Dispatching on SBB in the future

In the longer term, SBB is planning to use new technology to combine the dispatcher and operator functions.

Today, SBB has three dispatching centers and numerous control centers, each of which directly controls routing at one or a few stations. The goal is to change the organization of dispatching, and create about 10 dispatching centers in Switzerland, including three in eastern Switzerland, and one national coordination center. Only places with extremely dense and complex operations within a small area - such as Zurich main station - would continue to have local operators.

The new dispatching centers will combine the functions of today's dispatching centers (like Zurich) and control centers (like Altstetten).

For example, a dispatcher will be able to hold one train for another simply by using his mouse to pull down the train's path on the time-distance display. This will give a direct electronic order to the interlocking plant to reserve routings, throw turnouts, and set signals accordingly.