Zurich – Zug railway line

The title of this article is ambiguous. This article explains the route via Affoltern am Albis; For the route via Thalwil, see Thalwil – Arth-Goldau railway line

Altstetten – Affoltern a. A. – train
Course of the Zurich – Affoltern a. A. - train (blue)
Timetable field :	711
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Power system :	15 kV 16.7 Hz  ~
Maximum slope :	19  ‰
Legend 0.07 Zurich HB (eq. 3-18) 408  m above sea level M. Zurich – Baden railway line 4.17 Zurich Altstetten 399  m above sea level M. SBB route to Baden 8.57 Urdorf 443  m above sea level M. 9.84 Urdorf Weihermatt 461  m above sea level M. 10.36 Moren 467  m above sea level M. 12.72 Birmensdorf ZH 488  m above sea level M. Landikon 482 m 16.39 Filderen 527  m above sea level M. 06/18 Bonstetten - Wettswil 528  m above sea level M. former Chrüzacher tunnel (1864–2010) 21 m 11/22 Hedingen 497  m above sea level M. 24.84 Affoltern am Albis 494  m above sea level M. 28.91 Mettmenstetten 460  m above sea level M. Eitenberg (A4) 97 m 31.73 Knonau 436  m above sea level M. Bibersee (A4) 82 m 34.73 Steinhausen 424  m above sea level M. 35.49 Steinhausen Rigiblick (Gleisdreieck «Swamp switch» until 1970) Railway line Zug – Lucerne 36.37 41.43 Pan grinder 419  m above sea level M. 41.26 Zug Chollermüli 419  m above sea level M. Loop Zug (1897–1990), from Knonau 39.53 Train guardian angel 423  m above sea level M. Aabachstrasse (l / r) 99/100 m 38.83 Train wedge station 425  m above sea level M. SBB route from Arth-Goldau Loop Zug (1897–1990), to Cham / Arth SBB route to Thalwil

The Zurich – Zug railway was opened on June 1, 1864 by the Zurich-Zug-Lucerne Railway . At the same time, the Zug – Lucerne railway line was opened by the same company. The route officially begins in Zurich Altstetten, which was an independent municipality when it opened.

route

In Zurich Altstetten, the line connects to the line to Baden that was opened in 1847. The station was converted into a branch station for this purpose. The route uses the existing NOB route for the rest of the route to Zurich main station.

A track triangle connected the line from Zurich Altstetten to the Lucerne – Zug track, so that trains from Lucerne could travel from Lucerne to Zurich via the line through the Säuliamt without having to turn at Zug station . This connection was mainly used by the express trains with a connection to the Gotthard Railway, which were routed over the connecting curve in the swamp without stopping in Zug . The train station in Zug was a terminus until the opening of the Thalwil – Arth-Goldau railway line in 1897. With the introduction of the line, it was converted into a wedge station and the Zug loop set up so that trains from Lucerne could enter Zug station from both sides. From then on, the express trains ran from Zurich in the direction of Gotthard on the Thalwil – Arth-Goldau route. The connecting curve in the swamp was abolished in 1970, the Zug loop on May 5, 1990. Until then, trains from Zurich always used the Zug loop, because a switch connection was only created at the Kollermühle service station when the double lane was opened between Zug and Cham . Since the line opened, there had been two tracks between the Kollermülle service station and the junction into the Zuger Schlaufe, but up to that point they were operated like two parallel single-track lines.

history

See also : History of the Zurich-Zug-Luzern-Bahn railway company

The route leads through the historic Knonaueramt (today the Affoltern district), which also earned it the colloquial name Knonauer route. It lost its importance as a feeder to the Gotthard with the opening of the Thalwil – Arth-Goldau railway in 1897. The direct trains Zurich – Lucerne now also use the route via Thalwil, so that this branch of the Zurich – Zug – Lucerne railway has become a branch line with no transit traffic. Most of the freight trains from Zurich to Rotkreuz continued to run over the Gleisdreieck.

