MSTS Gotthardroute II

	THIS ADD-ON WASN'T COMPATIBLE WITH RAILWORKS/TS20xx

Gotthardlinie 2: Strecke Airolo (Gotthardtunnel) - Chiasso / Locarno / Luino for Microsoft Train Simulator

Information about the model

On February 29, 1880, the Gotthard Tunnel was breached at 11:15 a.m. Around two years later, on June 1, 1882, the Gotthard Railway officially began continuous operations on the mountain route. The express train from Lucerne to Chiasso took around seven and a half hours. In the Gotthard Tunnel, the train crosses the highest point of the SBB network at over 1,100 meters. The train then reaches Airolo, the first train station in Ticino. After crossing the Leventina, the train reaches the first high point of the route, the Dazio Grande. After the Rodi-Fiesso train station, the train dives into the Dazio tunnel and then overcomes the first big difference in height in the Freggio spiral tunnel. After the second spiral tunnel, the Pratotunnel, Faido train station soon follows. Around seven kilometers after Faido, near Lavorgo, there is another well-known section, the Biaschina. The first level is conquered in the Pianotondo spiral tunnel. After the Pianotondo lane change, the second spiral tunnel follows, the 1547 meter long Travi spiral tunnel. After these two loops the train is at the bottom of the valley. Biasca train station, located at 303 meters above sea level, will soon be reached on the valley floor. Since Airolo, the train has lost around 800 meters of altitude over a distance of almost 50 kilometers. From Biasca it continues for around 20 kilometers to Bellinzona, the canton's capital, which is known for its three castles. Shortly after Bellinzona, the route branches off to the left and winds its way up the slope along the Ceneri north ramp. The Ceneri Tunnel, which was built in two individual tubes, is almost 1,700 meters long and ends right at the Rivera-Bironico train station. Around 15 kilometers further the train reaches Lugano and Lake Lugano. After a wide loop and the Paradiso Tunnel, the train reaches the level of the lake and soon reaches Melide. To Melide the route leads over the lake dam, which is also used by the cantonal road and the motorway. At the end of Lake Lugano the Capolago-Riva train reaches San Vitale. The cable car up to Monte Generoso starts there right at the train station. Shortly afterwards is the spacious Mendrisio train station. From there a short branch line branches off to Stabio. However, it is now only used by freight trains. Around eight kilometers after Mendrisio comes Chiasso, which is also the end point of the route. After Bellinzona, in Giubiasco, it is possible to go to Locarno or Luino instead of Chiasso. Locarno is served by Interregios or S-Bahn trains, but hardly any freight trains. In the direction of Luino it is the other way around: international freight trains dominate the picture there. A few S-Bahn trains travel the route and connect the small villages along Lake Maggiore with Bellinzona and Luino.

Information about the Add-On

The Train Simulator route has the lines from Airolo (Gotthard Tunnel) – Faido – Biasca – Bellinzona – Lugano to Chiasso. There are also lines from Bellinzona to Locarno and from Bellinzona to Luino. These routes branch off from the main line in Giubiasco. The route between Luino and Locarno follows Cadenazzo. The freight line to Stabio, as well as the Taverne-Torricella – Lugano-Vedeggio and Balerna – Chiasso Smistamento freight lines are also available. For capacity reasons, the route had to be divided into two parts in the Gotthard Tunnel. All train stations and their buildings are modeled on the original, as far as Train Simulator allows. The speed limits have also been implemented according to the model. The entire terrain has been terraformed and contains special textures on the distant mountains created using satellite imagery. Most stations have several stopping points on the platform, divided into sectors. If you are taking a short train, you may not have to go all the way to the end of the platform.

Since the Gotthard route from Zurich / Lucerne to Chiasso would be too large, the route will be divided into two parts and created separately. The first part leads from Zurich and Lucerne to Göschenen to the Gotthard Tunnel. The second part includes the rest to Chiasso / Locarno / Luino.

The Team
Michael Albiez	Constructions of Route, Objects, roll. stocks, houses
Urs Mayer	Cabviews, techn. Loc-programming, Sound
Eugen Rippstein	Signals, overhead wire
Ernst Triet	Scenarios, tests, stations track-planning
Kurt Baldegger	Scenarios, tests
Walter Götz	Tests
Franz Maurer	Tests
David Scherer	Constructions of stations and the FLIRT RABe 524
L. Haggenmacher	Vegetations, overhead wire
Oliver Beretta	Textur templates rolling stocks
Lars Bärtschi	Dates for the timetables
Peter Hofer	Route data
Olaf Schärlinger	technicals advice locomotives
Norbert Rieger	technicals advice XTracks
... and other helping hands deserve my thanks!