Konolfingen

Shortly before our General Assembly in Konolfingen on 9 March 2024, I would like to draw attention to this event with a little railway history. I will use a few photos that my records provide under the keyword “Konolfingen”.
In 1976, the Be 4/7s were scheduled for the general cargo train 17834 from Bern to Lucerne. As this train was scheduled to carry passengers on one section of the timetable, it included a B passenger coach. So I waited at Bern station for the general cargo train and begged the train crew to allow me to travel the whole route. Be 4/7 12506 was assigned to the first attempt on March 16, 1976. Unfortunately, the journey ended in the track fields at Wankdorffeld near Berne because smoke was coming from the engine room of the 12506. It was to be her last journey…
Of course, I tried my luck again and this time it worked the whole way. I conferred with the accompanying staff at every stop and got some nice operational pictures.

The last operational Be 4/7 12504 shunts in front of the buildings of the Bernese Alpine Milk Company in Konolfingen. This is where the then popular Stalden chocolate cream dessert was produced in tins. The company has belonged to Nestle since 1972 and the trademark rights to the Stalden cream were sold. April 06, 1976 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach
Be 4/7 12504 waits with its general cargo train 17834 at the station building in Konolfingen for the passenger train 2830 hauled by Ae 3/6 III 10269 to pass. April 06, 1976 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach
Exit of the same passenger train 2830 from Konolfingen station. A mail van runs in first place, followed by a luggage van and the first passenger coach, an intermediate A, or AB, which is still barely visible. The aluminium body of the Hbis goods wagon under the gantry crane still has a silvery sheen and is free of graffiti. April 06, 1976 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach
Atmospheric picture with the general cargo train at Konolfingen station and one of the then ubiquitous forklift trucks on the platform. Crossing tracks was forbidden even then… April 06, 1976 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach
A good year later I was back in Konolfingen. Now I chased trains headed by BDe 2/4 of the EBT group. Here the single modernised SMB BDe 2/4 271 with its modern B 504 has arrived at Konolfingen station. April 18, 1977 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach
The shunting manoeuvre has been completed and the BDe 2/4 271 is ready to return to Burgdorf with the two-tone B 504. The shunter leaves the yard after completing the manoeuvre. An RBDe 4/4 shuttle train to Thun is waiting next to it. April 18, 1977 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach
At the same time, a goods train with the Sécheron Ae 4/7 10944, a D3 baggage van and goods load is ready to depart from Konolfingen in the direction of Lucerne. April 18, 1977 Photo: Edi Meier, Bülach

 

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