
The double decker sleeper cars type BA 171 and 172 were designed for the night express hotel train concept of DACH Hotelzug AG, a joint subsidiary of DB, ÖBB and SBB, with 1st and 2nd class double decker sleeper cars. The Hotelzug (hotel train) Joint Venture consisting of Schindler Waggon AG in Altenrhein, Simmering-Graz-Pauker (SGP) in Graz, Talbot in Achen and the consortium Wagon Ausrüstung Hotelzug (KWH) was engaged to build the sleeper cars. The cars were built between 1992 and 1995 in Switzerland, Germany and Austria and were designed and approved for a maximum speed of 200 km/h in these three countries. In the cars the requirements for quiet running, comfort and ease of use for passengers were carefully balanced and realised.
The double-decker design is unusual in sleeper cars travelling across borders. Over two levels on one side of the car there are compartments each with two berths in a bunk bed arrangement. On the other side of the car there is a corridor from which the upper and lower compartments can be accessed via stairs.
On the ground floor in the middle of the car there is a plant room housing technical equipment like input transformer, throttle and parts of the air conditioning system, while the following equipment, among other things, is installed underneath the side corridor: On-board battery, battery charger, 24V fuse board, brake equipment panel, 230V and 600V fuse board, HV mounting plate, train busbar, step-up converter, inverter cooling, inverter auxiliary systems and power supply block.
Two types of car were built based on the same railcar body.
The cars, which have air-sprung bogies, offer a high level of travel comfort and have good thermal and sound insulation. There is good sound insulation between the compartments. The cars are air conditioned in accordance with UIC MB 553.
In the 1st class compartments there is room for a table and chairs as well as for the beds. In the 2nd class compartments the beds can be folded up when not in use and replaced by comfortable bench seats.
The shower and washing facilities have a pressurized water supply and temperature control at the outlet.
DACH Hotelzug AG subsequently sold the cars to SBB, ÖBB and CityNightline CNL AG of Deutsche Bahn. During operation from 1995 onwards, the compartment layouts and configurations in both types of railcar were partially adapted to customer requirements. Some rail vehicles were also converted from operation with 1000V 16.7Hz or 50Hz to multiple-voltage capability (1000V 16.7Hz, 1500V 50Hz) or multiple system capability (1000V 16.7Hz, 1500V 50Hz, DC3000V, DC1500V)
View of the sleeping coach at the platform. The compartments in the centre of the roomette are arranged in two levels, at the ends on the intermediate height of the corridor
The corridor of the double-deck sleeping Photograph: Heinz Lahs
car runs at intermediate height.
(for information only)
structure gauge / structure clearance | Loading gauge above 400 mm rail top edge: UIC MB 506 VE GA; below 400: UIC MB 505-2 Appendix 1 |
maximum speed | 200 km/h |
total weight | WLABm 64 t; WLBm 64 t |
unladen weight | WLABm with half inventories 58.2 t; WLBm with half inventories 57.6 t |
entrance from platforms | 350 mm ... 760 mm |
floor height at entrance above top of rail | in boarding area 1,280 mm; in side corridor 1,338 mm; in top deck 2,332 mm; in lower deck 344 mm |
number of doors | 1 per side |
type of doors | sliding plug door 800 mm clear width, operated by compressed air |
number of 1st class seats | 8 in WLABm |
number of 2nd class seats | 18 or 26, depending on conversions in WLABm; 36 or 42, depending on conversions in WLBm |
number of 1st class beds | 8 in WLABm |
number of 2nd class beds | 18 or 26, depending on conversions in WLABm; 36 or 42, depending on conversions in WLBm |
layout of passenger area | 2 berths in bunk-bed arrangement in each compartment |
CCTV | available |
number of public/shared toilets | 2 |
washrooms | WC, shower, vanity with washbasin in 1st class |
vanity with washbasin | Vanity with washbasin in compartment in 2nd class |
service compartment | with coffee machine, water heater, fridge, dishwasher, microwave and convection ovens, rubbish container, sockets 230V 50Hz, shaving socket, call station, monitor for CCTV |
toilet system | vacuum system |
windows | Fixed windows, in corridor some windows have hinged fanlight |
car body | lightweight steel construction |
bogie / truck | Talbot, SGP |
bogie wheel base | 2,500 mm |
wheel diameter, new | 920 mm |
wheel diameter, worn | 860 mm |
secondary suspension | air suspension (air ride) with additional air volume |
length over buffers | 26,900 mm |
distance between bogie pivots | 19,900 mm |
width of car body | 2,800 mm |
height above top of rail | 4,320 mm |
smallest curve radius | tare or gross 150 m; unladen and uncoupled 80 m |
S-curves | with 6 m intermediate straight track sections, tare or gross 150m; without intermediate straight track sections, tare or gross 190 m |
buffers, draw hook, screw coupling | UIC |
central buffer coupling | installation coupling to UIC-MB 567-3 foreseen |
brake disks | 3 internally ventilated axle-mounted brake disks per wheelset |
brake cylinder | one brake cylinder per brake-disk |
starter battery | 385 Ah, 24 V |