Double Slip Switches, Zurich Main Station

[bob]

We'd been discussing double slip switches in the layout design forum. I mentioned they're rather rare, except in one place, busy passenger stations.

Well, I think I've found the place with the most double slip switches in the world. It will come as no surprise that it's in Switzerland, famed for their amazing railway engineering. Zurich Main station has the most amazing collection them that I've ever seen!

 

[RhB Michael]

Double-slips are used much more often in Europe than in the US. Not only Switzerland.

 

[bob]

 

[bob]

Double-slips are used much more often in Europe than in the US. Not only Switzerland.

Yes, that's true. Older and denser cities along with much better train networks. But I haven't found anywhere with more of them than Zurich. Do you know of anywhere?

 

[Rico]

Oh I’d love to be an RTC there and send some poor passengers all zig-zag and snaky thru that mess!

 

[bob]

Oh I’d love to be an RTC there and send some poor passengers all zig-zag and snaky thru that mess!

LOL, right? I think the intent is the exact opposite. No matter what track you're heading to, you'll probably have a straight shot except for one switch where you'll turn.

 

[RhB Michael]

Yes, that's true. Older and denser cities along with much better train networks. But I haven't found anywhere with more of them than Zurich. Do you know of anywhere?

Not off the top of my head, but München and Frankfurt come to mind. Not necessarily more, but some.

 

[bob]

A quick Google maps check of Frankfurt shows nearly identical track leading to the platforms, with an equally impressive number of double slip switches. They may even have more. They look so much alike that you'd have to count them at both places to see which has more.

München is the same. The layout on all 3 is functionally quite similar and in all 3 places, they have an amazing amount of double slips. Way more common than here in the US apparently.