Trolleybuses in Winterthur
Encyclopedia
The Winterthur trolleybus
system forms part of the public transport
network that serves Winterthur
, in the canton
of Zürich, Switzerland
.
Opened on 28 December 1938, the system gradually replaced the Winterthur tramway network.
With the timetable change on 23 May 1982, the Rosenberg line (line 3) was separated from the Breite line (a new line 4). The latter line, which operated as a circle line
, was converted back into a diesel bus service on 28 May 1995, and the last remaining traces of its overhead wires disappeared at the end of January 2010.
Meanwhile, in December 2006, lines 3 and 6 were merged into the present line 3.
trolleybuses were ordered. They entered service in 1959.
In 1997, Stadtbus Winterthur sold a few trolleybuses to the Romanian city of Timișoara
. Other trolleybuses were sold in 1998 to the Bulgaria
n city of Ruse, and, a year later, to Burgas
, also in Bulgaria.
In March 2004, an order for 10 articulated trolleybuses was placed with Solaris Bus & Coach
. In November 2005, the first trolleybus in this order was delivered. By the end of 2005, all had entered service; they replaced the Saurer
trolleybuses nos. 122-131.
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system forms part of the public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
network that serves 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...
, in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Zürich, 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....
.
Opened on 28 December 1938, the system gradually replaced the Winterthur tramway network.
History
The individual line sections of the Winterthur trolleybus system went into operation as follows:| 28 December 1938 | Hauptbahnhof Winterthur Hauptbahnhof Winterthur Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for Winterthur, a city in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland.... –Wülflingen Lindenplatz (3.1 km) |
Line 2 | 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... replacement |
| 24 July 1941 | Hauptbahnhof–Seen Winterthur-Seen railway station Winterthur-Seen railway station serves Seen, which is district number 3 in Winterthur, a city in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. It forms part of the Tösstalbahn section between Winterthur-Grüze and Bauma.-Location:... (4.2 km) |
Line 2 | Tram replacement |
| 26 April 1948 | Hauptbahnhof–Rosenberg | Line 3 | Bus replacement |
| 6 October 1951 | Hauptbahnhof–Oberwinterthur Bahnhof Oberwinterthur railway station Oberwinterthur railway station serves Oberwinterthur, which is district number 2 in Winterthur, a city in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland.... (2.9 km) |
Line 1 | Tram replacement |
| 3 November 1951 | Hauptbahnhof–Zentrum Töss (1.8 km) | Line 1 | Tram replacement |
| 4 October 1960 | Wülflingen Lindenplatz–Wülflingen | Line 2 | New connection |
| 4 October 1960 | Hauptbahnhof–Breite–Hauptbahnhof | Line 3 | Bus replacement |
| 2 June 1965 | Zentrum Töss–Töss | Line 1 | New connection |
| 16 June 1982 | Oberwinterthur Bahnhof–Oberwinterthur | Line 1 | New connection |
| 26 October 1991 | Hauptbahnhof–Oberseen | Line 6 | Bus replacement |
| 6 April 2011 | Friedhof / Schachenweg–Rosenberg | Line 3 | New connection |
With the timetable change on 23 May 1982, the Rosenberg line (line 3) was separated from the Breite line (a new line 4). The latter line, which operated as a circle line
Circle Line
The Circle line, coloured yellow on the tube map, is the eighth busiest line on the London Underground. It forms a loop line around the centre of London on the north side of the River Thames with, since 13 December 2009, an extension to Hammersmith on its north-western side.-History:The route now...
, was converted back into a diesel bus service on 28 May 1995, and the last remaining traces of its overhead wires disappeared at the end of January 2010.
Meanwhile, in December 2006, lines 3 and 6 were merged into the present line 3.
Lines
The present system is made up of the following lines:| 1 | Töss–Hauptbahnhof–Oberwinterthur | In rush hour Rush hour A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute... at 6-minute intervals, with 11 trolleybuses. |
| 2 | Wülflingen–Hauptbahnhof–Seen | In rush hour at 6-minute intervals, with 11 trolleybuses. |
| 3 | Rosenberg–Hauptbahnhof–Oberseen | In rush hour at 7.5-minute intervals, with nine trolleybuses. |
Evolution
The Winterthur trolleybus system was operated initially by conventional length, two-axle vehicles. In 1957, the first five articulatedArticulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
trolleybuses were ordered. They entered service in 1959.
In 1997, Stadtbus Winterthur sold a few trolleybuses to the Romanian city of Timișoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
. Other trolleybuses were sold in 1998 to the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n city of Ruse, and, a year later, to Burgas
Trolleybuses in Burgas
The Burgas trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network of the Black Sea city and municipality of Burgas, the fourth most populous city, and the largest and most important port, in Bulgaria.The system presently comprises two routes....
, also in Bulgaria.
In March 2004, an order for 10 articulated trolleybuses was placed with Solaris Bus & Coach
Solaris Bus & Coach
Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. is a bus, coach and trolleybus manufacturer based in Bolechowo-Osiedle and Środa Wielkopolska, near Poznań, Poland.It is a family-owned business, with Krzysztof Olszewski as president and his wife Solange as chairman...
. In November 2005, the first trolleybus in this order was delivered. By the end of 2005, all had entered service; they replaced the Saurer
Saurer
Adolph Saurer AG was a Arbon, Switzerland , based manufacturer of trucks and buses, under the Saurer and Berna brand names, and active between 1903 and 1982....
trolleybuses nos. 122-131.
Current fleet
| Numbers | Quantity | Manufacturer | Electrical equipment |
Model | Low-floor Low-floor bus A low-floor bus is a bus that has no steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. Being low floor improves the accessibility of the bus for the public, particularly the elderly or infirm, or those with push chairs, and increasingly, those in wheelchairs.In the modern... |
Year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101–121 | 21 | Hess Carrosserie Hess Carrosserie Hess AG is a bus, trolleybus and commercial vehicle manufacturer based in Bellach , Switzerland. Its products can be found operating across the globe, including the United States and Canada.-History:... |
Kiepe Vossloh Kiepe Vossloh Kiepe is a German manufacturer of electrical traction equipment for trams, trolleybuses and other transport vehicles, as well as air-conditioning and heating systems, and conveyor device components.-History:... |
BGT-N2C | yes | 2010 / 2011 |
| 147, 149 | 2 | Daimler-Benz Daimler-Benz Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had... |
ABB Asea Brown Boveri ABB is a Swiss-Swedish multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, and best known for its robotics. ABB operates mainly in the power and automation technology areas. It ranked 143rd in Forbes Ranking .... |
O405 GTZ | no | 1989 |
| 171–180 | 10 | Solaris Solaris Bus & Coach Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. is a bus, coach and trolleybus manufacturer based in Bolechowo-Osiedle and Środa Wielkopolska, near Poznań, Poland.It is a family-owned business, with Krzysztof Olszewski as president and his wife Solange as chairman... |
Cegelec Cegelec Cegelec is a European company providing technological services to companies and public authorities. It has a workforce of 25,000 and has a presence in 30 countries. It has been a subsidiary of Vinci since 2010.... |
Trollino 18 | yes | 2004 / 2005 |