Discovering Zurich’s historic tram museum

Another first for ZIWA’s intrepid Discovering Zurich & Switzerland group was Tuesday afternoon’s guided tour of the Tram Museum, housed in the old tram depot in Burgwies. Zürich is famous for its comprehensive tram network, but less well known is its history and the variety of trams in use over the past 130 years. After some elaborate negotiations at the cash desk, twenty ladies were admitted into the hall housing a tram collection dating back to 1882. There we were able to climb inside the cars varying in age from 1897 to 1968, as well as learning something of the history of the tram network. It was an afternoon well spent for the transport enthusiast.

Our guide Hans Ryffel knew everything about the old tram companies who each commissioned their own liveried tramcars in distinctive colours. The earliest trams were horse-drawn and the network supported as many as 200 horses at the end of the 19^th century. In 1900 electric trams were introduced on the 1 metre gauge tram tracks still in use today. Early tram routes ran from Seefeld to the main station, and on to Paradeplatz and Enge; the Glattbrugg line ran through Oerlikon and went as far as the Rigibahn, and a tram line even ran across the Münsterbrücke. Eventually the private companies were taken over by the city and more inner city lines were built.

The tram museum contains working examples of all ages of the Zurich tram, all lovingly maintained by a Verein of volunteers. The city of Zurich owns the trams in the museum as they are also insured to travel on the city tram line: the Museum Line 21 runs every last weekend of the month. All the tram cars in service were built locally, some in the workshops in Schlieren.  The first electric trams had a driver and conductor and only ran one way, so a turning loop was built at the end of each line. Early trams also pulled trailers and even a post wagon. The trams were especially popular in winter, when people left their cars at home. Smoking used to be permissible in the trailer section of the tram. Articulated tramcars were constructed in 1966-68. The modern cobra tram has low entry for passengers but the space for machinery under the cars is reduced.

The trams are powered from overhead power lines which send up to 600 volts through the braker system to the controller.  Wet lines or leaves on the line can still be a problem today. At the tram museum, with a little imagination, one can still smell the oil and smoke and hear the sound of the horses’ hooves clopping along the tracks. For information about the Museum Line service as well as a guide to the tram museum, see this link: www.tram-museum.ch. You might even consider holding a party at the museum!

Thank you to Rowena for arranging the tour and to Anne-Marie for coordinating the afternoon visit.

Julia Newton, 21 January 2015.