Wetzikon–Meilen tramway

The Wetzikon–Meilen tramway (German: Wetzikon-Meilen-Bahn, WMB) was a metre gauge rural electric tramway in the Swiss canton of Zürich. It linked the town of Meilen, on the shore of Lake Zürich, with Wetzikon and Kempten in the Zürcher Oberland.[1][2][3]

Wetzikon–Meilen tramway
A WMB tram in Grüningen
Overview
StatusClosed and removed
LocaleCanton of Zürich, Switzerland
TerminiKempten
Meilen
Stations24
Service
Services1
Depot(s)Grüningen,
Wetzikon,
Meilen
History
Opened1903
Closed1950
Technical
Line length22.5 kilometres (14.0 mi)
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Minimum radius25 metres (82 ft)
Electrification750 V, DC, overhead
Maximum incline6.5%
Route diagram
Legend
-
-2.4 Kempten Ochsen
 566m
 Kempten SBB
 Oberwetzikon
 0.0 Wetzikon SBB
 532m
 2.1 Grüt
 547m
 4.0 Gossau
 500m
 5.2 Ottikon
 504m
 Grüningen Itzikon
 Grüningen Städtli
 8.3 Grüningen
 465
 Grüningen Binzikon
 Grüningen Holzhausen
 11.1 Oetwil am See Willikon
 558m
 11.6 Langholz
 581m
 11.1
12.3 Stäfa Mühlehölzli
 602m
 15.1 Männedorf Auf Dorf
 491m
 Männedorf Allmend
 Männedorf Büelen
 Uetikon Kleindorf
 16.9 Uetikon Grossdorf
 458m
 Dollikon
 18.7 Obermeilen
 414m
 19.6 Meilen SBB
 420m
 20.1 Meilen Schiffsstation
 411m

The WMB had interchanges with the main line at Meilen station, on the Lake Zürich right bank line, at Wetzikon station, on the Wallisellen to Rapperswil line, and at Kempten station, on the Effretikon to Hinwil line. It also had a track connection with another metre gauge rural tramway, the Uster-Oetwil-Bahn (UOeB), at Langholz. Through the UOeB, the WMB had indirect metre gauge connections to the Forchbahn and the Zürich city tram network.[1][2]

The tramway was opened on 3 January 1903, with termini on the lakeside in Meilen and at Kempten. The section between Meilen lakeside and Meilen station closed on 3 October 1931, followed on 14 May 1939 by the section between Wetzikon and Kempten. The rump of the line survived until 13 May 1950, when it was replaced by a bus service operated by the Verkehrsbetriebe Zürichsee und Oberland (VZO).[1][3]

The line was electrified at 750 V DC. It had a length of 22.5 kilometres (14.0 mi), with 24 stops, a maximum gradient of 6.5% and a minimum radius of 25 metres (82 ft). Of the lines total length, 18.3 kilometres (11.4 mi) ran in the street, with the remainder on its own dedicated right of way. Apart from one small concrete bridge, there were no significant engineering structures.[1][2]

The line's headquarters and workshops were located at Grüningen, with additional depots at Wetzikon and Meilen. The Grüningen site still exists and, with significant rebuilding, is now the headquarters of the VZO. Station buildings also exist at Uetikon, Männedorf, Oetwil am See, Ottikon and Gossau, together with a goods shed at Grüt.[1]

None of the WMB rolling stock has survived. A tram car is displayed at the VZO's Grüningen site, in the colour scheme of the WMB and carrying the markings of car CFe 4/4 2 of 1903. However this is in fact Trogenerbahn BDe 4/4 23, a largely identical car that never actually operated on the WMB.[1]

  • Opening of the line at Wetzikon
  • Old station building at Ottikon
  • Share of the Elektrische Strassenbahn Wetzikon-Meilen AG, issued 19. April 1904[4]

References
  1. "Wetzikon-Meilen Bahn". www.eingestellte-bahnen.ch. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  2. Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  3. "Geschichte" [History] (in German). VZO. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  4. Suppes 94/95 Historische Wertpapiere. WWA Bernd Suppes. 1994. p. 454. ISSN 0936-9406.

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