Train des Pignes - Les Luganaises B-31, B-32

Passenger carriage B-32 at Annot station

The non-profit organization which operates the Train des Pignes heritage train, GECP, has two passenger carriages of this type. They belong to a serie of eleven carriages built by Schweizerische Wagons- und Augzügfabrik AG (SWS (Schweiz Wagonsfabrik Schlieren) - colloquially called "Wagi") in Schlieren in Switzerland.

GECP's two carriages, B 31 and B 32, were delivered to Rhätische Bahn (RhB), Rhaetian Railway in Switzerland, on June 1, 1911. The interiors were arranged into three compartments (three different passenger classes) and with toilettes, identified as ABC-608 and ABC-609.

The carriages were in 1933 fitted with new undercarriage. After WWII, their interiors were rearranged into two classes and they got new identifications, AB-1608 and AB-1609.

After more than 50 years of service for RhB, they were in 1965 purchased by Ferrovie Luganesi (FL) in the Swiss canton of Tessin. After rearrangement of the interiors into only class 2 compartments, they were put into operation for the line between Lugano and Ponte-Tresa, now identified as B-31 and B-32.

Wooden benches

When the carriages no longer were needed by FL, they were presented as a gift to GECP, to which they arrived on February 11, 1980.

B-31 and B-32 have been used for GECP's Train des Pignes heritage steam train ever since.

They have a length of 15.55 m (51.02 ft) and a height of 3.37 m (11.06 ft).

B31 has seating capacity for 68 passengers.

One compartment in B-32 has been rearranged to form a mobile souvenir shop.


See also Vehicles in the Train des Pignes Steam Train

(Ref traindespignes.fr)