Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn
Encyclopedia
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Its railway line connects Wohlen and Bremgarten
Bremgarten, Switzerland
Bremgarten is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Aargau. It serves as seat of the district of Bremgarten. The medieval old town is listed as a heritage site of national significance.-History:...
in the canton of Aargau with Dietikon
Dietikon
Dietikon is the fifth biggest city of the canton of Zürich in Switzerland, after Zürich, Winterthur, Uster and Dübendorf. It is the capital of the same-named district of Dietikon and part of the Zürich metropolitan area.- Geography :...
in the canton of Zurich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
. The line has been modernised and is part of the S-Bahn Zürich (S17
S17 (ZVV)
The S17 is a regional railway line of the S-Bahn Zürich on the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund , Zürich transportation network, in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau .- Route :...
) network. There is a half-hourly service frequency, increasing at peak times to quarter-hourly between Bremgarten and Dietikon. This line is very important for commuters to Zurich.
Technical data
- Distance: 18.8 km (11.7 mi)
- Double-track: 1.6 km (0.994196378639691 mi)
- Along roads: 0.8 km (0.497098189319845 mi)
- Gauge: ; dual gaugeDual gaugeA dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
track between Wohlen and Bremgarten West, / (length 6.6 km) - Minimum turning radius: 25 m (82 ft)
- Power system: 1200 VVoltThe volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
DCDirect currentDirect current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through... - Maximum gradient: 5.6 %
Wohlen-Bremgarten-Bahn
The route between Wohlen and Bremgarten West was built to (standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
) by the Aargauische Südbahn railway (Aarau
Aarau
Aarau is the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau. It is German-speaking and predominantly Protestant. Aarau is situated on the Swiss plateau, in the valley of the Aar, on the river's right bank, and at the southern foot of the Jura...
- Wohlen
Wohlen, Aargau
Wohlen is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The earliest known settlements in Wohlen date from the late Hallstatt era . This settlement left two clusters of burial mounds in Hohbühl and Häslerhau...
- Rotkreuz). The service began on September 1, 1876, operated by steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s. In 1882 the route was extended to include Brugg – Lenzburg
Lenzburg
Lenzburg is a town in the central region of the Swiss canton Aargau and is the capital of the district of the same name. The town, founded in the Middle Ages, lies in the Seetal valley, about 3 kilometres south of the Aare river. Lenzburg and the neighbouring municipalities of Niederlenz and...
– Wohlen – Bremgarten. On January 1, 1902, the Swiss Federal Railways, SBB
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
, took over.
Bremgarten-Dietikon Tramway
The line to Wohlen had three disadvantages for Bremgarten: The timetable was poor, the station was too far away from the town centre and there was no direct connection to ZurichZürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. In 1895 a plan was produced for an electrical tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way between Bremgarten and Dietikon
Dietikon
Dietikon is the fifth biggest city of the canton of Zürich in Switzerland, after Zürich, Winterthur, Uster and Dübendorf. It is the capital of the same-named district of Dietikon and part of the Zürich metropolitan area.- Geography :...
. Construction began in 1901, and the route was opened on April 30, 1902.
Wohlen-Dietikon
Nevertheless there was still a gap of about a kilometre between Bremgarten and Bremgarten West where passengers had to make their own way. The BD entered into negotiations with the SBB, and in 1910, a permanent lease for the Wohlen-Bremgarten-Bahn began. The railway was electrifiedElectrification
Electrification originally referred to the build out of the electrical generating and distribution systems which occurred in the United States, England and other countries from the mid 1880's until around 1940 and is in progress in developing countries. This also included the change over from line...
and an additional (meter gauge) track was built between Wohlen and Bremgarten West. A railway bridge across the river Reuss
Reuss River
The Reuss is a river in Switzerland. With a length of and a drainage basin of , it is the fourth largest river in Switzerland...
was also constructed. Through-running trains between Wohlen and Dietikon began operating on February 8, 1912.
