European Railway: Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, France, 2018

* Switzerland – we look at the build-up to opening and the early operations of a new passenger line linking Varese in Italy to Stabio in Switzerland. Test trains with class 524, SBB Cargo class 843 and 484 locomotives as well as Italian class 656 electrics are seen in action. We also view operations during the first week of opening in January 2018.
* Netherlands – the mainline south of Dordrecht is constant in its train activity: we view freight and passenger workings on one of the country’s strategic rail routes. Multiple units, diesels and electrics are all seen in this 2017 material.
* GERMANY – a profile of trains and traction on the busy Rhein East bank route between Linz-am-Rhein and Neuwied, just north of Koblenz. Classes 143, 145, 151, 152, 182, 185, 186, 187, 189, 193 and 425 are just some of the classes seen in action.
* France – a study of passenger and freight services east of Paris on the classic route towards Strasbourg. BB15000 hit-listed passenger services dominate as well as classes BB26000, BB27000, BB75000, E4000 and Class 186 also appear on freight.
* Switzerland – the second part in our extended look at the RhB metre-gauge network on the route between Landquart and Samedan during 2017. Loco-hauled services dominate, but the writing is on the wall for these with new multiple-units arriving at the end of 2018