Swiss National Railway
Encyclopedia
The Swiss National Railway (German
: Schweizerische Nationalbahn, SNB) was a railway company in Switzerland
.
The Swiss National Railway was created in 1875 from the merger of the two companies, the Winterthur–Zofingen Railway and the Zofingen–Singen–Kreuzlingen Railway. The Winterthur
Democratic Party promoted a railway funded by some communities and cantons to build a railway from Lake Constance
to Lake Geneva
as compete with the Swiss Northeastern Railway
(German: Schweizerische Nordostbahn, NOB). This new line across of the Swiss plateau
would have bypassed the major economic centres and run through relatively sparsely populated areas. Unfortunately for the SNB, the established railways managed to gain the right to a new railway line concession in order to prevent it from connecting to Zürich
as it had planned. In 1878 financial problems forced the SNB's liquidation, and the NOB took over its bankrupt estate for 12.4% of the face value of its shares. The cities of Winterthur, Baden
, Lenzburg
, Zofingen
did not finish paying off the debts that they had incurred from investing in the SNB until the 20th Century.
In 1877, the SNB built a railway through the Furttal
(valley) linking Baden and northern Zürich. Following the bankruptcy of the SNB, the section from Seebach
to Wettingen
was used for testing electric locomotive
s from the nearby Oerlikon locomotive works.
The Zofingen–Lenzburg line is generally known in vernacular Swiss as the "Nazeli", derived from the Nationalbahn.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Schweizerische Nationalbahn, SNB) was a railway company in Switzerland
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....
.
The Swiss National Railway was created in 1875 from the merger of the two companies, the Winterthur–Zofingen Railway and the Zofingen–Singen–Kreuzlingen Railway. The Winterthur
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...
Democratic Party promoted a railway funded by some communities and cantons to build a railway from Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
to Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
as compete with the Swiss Northeastern Railway
Swiss Northeastern Railway
The Swiss Northeastern Railway or NOB was an early railway company in Switzerland.In 1853 the Swiss Northern Railway merged with the Lake Constance and Rheinfall Railways under the name Swiss Northeastern Railway.The main instigator was Alfred Escher...
(German: Schweizerische Nordostbahn, NOB). This new line across of the Swiss plateau
Swiss plateau
The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface...
would have bypassed the major economic centres and run through relatively sparsely populated areas. Unfortunately for the SNB, the established railways managed to gain the right to a new railway line concession in order to prevent it from connecting to Zürich
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...
as it had planned. In 1878 financial problems forced the SNB's liquidation, and the NOB took over its bankrupt estate for 12.4% of the face value of its shares. The cities of Winterthur, Baden
Baden, Switzerland
Baden is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Aargau, on the west bank of the river Limmat, located in the Limmat Valley , northwest of Zürich. It is the seat of the district of Baden...
, 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...
, Zofingen
Zofingen
Zofingen is a city in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is the capital of the district of Zofingen. Zofingen is a walled city and home of an ancient monastic settlement.-Geography:...
did not finish paying off the debts that they had incurred from investing in the SNB until the 20th Century.
In 1877, the SNB built a railway through the Furttal
Furttal
Furttal is the name of a valley region in Switzerland between Laegern and Altberg in the Dielsdorf district of the canton of Zurich.The area's name stems from the German word for ford, or furt, and is named after the crossing over the Limmat river in the community of Würenlos on the west side of...
(valley) linking Baden and northern Zürich. Following the bankruptcy of the SNB, the section from Seebach
Seebach (Zürich)
Seebach is a quarter in the district 11 of Zurich, located in the Glatt Valley .It was formerly a municipality of its own, having been incorporated into Zurich in 1934....
to Wettingen
Wettingen
Wettingen is a residential community in the district of Baden in the Swiss canton of Aargau. With a population about 20,000, Wettingen is the largest municipality in the canton.-Geography:...
was used for testing electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s from the nearby Oerlikon locomotive works.
The Zofingen–Lenzburg line is generally known in vernacular Swiss as the "Nazeli", derived from the Nationalbahn.
Lines
- Aarau–Suhr railway line
- Zofingen–Wettingen railway line
- Wettingen–Effretikon railway line
- Winterthur–Etzwilen railway line
- Etzwilen–Konstanz railway line
- Etzwilen–Singen railway line
- Kreuzlingen–Kreuzlingen Hafen railway line