Swiss railway news – Page 7
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NewsRack railway to be converted to driverless operation
SWITZERLAND: Stadler is to supply what it says will be the first fully automated adhesion and rack-and-pinion railcar for use on in an open overland railway environment, rather than in a tunnel or closed network where there is little risk of an obstacle on the line. ...
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Metro Report InternationalActive steering tested on Swiss tram
SWITZERLAND: Zürich start-up Traila has demonstrated a prototype sensor-based active steering system which is designed to significantly reduce the friction between tram wheels and rails, reducing noise, wear and dust. A simulation platform is being used to test the prototype in partnership ...
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Metro Report InternationalDolderbahn rack railcar design unveiled
SWITZERLAND: City transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich has unveiled the design of two railcars ordered for the Dolderbahn, which climbs 162 m in 1 328 m using the von Roll rack system. In June 2021 VBZ awarded Stadler Bussnang a SFr10·6m contract to supply two Bhe 1/2 ...
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Metro Report InternationalWaldenburgerbahn tram arrives for testing
SWITZERLAND: The first of 10 Be 6/8 Tramlink light rail vehicles being supplied by Stadler Valencia to operate the Waldenburgerbahn south of Basel has been delivered to Bad Bubendorf for the start of test running. Car 101 was delivered in three parts on a fleet of ...
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NewsSBB Cargo Vectron order
SWITZERLAND: Reichmuth & Co Investment Management’s LokRoll 3 business has awarded Siemens Mobility a contract to supply and maintain 35 Vectron AC electric locomotives which Northrail will lease to SBB Cargo for eight years from 2024. The locos are to be equipped ...
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NewsSBB drops active suspension on Twindexx fleet
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has announced that it will no longer pursue plans to introduce active suspension on its fleet of Twindexx double-deck electric multiple-units. SBB had planned to launch the technology on inter-city versions of its Twindexx fleet in 2027 as a means of saving ...
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NewsOrion narrow gauge rack EMU unveiled
SWITZERLAND: The first of the Orion metre-gauge rack electric multiple-units ordered by Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn has been unveiled at Stadler’s Bussnang factory. In March 2020 MGB placed a SFr148·5m order for 12 EMUs to replace locomotive-hauled stock as part of its 2030 fleet strategy. It has ...
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Metro Report InternationalGenève tram order to support network expansion
SWITZERLAND: Genève public transport operator TPG has selected Stadler to supply trams to replace older vehicles and support planned expansion of the network Tenders were called in August last year, and the formal award of the contract announced on July 7 is subject a standstill period. ...
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NewsVectron locos ordered with XLoad to increase Alpine capacity
SWITZERLAND: SüdLeasing has placed an order for Siemens Mobility to supply and maintain 20 Vectron multisystem locomotives equipped with the XLoad package to increase the locos’ haulage capability. The 160 km/h locos will be delivered from early 2024 and leased by SBB Cargo International under a ...
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NewsConsultation starts on Swiss Bahn 2050 programme
SWITZERLAND: The Federal Council has put forward proposals for a further long-term programme of investment in the national rail network. Enhancement of the existing network to allow more intensive use is now seen as preferable to starting more major infrastructure projects.
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In depthEuropean policy: Capacity directive could be game-changer
With legislation being considered to enhance capacity on Europe’s rail network, Murray Hughes asks Forum Train Europe Managing Director Edgar Schenk and Senior Project Manager Sebastián Čarek how this would improve rail’s ability to compete against road and air.
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NewsWagon leasing company Wascosa acquired
SWITZERLAND: Funds managed by Swiss Life Asset Managers and Vauban Infrastructure Partners have acquired wagon leasing company Wascosa from Philipp Müller and his family. The new owners said the ‘highly attractive and resilient’ rail market was benefiting from ‘structural tailwinds driven by an increased modal share’. ...
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NewsMont-Blanc Express trains ordered
EUROPE: Stadler is to supply seven rack-equipped electric multiple-units for Mont-Blanc Express services on the 1 000 mm gauge line between Martigny in Switzerland and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet in France. The two-car EMUs will be equipped for 850 V DC overhead and third rail power supplies. They ...
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NewsSBB orders Giruno trainsets for services to Germany
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has placed a SFr250m firm order for seven more Stadler Giruno trainsets for use on cross-border services to Germany. Announcing the order on June 15, Stadler said demand for rail travel to Germany had been increasing steadily before the pandemic, and had ...
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NewsWinner of 510-train framework contract confirmed
SWITZERLAND: The Federal Administrative Court has rejected Alstom’s challenge to the decision by Swiss Federal Railways, Thurbo and RegionAlps to award Stadler a framework contract for the supply of up to 510 electric multiple-units. The tendering process began in May 2020, with SBB and its two ...
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NewsStreet-running railway goes underground
SWITZERLAND: Chemin de fer Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher’s 1 km tunnel from the underground Lausanne-Flon terminus to Lausanne-Chauderon has been extended by 1·7 km to Union-Prilly, replacing a street-running section of single track line along Avenue d’Echallens. The double-track tunnel has been built to increase ...
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NewsBOB park-and-ride EMUs to relieve valley roads
SWITZERLAND: Berner Oberland-Bahnen has announced a SFr66m order for six Stadler ABeh 4/8 three-car electric multiple units to enter service in winter 2025-26. The order will enable a 15-min headway service to be provided at the proposed Matten station between Interlaken Ost and Wilderswil, where a ...
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In depthTrack Maintenance: Sittertobel renovation improves track forces
Schweizerische Südostbahn worked with industry partners including Getzner Werkstoffe to renovate its historic Sittertobel viaduct and install a more optimised track structure. The benefits of the changes have been quantified in series of tests assessing the rail deflection generated by passing trains.
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NewsNarrow gauge EMUs enter service
SWITZERLAND: Chemin de Fer Nyon-Saint-Cergue-Morez has put into service the first two of six additional electric multiple-units being supplied by Stadler. NStCM ordered an initial four ABe4/8 two-car 1·5 kV DC metre-gauge EMUs in 2009, which entered service from December 2015. It ...
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NewsElectric loco refurbishment programme completed
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has completed a five-year programme to refurbish its fleet of 119 Re460 electric locomotives. The 230 km/h multi-purpose locos rated at 6·1 MW were supplied by SLM and ABB in 1992-96. They are currently used to haul EW IV single-deck and IC2000 ...