The RAe TEE II, later known as RABe EC, is a type of high-speed

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 ...

trainset of the

Swiss Federal Railways Swiss Federal Railways (, SBB; , CFF; , FFS) is the national railway company of Switzerland. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Bern. It used to be a State-owned enterprise, government institution, but since 1999 it has be ...

(SBB), which was used from the 1960s until the 1980s on several

Trans Europ Express The Trans Europ Express, or Trans-Europe Express (TEE), was an international first-class railway service in western and central Europe that was founded in 1957 and ceased in 1995. At the height of its operations, in 1974, the TEE network compri ...

services. After conversion from first-class-only to two-class configuration, the trainsets continued in use on EuroCity or other services until 1999. It was designed to be compatible with four different

railway electrification system Railway electrification is the use of electric power for the propulsion of rail transport. Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), electric multiple units ( passenger cars with their own ...

s (different voltages in the

overhead lines An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, Electric multiple unit, electric multiple units, trolleybuses or trams. The generic term used by the International Union ...

), used by various countries in Europe, allowing it to operate on long international routes. Like all TEE trains, the RAe TEE II trainsets were equipped with first-class accommodation only. A total of five trainsets were built, numbered 1051–1055. One, number 1053, has been preserved.

Operation

Trans Europ Express

These trains were originally used on the following services: * TEE '' Gottardo'', Zürich – Milano * TEE '' Cisalpin'', Milano – Paris * TEE ''

Ticino Ticino ( ), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino, is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eight districts ...

'', Milano – Zürich The trains ran in a 4-day circulation: # ''Gottardo'', Zürich – Milano, and ''Cisalpin'', Milano – Paris # ''Cisalpin'', Paris – Milano # ''Ticino'', Milano – Zürich – Milano, and ''Gottardo'', Milano – Zürich #

layover 250px, Layover for buses at LACMTA's Los_Angeles.html" ;"title="Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles">Warner Center Transit Hub, Los Angeles In scheduled transportation, a layover (also way station, or connection) is a point where a vehic ...

in Zurich From 30 May 1965, the southbound ''Gottardo'' started from Basel, but nevertheless the northbound train still terminated in Zürich. This led to an empty run (every fourth day for any given trainset) from Zürich to Basel. From 30 September 1979, this section was only served on weekdays, and on 23 May 1982 it was withdrawn entirely.. Chapter: "Gottardo". During the summers of 1974–1979 the ''Gottardo'' was extended from Milano to Genova (in both directions). In 1974, the ''Cisalpin'' was converted to a locomotive-hauled train and the ''Ticino'' was discontinued, freeing up RAe sets for the following two TEE trains:"Summer services, 1974" (changes due to take effect). ''

Thomas Cook Continental Timetable The ''European Rail Timetable'', more commonly known by its former names, the ''Thomas Cook European Timetable'', the ''Thomas Cook Continental Timetable'' or simply ''Cook's Timetable'', is an international Public transport timetable, timetab ...

'' (March 29–April 25, 1974 edition), p. 465. Peterborough, UK: Thomas Cook Publishing. * TEE ''

Edelweiss ''Leontopodium nivale'', commonly called edelweiss () ( ; or ), is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is a non-toxic plant. Its leaves and f ...

'', Zürich – Brussels – Amsterdam * TEE ''

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (given name), a feminine given name, and a list of peopl ...

'', Zürich – Brussels The last TEE ''Edelweiss'' ran on 26 May 1979,'' Thomas Cook International Timetable'' (May 27–June 30, 1979 edition), p. 6. Thomas Cook Publishing. and the TEE ''Iris'' on 30 May 1981. The last international TEE until 1993—and the last TEE anywhere to use RAe TEE II trainsets—was the '' Gottardo'', which ran as a Trans Europ Express for the very last time on 24 September 1988, from Milano to Zürich.

EuroCity and post-EC use

After their use on TEE services ended, the RAe TEE II sets were converted in 1988–90 to two-class trains, redesignated type RABe EC, repainted from red-and-cream to two-tone grey, and put into use on

EuroCity EuroCity (EC) is an international Train categories in Europe, train category and brand for European inter-city rail, inter-city trains that cross international borders and meet criteria covering comfort, speed, food service, and cleanliness. E ...

services from Zürich to Milano (the EC ''Gottardo'' and EC ''Manzoni'') and Geneva or Lausanne to Milano (the EC ''Cisalpin'', EC '' Lemano'', and EC ''Lutetia''), as well as in non-EC service between Bern and

Frasne Frasne () is a Communes of France, commune in the Doubs Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in eastern France. The local railway station, Gare de Frasne, was opened on 10 June 1855. Popul ...

, France. Their new livery earned them the nickname "souris gris" (or "graue Maus" in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

), meaning "grey mouse". In May 1993, the RABe sets were taken off of the Simplon railway line service (Lausanne to Milano) and the freed-up trainsets redeployed on a then-new Zürich to Stuttgart service (the EC ''Killesberg'' and EC ''Uetliberg''). The RABe sets were removed from EuroCity service in August 1994, after the

derailment In rail transport, a derailment is a type of train wreck that occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway sys ...

of one set on 22 July 1994initially an indefinite suspension of their use any services, which was later made a permanent withdrawal from use on EC services. Thereafter, they were employed only on two pairs of daily IC trains operating between Bern and Frasne, which was continuing in early 1996. The last three active sets were retired from regular service altogether in November 1999.

Preservation

One of the five RAe TEE II trainsets, No. 1053, has been preserved, and in 2003 it was restored by the

SBB Historic SBB Historic is a foundation aiming at preserving historical documents and artefacts from the history of Swiss railway transportation. It was founded by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) in 2001 and it is based in Windisch. The Foundation's serv ...

foundation to red-and-cream TEE livery. In 2012–13, it received updates to allow it to continue to be operated.''

Eisenbahn Magazin ''Eisenbahn'' is a microbrewery in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil. It produces beer following the Reinheitsgebot, with a variety of flavours and fermentations. "Eisenbahn" means railroad in German and refers to a station that was close to th ...

'', April 2012, p. 23. Its interior configuration remained unchanged from its circa 1989 conversion to RABe class.

References

Other sources

This article uses material from German Wikipedia. * Louis-Henri Leyvraz: ''Die Vierstrom-Triebzüge RAe-TEE II 1051–1055 der SBB''. In: ''Schweizer Eisenbahn Revue''. 06/1988. Minirex AG, S. 207 (8 Seiten, 12 Abbildungen), * Maurice Mertens: ''Les Trans Europ Express'' (Seconde edition). La Vie du Rail, Paris 1987, * Maurice Mertens: ''Trans Europ Express''. Alba-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1987, * Hans-Bernhard Schönborn: ''Die TEE-Züge der Schweiz. Luxuszüge für Europa''. GeraMond, München 2002, * Christian Zellweger: ''TEE – Ikone der Luxuszüge''. AS Verlag, Zürich 2003,

External links

{{Commons category, SBB RAe TEE II
Page about preserved RAe TEE II trainset 1053 at SBB Historic
(Swiss Federal Railways preservation foundation)

Multiple units of Switzerland 1500 V DC multiple units 3000 V DC multiple units 15 kV AC multiple units 25 kV AC multiple units Train-related introductions in 1961 Trans Europ Express