SWITZERLAND: Stadler has delivered the first of two railcars which it is supplying to re-equip the Dolderbahn rack railway in Zürich.
‘The Dolderbahn is preparing for the future with new, spacious and barrier-free vehicles’, explained city councillor Michael Baumer at the unveiling on March 21.
The metre-gauge line climbs 162 m in 1 328 m using the von Roll rack system, and is electrified at 600 V DC. It offers a journey time of less than 6 min. The line is owned by the Dolderbahn-Betriebs 50:50 joint venture between the city of Zürich and the Dolder Grand Hotel, and operated by Zürich transport authority VBZ.
In June 2021 VBZ awarded Stadler Bussnang a SFr10·6m contract to supply two Bhe1/2 railcars and spare parts, which will replace SLM-built vehicles dating from the early 1970s.
The 11·8 m long vehicle with styling by Milani has a capacity of 71 passengers, including 16 seated. It provides step-free access, with a smaller gap from the platforms than the current vehicles. There are two wheelchair spaces, non-slip floor coverings, tactile markers and an audio-visual passenger information which will provide information about connections.
To enable commissioning of the new rolling stock, the service on the line is to be reduced temporarily from every 10 min to every 15 min. This will initially be worked by the remaining SLM car, and then by the new railcar once it has been commissioned, while the other is replaced. A full service with both new vehicles is expected to resume in October.
