We have just left Aarau's WSB station and are heading south toward Suhr. Note that although there is just one track, this is a two-way street for both the WSB trains and rubber-tired traffic.
We arrive at an intersection...
...and while traversing it we pass from the right to the left side of the street.
This is the appropriately named Tramstrasse. The WSB track is ballasted and separate from the road here.
There was so little room for the bus shelter to the left that it had to be placed at an angle to the street. Flashing lights warn boarding bus passengers about WSB trains passing at full speed (65 km/h). That's what we're doing right now.
Between Aarau and Suhr is a well-equipped, well-maintained and busy passing loop (or passing siding). Note that we are about to enter the right-hand track. At the next passing loop, Suhr Ausweiche, we will use the left-hand track.
We meet a northboard S14. WSB trains are designated as S-Bahn 14 in Argovia's rail network.
Just after the passing loop, the fun begins: We are about to re-enter the street, this time on the left-hand side - against the flow of all other traffic.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 1 of 11. Most drivers seemed accustomed to driving on the left for the WSB train. Most.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 2 of 11. We are entering the outskirts of the town of Suhr.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 3 of 11. The first driver seems a bit distressed. He or she may see oncoming traffic and be awaiting the WSB train's passage to get back onto the safer side of the road.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 4 of 11. Some rubber-tired vehicles are harder to stop than others.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 5 of 11.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 6 of 11. Reminder: Switzerland is not and never was part of the British Commonwealth. You drive on the right here!
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 7 of 11. I am not the only one photographing the last days of the WSB's street route between Aarau and Suhr.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 8 of 11.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 9 of 11.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 10 of 11.
Driving on the left in Suhr. Photo 11 of 11.
Our train is about to make a sharp right turn to enter WSB's Suhr Ausweiche station. SBB's Suhr station is straight ahead.
Entering the passing loop at Suhr Ausweiche station. Note that whereas WSB trains pass each other on the right at the previous station, they pass each other on the left here. Anyone know why?
Suhr Ausweiche station. Ausweiche roughly means "avoidance", and the trains certainly avoid each other here. This is where I get off, to start taking pictures on foot.
South of the Suhr stations, we are looking northward at the turnout for the temporary track to the new WSB line to Aarau, which has been undergoing test runs for some weeks and was to start operation as the new route for all WSB trains on November 22, 2010.
The temporary turnout, looking south. Swiss drivers generally stop for pedestrians at the yellow zebra crossings. From an airplane, the yellow stripes are sure evidence you are over Switzerland.
Just south of the temporary entrance to the new WSB line is this stub, which will be the permanant entrance to the new WSB line. The old line on the right will be torn up.
This is the brand-new track on which WSB trains will turn east and reach their new two-track station, parallel to and just south of SBB's existing Suhr station.
Here is the diamond on which the meter-guage WSB crosses the standard-guage SBB line at Suhr. The diamond lost its reason for being on November 19, 2010, when service on this line secton ceased. The relocated WSB line entered service on November 22, 2010.
On the right are the tips of the points of the first turnout leading to the tracks of SBB's Suhr station.
A variety of WSB rolling stock and liveries works the S14 route. (The end of this album presents information on the designations and history of the pictured WSB units graciously provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
The sun was in and out.
The oldest WSB trains are orange.
Newer WSB equipment. Keep an eye on the bicyclist in the blue sweater who is approaching on the sidewalk.
Here he is, closer up.
And here are some closeups of the doomed diamond.
This shot shows the greater wear (and possibly different materials) on the SBB's standard-gauge track compared to the WSB's narrow gauge. Diamonds aren't forever.
Here is the view of the level crossing looking south.
The flow of pedestrians is steady.
An SBB train is approaching. The gates block both the road traffic and the WSB trains.
The train turns out to be a new diesel belonging to SBB Infrastructure, running light. Most of the trains that cross here are those of SBB's Argovia S-Bahn line S28 between Lenzburg and Zofingen.
The gates come up...
...but before WSB trains can come through, the catenary over the diamond crossing has be switched from the SBB's 15000 volts on the left, which is currently on ("ein") to WSB's 750 volts on the right, which is currently off ("aus"). These heavy-duty switches are just next to the diamond crossing.
Under remote control by an operator in SBB's Suhr station, the SBB power is now disconnected ("aus")...
...leaving the catenary momentarily unpowered ("aus")...
...before the WSB power comes on ("ein").
The conditions are now united for trackside signals to invite WSB trains onto the diamond crossing. The heavy-duty catenary switches are visible on the left.
Again, the variety of rolling stock is rich.
A few minutes later, the gates lower again and an S28 comes through. Here the gates are rising as the S28 disappears around the curve in the distance. We are looking west. The man in orange is installing a new point motor as part of the resignalling of SBB's Suhr station undertaken to coincide with the WSB line realignment.
This is the view eastward down the SBB line through Suhr station; the WSB narrow guage and the diamond crossing are in the foreground.
Another technician is installing more of Suhr's new signalling equipment.
Here are the noses of both a WSB train and an automobile about to cross the SBB line.
Here comes another S28.
A last look at the Suhr diamond.
Just north of the diamond, WSB trains negotiate a roughly 90-degree curve coming out of Suhr Ausweiche station.
Bound for Aarau, this WSB train is about to enter the left-hand track at Suhr Ausweiche.
Another shot of the curve, without a train...
...and with a train.
