Sihltal-Zürich-Uetliberg-Bahn
| Sihltal Zurich Uetliberg Bahn SZU AG
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| legal form | Corporation |
| founding | 1891 (as SiTB ) 1973 (merger of SZU ) |
| Seat | Zurich , Switzerland |
| management | Harald Huber ( Chairman of the Board of Directors ) Marco Lüthi (Director) |
| Number of employees | 140 / 134.9 FTE (end of 2014) |
| sales | 62.4 million CHF (2014) |
| Branch | Traffic Company |
| Website | www.szu.ch |
The Sihltal Zurich Uetliberg Bahn SZU AG is a company based in Switzerland transport company headquartered in Zurich . The SZU was created in 1973 through the merger of the Sihltalbahn (SiTB) and the Uetlibergbahn (BZUe).
SZU is one of eight companies responsible for the market (MVU) in the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV) introduced in 1990 . The infrastructure expansions in connection with the start of operations on the Zurich S-Bahn gave SZU the unique opportunity to realize a hundred-year-old “dream” and to extend the two SZU routes from Selnau to the main train station .
Companies
The SZU is a stock corporation based in Zurich- Wiedikon , where the company's operational headquarters are also located. The share capital amounts to around 9.72 million Swiss francs and has been divided into 97,238 bearer shares of 100 francs each since 1995. The largest shareholders are the City of Zurich with 32.6%, the Federal Government with 27.8% and the Canton of Zurich with 23.8% of the share capital; the five neighboring communities of Adliswil , Langnau am Albis , Horgen , Thalwil and Uitikon hold a total of 6.8% of the shares, the remaining 9.0% are in free float.
Since the merger in 1973, SZU has owned the lines of the Sihl Valley Railway and the Uetliberg Railway and also operates the two railway lines of the same name. Since the introduction of the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV) and the start of operations of the Zurich S-Bahn in May 1990, these have been run as lines S4 (Sihltalbahn) and S10 (Uetlibergbahn) of the S-Bahn network. The city-side terminus at the main station was originally prepared for the Zurich underground , which failed in a referendum in 1973.
The management of the SZU also runs the Adliswil – Felsenegg AG (LAF) aerial cableway founded in 1953 ; The operation of the so-called "Felseneggbahn" has been carried out on behalf of the owners since the start of operations by the Sihltalbahn or the SZU.
Since 1995, the SZU has been responsible for public bus transport in the Zimmerberg region on behalf of the ZVV as a so-called market responsible company (MVU) . This includes the planning and implementation of the “Zimmerbergbus” transport service, with all driving services being provided by transport agents who provide drivers and vehicles. In its function as MVU, SZU also has a seat in the transport commissions of the municipalities in the market area and organizes the regional Zimmerberg transport conference.
Rail operations
stretch
The SZU's route network has been 27.76 km long since 1990 and is divided into two sub-networks due to different electricity systems, which are served by two transport lines.
- Sihltalbahn
The standard gauge lines of the Sihl Valley Railway measure a total of 19.70 km and are electrified with 15 kV 16.7 Hz alternating current . The 18.62 km long main line Zurich HB – Langnau-Gattikon – Sihlbrugg is used for 14.46 km from the S4. Usually only freight trains run on the 1.08 km long Giesshübel – Wiedikon connection.
Passenger traffic on the 4.16 km long section between Sihlwald and Sihlbrugg has been suspended since December 10, 2006. This reduction was made in order to free vehicles for the S4 timetable consolidation. The route will remain operational for the time being and will be used sporadically by nostalgic trains.
- Uetlibergbahn
The standard-gauge route of the Uetlibergbahn measures 10.36 km and is electrified with 1200 V direct current , with the power being drawn from an overhead line offset by 1300 mm laterally. The Zurich HB – Uetliberg route is used by the S10. The first 2.39 km are shared by the double track with the Sihltalbahn.
In 2023 the Uetlibergbahn is to be converted to AC operation.
Rolling stock
| Sihltalbahn | Uetlibergbahn |
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Due to the different power systems and route characteristics, the two railway lines of the SZU are still operationally separate and have little common rolling stock. Only the thermal locomotives and the company cars can be used freely. They are used in construction service trains for route maintenance. There are around 20 company cars, three quarters of which still come from the previous railways and the oldest goes back to 1894. Freight traffic is handled in network access, in particular by SBB Cargo.
