GoldenPass Express gauge adapting ramp
Description
The ramp in Zweisimmen allows the GoldenPass Express to switch from metre gauge to standard gauge.
This shift from metric to standard gauge is achieved by means of a variable gauge bogie and the gauge adapting ramp. The main challenge is changing the gauge, but the height also needs to be changed.
The Stages
The train departs from Montreux and arrives at Zweisimmen station, the metric gauge part of the journey. Then the train passes over the gauge adapting ramp at a speed of 15km/h and flaps are raised to allow the coach to position itself. With the weight of the coach relived from the bogies, their wheel width can ectend from 1000 mm to 1435 mm. At the same time, the body is raised from 350 mm to 550 mm to adapt to the platfrom height.
The change in gauge width and height is not the only challenge to be solved. The electrical voltage is different on the MOB and BLS railway network : 900 VDC on the metric gauge network and 15 kVAC (16,7 Hz) on the standard gauge network. Therefore, the locomotive needs to be changed, furthermore they are not equipped with variable gauge bogies. As a consequence, in Zweisimmen, the MOB locomotive hands over the train to the BLS locomotive .
The train can then resume its journey on the standard gauge track towards Interlaken East. The gauge width change takes eight minutes : only a few seconds crossing the ramp, mots of the time is required for the change of locomotives and relates checks. In Zweisimmen, the gauge adapting ramps are located on tracks 6 and 7.
The ramp in Zweisimmen allows the GoldenPass Express to switch from metre gauge to standard gauge.
This shift from metric to standard gauge is achieved by means of a variable gauge bogie and the gauge adapting ramp. The main challenge is changing the gauge, but the height also needs to be changed.
The Stages
The train departs from Montreux and arrives at Zweisimmen station, the metric gauge part of the journey. Then the train passes over the gauge adapting ramp at a speed of 15km/h and flaps are raised to allow the coach to position itself. With the weight of the coach relived from the bogies, their wheel width can ectend from 1000 mm to 1435 mm. At the same time, the body is raised from 350 mm to 550 mm to adapt to the platfrom height.
The change in gauge width and height is not the only challenge to be solved. The electrical voltage is different on the MOB and BLS railway network : 900 VDC on the metric gauge network and 15 kVAC (16,7 Hz) on the standard gauge network. Therefore, the locomotive needs to be changed, furthermore they are not equipped with variable gauge bogies. As a consequence, in Zweisimmen, the MOB locomotive hands over the train to the BLS locomotive .
The train can then resume its journey on the standard gauge track towards Interlaken East. The gauge width change takes eight minutes : only a few seconds crossing the ramp, mots of the time is required for the change of locomotives and relates checks. In Zweisimmen, the gauge adapting ramps are located on tracks 6 and 7.