After the merger
After 1950 the line was modernised to suburban railway standards using new rolling stock and facilities. The opening of the rapid-transit ZürichZürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
network on May 27, 1990 caused major development. The route and timetable were integrated into the rapid-transit railway network, and three new stops with interchange facilities with other public transport modes were added. In 1995, a double-track section was built between Rudolfstetten Hofacker and Berikon-Widen, which was extended two years later to the Belveder stop.
Route description
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
station (altitude 426 m). After a few metres, the freight line joins; this produces a section of three-rail track
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
(1000 mm for passenger trains, 1435 mm for freight trains). The line rises to 451 m altitude and passes into the Bremgarterwald (Bremgarten Forest). The Erdmannlistein stop lies in the middle in the forest and serves exclusively trip traffic. After 6.6 km is the Bremgarten West station (alt. 404 m), where the three-rail track for the standard-gauge freight trains ends.
Thus far the line is rather flat (maximum gradient of 1.5%), has gentle turning radii (minimum 300 m (984 ft)) and resembles a normal SBB standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
line. After Bremgarten West, the line changes its character completely. After two sharp curves the line runs along the 156 m long bridge over the Reuss. The company's headquarters, including a depot and administration building, are located at Bremgarten station (alt. 389 m).
From here on the line runs right alongside the main street through a densely populated area. The line climbs slopes of up to 5.6%. After four sharp curves one reaches the Berikon
Berikon
Berikon is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.The village lies on a hill above and to the east of the Reuss Valley, covering part of the Mutschellen Pass...
-Widen
Widen
Widen is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:At the end of the 12th century a manor called "Wyda" is mentioned the first time, there's no exact year. "Widen", in the way like it's written today, appears the first time during the 14th...
station on the Mutschellen pass (alt. 553 m). From now on the line goes downhill again. After a sharp left curve shortly before Rudolfstetten
Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg
Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg is a municipality in the district of Bremgarten in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. Prior to 1953, the municipality was officially known simply as Rudolfstetten.-History:...
the downward gradient becomes gradually flatter. Between Bergfrieden and Dietikon the line has tramway-like characteristics with street-running. The line ends at Dietikon station
Dietikon railway station
Dietikon is a railway station in Switzerland, situated in the city of Dietikon. The station is located on the Swiss Federal Railway's Zurich to Olten main line and is also the terminus of the metre gauge Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn...
(alt. 391 m) at a platform beside the SBB tracks.
Future
For many years there has been a plan for a tunnelTunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
between Bergfrieden and Dietikon, in order to avoid the tramway-like section. However, in times of limited funds such a project (its practicality being extremely questionable) is probably not realisable.
More realistic is the project for a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system in the densely populated Limmattal area, west of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. Continuing from the BD line the first stage would lead from Dietikon to Spreitenbach
Spreitenbach
Spreitenbach is a municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland, located in the Limmat Valley .It lies southeast of the district center directly on the border with the canton of Zurich....
and Killwangen
Killwangen
Killwangen is a municipality in the district of Baden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The town was first known as Chullewangen as early as 1227. The name is alemannish in origin. For nearly 600 years, Killwangen was dependent on the monastery in nearby Wettingen. In 1798, Napoleon's...
. The second stage would be from Dietikon through Urdorf
Urdorf
Urdorf is a municipality in the district of Dietikon in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland, located in the Limmat Valley .-Geography:...
and Schlieren
Schlieren, Zurich
Schlieren is a municipality in the district of Dietikon in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.- History :The oldest artifact discovered in the Canton of Zürich is a Stone Age Neanderthal hand axe which was found in Schlieren, and dates back to approximately 100,000 BCE.Until 1415, Schlieren...
to Zurich-Altstetten, with connection to the Zurich tram route 2 (Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich
Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich
Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich is a public transport operator in the Swiss city of Zurich, and is wholly owned by the city. Previously known as the Städtische Strassenbahn Zürich , the organisation was founded in 1896 and adopted its current name in 1950...
) at the Farbhof terminus.