The CentovalliBahn ("hundred valleys railroad) is a 1m gauge international railroad between Domodossola (Italy) and Locarno (Switzerland). It is 52kms long: 32km are in Italy (Val Vigezzo) and under control of SSiF (Società Subalpina Imprese Ferroviarie). The other 20km are located in Canton Ticino - Switzerland (Centovalli) and are under control of a (funny) named society… FART (Ferrovie Autolinee regionali ticinesi. In origin was FRT but they added the A, for bus service, in the sixties. Bad decision ) It opened with electric traction on the 25th of November 1923 (it is 100 years old). The smallest curve has a 50m radius and the maximum slope is 6%. Rollingstock: Only Emus with 2 – 3 and 4 pieces. The oldest were delivered in 1959 and the “newest” (the ugly panoramic trains) in 2007. At the end of 2024 they’ll receive new material from the omni present Stadler rail (I’m not a fan). There are still 3 units built in 1923 but they are no more in use not even for historic trains. The traffic is passenger only. The freight trains were phased out in the late seventies. A couple of photos of the real railroad. One of the three metal bridges, this one located on the Swiss side with an ABDe 6/6 (1962). Just one month ago one of the two EMU was sold as scrap for just 8.500 euros. Back in the days. A 1923 ABFe 4/4 (left) and the number 2 of the MaggiatalBahn, which was suppressed in 1965 (there are so many things to say about that ex railroad) An ABe 8/8 (1959) in Santa Maria Maggiore. My favourite trains will be phased out at the end of this year. (Yes the upper part of the mast are the typical FS type ) I have started this route in 2004 for MSTS, then changed to Railworks and now to TSW. I like 3D engines which allows tons of triangles. I have placed 60% of the track accordingly to maps and lidar data but the Swiss side is the most complex to sort out (100 hundred valleys is not a counting error). The terrain textures are custom made and will be expanded along the costruction of the 3Ds. The track is custom made as it will be the entire OHLE (I have tested a part of it 6 month ago and then put on hold). Yes every object will be custom made, so it will take a looooot of time, but I'm not in a hurry. The fun part, to me, is to build 3Ds Currently I'm building only bridges. The Toce valley with the first section going up the hill with a 6% ramp. Just entered Val Vigezzo. In this section there is a bridge every 500m.
Had a run on it last year during autumn, beautiful line with gorgeous views, especially when you cross the little river canyon near Locarno! Have a good work
