European Rail Travel - Questions re (Swiss) Chur and Andermatt rail trip

I was recently riding this run on a non-Glacier Express (requiring a change in Disentis-Munster): (1)the announcements were in German and a second language--was this Romanche? (2) I travel to Switz. often and am impressed with the magnificent scenery--except, the stretch between DM and Andermatt, is treeless and extremely barren, what geographic anomaly causes this? I've been high up in the alps and seem to remember seeing trees.

Yes, I believe it is Romansch. The lack of trees is due to the fact that the altitude there is above the tree line, i.e. the winter cold and amount of snow is just too great for young trees to get a foothold. Pine trees need at least 120 days of growing season per year and this area simply does not get that much.

The second language in the announcements in the local trains is Romansh. The second language is only announced in the romanish spoken areas in the actual dialect. In your case it was 'Sursilvan' and it sounds different that i.ex. the 'Puter/Vallader' in the Engadin Valley. More information about Romansh: >wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romansh_language)<

The reason that there were no trees on the Oberalppass is the altitude. They grow up to about 1800 meters. The Oberalppass is on 2044 meters, far above the - as we say - the forest border.

The second language in the announcements in the local trains is Romansh. The second language is only announced in the romanish spoken areas in the actual dialect. In your case it was 'Sursilvan' and it sounds different that i.ex. the 'Puter/Vallader' in the Engadin Valley. More information about Romansh: >wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romansh_language)<

The reason that there were no trees on the Oberalppass is the altitude. They grow up to about 1800 meters. The Oberalppass is on 2044 meters, far above the - as we say - the forest border.

I knew it wasn't English:D or Italian (nowhere near the Italian area of Switz.) ditto for French!--so I assumed by "default" it must have been Romansh.
Out of curiosity, are there other trains routes where Romansh announcements are made?

Thus, Romansh is only a official language in Graubünden. On the RhB trains, there are also such announcements on the route of Landquart - Scuol-Tarasp and St. Moritz - Scuol-Tarasp. It always begins on the language border. Trains over the Berina Pass, will have aditional anouncements in italian.

Same in whole Switzerland. If a train passes to the french spoken areas (west of Berne) or to the italian spoken area (Canton of Tessin), announcements will also be made in those languages. English only on international or touristic trains.

If you ride up to the Top of Europe, Jungfraujoch, you can also hear more exotic languages for Europe, such as japanese, as lots of Tourists :).

Thus, Romansh is only a official language in Graubünden. On the RhB trains, there are also such announcements on the route of Landquart - Scuol-Tarasp and St. Moritz - Scuol-Tarasp. It always begins on the language border. Trains over the Berina Pass, will have aditional anouncements in italian.

Same in whole Switzerland. If a train passes to the french spoken areas (west of Berne) or to the italian spoken area (Canton of Tessin), announcements will also be made in those languages. English only on international or touristic trains.

If you ride up to the Top of Europe, Jungfraujoch, you can also hear more exotic languages for Europe, such as japanese, as lots of Tourists :).

On my trips to two of the popular mountain spots Jungfrau, Zermat one would think they had arrived in Mt. Fuji:), based on the huge number of Japanese tourists in the station plazas--hence lots of signage in Japanese.
On one trip I was on the conductor even spoke a few words in Japanese to a few of the tourists from Japan.
It is always nice when one is traveling to be made to feel "at home". Which Switzerland tries to do, IMHO, moreso than most other countries.^