SWA / SIG / ABB (A) Be 4/8

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SWA / SIG / ABB (A) Be 4/8
Type designation: RBS
ABe 4/8		 RBS
Be 4/8		 WSB
Be 4/8		 BD
Be 4/8
Numbering: 65-72 62-64 28-34 21-25
Number: 8th 3 7th 5
Commissioning: 1992 1993 1992 1993
Axis formula : B 0 '+ 2'2' + B 0 '
Gauge : 1000 mm
Length over coupling: 40.00 m 40.69 m 37.39 m
Width: 2.65 m
Axle base motor bogies:
Trailer bogies:		 2000 mm
1800 mm
Service weight (tare): 57.1 t 54.0 t
Gross mass: 77.5 t 73.6 t
Top speed: 90 km / h 80 km / h
Short term output: 1114 kW 960 kW
Continuous output: 640 kW 480 kW
Continuous traction 48 kN 60 kN
Diameter drive wheel (new):
Impeller (new):		 720 mm
720 mm
Power system : 1200 V = 750 V = 1200 V =
1st class seats:
2nd class including folding seats :
Standing:		 16
104
160		  -
124
160		 -
108
154
Coupling type: + GF +

The  SWA / SIG / ABB (A) Be 4/8 of 1992/93 are electric low-floor - multiple units , the manufacturer SWA / SIG (mechanical part) and ABB (electrical equipment) used in three private railways under different power systems were in use .

history

In 1988 the four private railways RBS, WSB, BD and BTI decided after the acceptance of the Rail and Bus 2000 service concept by the Swiss electorate in 1987 to jointly procure new low-floor multiple units. The new rolling stock was financed through a credit line to promote licensed transport companies for the years 1988–1992. The law stipulated that the federal government (represented by the FOT), the cantons and the railway companies should contribute to the financing. The federal contribution was only triggered when the cantons had promised their contribution. The purpose of the joint procurement was to enable collective orders by standardizing the vehicles and thus to be able to buy at the most favorable conditions possible. Thanks to the cooperation, it was assumed that around twenty million francs would be saved in investment funds. The total price estimated at the time was 120 million francs instead of 140 million. The collective order, however, meant that the individual companies were only free to choose the color of the exterior paintwork and the seat cushion. The three railways then decided on a uniform solution for exterior painting, interior fittings and upholstery covers for all 23 pull units

BTI, which was originally interested in procurement, got out before ordering because it could not raise its own financial resources. She had intended to take part in the procurement with four vehicles. This left three railways, which in the summer of 1989 ordered a total of 22 double railcars from SWA and ABB. As a replacement for the Be 4/4 18 that burned out on June 24, 1989, WSB subsequently ordered another unit. Nevertheless, the procurement was one of the largest for Swiss private railways at the time.

technology

The proven concept of the RBS Be 4/8 was used as the basis for the new vehicles, and the low- floor wagon floors were now lowered between the bogies . A double unit no longer consists of a railcar and control car, but of two identical power cars . Since the trains were newly built using the modular system, different lengths were possible. The bogies were equipped with air suspension , hydraulic disc brakes and magnetic rail brakes. The motor bogies also received a spring-loaded brake . The wheel diameter was set to a uniform 720 mm. The two power cars are connected to each other with a close coupling that can only be separated in the depot , although the versions for the WSB and BD were coupled less closely because of the narrow radii.

The trains are built using converter technology with computer-controlled control electronics. Four asynchronous motors with a continuous output of 140–160 kW are installed. With the new concept with two power cars, two practically completely autonomous drive systems could be set up redundantly for both halves. A single-arm pantograph was installed per half of the car . The essential parts of the electrical equipment were installed on the roof.

RBS

ABe 4/8 in Fraubrunnen

Due to the sudden increase in passenger numbers due to the introduction of the 15/30 minute interval on the suburban lines and the 30/60 minute interval on the Bern – Solothurn line , there were quickly too few vehicles available. For example, buses had to be used to relieve some of the pressure, and a three-part shuttle train set was also rented from the CJ . Therefore the RBS ordered eight ABe 4/8 for the route Bern – Solothurn and three Be 4/8 for the suburban traffic.

