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Issue 4 2011 / 4 August 2011 /
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has the densest rail network in the world in terms of the number of trains per kilometre per day – and the number is still rising. This is a challenge that must be met without compromising on safety. Trains must therefore be monitored and scheduled with the utmost care. SBB’s Switzerlandwide integrated system of networked Wayside Train Monitoring Systems (WTMS) is one of the key elements in this process.
SBB is faring well: in 2010, 951,000 people a day travelled on the company’s train services – more than ever before. SBB Cargo also increased its output significantly, carrying 200,000 tonnes of freight a day. Utilisation of SBB network capacity had already been high, and the increase in demand has raised it even further. An average of 95.4 trains a day travelled over each kilometre of SBB track in 2010. This figure is unequalled anywhere in the world – and is still rising. (more…)
Issue 1 2011 / 15 February 2011 /
SBB adopted a comprehensive sustainability strategy in 2010. Nine Group targets drawn from SBB’s corporate strategy in 2009 represent the economic, social and ecological aspects of sustainability. SBB’s aim is to create sustainable added value for its customers, the company, the environment and society.
SBB has agreed clear objectives for its managers in respect of its climate protection and energy saving initiatives, for example, in order to ensure that these initiatives are implemented. SBB has also underlined its commitment to sustainability by expanding its 2010 Annual Report to include a section prepared in compliance with the international sustainability reporting guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). (more…)
Rail industry news / 19 October 2010 /
The Swiss Federal Railways (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen − SBB) have commissioned Hoeft & Wessel AG with the development and supply of a new mobile solution for voice and data communications in the field of shunting and construction operations. Within the scope of this contract award, the Almex Division of the technology enterprise headquartered in Hanover, Germany, is to develop and supply a new system known as »LISA − Light and Integrated Shunting Accessory«. The project under the auspices of the SBB Infrastructure Division is a key component involved in converting the past analogue radio system to GSM-R, the digital radio system that has been adjusted to meet the requirements of railway services. The communications system has a total value of around CHF 9.9 million (approx. EUR 7.3 million). Development and rollout will take roughly 2.5 years to complete.
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Rail industry news / 17 May 2010 /
SBB has placed the largest rolling stock order in its history, with the goal of improving its rail offering for its customers. The Swiss rail provider has commissioned Bombardier Transportation Switzerland AG to build 59 new double-deck trains for its long-distance services, a total order volume of approximately CHF 1.9 billion. (more…)
Rail industry news / 7 December 2009 /
SWITZERLAND: Meeting on December 2, the SBB board of directors approved a fourth phase of expansion for the Zürich S-Bahn network over the next decade.
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Issue 4 2009, Past issues / 21 July 2009 /
Mr. Philippe Gauderon took up his new position as Head of SBB Infrastructure and Member of the SBB Management Board at the start of 2009. After studying law at the University of Fribourg, Mr. Gauderon initially worked as a lawyer until 1985. Between 1985 and 1995, he held numerous senior positions at the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT), including that of Deputy Director from 1990 to 1995. Mr. Gauderon joined SBB in 1996 as Director of what was then District 1 in Lausanne. When SBB was restructured as part of reforms to the rail system in 1999, Mr. Gauderon took over as Head of Regional Services in what was then known as the Passenger Traffic Division, where he was also a member of the divisional management board. In October 2003, he was made Head of Operating and Deputy Head of the Passenger Traffic Division.
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Issue 4 2009, Past issues / 21 July 2009 /
Before new rail projects are discussed at SBB Infrastructure, the division first establishes the long-term demand and future mobility requirements of its customers in both the passenger and freight sectors.
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Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
Today, railway networks and their infrastructure managers, as well as the railway undertakings, are facing the crucial challenge of migrating their signalling and train control systems towards the common European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), while perhaps also maintaining conventional and mixed traffic operations.
The basic concept of ERTMS, namely interoperable railway traffic within Europe, lacks an economical, straight forward and customer-oriented possibility to migrate the national signalling systems towards ETCS.
