The Swiss Traffic Club hits the target in its 25 years jubilee

The Swiss Traffic Club (Verkehrsclub der Schweiz, VCS) is the public transport friendly alternative to the traditional Touring Club and Automobile Club of Switzerland, both focussing on motor cars. For its 25 years jubilee, the VCS has decorated a loco 2000 of Swiss Federal Railways in its colours for marketing purposes. For the inauguration, the VCS locomotive was waiting to carry a special train with guests at Berne main station. To mark the start of the celebration, a 'Confetti' gun was fired. To the surprise of everybody, the snowfall of confetti produced a short circuit on the roof of the locomotive. Guests had to leave the special train and use a spare train instead. In the same year, the VCS was much in the headlines in connection with a new planned stadium in Zurich for the European Football Championship in 2008. VCS has blocked the project with claims against shopping centres and a large number of car parks in the same complex. The VCS has gained high respect and credit with its support for environmental friendly transport, in particular rail transport in Switzerland. But there is a widespread feeling that in the case of the EM 08 stadium, VCS has been too rigid.

New Trains for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in Kent, England

Hitachi has been awarded a contract to deliver new trains for operation on the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link between London and the Kent coast. Today, there are still some old 'slam door trains' operating on the commuter lines in the South East of England. Some of the commuters are now hoping that they will use Japanese-style 'Shinkansen' bullet trains on their way to work in London. Others fear that the old slam door Trains will be cascaded to the Kent routes only to be fitted with new aerodynamic nose andthat passenger comfort will just remain the same.

Cranes with nauseay

In the past year, the news have reported fallen cranes on railway construction sites at a remarkable rate. Fortunately, this has not caused any serious injuries to staff. In the spirit of the 'Stop Risk' campaign launched by Swiss Railways to improve safety at work, we recommend that such cranes shall suitably be secured by the workers, in particular when lifting heavy loads (such as fallen cranes).

Big changes for the traction supply of Rhaetian Railways RhB

Rhaetian Railways RhB have taken delivery of two new powerful static frequency converters from ABB to supply their 16.7 Hz traction power supply network from the public 50 Hz grid. With the two 20 MVA converters, one located in Bever in the Engadin Valley, the second one in Landquart, existing turbines and 16.7 Hz generators in the hydroelectric power station of Küblis are to be replaced. Construction and commissioning of the two static converters took place in a record time in order to ensure a reliable power supply before the existing machines in Küblis are scrapped early 2005. Our nightmares that the turbines and generators in Küblis might end up on the scrap yard before the huge containers and transformers for the converter in Bever have made their way across the mountains and through narrow tunnels have fortunately not come true. We are proud of our contribution to this successful project.