In May 1992 the ABe 4/8 65 was delivered as the first train. This marked the beginning of a new era of low-floor vehicles for suburban and intercity railways, as was already practiced by urban transport companies. On May 23, 1992, the train was presented to the public on the open day in Solothurn. Commissioning turned out to be difficult due to malfunctions on the vehicle and the power supply, and the first test drives in double traction took place at the end of July 1992. However, tests of the multiple control with the Be 4/8 41-61 were dispensed with , as mixed use was not planned until 1995. On July 27, 1992, the first scheduled services were made on the suburban line Bern – Unterzollikofen . Another multiple unit went into service on August 3. From August 16 to September 30, 1992, both rounds were carried out on the same line with the new vehicles. From October 1, 1992, the operations were extended to the Bern – Jegenstorf line; the first operations between Bern and Solothurn (the actual route) took place from October 9, 1992 outside of peak times. Shortly after delivery, the trains began to be provided with coats of arms, which represent the places along the routes.

number Coat of arms
side Solothurn
Bern coat of arms
62 Bolligen Ittigen
63 Worb Vechigen
64 Stettlen Ostermundigen
65 City of Solothurn City of Bern
66 Urtenen Moosseedorf
67 Lohn-Ammannsegg Lueterkofen-Ichertswil
68 Bätterkinden Shells
69 Büren to the yard Fraubrunnen
70 Grafenried Jegenstorf
71 Zuchwil Beaverist
72 Münchenbuchsee Zollikofen
RBS ABe 4/12 62-72
ABe 4/12 65 in Worblaufen
ABe 4/12 65 in Worblaufen
Year of construction (s): 1994-2001 (renovation)
Axis formula : B 0 '2' + 2'2 '+ 2'B 0 '
Length over coupling: 59.73 m
Service mass: 80.2 t
Seats: 1st class: 18
2nd class: 164

Even before the first train was delivered, RBS decided to procure eight intermediate cars for the ABe 4/8. They were ordered at the end of 1992. Because the first class in the railcars was poorly received by the public due to the narrow seat divider 2 + 2 (in a narrow-gauge car), the decision was made to build the intermediate cars as combined AB cars and to return to the tried and tested seat divider 2 + 1 with normal-width chairs . The railcars were then changed into pure second-class vehicles. The multiple units were given the large address "La Prima" on the intermediate car above the 1st class compartment between the entrance doors, which quickly established itself as a nickname for the trains, in a slightly modified form as "Primeli". In 1998, for the remaining three Be 4/8 62-64, which were used in suburban traffic up to this point, a procurement application for intermediate wagons AB was submitted to the federal government and cantons so that a uniform fleet was available and the increased demand the Bern – Solothurn line could be covered. They were ordered in 1999 and delivered in 2001.

Be 4/12 72 shortly after the renovation

When the new RABe 4/12 «NExT» were delivered in 2009 , the RBS set about renewing the ABe 4/12. The trains received air conditioning and a new interior. The 1st class has been removed and replaced by a multifunctional compartment. 18 folding seats were attached to the side, and there was also plenty of space for prams, wheelchairs and bicycles. The cost of the conversion per composition amounted to half a million francs. This also included a new coat of paint in the company's orange color. The RBS came up with the name “Seconda” based on the earlier name “La Prima”. The Be 4/12 70 was the first vehicle to be presented to the media on February 1, 2010 and from then on used on the S9 to Unterzollikofen. The ABe 4/12 72 was then converted as the second vehicle so that both circuits on the S9 could be covered. The trains now had 160 seats, 18 folding seats and standing room for 240. The remaining trains were initially left in their original condition, and only when the second series “NExT” was delivered in 2013 were they adapted to match the two existing vehicles. Previously, the Be 4/12 66 was converted in December 2012, from May 2013 the Be 4/12 62 and 69 came out of the conversion, from June then a vehicle in the order 65, 64, 67, 71, 68 and 63. From then on they were used on the S8 to Jegenstorf. Later on, occasional missions on the S7 could be observed, especially on weekends, in order to relieve the already aged “Mandarinli”.

Even today, the multiple units are still in use on the S8 and S9, with the newly delivered Be 4/10 “Worbla” increasingly being used on the S9 on weekends .

WSB

Be 4/8 in Schöftland

WSB also struggled with the same problems as the RBS for a long time: the steadily increasing number of passengers meant that all available vehicles of the Be 4/4 9-14 (1965/66) and Be 4 series to cope with the traffic peaks in the morning and evening / 4 15–27 (1978/79) with the matching control car and the Be 4/4 7–8 (1954) had to be used with the B 36–38. In particular, vehicles built in 1954 had to be replaced. In addition, an operational reserve was urgently needed so that the maintenance work could be carried out. Because frequent collisions with road vehicles also led to longer workshop visits, the WSB decided to take part in the collective order with seven Be 4/8 railcars.

