regular freight services over the Gotthard using the stylish Taurus type locos. In this photo Siemens Dispolok ES 64 U2 095 is passing Amsteg-Silenen with a lightly loaded southbound working. 10 June 2005		“European Bulls” is an alliance of European rail freight companies whose members take advantage of the open access rules to provide cross-border services throughout Europe. One of the member companies is the Italian Ferrovie Nord Cargo(FN) who operate a regular service between Brescia and Rotterdam. The southbound working is seen here departing from Arth Goldau hauled by FN liveried Siemens Dispolok ES 64 F4 093 and piloted by HUPAC owned ES 64 U2 100. The HUPAC loco had been hired to pilot the train through Switzerland as the FN loco did not have the required Swiss safety systems activated at the time. 08 June 2005
	Another shot of the Rotterdam - Brescia FN working a few days later passing Amsteg-Silenen. Once again it is being piloted by HUPAC ES 64 U2 100 but this time it has two FN train locos. Behind the Taurus is ES 64 F4 093 followed by ES 64 F4 091 in European Bulls livery. 10 June 2005
	Miscellany
	540 072 passing through Arth Goldau at the head of a northbound special working. This type of set is often kept in reserve to cover for emergencies. 03 June 2005		Most Gotthard rolling-road services that I have observed have been in the hands of Re10/10's. However, there are always exceptions to the rule as can be seen here with Re4/4 ll's nos.11275 and 11257 heading a southbound train at Wattingen. 12 Sept 2007
	620 087 "Bischofszell" again!! During my visit this loco often worked this afternoon northbound postal service seen here at Amsteg-Silenen. 10 June 2005		620 087 "Bischofszell" awaiting its next turn of duty at Bellinzona depot. Re6/6's no longer work regular passenger services as they are all allocated to the Cargo sector. 06 June 2005
	Am 841 029 passing through Bellinzona with ballast hoppers destined for San Paolo yard to the north of the station. 06 June 2005		234 075 one of the recently introduced tractor/crane units. It is seen here at Arth Goldau hauling a short P.W. train. 08 June 2005
	The Erstfeld LRZ (fire-fighting train) being propelled through Steinen by Bm4/4 no.18437. 31 May 2007		Re4/4 ll no.11316 outside Bellinzona depot. The loco was one of the first to be fitted with drivers cab air conditioning hence the new grilles and fresh paintwork. The SBB plan to eventually fit aircon to most Re4/4's and Re6/6's. 06 June 2005