The BLS RABe 525, also known as ''NINA'' or ''Nina'', is a

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...

built by

Bombardier Transportation Bombardier Transportation was a Canadian rolling stock and rail transport manufacturer, with headquarters in Toronto and Berlin. It was one of the world's largest companies in the rail vehicle and equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. ...

with electrical equipment by

Alstom Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional ...

. The train is principally used by the

BLS AG BLS AG is a Swiss railway company created by the 2006 merger of BLS Lötschbergbahn and Regionalverkehr Mittelland AG. Its ownership is divided, with 55.8% of it owned by the canton of Berne, and 21.7% by the Swiss Confederation. It has two ma ...

Bern S-Bahn The Bern S-Bahn (; ) is an S-Bahn commuter rail network focused on Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. The network is roughly coterminous with Bern's urban agglomeration. Its services connect with those of Lucerne S-Bahn, RER Fribourg, RER ...

services, four units (525 038-041) belong to RegionAlps. An updated version exists as the

BLS RABe 535 The BLS RABe 525, also known as ''NINA'' or ''Nina'', is a Switzerland, Swiss electric multiple unit built by Bombardier Transportation with electrical equipment by Alstom. The train is principally used by the BLS AG on Bern S-Bahn services, fo ...

, also known as ''Lötschberger'', also exists with a revised front end and an interior intended for longer distance services.

Design

The articulated trainset was designed to be built with from two to six sections and with two to six motorized axles. The 3 car units have a length of , they are wide and tall. It has 20 first class seats and 114 second class seats as well as 70 standing places. The 4 car units have a length of , they are wide and tall. It has 20 first class seats and 159 second class seats as well as 85 standing places. The design speed is . The RABe 525 and 535 are technically equal in terms of traction equipment.

Operation

The RABe 525 is used on the following routes: * – * –– * / Thun––––- * –Burgdorf– * Bern–– + – * / ––– * Lucerne–Wolhusen– * ––

Refit program

Between 2015 and 2019, BLS modernised its entire Nina fleet. The 1st class is no longer be in the high-floor compartment, but has been moved to the low-floor area. The lighting has also been adapted so that all compartments are well lit. The toilets were also be slightly adapted. A standing area was created in 2nd class and the colour scheme inside and outside the vehicles was standardised so that all trains have the same design. The refit was completed in June 2019.

Named units

BLS initially named the NINA after bodies of water. Later, "Wankdorf" was added as a stop and "Konolfingen" was the first place with a coat of arms. After the refit, two more NINAs were baptised with the coats of arms of towns. Only the baptised vehicles are listed:

:Baptism name removed after modernisation :Municipal coat of arms instead of rivers :Station instead of river

References

Bibliography

*Josef Stöckli, Hans Vorburger: ''Die Niederflur-Nahverkehrs-Pendelzüge RABe 525 „NINA“ der BLS, TMR und TRN''. In:

Eisenbahn-Revue International ''Schweizer Eisenbahn-Revue (SER)'' () is a Swiss trade journal for the rail transport industry. History and profile Appearing monthly since 1978, the SER is written by correspondents (some writing anonymously) in rail transport companies, in th ...

, Heft 2/2003, , S. 68–79.

External links

*
Vehicle description of RABe 525 from the BLS web site

Multiple units of Switzerland Bombardier Transportation multiple units {{Switzerland-transport-stub