Solothurn–Wanzwil railway

The Solothurn–Wanzwil railway was opened on 12 December 2004 to connect with the Mattstetten–Rothrist new line (high-speed line) as part of a package of railways forming Rail 2000.

Solothurn–Wanzwil railway
Overview
LocaleBern, Solothurn, Switzerland
Technical
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Route map
km
elev
from Biel
from Moutier
from Burgdorf
narrow gauge line from Niederbipp
79.4
 Solothurn
431 m
narrow gauge line to Bern
80.0
to Olten
79.0
 Scintilla
431 m
A 5 (78 m)
Emme bridge Derendingen (84 m)
77.2
 Derendingen
436 m
Derendingen siding
77.2
Derendingen level crossing
75.9
Industrial road level crossing
74.8
 Subingen
442 m
Subingen siding
74.7
Subingen level crossing
72.8
 Etziken
458 m
70.3
start of double track
Wolfacher Tunnel north (626 m)
68.5
junction with new line from Bern
new line to Rothrist
Source: Swiss railway atlas[1]

The built route mostly uses the route of the Solothurn–Herzogenbuchsee railway, which was closed in 1992.

The Solothurn–Wanzwil section is single-track and, together with the Mattstetten–Rothrist line, was the first line in Switzerland to use the European Train Control System in regular operation.

The maximum speed from Solothurn to Subingen is 140 km/h and from there it is 200 km/h. The turnout at the transition to double-track can also be run at 200 km/h.

The line is mainly used by the ICN services on the St. Gallen–Lausanne/Geneva route, which pass through without stopping between Olten and Solothurn.

Additional colour light signalling was planned as a response to concerns that the ETCS system would not be ready for operation for the opening of the line (on 12 December 2004). Two conditions in the planning approval of the department of transport required that this fallback would be removed at the latest ten years after the start of operations. Additional work to optimise operations were planned as part of demolition work planned for late 2013 and early 2014, which were to cost CHF 7.4 million.[2]

References
  1. Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz (Swiss railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2012. pp. 9–10. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  2. "SBB bauen ETCS-Rückfallebene ab". Schweizer Eisenbahn-Revue (in German) (5): 244. 2013. ISSN 1022-7113.
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