Winterthur-Grüze railway station
Encyclopedia
Winterthur-Grüze railway station serves Grüze
, an industrial zone in district number 2, Winterthur
, a city in the canton
of Zurich
, Switzerland
.
Opened in 1855, the station was built as a junction station
and is the largest freight hub in Winterthur. It forms part of both the Tösstalbahn and the Winterthur–Wil railway. At the moment, it has no direct connection to the city bus service.
The roofs of the station platforms are listed buildings and are unique in Switzerland.
–Wil railway. In 1875, the Tösstalbahn (TTB) was opened. Initially, due to its operator's lack of permission to enter Winterthur Hauptbahnhof, that line's termini were Grüze and Bauma.
It was not until 1882 that the operators of the Tösstalbahn could run trains to Winterthur Hauptbahnhof. For that purpose, a second track was created between Winterthur HB and Winterthur Grüze. The line from Winterthur HB to Räterschen (the next station towards Wil – St. Gallen), as well as the route to Tösstal (Winterthur HB – Winterthur-Grüze – Winterthur-Seen etc) remained separated, without any connection between them.
With the commissioning of the new electrical signalling in 1953, the two tracks to Winterthur were connected with each other by a set of points (switches). Between Winterthur HB and Winterthur Grüze, double track operation was introduced. Räterschen railway station also received new signalling (integrated circuits) at that time.
Simultaneously, the main line (Winterthur – Winterthur Grüze – Räterschen – (Wil – St. Gallen)) was renovated, and the section between Winterthur Grüze and Räterschen converted to double track (the St. Gallen – Wil – Räterschen section had been built as a double track section right from the beginning).
Since the introduction of the Zürich S-Bahn
in 1990, S12 trains travelling in both directions (towards Seen and Winterthur–Zürich, respectively) have stopped hourly at Grüze. Since November 2002, Grüze has been a self service station and the signal box has been automatically remote controlled.
The other tracks, apart from one siding, are on the Tösstalbahn side of the line, and are used for goods traffic. As the station is located within the Grüze industrial area, it was formerly the scene of a lot of cargo handling. Even today, the station is one of the main SBB-CFF-FFS cargo hubs in the canton of Zurich.
The station's platform shelters, built in 1955, are listed buildings, and are unique in Switzerland. They were developed between 1952 and 1955 by the railway architect Hans Hilfiker
, also the designer of the famous Swiss railway clock, as a prototype for new platform shelters. A special feature of these shelters is the central support tube with platform numbers at its ends, from which the cantilever
roofs protrude on both sides. The new shelters, however, were never put into series production, and so Grüze remains the only station of its kind in Switzerland.
The station building is located on the southwestern side of all tracks at the station.
)
runs through the station heading for Wil. The Tösstal is served by night buses from Winterthur Hauptbahnhof and therefore has no night train.
This article is based upon a translation of the German language version as at November 2011.
Grüze
Grüze is a quarter in the district 2 of Winterthur.It was formerly a part of Oberwinterthur municipality, which was incorporated into Winterthur in 1922.- Transport :...
, an industrial zone in district number 2, 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...
, a city 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 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...
, 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 in 1855, the station was built as a junction station
Junction station
Junction station usually refers to a railway station situated or close to a junction where lines to several destinations diverge. The usual minimum is three incoming lines...
and is the largest freight hub in Winterthur. It forms part of both the Tösstalbahn and the Winterthur–Wil railway. At the moment, it has no direct connection to the city bus service.
The roofs of the station platforms are listed buildings and are unique in Switzerland.
Location
The station is situated roughly on the border between central Winterthur (to its west) and the Grüze industrial area (to its east).History
The station was built in 1855, and used for the first time on 14 October of that year for Sankt Gallisch-Appenzellische Eisenbahn scheduled service on the WinterthurWinterthur Hauptbahnhof
Winterthur Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for Winterthur, a city in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland....
–Wil railway. In 1875, the Tösstalbahn (TTB) was opened. Initially, due to its operator's lack of permission to enter Winterthur Hauptbahnhof, that line's termini were Grüze and Bauma.
