WRC CEO John Rimmasch poses with 141 R 568 at its coaling location in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

December 12 and 13, 2009 saw the operation of Baldwin 2-8-2 Steam Locomotive, ex-SNCF No. 141 R 568 between Schaffhausen and Bern, Switzerland. The purpose of the trip was to take invited guests and the paying public on an inaugural wintertime excursion aboard the Swiss Classic Train. Wasatch Railroad Contractors had the opportunity to attend the trip and provide support for the locomotive.

The excursion ultimately took passengers from Zürich Main Station to Brig, Switzerland. At Bern, the steam locomotive was exchanged for a classic Ae 6/8 electric locomotive for the remainder of the high Alpine trip to Brig.

After passengers and guest overnighted at a hotel in Brig, the train made its return trip, again swapping locomotives so that the 141 R 568 could take the train from Bern back to Zürich.

While the Swiss Classic Train journeyed between Bern and Brig, the steam locomotive overnighted about 20 miles outside of Bern in a town named Lyss. The locomotive was graciously allowed to utilize the facility occupied by the Verein (Club) Pacific 01 202, which is a former Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft 4-6-2 steam locomotive.

The return trip to Zürich was mostly uneventful except for a leak that was discovered in the feed water system within the smoke box. This in turn filled the lower part of the smoke box with water, wet the cinders, and caused them to pile up in a black muddy mess that choked the draft. Although an hour was spent cleaning out the smoke box in Olten, the time was utilized well so that no further stops were necessary. Time was made up, and the train arrived in Zürich only 20 minutes late.

Read more details and see more pictures about this event at http://projects.wrrc.us/

No. 141 R 568 was one of over 1,300 Mikados built post World War II and sent to France under the Marshall Plan. It was purchased in 2006 by William Cook Rail GmbH and taken to Switzerland where it is now one of two operating 141 Rs in that country. Wasatch Railroad Contractors has been involved with the rehabilitation of the locomotive since late 2007.

I just want to comment that that is one clean and classy looking crew/tool car.

Number 141 R 568 is one classy looking steamer! Sure would be nice to have one of the survivors "come home" to North America. Just a little front end work would make her look like a "native".

Les