Switzerland Rh B Wagons

Models for Rail3d — Switzerland Rh B Wagons

Open and container wagons

Lb-v 7859–7876

These container cariers were rebuilt in 1998 from the underframes of vans Gb 5051–5074 (see below). They can carry a 20 ft iso container or (as here) a 7450mm postal container (wab-C). The Swiss post office has now replaced all its mail vans on the RhB by containers.

Many local businesses also use containers - the RhB’s container traffic saves about 2500 lorry journeys over the alpine passes each year. Wagons with mail and fresh food containers are often attached to passenger trains in the early mornings.

Sbk-v 7701–7715

Full-height containers cannot be carried on the Bernina line on a standard wagon underframe, so these bogie well-wagons are used to obtain the necessary clearance.

E 6601 - 6670

15 tonne open wagons with plank body, built 1911–1913. There are still around 50 of these wagons in service, although some have been rebuilt with new steel bodies (see below) [new model Nov 2002]

Fb 8501–8523

15t open wagon, rebuilt by the RhB with steel body between 1977 and 1980. Mostly used for carrying things like scrap metal.

Rp-w 8271–8290 Bogie flat wagon (1979)

This wagon is representative of the first of four very similar series of bogie flat wagons built between 1979 and 1993. With a load capacity between 32 and 35 tonnes, they are used mostly for timber traffic, although some have removable low sides and are also adaptable for carrying acts containers. The “-w” in the type designation indicates a removable handrail and brake wheel, although I’ve never seen a photo showing these in place. For the moment I’ve included three configurations:

With stanchions in place

With stanchions removed

With stanchions and 32 tonnes of logs

Hoppers

Fad 8721–8742

These bogie hoppers were built betwen 1983 and 1993. They have a capacity of 22 cubic meters or 34 tons, and are used both for transporting commercial freight and by the engineering department for track ballast. The models are in the yellow engineering livery used in the 1980s, and in the current grey with big numbers. Both are available in loaded and empty versions. (The older Fad 8701–8712 are basically similar to these, but with different bogies and emptying mechanism.) [new model Nov 2002]

Vans

Gb 5001–5100 15t van

The RhB’s biggest series of standard rolling stock was this batch of 100 vans built by Josef Meyer in Rheinfelden in 1962–63. Externally they differ only marginally from vans brought into service by the ld in the 1890s. They were used for all kinds of goods traffic, including livestock. Some were later fitted with heating/cooling systems for perishable cargo.

In recent years, vans have come to play a much less significant part in goods traffic, with the introduction of more specialised vehicles.

Hai-qy 5171 - 5176

In the 1970s, the RhB began to move away from the use of two-axle vans, and brought in the first of a number of series of bogie vans fitted with sliding walls. As well as having double the load capacity of the two-axle vans, these are more efficient in use, as the wide openings make for fast loading and unloading using fork-lift trucks.

Important clients for this sort of traffic are the Valser mineral water plant at Ilanz (100 000 tons of water per year travel by RhB!), the Calanda brewery, and several large supermarket chains. A number of vans have been repainted in advertising liveries for these firms.

The model represents one of the most recent series, fitted with heating and refrigeration equipment for transporting perishable goods. They are often seen attached to passenger trains. [new model Nov 2002]

Tank wagons

Uce 8011–8050 15 tonne cement tanker

These wagons, known as “Mohrenköpfe” because of their resemblance to the cake of that name, were built in the late 50s for the heavy traffic from the bcu cement works at Untervaz. The RhB has around 100 cement tankers of various types in service.

Switzerland NarrowGauge Wagons

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