CW 37 | September 9. to 15. 2024

• Brienz station area

  In the area of Brienz station, the ballast bed is being excavated so that new and cleaned material – ballast, sleepers and rails – can be reinstalled afterwards. The image shows an excavator standing on ballast where the tracks were previously located.

• Before and after cleaning

  In the background, workers are using machinery to clear the track of debris and mud. In the foreground, the still-contaminated track is visible.

• Cleaned track and embankment

  This image shows the track from the opposite side, where it has already been cleaned. On the left, the embankment that needs to be newly constructed can be seen.

• Rail removal

  After cleaning, both the rails and the sleepers are removed and set aside so that the old track bed can be excavated. The image shows the rails separated from the sleepers and already moved slightly to the side, with an excavator visible in the background.

• Rails and sleepers set aside

  This image shows the cleaned rails and sleepers that have been set aside. After the renewal of the track bed, most of them will be reused.

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CW 38 | September 16. to 22. 2024

• The railway area is being reconstructed

  In the station area, a geotextile is being laid between the subgrade and the new ballast to prevent the ballast from becoming contaminated by mud from below due to use and weather conditions. The image shows the track area stripped down to the lowest gravel layer, with a geotextile laid on top and gravel spread over it.

• Rails laid next to the track

  Cleaning works on the sleepers and rails have not yet been completed across all sections. While the subgrade can already be renewed in some parts of the line, entire track panels (complete rail sections) are currently being removed in the tunnel and cleaned directly on site. The image shows full-length rails laid next to the track for cleaning.

• Contaminated ballast material is being removed

  After the track panels have been removed, the contaminated ballast material is also excavated inside the tunnel. This machine is able to remove the material and transport it away at the same time using a conveyor belt. The image shows the machine excavating contaminated ballast material inside the tunnel.

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CW 39 | September 23. to 29. 2024

• Vanoliner removing ballast material inside the tunnel

  Inside the tunnel, large quantities of muddy ballast are being removed using various machines. The image shows a large yellow machine transporting contaminated ballast material out of the tunnel.

• The tunnel has been cleared

  By the end of the week, the entire tunnel had been cleared and prepared for cleaning. The contaminated ballast material has been removed and transported away.

• Railway embankment from a bird’s-eye view

  Progress is also being made in the western part of Brienz. The track superstructure has been removed section by section, and the railway embankments that were severely damaged by the storm have already been restored. The image shows the rebuilt railway embankment from a bird’s-eye view.

• Excavation works completed

  In the area in front of the tunnel on the Brienz station side, excavation works have been completed and new substructure material has already been installed. The image shows the view out of the tunnel after the mud and contaminated ballast have been removed.

• Rails back in place near Brienz station.

  In the area of Brienz station, the refurbishment works are already well advanced. The track panels have been reinstalled and are temporarily connected until the new rails become available. The image shows several large machines positioned on the track next to Brienz station, where the track panels have already been installed.

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CW 40 | September 30. to october 6. 2024

• Railway embankment with removed rails

  The railway embankment has been restored. At the foot of the embankment, the removed rails are stored and can fortunately be reused for the most part. The image shows the embankment base with the removed rails.

• New ballast is being spread inside the tunnel

  After the extensive cleaning works, new ballast is being delivered and spread inside the tunnel. The image shows a truck unloading large quantities of ballast, which is then evenly distributed inside the tunnel using an excavator.

• Cut rail awaiting cleaning.

  In some areas, the dirt could not yet be completely removed. In these sections, the rails and sleepers still need to be removed and cleaned. The image shows a cut rail lying on the track.

• Ballast pile near Brienz station

  As space for material storage is very limited, the track itself is being used as a temporary storage area for the new ballast. The image shows the tracks next to Brienz station, with a large pile of ballast between the rails.

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CW 41 | October 7. to 13. 2024

• Near Brienz station

  Around Brienz station, the rails and sleepers have been removed and cleaned. The subgrade has already been restored and is ready for the installation of the tracks. The image shows a section where the subgrade has been prepared for track installation.

