SBB-CFF-FFS RBDe 560

The RBDe 560 (in the old naming style, the RBDe 4/4) and its derivatives provide motive power for S-Bahn, suburban, and regional traffic on the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) network. The derivative versions belong to the SBB as well as various private railroads. The locomotive and its matching Bt model "Steuerwagen" (translation: control car/cab car/driving trailer) form compositions generally known as the "Neuer Pendelzug" (New Commuter Train), which is the source of the acronym NPZ. An NPZ trainset usually includes one or more intermediate cars.

General information

In 1984 four prototypes of this locomotive and steuerwagen were delivered. Ordered in 1981, they originally bore the RBDe 4/4 designation and road numbers 2100-2103. All four trainsets (RBDe 560 + Bt) were delivered in different color schemes, one of which was the livery used for the main series (blue over white sides, yellow doors, and red faces). Comparisons to the previous standard green color scheme led to the pointed name "Kolibri" (Hummingbird) being applied to describe the livery. Nearly all the RBDe 560 examples have been named and designated with the appropriate coats of arms of smaller municipalities along the lines served by this trainset.

A full order for 80 trainsets followed. A few years later an additional order for a further 42 trainsets was placed. 6 trainsets were ordered by private railroads (SOB, PBr, MThB, Montafonerbahn, etc.), resulting in a total production count of 134 main series trainsets. The last came off the production line in 1996.

For cost reasons, until new matching intermediate cars are purchased, modernized Einheitswagen (EW) I and II coaches are being used with the NPZ trainsets to increase capacity. They are placed between the locomotive and the control car and are either first class, second class, or a combination of both.

The locomotives have a power output of 1650 kW, a maximum speed of 140 km/h, a weight of 70 tons, and are 25 meters long. The series (560 000-083 and 560 100-141) forms the largest group of regional/suburban traffic locomotives of the SBB, with 126 vehicles.

In May 2006 a modernization program was begun by the SBB for 120 of its trainsets. The locomotives and DVT's will be completely renewed and be matched with new air-conditioned intermediate coaches. The existing EW I and II coaches will, after well over 40 years of service, be retired and then scrapped. Further use of the trucks on these coaches is being considered. The 188 new intermediate cars are to be delivered coinciding with the modernization, which is forecast to take 7 years and should be complete by 2013.

Special liveries

The NPZ color scheme mentioned above is generally common today. The second production series (560 100 - 560 141) has the blue window strip extended all the way to the driver's compartment. In addition, numerous examples have logos of the various Swiss S-Bahn systems (Zürich, Basel, Bern, Ostwind, Réseau Express Vaudois, etc.) applied to the side of the locomotive near the driver's compartment.

Those units operating the Ticino-Lombardy TILO service have the full-size SBB logo removed, which is replaced by the TILO logo above the windows. The logos of SBB and Trenitalia (joint owners of TILO) are applied in a smaller format.

The two motor coaches assigned to the Glarner Sprinter service (560 120 and 560 123) have that logo applied alongside the SBB logo, as well as a special paint scheme consisting of various highlights to the base NPZ livery.

One set, RBDe 560 131 with Bt 29-35 931 got a special livery "train des vignes" for the Vevey–Puidoux-Chexbres line plus a stop on request system. RBDe 560 132/Bt 932 were fitted equally as replacement set but painted in the normal livery.

13 trainsets are assigned to the RegionAlps service.

Variants

RBDe 561

In 2003 six RBDe 560 (105, 127-128, 133-135) were converted to RBDe 561 (000-005) so that they could operate on the Wiesental section of the Basel S-Bahn (Basel - Zell im Wiesental, Germany). With the subsequent delivery of 10 RABe 521 (Stadler FLIRT) specifically for this network, these six RBDe 561 were returned in May 2006 to the Swiss side of the Basel S-Bahn and now operate again as RBDe 560. However, these trainsets remain recognizable due to the fact that they still have certain German radio equipment installed.

