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On October 15, 1998, when I wanted to take some pictures at Untervaz station, I had the unexpected opportunity to visit the company → A&M in Untervaz. I was lucky to come just in time to see the beginning of a new career of one of the two “A&M cars.”
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The company A&M is in the disposal and recycling business; they specialize in the disposal of railroad scrap. On the company's large area, I noticed the remains of some RhB tank cars – a pitiful sight … Besides the cut-off tank cars, I found large stacks of iron tracks (with iron ties) which were mainly used on bridges. |
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A&M, however, is also engaged in the preservation of old rolling stock; the company has probably become known to a lot of railroad and especially model railroading enthusiasts by the special “Annual Cars 1998” made by Bemo:
In August 1998, A&M had the RhB cars B 2226 und 2228 painted in the company's colours; they were actually in use on the RhB network. The company used to have a pictorial report about this event on their website; unfortunately, this is no longer available.
While, at the time of my visit, B 2228 had already been scraped, I was lucky to witness a big operation involving two truck-based cranes (as a railroad photographer, you simply need luck sometimes!): B 2226 was lifted off the tracks and was put on a low-loader; the car will be put up on the premises as a small computer museum.
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B 2226 is still on the tracks (above), but its days with the RhB are counted (lower left; “Car destined for scraping; cannot brake”). The inscriptions (the “logical block” in RhB terminology) were left in the original red when the car was re-painted.
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Bemo model of car B 2226 (Bemo #3260 146) and the “logical block” in 1:87: all details are perfectly printed. |
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Back to the prototype: This tiny two-axle car (RhB X 9397, called Esel [donkey] in RhB slang) has only one purpose that you can already guess when you look at the enormous brake cylinder: Its duty is to keep the “not brakable” B 2226 in check. |
And then, the moment has come: B 2226's life as a railroad vehicle is over. The car was part of the second series of “Schnellzugwagen in schwerer Stahlbauart” (fast train cars in heavy steel construction) which were ordered by the RhB on October 10, 1929 from SIG and which were put into service in 1930. When the whole series was rebuilt in 1989/90, B 2226 was put back into service in the renovated version on June 8, 1989. After nearly 70 years, the car will now, on this sunny October day, definitely leave the tracks of the RhB.
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Two big cranes lift the 24-ton-car which has been fixed by nylon belts and chains off the tracks …
… and set it down on a low-loader which will transport the car to its final position on the A&M area. |
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The most important part of the work is done. B 2226 was saved from the steel cutters, at least one of the “heavy steel cars” will be preserved. If you want to see the prototype of your Bemo model, visit A&M in Untervaz.
Special thanks to Mr. Charly Benz, A&M, for the personal “guided tour” on the premises and his permission to take these pictures.
We regularly spend our vacations in the Grisons, but somehow, we never managed to visit Untervaz for a very long time. In February 2006, more than seven years after the pictures shown above were taken, we finally decided to go there again. Lo and behold – B 2226 was still there:
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| B 2226 on the A&M area; February 3, 2006 |
Copyright © 1999–2008 and responsible for contents: Christoph Ozdoba.
First version January 3, 1999, last edited February 17, 2008.