• Ballast bed in front of the tunnel entrance

  The track bed is now fully prepared for the installation of the tracks. The image shows the section in front of the tunnel entrance, with the ballast already in place and the sleepers laid out at the side, ready for reinstallation.

• Unloading of track panels

  At Brienz station, track panels are being delivered and will subsequently be installed inside the tunnel. The image shows a crane unloading track panels from a road trailer.

• Track installation in the tunnel

  Track installation has already begun inside the tunnel. The image shows three workers installing the new track panels in the tunnel, with a machine visible in the background.

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CW 42 | October 14. to 20. 2024

• Works after dark

  Work continues into the evening to keep the tightly scheduled project on track. The image shows workers carrying out works along the tracks with the help of a rail-mounted excavator, already in darkness and illuminated by floodlights.

• Newly installed tracks

  The tracks have already been installed. The sleepers lying along the side are reject material. What may be noticeable is that the installed sleepers are not yet visible – these will only reappear in the next step, when the track alignment is lifted and precisely positioned. The image shows the new track bed with the installed tracks, while a few loose sleepers can still be seen on the left-hand side.

• Inside the tunnel

  After the storm, all sleepers and rails were inspected. Some can continue to be used, while others need to be replaced. On this section of the line, for example, the rails will be replaced. As the new rails have not yet been delivered, the existing rails have been temporarily reinstalled. This allows the sleepers to be positioned in their final alignment; only the rails will need to be replaced at a later stage. The image shows the new track bed inside the tunnel with the tracks installed.

• Curb of the Milibach bridge

  The image shows the newly constructed curb of the Milibach bridge. Below it flows the Milibach stream, which burst its banks during the storm on 12 August and washed large amounts of debris into the track bed and the 1-kilometre-long Brienz tunnel.

• Walls

  These two walls were excavated again after the storm. Surprisingly, they were still in an acceptable condition and could be repaired. The image shows two stone walls on the left and right of the tracks in good condition.

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CW 43 | October 21. to 27. 2024

• New rails

  The new rails have been delivered and are being distributed along the entire section of the line. The image shows Brienz station, where new rails for replacement are already laid out next to the existing tracks.

• Track tamping machine in operation

  The image shows a track tamping machine in operation. During tamping, the rails and sleepers are lifted, the ballast beneath is compacted and distributed, and the track geometry is corrected. The image shows a large yellow machine operating inside the Brienz tunnel, with workers in high-visibility clothing visible in the distance.

• Filled ballast wagon

  The filled ballast wagons are ready to distribute additional ballast behind the track tamping machine. The image shows a rail wagon filled with ballast stones.

• Ballast regulating machine

  The image shows a ballast regulating machine. It follows the track tamping machine and compacts and profiles the ballast bed. The machine can be seen moving along the tracks while carrying out its work.

• Brienz station

  Et voilà: through tamping, the tracks have been brought into their final position, the ballast bed has been compacted, and the old rail sections have been replaced with new ones. The image shows Brienz station, where the tracks have been newly laid and already aligned.

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CW 44 | October 27. to 3. november 2024

• Repositioning rails

  In preparation for the rail replacement inside the tunnel, a rail-mounted excavator places the rails directly into the track bed from the side. Due to their length of 108 metres each, the rails look more like spaghetti than five-tonne objects when being repositioned. The image shows construction workers inside the tunnel using a rail-mounted excavator to reposition the rails.

• New cable ducts

  In addition to sleepers, ballast and rails, all cable installations were also damaged during the storm – in some cases completely destroyed. After tamping and ballast regulation, ballast first had to be removed again alongside the sleepers to make space for the new cable ducts. The image was taken inside the tunnel and shows a new cable duct on the left-hand side next to the track.

• Missing overhead line

  In the western section (Brienz West/Milibach), the works are already at a very advanced stage. What is still missing here is the overhead contact line. These works can only be carried out once track works have been completed in all sections. The image shows a foundation next to the track on which an overhead line mast will be installed at a later stage.

