MGB Orion

, The MGB Orion (manufacturer spelling: ORION) for " O ptimaler R egionalzug I m O effentlichen N ahverkehr" are three-part meter-gauge electric low-floor multiple units of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) in Switzerland, which in February 2020 Stadler Bussnang ordered were. 23 multiple units are to be delivered with mixed adhesion and gear drive and 4 units with pure adhesion drive .

MGB fleet strategy

To replace the shuttle trains with the Deh 4/4 21–24 of the former BVZ , the four non-modernized HGe 4/4 II and the oldest passenger coaches , the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn needs 12 new multiple units by 2023.

The 15 sets of the second acquisition will replace the former FO luggage railcars Deh 4/4 51–55 and Deh 4/4 91–96 by 2029 . Four trains of the second series are being procured as pure adhesion vehicles for shuttle traffic between Täsch and Zermatt . The part of the railway expansion step planned 2035 Tunnel "Unnerchriz" to replace the rack portion Tasch Sand Cold ground.

Conception

Originally, MGB wanted to procure vehicles based on the Fink multiple units of the Zentralbahn. But that was not possible for several reasons:

• The axle load of the Fink trains is almost 17 tonnes, but only 16 tonnes are permitted on the MGB.
• A larger snow plow is necessary for winter operation on the Oberalp Pass .
• The «Fink» would have too few cogwheel bogies for the 179 ‰ steep Schöllenenbahn .

The two end cars of the Orion multiple units each have two identically designed drive bogies with a gear drive and an adhesion drive. The intermediate car is provided with two brake bogies. The arrangement of the traction equipment leads to the greatest possible weight of the end rail cars, which improves safety against derailment on the Oberalp Pass in heavy snowfall.

The change in concept led to a purchase price that was around 15 percent higher than originally expected. A three-part train will now cost almost CHF 12.4 million. Compared to the Komet trains, the new vehicles will have a second pantograph , sliding steps instead of folding steps and expanded multifunctional compartments.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Sandro Hartmeier: MGB procures new «ORION» multiple units from Stadler [updated]. On: Bahnonline.ch, February 10, 2020
2. ^ ^{A b c} Fabian Scheeder: MGB writes out multiple units. In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 11/2018. Minirex, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 561
3. ^ ^{A b c} Mathias Rellstab: New MGB trains are more expensive than expected. In: Swiss Railway Review. No. 3/2020, p. 124