Westbound ICN on new flyover
Killwangen-Altstetten: SBB's funnel in Zurich

 
Home
Introduction
An animation
 
The rail line
Main tasks
Scheduling
Zurich dispatch
Altstetten control
Conflicts
Staying on time
Communication
Transatlantic
 
About this site
List of illustrations
Site map
Alphabetic index
Feedback
 

Home > The rail line > Four tracks

Expansion to four tracks, with accompanying flyover and high-speed crossovers

To increase capacity and eliminate conflicts between opposing trains, the SBB has expanded its line between Killwangen and Dietikon to four tracks, and also added a flyover and high-speed crossovers.

Here is an animation.

In October 2000, SBB opened a second pair of main tracks between Killwangen-Spreitenbach and Dietikon. Four main tracks now extend all the way from Killwangen to Zurich.

Part of this project was a new flyover to carry westbound express trains on the northernmost track over the other three tracks so they traverse Killwangen station on the southernmost track. Two 125-km/h crossovers have been installed just east of Killwangen.

In this description, we are naturally only speaking of the main tracks for passenger trains. A number of other tracks are present, notably for freight trains entering and leaving the adjacent Limmattal classification yard.

Here is a somewhat more complete view of the line from Killwangen to Dietikon, as the Zurich dispatcher sees it on his track-diagram display:

Line from Killwangen to Dietikon on Zurich dispatcher's track-diagram display

(Click on image for a larger
version and more details)

The new layout allows segregration of train traffic by direction, type (express or suburban S-Bahn), and route (Aarau or Baden). In particular, the new tracks and flyover eliminate all conflicts between opposing trains in normal operations.

When the two new tracks opened, the express tracks between Zurich and the flyover changed to right-hand operation, an exception to the normal Swiss practice of running on the left.

To see again how the crossovers and flyover are re-sorting the traffic flows, look again at the animation.


Home | Alphabetic index | Feedback | SBB web site

This site was originally assembled in March 2001. Comments are welcome.

Copyright © 2001-2005 George B. Raymond, Jr.    Disclaimer