Alp Grüm, 2091 m.
 

This page pays attention to the station of Alp Grüm with its characteristic 180gr turn.

From the station of Alp Grüm the tracks descend with a gradient of 7% and with several hairpin curves. Those curves are sometimes in the open and sometimes in a tunnel. During its descend to the station of Cavaglia the train changes direction several times. The first hairpin, shown above and below, is the best known. The train here runs on the edge of the mountain. You can also see the station of Cavaglia, which is 400 meter below the curve.

Please find a picture based report below of our model of the station of Alp Grüm mixed with pictures from reality.
You can click on the pictures for an enlargement in a new window.
Click here to descend to the bottom of the model pictures..

Dec 2004
A nice overview of the characteristic turn underneath Alp Grüm.

Below a comparison with reality.

The curve of Alp Grüm in 2003 (Single track).

The curve of Alp Grüm in 2010 (double track).

Below I describe Alp Grüm from the highest point to the lowest, mixed with pictures taken in Switzerland.

March 2009
Overview over Alp Grüm.
Taken during the exhibition "Rail 2009".

Sept 2005
The rock face behind the station has been given its final color.

Sept 2005
Houses out of paper. Via a computer program we made drawings of various houses in the right scale, printed them and glued them together. So also the station building of Alp Grüm.
This way you can create a nice looking layout a lot faster then when you make the houses from plastic right away.

Alp Grüm dressed

April 2010
The station of Alp Grüm has now been littered with puppets and a photographer.
with the aid of a small white LED it's just as if the photographer on the corner of the terrace regularly take a shot of the surroundings or the passing train.
As basis for the electronics we use an IC of type NE555.

From the station of Alp Grüm several hiking path lead to even more spectacular viewing points or to the next station.

March 2009
The station building has now been finished in plastic. It was a hell of a job but it looks great.

March 2008
Here in Alp Grüm no paved work area but just gravel. In various sizes and colors and interchanged with gras. Most of the gravel we use originates from Switzerland.

Oct 2008
The big turn. If you were seated in the back of the train you could see the engine right next to you just like in the real world. Watch the special construction of the overhead wire.

Below a comparison with reality.

The curve of Alp Grüm in 2003 (Single track).

The curve of Alp Grüm in 2010 (double track).

April 2007
A house with a perfect view. With fresh mown meadow just below Alp Grüm.

March 2005
On the road to Alp Grüm. This train is just underneath the station and still needs to take the turn.

April 2007
Finally a short movie of the first ride with pantograph up in the turn of Alp Grüm.

During the descend to Cavaglia the train also uses a side valley, "Val Pila", to loose more height.
The crossing of Val Pila is a hairpin curve made up of a combination of a bridge and avalanche gallery.

Val Pila curve, It's a petty there are that many high voltage wires.

From the terrace of the station you have a splendid view onto the Palü glacier, opposite the station. Also you can look far into the Puschlav valley on the south side of the station.

Palü glacier.

View over the Puschlav valley.

There is one foot path leading from the south of the station up to a restaurant where you can enjoy an even better view over the Puschlav valley and a view of the tracks winding down to the station of Cavaglia. You can also take the path right next to the station and walk all the way to the station of Cavaglia. This is a not too steep descend of 400 meter. Half way the walk you will pass the former station of Stablini which is being rebuilt to resume it's crossing function again which it didn't have for several years. This will make it possible to increase the frequency of trains on this section.

On the upper side of the station another footpath leaves in the north direction, This takes you to either the highest station of the pass, Ospizio Bernina, or to the restaurant "Sassal Massone".

Sassal Masone.

Wine store in "Crotti".

Here you can find a few stone domes, used as natural refrigerator to store food and wines, locally known as "Crotti". Here you have a perfect view over the station of Alp Grüm and the tracks winding down the slope below the station. From here the more exercised walkers can continue their tour to the Palu glacier itself and further to the slope opposite of the station of Alp Grüm. A split off from this path leads to the station Ospizio Bernina and has only 200 meters to climb. This is a wide path that can be done by virtually everyone. From the slope opposite of Alp Grüm you can see the avalanche protection that should keep the tracks free during winter.

For a virtual train ride you could start here on Google streetview.

For a cadastral map of the station click here on admin.geo.ch.

Back to the top.

Back to the model layout overview on the introduction page.

Back to the Bernina map on the introduction page.