Therefore, the UNISIG Change Request 637 (UCR 637) ‘Limited Supervision’ (LS) was given in by SBB and other supporters at the European Railway Agency (ERA) in 2003. Five years have now passed and the sector organisations are still struggling with the challenge of the further deployment of ETCS. Why? The current possibilities to migrate existing signalling systems towards ETCS do not fulfil the needs a migration has to provide – fast, economical and simple. (more…)
Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
SBB is minimising the amount of time track is tied up with maintenance, by automating inspection systems and adopting standard components that can be installed rapidly. European Railway Review’s Technical Editor, James Abbott, talks to Daniel Wyder, SBB’s Head of Asset Management for Track.
Switzerland has some of the most intensely used railway lines in the world. During the day, a domestic passenger service organised on a regular interval system runs, while at night there are frequent trans-Alpine freight trains in transit from Germany to Italy running over the north-south main lines. The intensive traffic results in heavy annual tonnages: Switzerland overtook Japan in 2000 in having the world’s highest density of railway operations.
With such heavy usage, efficient maintenance to keep the permanent way in good condition is crucial. But the intensive service means that the time available for inspectors on the track is limited. (more…)
Issue 4 2007, Past issues / 30 July 2007 /
Three years after the Rail 2000 project entered the operational phase, SBB now plans to introduce further service upgrades. In particular, the opening of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel in December 2007 will shorten journeys to Valais and Italy. The new timetable due to be introduced in December 2008 will see further improvements along the Gotthard route as well as in international services.
Since the major Rail 2000 timetable change in December 2004, SBB has seen both passenger numbers and passenger-kilometres rise. Passenger traffic volumes reached unprecedented levels in 2006 and this trend is set to continue. The upward trend was also clearly apparent in the first quarter of 2007. Compared to the same period last year, the total volume of passenger traffic rose by just under 6% to 73 million people. Passenger-km increased by just under 5% to 3.6 billion. This positive development could also be seen in terms of our regular customers. Sales volumes for the GA and Half-Fare travelcards have been rising since the start of the year (see chart). In order to capitalise on this very positive situation, SBB now needs to further upgrade its train services. The individual changes to be made to the 2008 and 2009 timetables are described below. (more…)
Issue 4 2007, Past issues / 30 July 2007 /
The railway line traversing the Gotthard massif is a vital artery through Switzerland. In 2007, the Gotthard Railway will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. During the past few decades, the line has been consistently modernised and adapted to the needs of today’s traffic. In a few years’ time, the existing route will be superseded by a new base tunnel that promises to bring north and south even closer together than before.
Just one decade from now, trains crossing the Gotthard will enter the new Base Tunnel at either Erstfeld or Biasca – to the delight of both travellers and freight forwarders alike. Not only will their journeys be shorter, but the existence of a transalpine route with virtually no gradient at all will give railfreight forwarders a decisive advantage over their competitors on the roads.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel will form the core of a new high-speed line connecting the north and south – a tour de force of engineering that can boast just as many superlatives as could the original Gotthard line when it first opened all those years ago. Thanks to the imagination of its pioneers, the Gotthard Railway was designed as a two-track line with only moderate gradients right from the start. Today’s Base Tunnel is also being designed not just for the next generation, but the generation after that as well. There are parallels in the financing too: the budgets for both projects proved overly optimistic. Besides necessitating top-up loans and downscaling, this triggered a flurry of complaints about construction costs, contracting and equipment quality. (more…)
Issue 4 2007, Past issues / 30 July 2007 /
What do bananas, undressed timber and pasta all have in common? They are all travelling increasingly by rail thanks to the new rake offers added to SBB Cargo’s international wagonload services.
Over the past few years, the North-South corridor between Germany and Italy has developed into a showpiece for the liberalised railfreight market. Rail traffic between the major North Sea ports, the industrial regions of Germany, Switzerland and the economic centres of northern Italy has become brisk, bringing much-needed relief to the region’s overloaded roads. And this boom is due in no small part to Switzerland’s railfreight operator. SBB Cargo is constantly expanding its offering in its northern and southern neighbours, and is thus continuously increasing its traffic volumes all along this important North-South corridor. (more…)
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