Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway

History and route

The main line of the MOB was opened in stages, the first, from Montreux to Les Avants (10.9 km or 6.8 mi) on 17 December 1901, followed by the Les Avants to Montbovon (11.2 km or 7.0 mi) section on 1 October 1903. The next stages from Montbovon to Château-d'Œx (10.6 km or 6.6 mi) and then Gstaad (13.1 km or 8.1 mi) followed on 19 August 1904 and 20 December 1904 respectively, the final 16.6 km (10.3 mi) of the line reaching Zweisimmen on 6 July 1905. The spur line to Lenk was opened in 1912.

From the very start, the MOB had the character of a mainline railway and, at an early stage, through trains with dining and saloon coaches were introduced. The creation of the Golden Mountain Pullman Express in 1931 was unfortunately at a time of world economic crisis and this accounted for its lack of success. The saloon coaches 103–106 built for this train by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL) were sold to the Rhaetian Railway in 1939, where they are still in use (As 1141–44). Two of the original (1913–14 built) coaches have been restored by the MOB and are used for Chocolate train services in the summer months, but still regularly find work on the main line "Classic train" services on Sundays throughout the year. The modern successor of this luxury train is the Golden Pass Panoramic Express, which for the past few years has aroused growing enthusiasm.

The MOB begins its journey in Montreux, departing trains normally making use of platform 5 and arrivals platform 6, between the Swiss Federal Railway platforms and those of the rack and pinion railway to the Rochers de Naye. Winding its way up through the vineyards above Lake Geneva via Chamby, as far as Les Avants, the line passes through the crown tunnel under the Col de Jaman to reach the Saane Valley. In Montbovon there is a connection to the Transports Publics Fribourgeois (TPF; previously GFM) network. Following the Saane upstream, passing the famous hot-air ballooning centre of Château-d'Oex, it leaves the French-speaking canton of Vaud near Rougemont and enters the German-speaking canton of Bern. After Saanen the planners would have liked a direct ascent of the Saanenmöser Pass but without the aid of a rack and pinion system this was impossible and the line was diverted to loop around the village of Gstaad, adding greatly to the development and prosperity of the community. Beyond Gstaad railway station it begins the climb to the head of Saanenmöser Pass, the highest point on the line at 1,270 m (3,937 ft). On the other side it descends the Simmen Valley to Zweisimmen, where there is a connection to the standard gauge line of the BLS to Spiez.

Over the years, while passenger traffic boomed, freight traffic diminished with 2006 seeing the end of cement transport between Montreux and Saanen and the transport of standard gauge wagons on transporter bogies between Zweisimmen and stations to Rougemont and Lenk. By the end of the year the MOB was a passenger only operation, however in Spring 2007 the company purchased nine gravel (hopper) wagons and two surplus locomotives from the TPF. The MOB now operates this transport from Grandvillard (on the TPF line) to Saanen.

The Lenk branch retraces this route for a very short distance before continuing on its own trackbed. Because of its poor state of repair, this line was closed on 14 June 1975, however, it was fully modernized between 1977 and 1979, having new tracks and overhead lines, reopening on 27 September 1979. New rolling stock was purchased (* in the list below) to operate this line together with the weekdays school service between Zweisimmen and Saanen. Since reopening it has been included in the regular operating schedule of the MOB with timetabled connections to the main line services. To celebrate the centenary of the opening of the Lenk line (June 2012), the MOB arranged a week of festivities with a dinner, special fares and operation and display of rolling stock usually to be found on museum lines, particularly that at Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway.

(Source: Journal du Pays d'Enhaut, published 24 May 2012)

Timetables and train formations

From the beginning of the 2011 timetable, there are two Golden Pass Panoramic services with VIP domed observation cars, departing Montreux at 9:45 (Train 3118) and 15:45,(Train Nos 2128); the Lenk branch ceases to be served, the "through" working only lasting one year (2010). It is normally made up in the following formation and operate in the "push–pull" mode:

Ast / Brs / As / Locomotive / BDs / Bs* / Arst*: This is the length limit of the train due to platform lengths. Trains may be shorter off-season.

Accidents and incidents

On 3 January 2018, one of three carriages of a train was blown off the tracks in high winds at Lenk. Eight people were injured.