After all ABe 4/8s for the RBS had been delivered, the first Be 4/8 28 multiple unit was delivered to WSB at the end of September 1992. From January 1993, the new trains were also used according to the schedule. The vehicles were also christened, and the Be 4/8 34 additionally procured for the burned-out Be 4/4 18 also took over the coat of arms of the Teufenthal community. When full advertising was attached to certain trains, the coats of arms disappeared and were no longer attached later.

number coat of arms
28 Kanton Aargau
29 Aarau district
30th Kulm district
31 Liebegg Castle
32 Schöftland Castle
33 Schneggen Reinach
34 Teufenthal

With the introduction of the umbrella brand AAR bus + bahn in 2002, all vehicles without advertising were given a new design in silver with light blue “AAR” lettering that occupies the entire height.

  • Be 4/8 29 with advertisement for “ Valiant Bank ” in Suhr turnout

  • ABe 4/8 33 with advertising for « AKB » in Aarau

  • Be 4/8 33 in AAR design in Schöftland (still without 1st class)

  • ABe 4/8 34 in AAR design in Aarau (with 1st class)

  • ABe 4/8 34 with advertising for “ Aargauer Zeitung ” in Aarau

In 2008, WSB decided to reintroduce 1st class on its lines by changing the timetable in December 2009. For this reason, the first Be 4/8 30 with 1st class and multifunctional compartment was put into operation in August 2008. The entire vehicle was also air-conditioned and equipped with video surveillance. Up until the introduction in December 2009, 1st class could also be used with 2nd class tickets.

WSB ABe 4/8 28-32, 35-39
ABe 4/8 37 in Aarau
ABe 4/8 37 in Aarau
Year of construction (s): 2010–2012 (renovation)
Length over coupling: 39.05 m
Service mass: 54.2 t
Seats: 1st class: 12
2nd class: 45
folding seats: 6

When the BDWM started operating new ABe 4/8 multiple units from 2009 and no longer needed the structurally identical Be 4/8 (see also section below), the WSB decided to take over the trains. Before the first use, the individual car bodies were overhauled and rebuilt at Bombardier in Villeneuve. The bogies went to Alstom in Neuhausen to install a new gear ratio. With the motors, the stator winding and the rotor had to be replaced for operation under 750 V instead of 1200 V. Then a part of a BDWM train was merged with a part of a WSB train, so 10 new trains of the same length could be formed. They received class and multifunctional compartments, air conditioning and video surveillance as well as a new interior design analogous to the already converted trains 1. In the table below you can see which trains have been reassembled from which parts. Trains 28–32 received the short BDWM car body on the Schöftland side with 1st class, trains 35–39 on the Menziken side.

New
number 		Part side
Menziken 		Part side
Schöftland 		Installation
28 WSB 28 BDWM 21 July 2012
29 WSB 29 BDWM 22 November 2010
30th WSB 30 BDWM 25 April 2011
31 WSB 31 BDWM 23 April 2012
32 WSB 32 BDWM 24 October 2011
35 BDWM 21 WSB 28 July 2012
36 BDWM 22 WSB 29 November 2010
37 BDWM 23 WSB 31 April 2012
38 BDWM 24 WSB 32 October 2011
39 BDWM 25 WSB 30 April 2011

Numbers 33 + 34 remained the same, but were equipped with 1st class, multifunctional compartment, air conditioning and video surveillance. In addition, all trains received the new A-wave design. Even today, the ABe 4/8 together with the ABe 4/12 “Saphir” delivered in 2019 carry the main load on the network of Aargau Verkehr, which was newly founded in 2018 .

BD

Be 4/8 21 in Dietikon

Like the RBS and the WSB, the BD also had to contend with a lack of vehicles. In the 1980s in particular, the number of passengers rose sharply when the train was integrated into the Zurich Transport Association . During the traffic peaks all nine BDe 8/8 were in action. Therefore, the collective order with five trains was also included, so that the existing rolling stock could be relieved and the overhaul of the vehicles over twenty years old could be carried out. The new trains also made it possible to provide additional capacity. Since the BD has a special route topography with tight curves and steep inclines, trains with a shorter bogie spacing were procured, which could be seen from the fact that there was one less compartment between the two entrances of both halves of the train. As early as March 1993, BD was able to use the first of the newly delivered railcars in regular operation.

