Welcome to Switzerland. It's spring 2007 and a lovely day has dawned- just right for a run along the famous Simplon railway from Brig to Montreux,? and later in TTR95 onward to Geneva. The train is a regular IR that runs hourly to Geneva airport. We start early to keep the sun behind us and doing so we catch SBB Cargo delivering wagons to customers along the way - the Rh?ne valley here is remarkably industrial. As far as Visp, where the MGB swings away to the south, we can observe the trip freights delivering wagons that are in turn picked up by privately owned shunting tractors. Beyond Visp we pass the L?tschtberg base tunnel construction site and then into vine growing country. Between Leuk and Salgesch there is a section of NBS before arriving at Sierre. We make a stop here to look at the Alcan works before continuing west to Sion and Martigny where we are joined by the TMR -a standard gauge railway that runs nearly 1000m into the alps towards Italy. Turning north-west we continue alongside the Rh?ne past the huge Tamoil oil refinery? to Aigle where there are a? host of metre gauge lines. The final part of the run is past Ch?teau Chillon and then Montreux is reached. Off-train shots a plenty so you can fully enjoy the splendid scenery.RT 84

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