It was not until 1882 that the operators of the Tösstalbahn could run trains to Winterthur Hauptbahnhof. For that purpose, a second track was created between Winterthur HB and Winterthur Grüze. The line from Winterthur HB to Räterschen (the next station towards Wil – St. Gallen), as well as the route to Tösstal (Winterthur HB – Winterthur-Grüze – Winterthur-Seen etc) remained separated, without any connection between them.
With the commissioning of the new electrical signalling in 1953, the two tracks to Winterthur were connected with each other by a set of points (switches). Between Winterthur HB and Winterthur Grüze, double track operation was introduced. Räterschen railway station also received new signalling (integrated circuits) at that time.
Simultaneously, the main line (Winterthur – Winterthur Grüze – Räterschen – (Wil – St. Gallen)) was renovated, and the section between Winterthur Grüze and Räterschen converted to double track (the St. Gallen – Wil – Räterschen section had been built as a double track section right from the beginning).
Since the introduction of the Zürich S-Bahn
Zürich S-Bahn
The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been incrementally expanded to cover the ZVV area, which comprises the entire canton of Zurich and portions of neighboring cantons The Zurich S-Bahn system is a network of rapid transit rail lines that has been...
in 1990, S12 trains travelling in both directions (towards Seen and Winterthur–Zürich, respectively) have stopped hourly at Grüze. Since November 2002, Grüze has been a self service station and the signal box has been automatically remote controlled.
Architecture
The station has been a junction station ever since the construction of the Tösstalbahn. It is the point where the line from Winterthur HB separates into the lines to Wil and into the Tösstal, respectively. For that reason, tracks 4-7 are provided with platforms, each serving two tracks, one in each direction.The other tracks, apart from one siding, are on the Tösstalbahn side of the line, and are used for goods traffic. As the station is located within the Grüze industrial area, it was formerly the scene of a lot of cargo handling. Even today, the station is one of the main SBB-CFF-FFS cargo hubs in the canton of Zurich.
The station's platform shelters, built in 1955, are listed buildings, and are unique in Switzerland. They were developed between 1952 and 1955 by the railway architect Hans Hilfiker
Hans Hilfiker
Hans Hilfiker was a Swiss engineer and designer. In 1944, working for the Swiss Federal Railways, he designed the Swiss railway clock, which became a national icon.- External links :* *...
, also the designer of the famous Swiss railway clock, as a prototype for new platform shelters. A special feature of these shelters is the central support tube with platform numbers at its ends, from which the cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
roofs protrude on both sides. The new shelters, however, were never put into series production, and so Grüze remains the only station of its kind in Switzerland.
The station building is located on the southwestern side of all tracks at the station.
Zürich S-Bahn
The station is served by three lines of the Zürich S-Bahn. (only every hour; every half-hour from Winterthur HB to SeuzachSeuzach
Seuzach is a municipality in the district of Winterthur in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.-Geography:Seuzach has an area of . Of this area, 44.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 24.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 30.1% is settled and the remainder is non-productive...
)
Night trains
One night train operated by THURBOTHURBO
THURBO is the corporate identity of a railway company in eastern Switzerland, owned by SBB-CFF-FFS and the canton of Thurgau.-Operations:...
runs through the station heading for Wil. The Tösstal is served by night buses from Winterthur Hauptbahnhof and therefore has no night train.
- WinterthurWinterthur HauptbahnhofWinterthur Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for Winterthur, a city in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland....
– Wil SG – St. GallenSt. GallenSt. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
See also
- History of rail transport in SwitzerlandHistory of rail transport in SwitzerlandThe construction and operation of Swiss railways during the 19th century was carried out by private railways. The first internal line was a 16 km line opened from Zürich to Baden in 1847. By 1860 railways connected western and northeastern Switzerland. The first Alpine railway to be opened...
- Rail transport in SwitzerlandRail transport in SwitzerlandThe railways of Switzerland include and narrow gauge .*Network size: 5,063 km*standard gauge: , of which is electrified.*narrow gauge: , of which is electrified...
External links
- SBB-CFF-FFS website (Swiss rail operator)
This article is based upon a translation of the German language version as at November 2011.