Switzerland
Welcome to the Swiss railroads section of the FUNET Railway pictures archive
Sihltalbahn
Sihltalbahn used to be a part of the SZU or Sihltal - Zürich - Uetliberg -Bahn Gruppe still when these pictures were taken.
The SZU was a combination of two Zürich region private railroads, the Sihltalbahn, which operates the S-Bahn line S4 from Zürich
up the valley of the Sihl river and the Uetlibergbahn, which climbs steeply up the hillside of Uetliberg, landmark of Zürich.
Synergy between these two lines was modest: although both are normal gauge railroads, the Sihltalbahn was electrified with the usual
'big railroads' 15 kV AC, 16,7 Hz whereas the Uetlibergbahn used the tram-like DC 1200V DC - and with a very exotic aerial
(please see the section of Uetlibergbahn). The combined companies that made up SZU split again in 1999-2000.
Sihltalbahn is a 28 km long piece of normal gauge, normal electricity railroad from Zürich up the Sihl valley, connecting nowadays
a series of suburban areas to central Zürich. The typical Sihltalbahn train is a locomotive led, 'German style' short commuter
train with a modern Re 4/4 (Re 456) locomotive and one or two red double decker coaches plus one or two normal coaches, the last
one with a cockpit. Although a modern suburban railroad, the Sihltalbahn has traditions: the track was opened for service
already 10.5.1875 and still today operates several historic trains in addition to the busy city commuters.
BDe 4/4 no. 94 (or BDe 576 594 in the new numbering scheme) of SZU Sihltalbahn, a private
railroad operating from Zürich along the Sihl valley. This EMU was orderer from SWS/MFO in
1968. It weighs 58 tons and has a maximum speed of 70 km/h. SZU has four of these EMUs
which still operate on the "S4" line from Zürich to Langnau, running trains of approximately
4 coaches. Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(7k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
A historic SZU Sihltalbahn train, in 1999 used as a movable base for railroad construction
workers. The locomotive Ce 4/4 no 41. (old numbering De 3/4) is from 1926, a famous "small crocodile" type
- the only one of its kind ever and today a real rarity. It is a further development from the famous SBB
"crocodiles" of type Ce 6/8. It generates 490 kW of power, which in the 1920s was a a miracle for such a small locomotive.
Photo at Sihlwald station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(15k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
A closeup of the Ce 4/4 no 41 'crocodile' locomotive.
Photo at Sihlwald station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(13k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
A Sihltalbahn coach from the 1930´s, the X 351 is today a movable base for construction
workers, but it´s still in surprisingly good shape. It gives a glimpse to the travelling on the Sihltalbahn in the pre-war times.
Photo at Sihlwald station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(13k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
A view of the BDe 4/4 no. 94 (or BDe 576 594) of SZU Sihltalbahn, in front of a train
ready to leave for Zürich.
Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(8k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
A closeup of the BDe 4/4 no. 94 (or BDe 576 594) of SZU Sihltalbahn, showing the cargo
department. Rounded corners were very typical of the design of EMU trains of the 1960´s.
Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi(9k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
BT995 coach of the SZU Sihltalbahn with a driver´s cockpit in the other end of a train
led by the BDe 4/4 EMU no.94. These matching coaches are also from the late 1960´s.
Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(12k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
A bit later design, a typical 1970´s coach with a driver´s cockpit of the SZU Sihltalbahn.
This one was used to steer a 3 coach train powered by a pushing Re 4/4 locomotive.
Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(9k)
Uploaded Jun 5 1999
Re 4/4 no. 44 or nowadays officially Re 456 544 of the SZU Sihltalbahn. This type was developed
based on the SBB Re 4/4 IV series, but designed for the small private railroads.
It was their first locomotive based on thyristor technology. The type is used by at least Sihltalbahn,
BT and EBT and has become famous and popular. Built by SLM and ABB in 1993, this locomotive is a
typical example of a very popular series among Swiss private railroads. The locomotive weighs 69 t and
has a maximum speed of 130 km/h - a speed it never needs on the short Sihltal line. The text painted
promotes the SZU website http://www.szu.ch. Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(9k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
To keep trains short, doubledecker coaches are widely used in Swiss regional trains. The
Sihltalbahn trains are short anyway and they usually only have just one double decker coach
in the middle of the train.
Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(8k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
SZU Sihltalbahn RE 4/4 no 46 and 47 parked side by side waiting for the busy morning traffic
to begin. Unlike their sibling, the no. 44, these two still show the older SZU painting, the
old company logo and use the old numbering notation. Their "names" in the new schemes would
be Re 456 546 and 547 respectively. Each one had a train of 4 coaches, one of which was a
doubledecker coach. Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(8k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999
An unidentified SZU Sihltalbahn coach from the 1970´s with a driver´s cockpit. This one was
used to steer an older train led by one of the SZU BDe 4/4 (new numbering BDe 576 or 577)
EMU´s. These older trains are used mainly at rush hour times.
Photo at Langnau station 30.5.99 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi
(17k)
Uploaded Jun 5, 1999