All five trains were given names in the form of signs of the zodiac , which were represented on one half of the carriage by means of a large symbol.

number star sign
21st Capricorn
22nd fishes
23 Aries
24 bull
25th lion

From June 1, 1999, the Be 4/8 25 was in service with a bistro corner, and behind a driver's cab it was given two Selecta drinks and snacks and standing tables.

In the same year, the BD began to advertise the railcars, the Be 4/8 23 was the first train to be completely covered with advertisements for the Aargau local radio Radio Argovia and local television Tele M1 . The Be 4/8 22 with advertising for Axpo , the Be 4/8 24 for the Neue Aargauer Bank and the Be 4/8 21 for GoldenPassLine followed later . Since the then Miss Switzerland Lauriane Gilliéron christened the train when it was presented on September 5, 2006, from then on it also bore her name. With the advertising, the zodiac signs on the affected trains also disappeared. The Be 4/8 25 remained the only railcar without advertising until the end.

  • Be 4/8 21 with advertising for “GoldenPassLine” in Bremgarten

  • Be 4/8 22 with advertising for “Axpo” in Wohlen

  • Be 4/8 23 with advertisement for “Radio Argovia / Tele M1” in Bremgarten

  • Be 4/8 24 with advertising for “Neue Aargauer Bank” in Dietikon

  • Be 4/8 25 with Selecta refreshment zone in Bremgarten

In 2006, BDWM Transport decided to buy 14 new ABe 4/8 “Diamant” trains . Since the Be 4/8 became redundant, it was decided to sell it to WSB. One of the reasons was that the space in the Bremgarten depot, despite the expansion, only offered just enough space to service and park the new trains. In the spring of 2010, the first Be 4/8 22 multiple unit left the BDWM for the conversion and adaptations for the WSB network. This was followed by the other trains in the order 25, 24, 23 and 21 until 2011. This ended the era of the Be 4/8 at the BDWM.

literature

  • Jürg Aeschlimann: New vehicles for regional traffic from Bern to Solothurn, for the Wynental and Suhrental Railway and for the Bremgarten-Dietikon Railway . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 7-8 . Minirex, 1992, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 326-331 .
  • Walter Gabathuler, Herbert Welte, Rolf Havenith: New low-floor shuttle trains for regional traffic: Technical aspects from the perspective of the manufacturer of the mechanical part . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 7-8 . Minirex, 1992, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 332-345 .
  • Anton Zimmermann: The electrical equipment of the new multiple units for the regional traffic Bern-Solothurn, for the Wynental and Suhrentalbahn and for the Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 7-8 . Minirex, 1992, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 348-352 .

Web links

Commons : RBS Be and ABe 62–72  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : WSB Be 4/8  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : BDWM Be4 / 8  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Walter von Andrian: Common procurement program of four private companies . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 4 . Minirex, 1988, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 158-160 .
  2. ↑ Jürg Aeschlimann: ABe 4/8 of the RBS in action . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 12 . Minirex, 1992, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 544 .
  3. ^ Walter von Andrian: Mittelwagen AB for the RBS under construction . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 4 . Minirex, 1994, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 127 .
  4. ^ Walter von Andrian: Changed vehicle procurement program for the regional traffic Bern - Solothurn . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 9 . Minirex, 1998, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 351-353 .
  5. ↑ Matthias Rellstab: New colors and standing compartments for the RBS trains . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 3 . Minirex, 2010, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 145 .
  6. ^ Walter von Andrian: First WSB low-floor train delivered . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 11 . Minirex, 1992, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 507 .
  7. ^ Walter von Andrian: New WSB multiple units in use . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 3 . Minirex, 1992, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 116 .
  8. ^ Matthias Rellstab: WSB with first class . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 10 . Minirex, 2008, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 477 .
  9. ↑ a b Dario Häusermann: From the BDWM to WSB . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 3 . Minirex, 2011, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 113 .
  10. ↑ Walter von Andrian: Low-floor multiple units at the BD in use . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 5 . Minirex, 1993, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 194 .
  11. ↑ a b Walter von Andrian: Recent changes in the Bremgarten - Dietikon-Bahn . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 7-8 . Minirex, 1999, ISSN  1022-7113 , pp. 288 .
  12. ^ R. Steiner: BDWM advertising vehicle . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 10 . Minirex, 2003, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 431 .
  13. ^ Matthias Rellstab: Golden Pass Line in Aargau . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 11 . Minirex, 2006, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 535 .
  14. ^ Walter von Andrian: Diamond presented for BDWM Transport AG . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 2 . Minirex, 2010, ISSN  1022-7113 , p. 94-95 .