With the relocation of the former marshalling yard in the Zurich Vorbahnhof to Zurich Mülligen (Schnellgut + Post) and to the Limmattal marshalling yard , these were eliminated. On November 19, 1970, the leg of the Gleisdreieck that connected Steinhausen with Cham was shut down and it was broken off. The freight trains are now going to Rotkreuz via the Südbahn.

The introduction of the Zurich S-Bahn made the train more attractive again. As a result, there was a massive increase in passengers and the timetable was expanded. For the quarter-hourly service to Affoltern am Albis, which was introduced in 2007, various extensions to the stations and the route were necessary.

The line from Altstetten to Zug was electrified on October 15, 1932, with 15 kV 16.7 Hz.

On October 23, 1989, the line from Urdorf to Mören was upgraded to a double track. The section between Kollermühle and Zug became double-lane on May 5, 1990.

Train stations

The intermediate stations at the opening were Urdorf, Birmensdorf, Bonstetten, Hedingen, Affoltern am Albis, Mettmenstetten and Knonau. They all received reception buildings based on plans by Jakob Friedrich Wanner . These cubic stone buildings were all built similarly and had three or four window axes.

Only after the nationalization of the railway was the Steinhausen station built by the SBB. The Urdorf Weihermatt stop was set up for the opening of the S-Bahn. At the new stops of the Stadtbahn Zug , no train that travels the route via Affoltern am Albis stops.

station	opening	architect	Threshold height	Coordinates
Zurich Altstetten	1847 (new construction: 1966)	Max Vogt	399 m above sea level M.	679298  /  249492
Urdorf	1864	JF Wanner	442 m above sea level M.	675205  /  249372
Urdorf Weihermatt	1990		456 m above sea level M.	674888  /  248266
Birmensdorf ZH	1864		488 m above sea level M.	675466  /  245656
Bonstetten-Wettswil	1864 (new construction: 2008)	Thomas Schinkhof	528 m above sea level M.	677826  /  242180
Hedingen	1864	JF Wanner	497 m above sea level M.	676185  /  239144
Affoltern am Albis	1864 (new building: 2001)		494 m above sea level M.	676265  /  236619
Mettmenstetten	1864	JF Wanner	460 m above sea level M.	677127  /  233072
Knonau	1864	JF Wanner	436 m above sea level M.	677869  /  230434
Steinhausen ZG	1904		424 m above sea level M.	678794  /  227591
train	1864 (new build: 1897, 2004)	Klaus Hornberger	425 m above sea level M.	677127  /  233072

Affoltern am Albis train station

Affoltern am Albis station in 1978

Affoltern am Albis station in 2009

Affoltern am Albis train station is just under 30 minutes from Zurich main train station . Toward train there are three sidings, which are rarely used, and a former railway siding of the former OVA area . In 2001 the old station with its two tracks was completely rebuilt. The level crossing at the OVA area was closed and a bicycle and pedestrian underpass was built instead. The station got a new third track and all buildings have been replaced. The street was rebuilt and a bus station was built. The integrated bus terminal offers eight parking spaces for the six bus routes to the region as well as to Cham, Zurich, Muri AG and Thalwil . In September 2002, today's station was inaugurated with a festival.

