Hi,

I was driving back to Pfaeffikon from Bad Ragaz and was stopped at a railway crossing for a steam train...

Does anyone know what/where the steam train starts from as I'd like to take my family on it without having to train all the way south.

So, is there a Steam Train ride in the Zurich area?

It's probably not the one you saw, but there is a steam train that does Bauma - Hinwil. There is also one in Schinznach. Another fun steam ride is the steam tram in Bern. Going over the Basel way there are steam rides on Liestal - Waldenburg. All of these operate only occasionally so do check schedules before you set out.

On the way back to Pfäffikon you most likely got stopped at Hinwil. There is a Steam train that does trips to Bauma from there on Sundays I think. At least I see the train there quite often on Sundays.

Link:
http://www.dvzo.ch/index.php?N1_ID=1...73&Language=de

goes through the Sihltal (the S4 route)

http://www.museumsbahn.ch/

apparently the next date is 28th of august:

Öffentliche Fahrten
"Schnaaggi-Schaaggi" dampft jeweils am letzten Sonntag des Monats von April bis Oktober. Der Dampfzug hält jeweils nur an den im Fahrplan angegebenen Stationen und Bahnhöfen.
Fahrplan 2011
Sihlbrugg ab13:05Zch Wiedikon ab12:0015:00Sihlwald an13:15Saalsporthalle ab12:0715:07Sihlwald ab11:1014:10Zch Leimbach ab12:1915:19Langnau-G ab11:1714:17Langnau-G ab 12:3115:31Zch Leimbach ab11:2714:27Sihlwald ab/an12:4015:40Saalsporthalle ab11:3414:34Sihlbrugg an12:5015:50Zch Wiedikon an11:4514:45Sihlwald an 16:10
Fahrten 201124. April Ostersonntag
29. Mai (Nostalgie)
26. Juni, 31. Juli, 28. August
25. September (Nostalgie)
30. Oktober

The link says 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month so I guess that your assumption is correct

Thanks everyone....the Hinwil one sounds correct! 25 is our birthday so I see a trip on a steam train!!!

There is one in the Sihltal too on the S4 track? It is twice per Sunday, but i'm not sure if it is each Sunday

It's a pretty fun trip, I did Hinwil-Bäretswil with my daughter last weekend. They even use the little cardboard tickets I remember from when I visited Switzerland as a little kid, and the conductors come by and punch the tickets, much to the delight of my daughter.

Sauschwänzlebahn, right on the border