The vehicles used in passenger transport come from SZU purchases, whereby the introduction of the Zurich S-Bahn contributed to both the modernization and the expansion of the rolling stock park. The vehicles that SZU has procured since 1973 are shown in the table below.
The SZU has the beginning of 2008 the purchase of two double-decker commuter trains (DPZ) with Re-450 locomotive of SBB given for use on the Sihltalbahn known. The first set was taken over on April 4, 2008, the second set followed on October 20. The first SZU-DPZ includes the former SBB vehicles: Locomotive Re 450 067 “ Urdorf ”, intermediate car B 26-33 061 and AB 36-33 067, and control car Bt 26-33 964. The second SZU-DPZ consists of the former Vehicles Re 450 070 “ Winterthur Wülflingen ”, intermediate car B 26-33 064 and AB 36-33 069, as well as control car Bt 26-33 966. The paintwork was adapted to the red corporate design of the Sihltalbahn vehicles. When the two DPZs were taken over, all older vehicles were scrapped in 2008 and sold or scrapped until 2009.
The three-part Be 510 multiple units ordered in 2010 for the Uetlibergbahn and delivered from June 2013 can be used for both power systems, the pantograph can be moved laterally because of the common Zurich - Giesshübel route.
At the end of 2019, the Uetlibergbahn ordered five more three-part Be 570 multiple units. Despite the upcoming re-electrification, they will be manufactured as two-voltage trains and are therefore identical to the Be 510 delivered in 2013.
Felseneggbahn
The "Luftseilbahn Adliswil – Felsenegg LAF AG" was founded in 1953, the aerial cableway , which went into operation at the end of 1954 , has been under the management of SiTB and SZU since then. It is the first and so far only cable car in the canton of Zurich with a concession for public, commercial passenger transport.
The aerial cableway was opened with cabins from the Landi cable car from 1939, and these were replaced by new cabins in 1960. The system was converted to semi-automatic operation in 1967, the conversion to automatic operation took place in 1986. In a further refurbishment in 1997, the drive and brakes were renewed and the pulling and opposing cable replaced. Between February and May 2008, the facility was completely renovated.
Zimmerberg bus
Market area
The Zimmerberg market area of the SZU comprises 7 of the 9 political communities in the Horgen district ; the municipalities of Kilchberg ZH and Rüschlikon belong to the market area of the Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ).
Zimmerberg
- Adliswil , Horgen , Langnau am Albis , Oberrieden , Richterswil , Thalwil , Wädenswil
The SZU also takes on coordination tasks for bus routes that operate in the neighboring district of Höfe (Canton Schwyz) or are assigned to other MVUs, but operate in the Zimmerberg market area.
Transport officer
Four transport officers work for the SZU; the drivers are employed by these companies. The vehicles are financed by the ZVV, but are legally owned by the individual companies (matriculation, insurance, management).
- AHW Busbetriebe AG, Horgen
- Bus company Bamert GmbH, Wollerau
- PostBus Switzerland AG (Zurich region)
- Leuthold Transfer AG, Horgen
Varia
- On some Sundays, steam trains run on the routes, which are operated by the Zürcher Museums-Bahn (ZMB).
- The SZU publishes a flyer with tips for excursions in the area around Uetliberg , Albis and Sihlwald , which also contains a reproduction of the national map of Switzerland on a scale of 1: 50,000 with hiking trails.
Web links
- Sihltal Zurich Uetliberg Bahn SZU AG
- History Association Adliswil: The Sihl valley of the Thirties and the capital Adliswil
Individual evidence
- ↑ The long-term strategy of the Sihl Valley - Zurich - Uetliberg Railway , Swiss Railway Review 10/2015
- ↑ Rolling stock on the SZU website
- ↑ Former SBB DPZ at the Sihl Valley Railway. In: Bahnonline.ch. July 16, 2008, accessed October 15, 2018 .
- ↑ Sandro Hartmeier, Peter Specker, Jürg D. Lüthard, Marcel Manhart, Ludwig Reyer: Six new dual-system multiple units for the Uetlibergbahn from STADLER. In: Bahnonline.ch. February 7, 2014, accessed October 15, 2018 .
- ↑ Fabian Scheeder: But two-voltage vehicles for the SZU . In: Swiss Railway Review . No. 1 . Minirex, 2020, ISSN 1022-7113 , p. 6 .