These buildings will remain, but the track and catenary will soon vanish.
This is a tricky place to stand - the safe area between the rushing traffic and the outswing of the long WSB cars is narrow. Be careful! Safety first!
I moved to a wider part when the train came.
The residents of this house (and the customers of this business) must cross the WSB on a blind curve.
I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure a WSB train wasn't coming. Stay alert!
And here is one.
The spring points at both ends of Suhr Ausweiche station always direct a train into the left-hand track, but move under the wheels of a train coming out of the right-hand track.
An Aarau-bound S14 train of the WSB has just traversed the turnout and is moving away from us in the low November sun.
I have gotten well off the line for this southbound S14 bound for the WSB terminus at Menziken.
The mechanism of the spring points. They snap back to their normal position a few seconds after being "trailed" by the wheels of a train on the converging route. Perhaps someone could make a film of their operation.
Suhr Ausweiche station, looking east.
Looking west.
The shelter for Aarau-bound passengers.
The more substantial shelter for southbound passengers.
These brilliant rails are living their very last days.
The WSB mixes vehicles of different generations. Rush hour is approaching, and trains will soon go from two vehicles to four.
This train is moving eastward coming out of Suhr Ausweiche, but will make a sharp turn on the track in the foreground to head north toward Aarau.
The outswing of the long vehicles is significant - don't stand too close!
Now we are looking north. Driving on what for it is the left-hand side of the street, a WSB train is approaching.
Between trains, cars and trucks travel in the opposite direction in this same lane. We are looking northward.
Crossbucks and flashing lights provide some additional protection for and from the WSB trains, which travel in both directions on the single track.
Lots of turning traffic.
And lots of pedestrians.
This is the easy direction: this northbound WSB train is in the "right" lane.
The sun's last rays illuminate some façades.
After rail operations end on this line, on November 19, 2010, the rails will not be immediately be removed from the streets. Instead, the flangeways will be filled so as to pose less of a threat to two-wheeled vehicles.
More pedestrians. Here, every 15 minutes, southbound WSB trains come around a blind curve - in the wrong lane.
Between the trains, however, the road traffic in the "right" lane is heavy.
But now the train sign has been activated and the yellow flasher is on - and cars and trucks are moving to the left. The angels on the right are watching.
The appearance of this train makes perfectly clear why the authorities have now relocated the WSB line to run on its own right-of-way roughly 400 meters to the east of here, thus removing it from the street between Suhr and Aarau.
The light is slowly fading, and headlights seem brighter.
The apparently out-of-town driver of the white car with Basel registration plates is a bit late getting over on the left.
Trains stop at Suhr Schweizerhof station on request, but it sees crowds in rush hour. I believe it will continue as a bus stop after the rail line disappears. Could use some paint. The brand-new ticket machine sold me a through ticket back to Basel.
Overhead at Suhr Schweizerhof: the clock will presumably disappear along with the tracks and catenary.
The sheer number of waiting passengers will be enough to flag down the WSB train.
Dusk is fast approaching now. I had to lighten this shot quite a bit. For rush hour, the WSB lengthens its trains from two to four vehicles. Only the late-model cars indicate that this is 2010, and not decades earlier.
These senior WSB units will outlive the track they running on here. Thanks for looking at this album. Comments are welcome at graymond@railweb.ch. (The photos and captions that follow present the designations and history of the units pictured in this album.)
This is one of the WSB's Be 4/4 units, numbered 15-27 and built 1978-79, in its original orange livery. These units are now being rebuilt and repainted. (Information provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
This is one of the WSB's Be 4/4 units, numbered 15-27 and built 1978-79. These units were originally orange and are now being rebuilt and repainted. (Information provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
The unit closest to us here is a WSB low-floor ABt 51-61 driving trailer built in 2009 by Stadler. The far unit is one of WSB's Be 4/4 units, numbered 15-27 and built 1978-79, which were originally orange and are now being rebuilt and repainted. (Information provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
This is one of WSB's Be 4/8 units, a low floor two-car EMU built 1992-93 by SWA/SIG/ABB. They are numbered 28-34; this will be extended to 28-39 with the purchase of BDWM 21-25. Originally painted grey/orange/white, they have since been repainted in several liveries. This same type is used on the RBS railway with an additional coach (to form three-car units) as ABe 4/12 62-72; the Be 4/12 units 70 and 72 lost their first-class seats recently. (Information provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
The WSB's fleet of Be 4/8 units, numbered 28-34, are being extended to 28-39 with the purchase of BDWM 21-25. They are low floor two-car EMUs built in 1992-93 by SWA/SIG/ABB. This might be the first consist with a half ex-BDWM, which has only two windows between the doors instead of three. One short half of ex-BDWM 21-25 will be paired with one long half of WSB original 28-32 to make new trains 28-32 and 35-39. (Information provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
WSB units Be 4/4 9-14, BDt 80-85 and Bt 71-79 were built in 1965-66 by SWS/BBC. Originally light blue and white, they were repainted orange and partly rebuilt after delivery of units Be 4/4 15-27 in 1978-78 and used together with these motor coaches until 2009. For peak hour traffic, the WSB has kept one old consist (above) believed to comprise Be 10, BDt 81, Be 13, and BDt 84. They will operate until all the Be 4/8 units from BDWM will have arrived. (Information provided by Markus Giger, owner of the Yahoo groups SwissRail and BahnCH.)
