Uster–Oetwil tramway

The Uster Oetwil -Bahn ( UOeB ) was a Swiss railway company, which until 1949 operated a narrow gauge interurban railway in the Zurich Oberland of 1909.

Genesis

The construction of the Uster Oetwil train was preceded by many desires, projects, local interests and previous concessions. So already possessed Forchbahn in 1873 a concession for the section from Esslingen to Uster.

In 1893 an application for the construction of a narrow gauge tramway from Winterthur to model and Oetwil Stafa - Männedorf was filed by miles. In March 1895 normalspuriges project for a railway line from Effretikon about Volketswil - type- Egg and a 250 meter long tunnel Pfannenstiel was presented by miles. The community Oetwil did not like the route via Egg course and proposed instead a continuation on Oetwil after Uerikon / Stafa instead of miles. Since an undeveloped project for a narrow-gauge railway from Wetzikon on green rings and to Lake Zurich was present, the kantonsrätliche Commission called for a merger of these two projects.

1896 granted the Federal Parliament a concession for a standard gauge railway from model over Monchaltorf - Gossau - Ottikon to green rings and from there to Hombrechtikon where should be a connection to the configured also Uerikon - Bauma -Bahn ( UeBB ). To connect Esslingen and Egg also to the railway, was planned by Monchaltorf from a spur track. However, since there was no money for the attainment of these mainline, two years later, launched in October 1898, another tram project. On May 20, 1899, the cantonal license was for the to be built in three stages tram ago: Uster Oetwil Langholz (with connection to the planned Wetzikon -mile track ), Mühlehölzli - Stafa and finally Esslingen- Egg.

Mid- 1903 was found to web entrepreneur and engineer Gustav Gossweiler, the institution responsible for 800,000 francs to build the railway, and in December 1904, the establishment of the railway company Uster Stafa. But since Stafa suddenly showed no further interest in the railway, it was decided to build only the route type Oetwil Langholz and founded this company on 28 December 1905, the Electric Tram Uster Oetwil. In May In 1908 finally started the construction work and a year later, on May 25, 1909 you could celebrate the opening of driving.

Track & Operation

The whole range of jokingly Uster Oepfel -Bahn said path was almost 11 kilometers, began on the station square of the station model and ended in the remote station Langholz above Oetwil am See. Here was following the October opened in 1909 Wetzikon -mile track ( WMB ). In between the stations Riedikon, Monchaltorf, Esslingen and Oetwil were at the lake. The maximum gradient was 61 per thousand between Barks and the village Oetwil.

The UOeB concluded with the SBB into an agreement to Güterwagenumlad in Uster's Train Station, as well as an agreement on the sharing of the tracks in the railway terminal or transfer station Langholz. This was problematic and the WMB forbade even the UOeB on which tracks to maneuver with towing cars.

That after the opening yellow painted rolling stock consisted of three fabricated by the wagon -und Maschinenfabrik Bautzen truck with 18 seats and a maximum speed of 30 km / hr, three passenger cars with 24 seats, and two covered and three open wagons. Passenger traffic grew satisfactorily and the freight exceeded all expectations. In 1910, a total of 90'379 persons transported, and in 1919 a record number of 140'290 people.

On 29 November 1912, the Forchbahn between Zurich and Esslingen was opened and a contract governed the common use of the station. 1916, the engine and passenger cars in the new house colors blue and white (Zurich colors) were repainted.

From 1925 the UOeB in passenger and especially freight transport felt the car competition, and they began to perform at rationalization. So the search began in 1934 with the leadership of one man trains and 1936 contributed to the management of the formerly despised Wetzikon -mile track. But to no avail and it retaliated, which was saved on maintenance and rolling stock no longer corresponded to the time and more often on strike.

Closure

In 1932 it was suggested that the train be better to replace it by a bus operation. The Government of the Canton Zurich addressed later quite extensively with the rehabilitation of the three non-performing tracks UOeB, WMB and UeBB. An opinion recommended to convert the three tracks on bus services because of outdated equipment and facilities. 1943 authorized the Board of Directors of Uster Oetwil web fundamentally to a repeal of the tram. The discussions went on and it formed an action committee for the preservation of the tracks in the Zurich Oberland. On 18 March 1946, the Cantonal Council approved its contribution to the reorganization of the three tracks in the Zurich Oberland, abolition of railways and establishment of bus routes. After a fierce battle for votes led the people of Zurich agreed with a ratio of 3:2 this reorganization in May 1946. In the same year, the company transport company Zürcher Oberland ( VZO ) was founded.

On 1 October 1949, the railway ran for the last time of examination to Oetwil and was shut down on the day and the buses of VZO drove now through the villages. A week later, the demolition work began and the rolling stock was canceled, sold or placed as a chicken coop. In the center of Monchaltorf still exists a small goods shed with ramp.