The locomotives of the Brienz Rothorn Railway
They form the heart of our historic steam cogwheel railway: our locomotives. These fascinating machines, eight of which are in regular operation, tell the rich history and tradition of Brienz Rothorn Railway, which dates back to the founding years of 1891/92.
A chronicle of the locomotives
The Brienz Rothorn Railway eleven steam locomotives and three diesel locomotives. Eight of the eleven steam locomotives are operational and in regular use. The railway still owns five locomotives from its founding period in 1891/92. Of these, locomotives 2 and 5 are in regular use – the other coal-fired locomotives require a great deal of work to make them roadworthy again. With a crew of three, they can carry up to 40 passengers. Locomotives 6 and 7, built in 1933/36, join the veterans from the century before last. With a crew of three, these locomotives can carry up to 72 passengers. When cable car construction boomed in the 1960s and much more economical mountain railways were built, the problem of insufficient transport capacity and expensive steam operation became increasingly acute. Attempts were made to procure new and more economical steam locomotives. However, this was not possible in the 1970s; no locomotive factory was interested in further developing steam locomotives. The temporary solution to the problem was to procure diesel locomotives. In 1975, after the commissioning of a prototype diesel locomotive, locomotives 9+10 and, in 1987, locomotive 11 were added to Brienz Rothorn Railway. In 1992, on its 100th anniversary, the BRB was able to put the first fuel oil-fired steam locomotive – No. 12 – into operation. Locomotives 14+15 were added in 1996, and locomotive 16 has been enriching the railway's operations since 2004. The diesel-hydrostatic locomotives and the fuel oil-fired steam locomotives can transport 104 guests with a crew of two.
How do our steam locomotives work?
A steam locomotive needs water, fuel (coal or fuel oil) and fire. The fuel is burned in the firebox (a type of furnace) (1). The resulting hot air (combustion gas) flows through pipes in the boiler and heats the water to over 205 degrees (2). This produces wet steam (3). The wet steam is heated again to 420 degrees via the distribution box through superheater coils (4) and fed into the slide valve (5 ). The incoming steam (6) creates so much pressure that the pistons connected to the drive rods (7) set the crankshaft and thus the cogwheel in motion. The steam locomotive moves. The used steam is discharged via the chimney (8). This produces the typical huffing, puffing and blowing sounds. During the descent, the steam engine is operated as an air pump (back pressure brake), braking the entire train. The steam brake and handbrake also provide additional safety.
The revisions
Steam locomotives that are over a hundred years old, as well as the new engines that are in daily use during the summer season, require careful maintenance during the winter months. Around 1'000 working hours are spent on each engine every year so that they can once again transport the many guests to the Rothorn in the spring with a youthful freshness. However, the overhauls are also primarily for safety reasons, as the various braking and monitoring systems need to be checked and replaced at regular intervals. The various overhauls are carried out at regular intervals, and every eight years or so each locomotive receives a complete overhaul. Professional experience is extremely important when overhauling old steam locomotives. For generations, the working techniques have been passed on to young, enthusiastic professionals. Above all, the expertise of Brienz Rothorn Railway in boiler overhauls is repeatedly called upon by other companies. The most important overhaul work is regularly inspected by the Federal Office of Transport.
The Brienz Rothorn Railway is a seasonal operation. In addition to many disadvantages, this has the significant advantage that the specialists who overhaul the locomotives in winter are on duty as train drivers in summer. As a result, they know their machines very well and are able to immediately identify minor problems that occasionally occur during the season and often even rectify them on the line.
1st generation steam locomotives - built in 1891/92
H2/3 - Engine 1-5
Two of the five first-generation coal-fired steam locomotives are still in regular service today. A first-generation steam locomotive consumes 300 kilograms of coal and 2,000 liters of water for a return trip between Brienz and Rothorn. A locomotive driver, stoker, and train attendant are required to transport a maximum of 40 passengers.