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CW 45 | November 4. to 10. 2024

• Material preparation

  Metres of cable are ready to be pulled. In front of the cable reels, the overhead line masts for Brienz West are prepared and ready for installation. The image shows several cable reels and overhead line masts staged at Brienz station.

• Cable ducts

  Along the entire section of the line, new cable ducts are being constructed and the cables are subsequently pulled. The image shows the tunnel entrance, where cable ducts have been built next to the tracks. In the open duct, the installed cables can be seen.

• Works at an advanced stage

  The construction site is approaching completion at great speed, and the resumption of rail services is within reach. A large part of the railway infrastructure has already been restored. However, as the saying goes, the devil is in the detail: the final works required to resume operations involve day and night shifts and the coordinated efforts of numerous companies. The image shows the track inside the tunnel, with the cable duct visible alongside it.

• Rail neutralisation

  The image shows workers neutralising the previously welded rails, while further behind the rail fastenings are being tightened. In the foreground, workers are pushing a special trolley used for rail neutralisation along the tracks; in the background, other workers can be seen tightening the bolts by hand.

• Installed balises

  The image shows the newly installed balises. These are technical devices that store operationally relevant information and transmit it to rail vehicles when they pass the balise location. Balises are also among the final components to be installed before rail services can resume. The image shows several yellow plastic rectangles mounted next to and between the rails, connected by cables.

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CW 46 | November 11. to 17. 2024

• Overhead line mast

  Near the Brienz West stop, two overhead line masts had to be replaced after being damaged during the storm. The image shows an excavator lifting a fallen overhead line mast.

• Cleaning of rails and track area

  The construction workers are cleaning the rails and the track area. The image was taken at night and shows a wagon on the tracks, with workers behind it carrying out cleaning works, including high-pressure washing.

• Rail-mounted excavator with suction unit

  A rather laborious but necessary task: old, mud-contaminated material is being removed from between the tunnel wall and the cable duct block. First, workers loosen the material manually, followed by a rail-mounted excavator equipped with a suction unit. Finally, workers carry out the finishing touches. The image shows the suction unit mounted on a rail-mounted excavator; a hose leads from the rectangular unit into the space between the tunnel wall and the cable duct block.

• Completed track

  In this section of the line, the track has been completed and most parts of the overhead line have already been installed. The image shows a section of track in front of the tunnel entrance, where the track is finished and the overhead line has largely been reinstalled.

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CW 47 | November 18. to 24. 2024

• Tipper wagon and excavator

  The image shows an excavator loading material onto a tipper wagon. As soon as it was possible, transport throughout the entire construction area was carried out by rail.

• Final details

  The final details are being completed – here, for example, the barrier posts and the “No crossing of tracks” sign are being installed at Brienz station. The image shows two barrier posts and, in the centre, a “No crossing of tracks” sign that is still supported as the concrete has only just been poured.

• Cleaning works inside the tunnel.

  The image shows the cleaning of the drainage pipes. Using a blue hose, high-pressure water is fed into the pipe to flush out the remaining debris left by the storm.

• Snow-covered Brienz station

  The large amounts of snow made the works more difficult. As parts of the construction site were no longer visible, only a minimum of work could be carried out. The image shows snow-covered Brienz station, with an excavator and a construction worker also covered in snow.

• Works in snowy conditions

  To complete the elements between the tracks, the snow first has to be cleared. The ballast is then distributed around the posts and sign supports, ensuring that it does not encroach on the clearance profile. The image shows construction workers clearing snow from the tracks using blowers, an excavator and shovels.

• View from the driver’s cab.

  Finally, this section of the line can once again be seen from this perspective. The image shows part of the refurbished route from the driver’s cab.

• Successful test runs at Brienz station.

  All test runs were completed successfully, and the line was reopened as scheduled on 25 November 2024. The image shows a train standing at Brienz station.

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Before-and-after photos

• Milibach bridge in the direction of Brienz West

• Brienz West towards the tunnel

• Tunnel exit towards Brienz West

• Inside the tunnel

• Brienz station

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