SBB EuroCity coaches

From 1989 onwards, the SBB put a new series of coaches into service for international traffic. These coaches, called EuroCity coaches, were a further development based on the previous RIC Bpm and Einheitswagen IV coaches that SBB had purchased in the early 1980s. Like their predecessors, these new coaches complied with the dimensions of the UIC-Z1 standard, but in contrast to the previous generation, they now had open-plan compartments in both first and second class. The car bodies for both classes were identical and each had 10 windows in the passenger compartment. As a great novelty in Switzerland, the coaches were approved for 200 km/h and were thus the first Swiss rolling stock that could reach these speeds. However, at first only abroad, as the first line for this speed was not built in Switzerland until 2004. In addition to the first and second class coaches, 12 first class panoramic coaches were purchased, which, in contrast to the normal coaches, are 40 cm higher and have large windows up to the roof. Some second class coaches were also equipped with handicapped accessible toilets and folding seats for wheelchair users. Some more coaches were built as bicycle coaches, for which the first three compartments were replaced by bicycle hooks. From 2004, some of the coaches were leased to Cisalpino AG and given a new livery in the Cisalpino AG design. After the end of Cisalpino, the coaches retained their look, but the logos and decorative stripes were removed. These coaches continued to run like this until they were refitted. From 2009 onwards, the entire fleet underwent a major refit to ensure that they could be used for a long time to come. The biggest points in the refit were: Closed WC system Removal of one WC and replacement with two bicycle parking spaces Equipment for push pull trains New design like it was already used on the EW IVs Installation of digital displays outside and inside Power sockets at all seats At the beginning of 2014, the last coach left