Bonstetten-Wettswil train station

The Bonstetten-Wettswil train station can be reached in 20 minutes from Zurich main station . The station is 528 m above sea level. M. the clearly highest station on this route. The station has a double name, but is located entirely in the municipality of Bonstetten . The station was opened in 1864 with the Zurich – Zug line as the Bonstetten station. The new building designed by architect Thomas Schinkhof was completed in 2008. The station has two platform tracks (track 2 and 3) which can be reached through a central platform. The central platform is connected to the station forecourt by an underpass. The underpass has two stairways each, one of which is designed as a barrier-free ramp. The third track (track 1) is not equipped with a platform. It is used for shunting work as well as for the parking of track construction trains. There are also two short sidings in the direction of Zurich. One of them is a buffer store for cistern wagons containing ethylene oxide. This track is fenced and protected, the standards of safety technology are met. There is an avec convenience shop in the station building , which is open 365 days a year. There is also an SBB train ticket counter in this building. In addition to the counters at the Zurich Altstetten, Zug and Affoltern a. A. Bonstetten-Wettswil is the only train station with a ticket counter that is served directly by the SBB and not by a third-party provider. 107 parking spaces are available on the station premises. There are also covered bike spaces. A signal box is located north of the station building. The new building also opened a bus station on the station forecourt. The Bonstetten-Wettswil train station is a central transfer point for the villages of Bonstetten, Wettswil, Islisberg and parts of Stallikon. Accordingly, many buses serve the station. All seven bus routes are operated by PostBus (PU Rolf Stutz AG, Jonen). Two local buses leave from Bonstetten-Wettswil train station to Wettswil, one local bus to Bonstetten Dorf, one line to Arni AG via Islisberg, one line to Birmensdorf via Stallikon, one line to Zurich Bahnhof Wiedikon via Whiskypass, and two lines to Zurich Bahnhof Enge via Highway.

Fildern siding

A Fildern station was temporarily set up during the construction of the Zurich western bypass and the A4 motorway. The Fildern siding was equipped with a handling facility for excavation, with which the excavation of the three motorway tunnels Aescher , Uetliberg and Islisberg tunnels in the area of ​​the traffic triangle Zurich West was carried away by rail. The track was demolished after the opening of the motorway.

Steinhausen Rigiblick stop

The Steinhausen Rigiblick stop was inaugurated on November 26, 2012 and opened on December 9, 2012 when the timetable changed. The construction of the 320 meter long stop cost around 10.5 million francs. In addition to the construction of the platforms and underpasses, an adaptation of the service track S41 - the remainder of the "swamp switch" has been preserved.

business

S15 between Hedingen and Affoltern am Albis

Today the S 5 trains of the S-Bahn Zurich run every half hour on the entire route . Between Zurich main station and Affoltern a. A., the S 14 trains also run during the day .

Table with travel time from Zurich and the possible public transport connections.

Travel time    in min	railway station	Transfer options
00	Zurich main station	YesYesYesYes YesYesS 2 S 3 S 4 S 6 S 7 S 8 S 9 S 10 S 11 S 12 S 15 S 16 S 19 S 20 S 21 S 23 S 24 S 25 S 42
02	Zurich Hardbrücke	S 3 S 6 S 7 S 9 S 11 S 12 S 15 S 16 S 20 S 21
06	Zurich Altstetten	YesS 11 S 12 S 19 S 42
10	Urdorf
12	Urdorf Weihermatt	buses
16	Birmensdorf ZH	buses
20th	Bonstetten - Wettswil	buses
24	Hedingen
29	Affoltern am Albis	Buses (terminus of the S 14 from Zurich)
32	Mettmenstetten	buses
36	Knonau
39	Steinhausen	buses
40	Steinhausen Rigiblick
45	train station train	Yes Yes YesS 24 Stadtbahn Zug S 1 S 2 , buses

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Schweizerische Nordostbahngesellschaft (Ed.): 27th annual report and invoice from the management of the Swiss Northeast Railway Company on the Zurich-Zug-Lucerne railway company covering the year 1888 . 1888, A. Executed Railway Trains, p. 3 , doi : 10.5169 / seals-730508 ( e-periodica.ch ).
2. ^ Werner Stutz: Railway stations in Switzerland from the beginnings to the First World War , Orell Füssli 1983 ISBN 3-280-01405-0 page 161
3. ↑ Historical review website of the community of Steinhausen ZG, accessed on Feb. 8, 2010
4. ↑ Pictures
5. ↑ Pictures
6. ↑ Affoltern am Albis as a business location ( Memento of October 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF)
7. ^ S-Bahn station Steinhausen Rigiblick: SBB inaugurates a new stop in Steinhausen. SBB press release of November 26, 2012.
8. ↑ PDF document of the government council draft for the construction of the Steinhausen Rigiblick stop

literature

• Swiss Rail Network , published in 1980 by the SBB General Secretariat, Bern