| SBB RABe 514 | |
|---|---|
 RABe 514 as S8 service near Felben-Wellhausen in 2009 | |
 Second class seats on the upper deck | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Family name | Siemens Desiro Double Deck |
| Constructed | 2005–2009 |
| Entered service | 2006 |
| Number built | 61 |
| Fleet numbers | 514 001–514 061 |
| Capacity | First class: 74 Second class: 304 |
| Owners | Swiss Federal Railways |
| Lines served | S2 S6 S8 S16 S24 |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 100 m (328 ft 1 in) |
| Width | 2.780 m (9 ft 1.4 in) |
| Height | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) |
| Floor height | 600 mm (24 in) |
| Doors | 8 on each side |
| Maximum speed | 140 km/h (87 mph) |
| Weight | 225 tonnes (496,000 lb) |
| Power output | 3,200 kW (4,290 hp) |
| Acceleration | 1.1 m/s (3.6 ft/s) |
| Electric system(s) | 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| UIC classification | Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′ |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Notes/references | |
The RABe 514 is a class of four-car double-decker electric multiple unit used by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) for the Zurich S-Bahn. It is part of the Siemens Desiro Double Deck product family. The trains are also referred to as DTZ, which stands for the German word Doppelstocktriebzug (lit. 'double decker multiple unit').
History
On 23 February 2003 the Swiss Federal Railways' board of directors decided to give the 447 million CHF contract for building 35 double decker trains to Siemens Transportation Systems. This decision came as a surprise since Siemens had never built double-decker EMUs before, except for an experimental train built in a consortium with DWA Görlitz (now Bombardier Transportation) that never entered into service. To fulfill the domestic content requirement in the contract, Siemens reached an agreement with Stadler Rail to perform some of the assembling and the commissioning in their factory in Altenrhein, Switzerland.
The trains were originally intended to enter service in December 2005, but the date could not be kept. Nevertheless, the first trainset was presented to the public on 2 December 2005 at Zürich Hauptbahnhof. Until May of the next year, the RABe 514 were thoroughly tested and then entered into regular passenger service on the S14 line.
In March 2006, the Swiss Federal Railways exercised their purchase option for another 25 units. Because of the delayed delivery of the first trainsets, Siemens agreed to build an additional train instead of paying a penalty. Delivery of all 61 trains was completed in July 2009.
Specifications
The DTZ trains are the second generation double decker trains used on the Zurich S-Bahn. Compared to the Re 450-hauled bilevel coaches, the first generation trainsets known as DPZ, the RABe 514 feature a low-level entrance for level boarding, air conditioning and vacuum toilets (in a washroom suitable for the disabled). The third generation trains of the Zurich S-Bahn are RABe 511 EMUs of Stadler Rail.
The four-car DTZ multiple unit consists of two powered end cars with two unpowered cars between them. Both bogies in an end car are driven by induction motors with a power output of 400 kW (536 hp) per axle providing a total of 3,200 kW (4,291 hp) for the trainset. Since there was not enough space for a 15 kV power line through the train, both end cars draw their power from a separate pantograph.
An automatic coupling system allows for up to four trainset to be connected together for additional capacity during peak-hours; however, in practice the maximum is three connected trains due to the limited platform lengths of 300 m (984 ft 3 in) at the train stations.
Interior
The double decker trains provide 74 seats in first class, 304 seats in second class as well room for about 600 people standing. The first class seats are equipped with normal 230 V power outlets for charging notebooks and other devices.
Service
The RABe 514 are used on lines previously served by DPZ trainsets. The thereby freed up DPZ were then used to replace the old single deck trains RABDe 510 and RBe 540 from the 1960s.
The first line served by the new Siemens trains was the S14 (Hinwil–Zürich Hauptbahnhof). Starting in December 2006 the S7 (Rapperswil–Zürich–Winterthur) line was also equipped with the DTZ. However, all newly delivered trains were first put on the S14 line because that line is better suited for testing due to its short length and lower importance than other lines. After the S7 line got all of its required 15 trainsets, the next trains were intended to go to the S5 line, but that plan was abandoned in favor of the S15 (Affoltern am Albis-Zürich-Rapperswil). With delivery of the second batch, the S8 (Pfäffikon-Zürich-Winterthur) line was equipped as well. The former S16 (Meilen-Zürich-Thayngen) also used DTZ trains.
The use of DTZ was changed after a major overhaul of the Zurich S-Bahn network between 2014 and 2018. As of the December 2022 timetable change, the RABe 514 is primarily used on five Zürich S-Bahn routes: S2, S6, S8, S16 and S24.
The original plan to couple first and second generation trains together to provide level-boarding on more lines could not be implemented due to software problems when connecting the two train generations.
Naming and special livery
_2012-07-22_17-39-47_(N8).jpg)
It is common practice in Switzerland to name electric multiple units (e.g. RABe 501, RABDe 500) and locomotives (e.g. Ae 6/6, Re 6/6, Re 450, Re 460). Similarly, some RABe 514 trainsets were named, mostly after communes (or former communes), in which case the commune's coat of arms is also indicated at both ends of the trainset. The table below lists all named units:
| EMU № | Name |
|---|---|
| 514 006 | Hans Künzi |
| 514 007 |  Bülach
|
| 514 012 |  Russikon
|
| 514 016 |  Schaffhausen
|
| 514 017 |  Wetzikon
|
| 514 022 |  Frauenfeld  Weinfelden
|
| 514 023 | Anton Rogger |
| 514 027 |  Lufingen
|
| 514 030 |  Regensdorf
|
| 514 043 |  Neuhausen am Rheinfall
|
| 514 050 | Züri West |
| 514 052 |  Wipkingen
|
| 514 059 |  Elsau
|
| 514 060 |  Oerlikon
|
In addition, RABe 514 015 currently has the ZVV special livery.
Accidents and incidents
On 20 February 2015, unit № 514 046-2 was involved in a collision with an InterRegio express train hauled by Class 460 electric locomotive (№ 460 087) at Rafz.
References
- ^ Gerald Winzer (April 2007). "Doppelstocktriebzug Desiro RABe 514" (PDF) (in German). Siemens Transportation Systems. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ Ludwig Reyer. "Der Doppelstocktriebzug DTZ RABe 514 der S-Bahn Zürich" (in German). Elektrolok.de. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ Roger Keller (22 October 2008). "Erste S-Bahn Komposition verspätet abgeliefert: SBB erhalten von Siemens gratis einen Doppelstockzug". Tagesanzeiger.
- "Weitere neue Triebzüge für die Zürcher S-Bahn" (in German). NZZ Online. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- "Die Doppelstöcker-Flotte der S-Bahn ist komplett" (Press release) (in German). Zürcher Verkehrsverbund. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
- "4th partial expansion". ZVV. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- "Annual formation". data.sbb.ch. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- "SBB RABe 514 "DTZ"" (in German). juergs.ch. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- "Memorial to Hans Künzi – "Father of the Zurich S-Bahn" by Carsten Höller". Swiss Federal Railways. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- "Switzerland Zurich: Injuries as trains collide in Rafz". BBC News. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
- Baumgartner, Fabian (20 February 2015). "Zugunglück in Rafz: Lokführer waren in Ausbildung" [Accident in Rafz: Drivers were in training]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 20 February 2015.
External links
- Manufacturer's website about the RABe 514 (in German) Archived 2007-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
- Photo gallery of the delivery ceremony of the 60th train
- General Arrangement and technical leaflet on Manufacturer's website Archived 2012-04-25 at the Wayback Machine