RBDe 562

At the beginning of 1997, only one year after delivery, six more RBDe 560 (136-141) were converted to operate on the French section of the Basel S-Bahn (between Basel and Mulhouse). These bi-current trainsets received the designation RBDe 562 (000-005), and are capable of operating on the 15 kV/16.7 Hz SBB standard as well as the 25 kV/50 Hz SNCF standard.

SOB RBDe 566

The Südostbahn (SOB) also ordered four two-piece NPZ sets "(RBDe 566 + ABt)", which were delivered from the first production series in 1995 bearing numbers RBDe 566 400-403. The SOB opted not to convert any intermediate cars for use with these trainsets. Thus, the SOB DVT's differ from those of the SBB by the addition of a first class compartment. The locomotives, however, are identical to those of the SBB. The SOB has since converted several intermediate cars, however, and these trainsets are operated with them today.

After the merger of the original SOB with the Bodensee-Toggenburg-Bahn (BT) to the new SOB, these four trainsets were repainted in the new livery of the SOB in 2003. They now operate throughout the SOB network as RBDe 566 077-080.

MThB RBDe 566

For services on the Seehas line (the area near Konstanz, Germany), the Mittelthurgaubahn (MThB) in 1993 took four NPZ trainsets off the SBB's production line. These 4 trainsets came from the first production series, and were delivered to the MThB in 1994 numbered as RBDe 566 631-634. These 4 trainsets would have been the ninth to twelfth for the SBB, which subsequently increased its total order by four.

These four MThB trainsets were also delivered with one new intermediate car each. Two additional driving trailers were used with older ABDe 536. Because they operate into Germany as well as within Switzerland, the vehicles were equipped with the Indusi train safety system and a wider pantograph shoe.

Upon the dissolution of the MThB, the trainsets went to the successor company Thurbo and were operated on the Seehas German section by Thurbo's German subsidiary EuroThurbo and later SBB GmbH. In 2006, nine Stadler FLIRT (RABe 526 651-659) took over the Seehas service. Thurbo subsequently sold the four trainsets plus the two extra driving trailers to SBB. They work now as RBDe 561 171-174/AB 30-35 671–674/Bt 29-35 971–976 in the S-Bahn Luzern system, partly over BLS tracks.

Montafonerbahn

The Montafonerbahn, which is headquartered in Schruns, Austria, operates two two-piece NPZ sets. The first was built in 1990, following the SBB series 2100-2183, and the second in 1993, before the SBB second series.

PBr RBDe 568

The Chemin de fer Pont Brassus (PBr) never possessed its own locomotives, but has always subcontracted operation to the SBB, which guarantees through service between Vallorbe-Le Pont (SBB) and the PBr route Le Pont-Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux.

The "+2" in the first series production count are the two trainsets which were sourced in 1989 the line and went to the PBr. The locomotives oringially received the designation RBDe 4/4 2184-2185. Only small labels referring to the PBr as the owner of these vehicles distinguished them, while the SBB remains responsible for their maintenance and operation. After the January 2001 merger of the PBr with the Chemin de fer Yverdon - Ste Croix (YSteC), which formed TRAVYS, the trainsets were repainted into that company's new livery and the motor coaches renumbered RBDe 568 384-385.

Closely related trainsets

There are several Swiss trainsets which are very similar to the RBDe 560 series, but are not identical. These were jointly developed by BLS and Bodensee-Toggenburg-Bahn (now Südostbahn) and first delivered in 1982. The SBB design was derived from these trains. They operate on various private railways as BLS RBDe 565, RBDe 566 II, Südostbahn RBDe 566 and TRN/tpf RBDe 567.

See also

* List of stock used by Swiss Federal Railways

Source

"This article was partially translated from the German language version of July 2006. It has been amended by the authors of the German article."

External links

* [http://www.photos-trains.ch/photos/category.php?cat=431&expand=2,3,4,431] Les NTN sur le site www.photos-trains.ch
* [http://mypage.bluewin.ch/bruno.laemmli/Lokomotiven/SBB-RBDe_560.htm] Detailed technical and background information, in German
* [http://www.sbeb.ch/Themen/RBDe560.htm] More pictures, also in German