Swiss railway news – Page 8
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NewsTwo options to develop wagonload freight
SWITZERLAND: Two options to determine the future of the wagonload freight business are to be analysed further with a view to the government setting the direction of future policy later this year. Rail currently handles about 25% of all freight traffic in Switzerland, but it has ...
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NewsMountain railway trains enter service
SWITZERLAND: Mountain railway and cable car operator Rigi Bahnen officially unveiled its new Stadler rack EMUs on April 7, with the first train entering passenger service the following day. Equipped with the Riggenbach rack technology, the 1·5 kV DC Bhe 4/6 EMUs will initially be used ...
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Metro Report InternationalLimmattalbahn light rail vehicle delivered
SWITZERLAND: Aargau Verkehr has taken delivery of the first of eight Stadler Tramlink Be6/8 light rail vehicles for the Limmattalbahn project to the west of Zürich. The metre gauge LRVs were procured jointly with Baselland Transport. They are 44·3 m long, with ...
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NewsWengernalpbahn locomotive delivered
SWITZERLAND: Wengernalpbahn has taken delivery of the first of three Hem 4/4 narrow-gauge electro-diesel locomotives that it ordered from Stadler Bussnang in October 2019 at a cost of SFr13·5m for use on the Wengen Shuttle service. The first locomotive was delivered on ...
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NewsPortable brake force measurement device
SWITZERLAND: Measurement device specialist Kistler has developed a highly portable device for measuring brake force on trains. Kistler developed the BFMS for staff at SBB’s maintenance depots in Oberwinterthur where the operator was keen to optimise the brake force measurement process. The device comprises four 9303A1B ...
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Metro Report InternationalAutomatic incident detection system for Swiss level crossings
SWITZERLAND: Nokia has partnered with Schweizer Electronics to deploy its Scene Analytics technology to improve level crossing safety on Baselland Transport’s network. Nokia Scene Analytics monitors level crossings in real time using computer vision and artificial intelligence to detect any foreign objects on or near the ...
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In depthSwitzerland: Timetable recast in Luzern could add capacity
The congested terminus at Luzern is one of the main infrastructure bottlenecks preventing an increase in services on the busy lines in central Switzerland. Reshaping the timetable pattern to make the most of the two-track approach to the terminus from the north could free up more paths to generate up to a 40% increase in capacity.
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NewsGauge-changing panorama coaches ordered
SWITZERLAND: Montreux-Oberland Bahn has awarded Stadler a SFr12m contract to supply four low-floor gauge-changing panorama coaches for the future Goldenpass Express service between Montreux and Interlaken. The order is being financed by MOB with the support of the cantons of Bern, Vaud and Fribourg and the ...
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Metro Report InternationalBLT signs contract for 25 TINA trams
SWITZERLAND: Baselland tram operator BLT has formally awarded Stadler a SFr125m contract to supply 25 TINA trams. Stadler had been named preferred bidder in February. The contract signed on November 12 followed agreement on the vehicle specifications, together with the confirmation of funding from the federal ...
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NewsUetlibergbahn electrification conversion planned under SZU modernisation programme
SWITZERLAND: Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn has unveiled a phased programme of infrastructure enhancements and standardisation to complement its fleet renewals, paving the way for a more intensive service to operate over its two routes west of Zürich.
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NewsTunnel to enable double-tracking of Neuchâtel – Biel/Bienne line
SWITZERLAND: Work has begun to double the last single-track section of the Neuchâtel – Biel/Bienne line, following approval for construction of the 2 130 m long Ligerz tunnel which will replace the existing alignment on the shore of Lake Biel. Work to ...
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NewsAutomated brake test system development completed
EUROPE: Austrian company PJM has completed the technical development of an automated brake testing system which it envisaged could save up to 45 min when preparing a 500 m long freight train. The system has been extensively tested on 200 SBB Cargo wagons, and approvals are ...
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NewsStadler selected to supply up to 510 EMUs to Swiss operators
SWITZERLAND: Stadler has been selected as the winner of the ‘largest tender in Swiss rail history’. The framework contract covers the supply of up to 510 Flirt electric multiple-units to Swiss Federal Railways, Thurbo and RegionAlps, with a firm order for an initial 286 units worth ...
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NewsNEAT completion boosts rail’s share of transit freight
SWITZERLAND: Rail’s share of the north-south transit freight market reached its highest level for 25 years in the first half of this year, according to the Federal Office for Transport.
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Metro Report InternationalLausanne breaks ground for western tram line
SWITZERLAND: Work has started on the construction of a tram route to serve the western suburbs of Lausanne, following a groundbreaking ceremony in Renens and public celebrations at both ends of the route.
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NewsTrack doubling south of Zürich underway
SWITZERLAND: Work to double-track the 3 km Uznach – Schmerikon section of the Ziegelbrücke – Rapperswil line southeast of Zürich was launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 30. The SFr56m project financed by the federal government is scheduled to be completed in December 2023. It ...
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Metro Report InternationalLugano tram-train cut-off tunnel approved
SWITZERLAND: Plans for a 2·2 km cut-off tunnel which would provide metre-gauge operator Ferrovie Luganesi with a more direct route into Lugano were approved by the Federal Council on August 11. Construction of the tunnel along with a 1·9 km surface branch to Manno are key ...
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NewsMetre-gauge infrastructure measuring vehicle
SWITZERLAND: Rhätische Bahn is using a track and electrification inspection and measuring vehicle designed to provide metre-gauge railway operators with detailed data to help plan maintenance and renewal works. The vehicle has been developed in a joint project by RhB, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz ...
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NewsSwiss narrow gauge railways merge
SWITZERLAND: Metre gauge railway operators Appenzeller Bahnen and Frauenfeld-Wil-Bahn have merged following approval by their respective boards on June 11 and June 17. The two companies in northeast Switzerland have co-operated closely for almost 20 years, and began to explore a merger at the beginning of ...
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NewsRack railcars ordered for the Dolderbahn
SWITZERLAND: Zürich public transport operator VBZ has awarded Stadler Bussnang a SFr10·6m + VAT contract to supply two rack railcars for the metre-gauge Dolderbahn, which starts at Römerhof in the city suburbs and climbs 162 m in 1 328 m. The railcars are scheduled to be ...