Schlieren to Altstetten

On the run between Schlieren and Zurich-Altstetten, SBB's four mainline tracks first pass the west end of Mülligen freight yard.

Then a number of crossovers offer paths among any of the four main tracks, and also between them and a fifth track that appears between the northernmost pair of tracks, which are for express trains, and the southernmost tracks, which are for suburban (S-Bahn) trains.

This middle track is usually the routing for freight trains headed toward Oerlikon and the north.

Here is the the Zurich dispatcher's view of the line between Schlieren and Zurich-Altstetten (north is roughly up):

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