The RhB Ge 6/6^II 702 at Tiefencastel station

The Schinschlucht, the big gorge of the Albula river stretches between Sils im Domleschg and Tiefencastel. The train leaves Thusis station with a sharp left bend running on the double-track island, bridging the Hinterrhein and starts a hard climb with a gradient of 25 permille. When passing the old church by Sils we are high above the omleschg valley floor and as soon as we enter the Albula valley we are going to be almost a hundred metres above the river. The track runs mostly in tunnels with only a few opportunities for those sitting on the left-hand side of the train to have a peek at the magnificient rock walls, perhaps you can see more from the road here. At around halfway we bridge the Albula on 89 metres high Solisviadukt, the highest bridge of the Rhätische Bahn. After this the water is going to be near as the river is transformed into a reservoir by a huge dam by Solisviadukt almost up until Tiefencastel. Climbing with the maximum gradient was necessary: at Tiefencastel the tracks ar only about 20 metres above the valley floor. If you visit the great bakery in town it will only take you a short flight of steps to get back to the station for your next train.