A day in the Maggiatal

The local narrow-gauge railway in the Maggia valley was already seriously threatened with closure when Daniel Heer travelled to Ticino, probably in 1964 or 1965, to photograph it. Unfortunately, the large-format negatives have not yet been documented as meticulously as his later 35mm photographs. However, our Ticino colleague Sebastiano Mattei was able to locate the shooting locations and supplement the images with interesting information.
This narrow-gauge railway began operating in 1907 as Ferrovie elettrica Locarno – Ponte Brolla – Bignasco (Locarno – Ponte Brolla – Bignasco electric railway) LPB. From a technical point of view, it had some unique features. The line started next to the SBB railway station in Locarno and initially ran through the city of Locarno on tracks shared with the Locarno tram, which was electrified with 800V 20Hz alternating current and began operating shortly afterwards. Outside the city area, the alternating voltage was significantly increased and fed in at 5000V 20Hz in order to reduce losses over longer distances. For this purpose, two different high-voltage feeds were available at the railcar’s transformer. This was the first commercial application of electric alternating current traction, which was tested by MFO on the Wettingen-Seebach test track, and some of the technology was adopted, such as the lateral catenary with the rod-shaped curved pantograph. The railway was used for passenger and freight transport, which was dominated by the transport of granite from the Riveo quarry.
In 1923, the Centovalli Railway Locarno–Domodossola was opened with 1200 V direct current, sharing the first 10 km of the line to Ponte Brolla with the Maggia Valley Railway. In order to continue offering through trains, the Maggia Valley Railway was electrified in 1925/26. The original LPB railcars 1–3 were fitted with new DC electrical equipment by BBC, with a pantograph in the middle of the car. However, the curious bow pantograph remained in use from Ponte Brolla onwards. During the conversion period, two steam locomotives G 3/4 7 and 8 from the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) (and others) were in service.

Forty years later, the Maggia Valley Railway was badly worn out, as investments had been made almost exclusively in the main line to Domodossola, and it was facing increasing difficulties in the face of competition from cars. The political climate at the time saw buses as the way forward and opposed the modernisation of railways. Sadly, the last train ran in 1965. The bus ran nine times a day, the same frequency as the railway had previously.
It is striking that the same train was photographed several times as it travelled through the characteristic landscapes of the valley along the entire route. Either Daniel Heer was travelling by car, or he was on a photo trip with like-minded people. The composition of the train and the times of day indicate that it was train 442, which is why we have commented on this assumption in the captions.

The first encounter with the train took place shortly before Maggia station. The lighting conditions are not ideal, but the FRT ABDe 4/4 No. 2 railcar, the B 111 bogie car and the K 103 covered freight car form a picturesque composition. It should be noted that only the railcar actually comes from the LPB, while the carriages come from the Centovalli Railway. In the foreground are wooden frames typical of Ticino, on which the grapes hang like a pergola. Behind the train are the steep slopes of the Maggia Valley.
Photo: Daniel Heer@bahnarchiv.ch_ SGEG_DH_A_SWN120_FART-007
The next photo was taken at Boscone di Lodano, where the railway and the road ran parallel to each other at different heights for several hundred metres.
The former railway line is still clearly visible today and is used as a separate cycle path.
Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-008
A few hundred metres later, the train reaches Lodano station, where train 442 stops to wait for the oncoming train at the junction. It is not clear whether they are actually wearing uniforms, but it could well be that the railway staff have taken a seat on the bench in front of the building. The arrival of the oncoming train could therefore take a while…
Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-005
The typical composition of train 442 in front of the Lodano station building. Both pantographs are connected to the contact wire. This train departed from Locarno SBB at 9:50 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Bignasco at 11:20 a.m.
The journey time was 1 hour and 30 minutes for just under 30 km (although according to the timetable, it was 43 km). Thanks to the covered freight wagon K103, train 442 also took over freight transport.
On public holidays, when freight transport was suspended, the train, renamed 444, was accelerated by 18 minutes.
Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-006
The last photo was taken shortly before the terminus at the hospital in Cevio, which had its own stop. In the background is the rocky mountainside with a waterfall. Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-010
The next photo shows the train at the terminus in Bignasco after completing its turning manoeuvre. The goods wagon was shunted onto a siding and the passenger carriage was bypassed.
The departure as train 449 is not scheduled until 12:35 p.m., so there is more than an hour’s break.
Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-012
The train now consists only of the ABDe 4/4 2 railcar and the B 111 carriage and is briefly on the move again as train 449 before Cevio.
The railway crossed the cantonal road several times, which played against it when the decision was made to modernise or discontinue operations. Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-012a
After Cevio, the train crosses the Visletto Bridge over the Maggia, which consists of three truss girders with spans of 25 m. This was the longest bridge on the railway.
The bridge has been preserved to this day… Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-013
On 15 October 2006, more than 40 years after the railway ceased operation, the Maggia bridge at Visletto was rusting away unused. Who would have thought that it would ever be honoured again…
In 2020, it was repaired and has since been used for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
The bridge gained a certain degree of fame in 2024 when, after the collapse of the neighbouring road bridge during the storm of 29/30 June 2024, it remained the only connection to the upper part of the Maggia Valley for several weeks and was also used by cars and light delivery vans in single-lane traffic. 15 October 2006 Photo: (c) Edi Meier, Bülach
This time, the crossing with the train travelling upstream is planned at Someo. The train departing at 12:05 from Locarno S.Antonio consists of railcar no. 3 and a bogie passenger car. The two-axle cars, which originated from the FLP, were rarely used in the end.
Passengers had to alight directly onto the ballast, as there is no platform. It is interesting to note that on this day, the two non-modernised railcars 2 and 3 were in service. Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-
Clearly visible: the simple, crooked catenary. The masts are missing their cantilevers, but the four insulators catch the eye. A rod is supported on the lower of the track-side insulators, which is positioned with a diagonal rod to the upper insulator. The contact wire is held at the other end of the rod. The train with railcar no. 2 leaves the short Avegno Tunnel, which is actually a stream crossing.
Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-019
The train with railcar no. 2 and a trailer car pulls into Gordevio station. There are no platforms, so a levelled area has to suffice. Gnarled wooden poles made from local chestnut trees were widely used on Ticino railways, and several of them can be seen here. The front pantograph is clearly visible. Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-017
Our train crosses the Maggia bridge at Ponte Brolla and is about to enter the tunnel that leads to the Ponte Brolla junction station. This bridge was rebuilt after the devastating floods of 1951, based on an SBB model.
Photo: (c) Daniel Heer/bahnarchiv.ch, SGEG DH A SWN120 FART-020

Comments and additions to this railway history can be sent to EG at sgeg dot ch, or use the form to our Vice President Edi Meier. Thank you for your help.

 

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