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This page shows some of the famous train concepts of Switzerland´s federal railroads. There are a number of them - some very famous. In this class go all the old Trans Europ Express TEE trains, the Swiss Express as well as the newer IC2000.

The "Swiss Express" concept train is from the 1970s when pull-push type of pendeling trains became popular in Europe, even in long range express trains. SBB built a series of light metal coaches called the EW III (Einheitswagen III or unity coach III) which were used in fast express trains with an Re 4/4 II series locomotive, for example on the important Zürich - Geneve route. The trains did not have to turn around at end stations, so traffic was fast. Note also the orange colouring: in the seventies and eighties it was an officially accepted trend that all public transport - trams, buses and trains - should all be coloured orange throughout Europe. The reason was improved visibility and security.
Today the Swiss Express trains have vanished from the SBB routes. SBB made a deal with its rival BLS Lötschbergbahn. BLS gave all its own modern express train coaches of the type EW IV to SBB and exited express train business. In exchange SBB gave to BLS all Swiss Express trains together with matching Re 4/4 (now dubbed Re 420 or Re 425) locomotives. SBB also exited from the business of local commuter train traffic in the capital city Bern area, leaving all of Bern´s S-Bahn network to BLS. Swiss Express trains were totally refurbished and can now be seen painted silver, green and blue for example on BLS routes from Bern to Brig, Thun and Neuchâtel.
These pictures are still from the time of the SBB Swiss Express. Sometimes the Swiss Express trains left Zürich so that the Re 4/4 locomotive was in the middle, as here this Re 4/4 II series at the Zürich Hauptbahnhof 9. June 2002. The train was split at Luzern or some other station en route.
Picture at Zürich main station 9.6.2002 by Ilkka Siissalo
Uploaded June 16th, 2002

The EW III steering wagon of a Swiss Express concept train from the 1970s. The looks of the cockpit closely resemble the NPZ or Neue Pendelzug concept commuter trains´ front parts, except for the orange painting.
Picture at the Zürich main station 9.6.2002 by Ilkka Siissalo
Uploaded June 16th, 2002

This is how the Swiss Express coaches look like nowadays, after being moved over to the BLS and thoroughly renovated. These are the new house colours of BLS Lötschbergbahn.
Picture at Zürich Altstetten 1.12.2003 by Ilkka Siissalo. Uploaded 6.1.2008

SBB´s "IC2000" concept train arriving at Zürich main station. This is the late 1990s´ high value, high capacity push-pull doubledecker concept train for IC (InterCity) and IR (InterRegio) express trains: a Lok 2000 concept locomotive (= Re 460) leading a train of typically 8 double decker coaches, the last one of which has a steering cockpit, built by Adtranz in the late 1990s. In the beginning of the new century this is the most often seen IC express train type in Switzerland on the most important flatland main lines.
Picture at Zürich main station 9.6.2002 by Ilkka Siissalo. Uploaded June 16th, 2002

A typical InterCity "IC2000" train leaving Thalwil. Note that when the Re 460 locomotive is pushing the train it´s using its aerial at the very end for the electricity. Also note the typical Swiss sign of end of train: only one red lamp at the last wagon (which this time is the pushing locomotive). Photo at Thalwil station 21.10.2001 by Ilkka Siissalo
Uploaded 24 June 2002

One of the most famous Swiss special trains, here still in a very sorry state: The world reknown Trans Europ Express TEE II, here reused as an EuroCity train and then pushed back to rot at the Erstfeld depot area close to the Gotthard mountain pass. SBB ordered in 1961 four of these all first class luxury trains for international express traffic in the TEE network. The train was capable of operation under all four common electricity systems: the German/Swiss 15kV 16,66 Hz, the French 25kV 50Hz and the Italian and southern France´s DC 1500V and DC 3000V. They ran the famous TEE Gottardo trains between Zürich and Milano. After 1968 when the international TEE traffic was becoming history, the trains were modified to two-class EuroCity trains and painted dull grey. Even as grey EuroCities known popularly as "grey mice" these trains did for years and years service on the Zürich-Milano axis, before finally being pushed aside. The story of this train was luckier than for most other oldies: A short time after this photo was taken, this train was renovated and once again repainted into its original wine-red/creme TEE livery. Now it serves as an expensive charter train. The RABe EC was 149,8 metres long, weighed 296 tons and had a maximum speed of 160 km/h. Its power rating was 2310 kW and it was built by SIG and MFO in 1961.
Photo at Erstfeld station 26.1.2002 by Ilkka Siissalo. Uploaded 6.1.2008

Here´s something REALLY special. Yes, it is a French TGV bullet train. And, yes, it reads SBB at the side ! The Swiss SBB bought already at the time when the famous French TGV bullet trains were brand new, in 1984, one TGV and used it in traffic between Switzerland and Paris. But now, in the summer of 2007, when the French SNCF finally opened its new high speed route east of Paris, also Basel got a regular TGV connection from Paris. At this time the Swiss SBB once again bought one modern TGV POS, the number 4406 and gave it the name Basel. The train is operated by the French SNCF, but proudly shows the Swiss logos.
Photo at Basel SBB station 16.7.2007 by Ilkka Siissalo. Uploaded 6.1.2008