The MGB Orion (by producer: ORION) short for «Optimaler Regionalzug Im Oeffentlichen Nahverkehr» (best regional train for public transport) are three-car low-floor electric multiple units. The metre-gauge railway Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn (MGB) in Switzerland ordered the trains in February 2020 from Stadler Bussnang. 23 trains with name ABeh 8/12 are appropriate for Rack railway and conventional rail whereas four trains only are capable for Adhesion railway. The first Orion ABeh 8/12 301 was delivered in June 2022.
Replacements
editThe Orion will replace the Deh 4/4 21–24 of the former BVZ, four non-refurbished HGe 4/4 II and the oldest passenger cars.
The 15 trains of the second order will replace the Deh 4/4 51–55 and Deh 4/4 91–96. The four Orions without the rack and pinion system are planned for Täsch–Zermatt shuttle services[1]
Design
editOriginally the MGB planned to introduce trains similiar to the Fink of the Zentralbahn. This was not possible due to several reasons:
- The axle load of the Fink trains is 17 tons, but the MGB route is only capable of 16 tons.
- For railway operations at the Oberalppass in winter a larger snowplow is needed.
- The trains need for the Schöllenenbahn with 179 ‰ steep gradients more pinion bogies.
Both end cars of the Orion get two similiar driving bogies for rack and adhesion. The car in the middle has two bogies.[1]
The design changes resulted in a price of circa 12 Million Franken, being 15 percent higher than the Fink-based design. In comparison to the older Komet trains the Orion have a second current collector and larger multi-functional areas.
References
edit- ^ a b Fabian Scheeder: MGB schreibt Triebzüge aus. In: Schweizer Eisenbahn-Revue. Nr. 11/2018. Minirex, ISSN 1022-7113, S. 561
[[Category:Stadler Rail rolling stock]]