Swiss Express

1975

May 22nd

The Swiss Express service is introduced on May 22nd, 1975.



The service is provided using dedicated rolling stock in an unique orange livery:
- 8x Re 4/4II electric locomotives;
- 6x AD 81-34 000 - 005 1st class passenger coaches with luggage compartment;
- 25x A 18-34 000 - 024 1st class passenger coaches;
- 6x WR 88-34 000 - 005 restaurant coaches;
- 35x B 29-34 000 - 034 2nd class passenger coaches.

NB: units Bt 29-34 990 - 996 are never used on the Swiss Express service as they are converted from B 29-34 passenger coaches in 1985, after the end of the service. The lack of coaches with control units ment there had to be a locomotive switch or a locomotive change for the return trip and at every terminal station (like the Zürich train station ).

5x fourteen coaches compositions are required for the regular service, with a 6th composition and some additional coaches serving as reserves.

The entire rolling stock is equipped with AK69 automatic couplers and a special feature of the trains is not only they have exactly the same composition every time but the vehicles are always arranged in the same direction (for example the unique pantograph of the Re 4/4II and the pantograph of the restaurant coaches always point towards Zürich train station).

Thus, the composition result was:
(Re 4/4II) - B - B - B - B - B - B - B - WR - A - A - A - A - A - AD - (Re 4/4II) Zürich train station

As the flagship of the Swiss rails at the time, the attention to details is everywhere. For example, the restaurant coaches are orientated in such a way so that 1st class passengers never have to use the narrow corridor next to the kitchen area.

Sources: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Express_(Zuggattung)

1982

With the 1982 timetable, the Swiss Express service is abandoned and replaced by InterCity services.

Sources: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Express_(Zuggattung)

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