| Engine 1 | 1891 | since 1962 BRB - 1941 - 1961 MG (previously GN) |
| Locomotive 2 - regularly in use | 1891 | BRB |
| Engine 3 | 1892 | BRB (reserve) |
| Engine 4 | 1892 | BRB (reserve, exhibition locomotive) |
| Locomotive 5 - regularly in use | 1891 | since 1912 BRB (previously WAB) |
| Firing | Coal |
| Consumption per return trip | 300 kg coal |
| 2'000 liters of water | |
| Service weight | 17'000 kg |
| Empty weight | 14'000 kg |
| Boiler pressure | 14 bar |
| Kettle | 1'000 liters |
| Water supply in the box | 1'200 liters |
| Coal supply in the box | 550 kg |
| Performance | 230 HP |
| Procurement costs (1892) | CHF 42'000.00 |
2nd generation steam locomotives - built in 1933/36
H2/3 - Locomotive 6 and 7
The two second-generation coal-fired steam locomotives are in regular service. A second-generation steam locomotive consumes 350 kilograms of coal and 2,000 liters of water for a return trip between Brienz and Rothorn. A locomotive driver, stoker, and train attendant are required to transport a maximum of 72 passengers.
| Locomotive 6 - regularly in use | 1933 | BRB |
| Locomotive 7 - regularly in use | 1936 | BRB |
| Firing | Coal |
| Consumption per return trip | 350 kg coal |
| 2'000 liters of water | |
| Service weight | 20'000 kg |
| Empty weight | 16'700 kg |
| Boiler pressure | 14 bar |
| Kettle | 1'050 liters |
| Water supply in the box | 1'500 liters |
| Coal supply in the box | 550 kg |
| Performance | 300 HP |
| Procurement costs (1936) | CHF 67'000.00 |
3rd generation steam locomotives - years of construction 1992/96
In 1988, the Brienz Rothorn Railway ordered a new locomotive Brienz Rothorn Railway Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works Winterthur. The new steam locomotives, which were designed from scratch, enable a modern operating concept that significantly improves efficiency compared to the previous coal-fired steam locomotives. They are fueled with low-sulfur heating oil. Thanks to the installation of a dead man's switch and vigilance device, one-man operation is possible. Whereas coal-fired steam locomotives required three crew members (engine driver, stoker, conductor) to transport 40-72 passengers, the new steam locomotives could transport up to 104 passengers with only two crew members (the stoker was no longer needed). The new steam locomotives perform this service every two hours, while the old steam engines can be used every two and a half hours.
| Locomotive 12 | 1992 | BRB |
| Locomotive 14 | 1996 | BRB |
| Locomotive 15 | 1996 | BRB |
| Locomotive 16 | 1992 | BRB since 2004 |
| Firing | Heating oil |
| Consumption per return trip | 150 liters of heating oil |
| 2'000 liters of water | |
| Service weight | 15'700 kg |
| Empty weight | 13'200 kg |
| Boiler pressure | 16 bar |
| Water in the boiler | 1'200 liters |
| Water supply in the box | 1'400 liters |
| Oil tank | 560 liters |
| Performance | 408 HP |
| Procurement costs (1992) | CHF 1'800'000.00 |
| Procurement costs (1996) | CHF 2'100'000.00 |
Diesel hydrostatic locomotives
HM 2/2 - Locomotive 9, 10 and 11
The first diesel locomotive (No. 8) of the Bernhard engineer type is delivered at the end of April 1973. It was built in the depot of the Monte Generoso Railway in Capolapo. After test runs with service and freight trains, the Federal Office of Transport approved its use with a passenger coach in the fall of 1973. Two further diesel locomotives (Nos. 9 and 10) were ordered from the Ferdinand Steck machine factory in Bowil in 1974 at a fixed price of CHF 400'000 each and were put into service just one year later. Today, our diesel locomotives are mainly used for rail services. In the event of high passenger numbers or technical failure of a steam locomotive, diesel locomotives may be used for passenger services.
| Engine 9 | 1975 | BRB |
| Engine 10 | 1975 | BRB |
| Engine 11 | 1987 | BRB |
| Fuel | Diesel |
| Service weight | 13'550 kg |
| Tank capacity | 150 liters |
| Power, MTU diesel engine | 660 HP |
| Procurement costs (1975) | CHF 450'000.00 |
| Procurement costs (1987) | CHF 1'000'000.00 |
