“Golden Spot”: the new photopoint on the Gornergrat

A familiar face on the Gornergrat becomes a major attraction: the historic locomotive He 2/2 3003 – one of the three locomotives of the first generation of the Gornergrat Railway – has been repaired, gold-plated and placed in a prominent position on the summit. A short themed trail with exciting information about the discovery of the Gornergrat and the pioneering achievement in the construction of the cog railway takes you downhill to where you can create an imposing memento against a unique mountain backdrop.

Visit the Golden Spot on the Gornergrat

It can’t be missed – the golden locomotive 3003 sparkles elegantly and grabs everyone’s attention as soon as they enter Gornergrat station. On the specially created themed trail, you will find exciting information about the history and development of the Gornergrat Railway. The Golden Spot is the perfect spot for a souvenir photo or selfie with the Matterhorn in the background. The photopoint will be open all year round and can be experienced by all guests free of charge.

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Your ticket to the Golden Spot

The trilogy: three locomotives, three stories

It was visionary thinking that prevented the locomotives from the early days from being scrapped, instead giving them new life. Zermatt entrepreneur Benjamin Schaller happened to come by a locomotive and developed the idea of showcasing the historical beauty as the heart of the restaurant in the carefully shaped quarry vault and thus creating a memento of the history of the Gornergrat Railway. The He 2/2 3001 locomotive is now a gold-plated gem and has been an attraction for guests in the Golden LokDown restaurant at Hotel Schaller’s Tannenhof since June 2022.

And that was not the only good idea: in autumn 2022, planning began on how to preserve the other two locomotives and present them to the public. And so the new interpretation of the trilogy was born: three first-generation locomotives, presented in all their glory at three prominent locations – on the approach to the Gornergrat area in Täsch, at the heart of Zermatt and on the Gornergrat.

Locomotive 3001: the pioneer – Golden LokDown

It was the first of the three locomotives to undergo extensive restoration and is now the attraction of the restaurant "Golden Lok Ristorante Pizzeria". When renovating the traditional Hotel Tannenhof, Benjamin Schaller planned a restaurant deep underground. The locomotive was placed in the excavation pit by crane before the quarry stone vault and the entire surrounding building had been erected. The restaurant "Golden Lok Ristorante Pizzeria"in the impressive vaulted cellar is named after locomotive 3001, which can be admired close up over a good meal.

Locomotive 3002: the old acquaintance – Golden View

The second of the three locomotives from the early days of the Gornergrat Railway never completely disappeared from the scene: from 2007, it stood on the Killerhof roundabout in Stalden to welcome travellers to Zermatt. However, it had to make way for the new bypass and lost its purpose. Then the locomotive found a new location in Täsch: majestically clad in gold, it now stands as a sign of welcome on the grounds of the Schaller Ante Portas multi-storey car park.

Locomotive 3003: the crowning glory – Golden Spot

The third locomotive completes the trilogy. For the 125th anniversary of the Gornergrat Railway, the company wanted to create something special. A project group, with Benjamin Schaller as a member, set to work on the ambitious planning. Since August 2023, it has been perched on the summit of the Gornergrat, gleaming with the Matterhorn in the background and forming the perfect photo subject with its golden sheen. Along the themed trail, you will learn exciting facts from the historical past to the present of the Gornergrat Railway.

Have you visited and photographed all three locomotives in the trilogy?

Congratulations! Share your pictures of the legendary 3001, 3002 and 3003 locomotives on Instagram and use the hashtag #GoldenLegends to enter our big photo competition. Don’t forget to set your Instagram profile to “public”. Together with BS Schaller Holding AG, we will be selecting three winners who can look forward to one of the following prizes at the end of 2024:[A1]

• Tickets for return journey Zermatt – Gornergrat incl. priority boarding for 2 people worth CHF 266

• Voucher for 2 people, valid at the Restaurant Golden LokDown in Zermatt, to the value of CHF 200

• Voucher for a parking experience in the Schaller Ante Portas multi-storey car park worth CHF 175 (one week parking incl. taxi service from Täsch to Zermatt)

A big thank you to our sponsors!

Thanks to our sponsors, this vintage engine He 2/2 3003 has been reincarnated as the unique "Golden Spot". May this gilded gem win over the hearts of all our guests!