Pictures of the real Gotthard.

On this page I'd like to provide you an overview of the world of the real Gotthard Bahn and especially the section Gurtnellen - Wassen - Rohrbach tunnel.
On the hand of pictures I'll guide you from the lowest point to the top. This is only a start, this page will be extended once we have more private material.
On the map below you will find numbers corresponding to the positions of the various pictures.
You can click on the numbers to jump directly to the corresponding photo or you can walk down the whole page.
All the way on the bottom of this page you will find a few links to youtube films from this trajectory.
Click on a photo to get an enlargement in a new window.

1
Let me start with an overview picture of the whole valley taken from the village Gurtnellen towards the south.
At the lower edge the station Gurtnellen, slightly to the right and above it a tunnel entrance and behind there a gallery followed by the church of Wassen above that.
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2
Further zoomed in compared to above, you can recognize the tracks at the lower level near Wassen, above the concrete gallery and a bit to the right of the lower highway bridge, then the tracks on the lower level just above the lower highway bridge. The station of Wassen is almost at the level of the church, just left of it.
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3
The lower entrance to the Pfaffensprung tunnel just above Gurtnellen.
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4
Train leaving the Pfaffensprung tunnel, upper level.
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5
Train just after leaving the Pfaffensprung tunnel on the upper level. Also visible is the lower entrance.
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6
Double red arrow (Churchil Pfeil) between the Pfaffensprung tunnel and an avalanche gallery.
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7
The reservoir of the hydro-electric power plant in Amsteg. Picture taken in 1994 before the new power plant was finished. The old one could not always swallow all the water, The new one does most of the time, making it harder and harder to re-make this picture.
The railway line is behind the green meadow, underneath the gallery.
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8
Train on the lower level shortly before Wassen (below to the right the reservoir of the hydro-electric power plant).
Above to the left you see a big wall supporting the middle level rails and the tunnel entrance of the Leggistein spiral tunnel.
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9
On the lower level underneath Wassen This jubilee steam train with the A3-5 705 and C5-6 2978 leaves the kirchberg tunnel, which underpasses the church .
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10
Train shortly before the lower Wattinger tunnel entrance and the lower Wattinger bridge
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11
Freight train above Wassen, just before the middle Meienreus bridge.
Above the meadow you can see the third level of the railway line.
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12
Train on the middle Meienreus bridge in the village of Wassen.
Above the left side overhead portal you can see the railway bridge on the third an upper level.

12
On the middle Meienreus bridge after renovation and with new overhead catenary.
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13
Again the middle Meienreus bridge, now from the other side with the church of Wassen in the background.
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14
The church of Wassen, completely wrapped for the 125 year jubilee of the Gotthard Bahn in 2007.
Behind the church you can see the big wall supporting the tracks and the lower entrance of the Leggistein tunnel. This is the middle level.
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15
Works train in front of the entrance to the Leggistein tunnel
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16
Train "Gottardo" on the upper level above Wassen.
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17
Freight train on the upper level just before entering the Rohrbach tunnel.
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Ride from Amsteg / Silenen to Gurtnellen.
Ride from Gurtnellen to Wassen.
Ride from Wassen via Göschenen to Airolo.
Krokodil ride from Erstfeld to Biasca.

To get a better insight of the real stuff, here a few inks to films of cabin rides on Youtube from the time there were still commuter trains.

Youtube film from the Gotthard in 2012 with lots of details of the landscape and material. Many shots around Wassen.