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

 
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Home > Altstetten control center > Territory

Altstetten control center: the territory

To get an picture of the territory of the traffic control center in Zurich-Altstetten, here is a map of the area:

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

The following paragraphs describe the borders of the territory of the Altstetten control center.

Approach to Zurich main station

The eastern border of the Altstetten control center is the approach to Zurich main station (Vorbahnhof).

Killwangen joined in 2000

In October 2000, Killwangen-Spreitenbach switched over to remote control from Altstetten.

Line to Lenzburg

West of Killwangen-Spreitenbach, on the line to Lenzburg and Aarau, the territory of the Altstetten traffic control center ends in Heitersberg tunnel. West of there, the line is under the control of the Lenzburg control center.

Line to Baden

West of Killwangen on the Baden line, the next traffic control center is in Brugg. The territorial border between the two centers in at Neuenhof station. An extension of remote control to Wettingen may occur in 2002.

Freight line from Killwangen to Würenlos

Otelfingen is site of the remote control (Fernsteurung) of the freight line from Killwangen-Spreitenbach to Würenlos. (Both Würenlos and Otelfingen are on the suburban or S-Bahn line S6 between Uetikon and Baden via Oerlikon.)

Suburban line S9 from Altstetten to Zug

The Altstetten traffic control center also has remote control over the interlocking machines in all the stations on suburban (S-Bahn) line S9 between Zurich-Altstetten and Zug, with the following exceptions:

  • From 5:00 to 8:00 in the morning, Birmensdorf is controlled locally (instead of from Zurich-Altstetten) because of the large number passengers arriving on buses to board the train.

  • Bonstetten-Wettswill and Steinhauser have their own interlocking plants and are not controlled from Zurich-Altstetten.

  • Affoltern am Albis is being rebuilt in 2001 so as to have a platform between the two tracks. For the moment, passengers must cross the tracks on a grade crossing, and the station thus cannot be controlled remotely, because the remote operators cannot see the grade crossing. Once the platform and stairs between the two tracks are installed, passengers will no longer have to cross the tracks at grade and remote control will be possible.

  • Zug is itself a traffic control center for a larger territory, like Zurich Altstetten.

Between Altstetten and Zug, the line is mostly single-track, with passing sidings at the stations.

Areas visible on the screens of the Altstetten traffic control center

For the purpose of visualizing train traffic in the region around Zurich-Altstetten, this region is divided into area 1 (Zurich main station), area 2A (Pfäffikon, in the canton of Schwyz) and area 2B (Altstetten).

The train control system in Altstetten shows only the remote-control territory (Fernbereich) of Altstetten - and the central Zurich and Pfäffikon areas - but not the rest of the SBB network.

Major yards

Two major yards lie between Killwangen-Spreitenbach and Zurich-Altstetten:

  • Limmattal classification yard (Rangierbahnhof Limmattal or RBL), between Killwangen and Dietikon.

  • Zurich-Mülligen freight yard, between Schlieren and Altstetten.

Display of tracks in freight yards

On the track displays, the Altstetten operator can see the tracks of yards such as Mülligen and Limmattal to and from which the operator can set up train routings.

Other tracks that are only for intra-yard switching moves are not shown on the operator's display. For example, the Altstetten center can set train routings on about half of the 64 tracks in Limmattal classification yard. Such tracks are said to be routable (zugfahrstrassenmässig bedienbar).


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

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