Following up my last post, I have done a lot of research and the information everyone provided was so helpful!
Arrive Zurich, it appears the most reasonable flights will not arrive until well after 5 pm, I assume we can still get to Lucerne after arrival. Public transport the whole trip
4 nights Lucerne (extra time here yes, but I do not sleep at all on flights and we have a couple days of jet lag slow down)
5 nights Lauterbrunnen or Wengen
2 nights Montreux
2 nights Zermatt or Brig or around there (go to matterhorn if it is a good weather day)
ride Glacier Express all the way to end- which city?, overnight in that city.
next day, Bernina Express to Torino and then regional train to Lake Como for rest of trip. (three nights lake como, three nights Venice, then home)
Photographers question here, we are probably getting 1st class train tickets (Swiss travel pass) because long legs were not happy in 2nd class Italian trains and we will have our luggage. The panoramic trains have 1st class but can't open the windows to photograph. Is there 1st class on the regional trains? Everything I find isn't specific, just that you can't reserve seats on regionals. I personally would like to sit over such a long train ride. ( I might need to do a separate post for this question)
I think this plan will cover what we want to see and do, I have lots of questions but one thing at a time.