ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – The first shovel of dirt was lifted 16 March for the new Herdern train storage shed in Zurich, a visible sign of how growing rail traffic is affecting Switzerland. The CFF rail company today carries 40 percent more passengers than in 2004 and one of the solutions to handle the continual growth in traffic was to order bigger trains in 2010.

The company ordered 59 new Bombardier double-decker trains, which cost CHF1.9 billion, that will begin linking French- and German-speaking Switzerland via main stations in 2014. The trains can carry 1,200 passengers each and they are 400 metres long each, necessitating the new shed, which will be the third longest building in Zurich.

The layout of the interior of the trains is currently under discussion following a decision last week by a high court to accept some of the complaints from two groups about handicapped persons’ access, notably concerning the level of the entrance to the trains and the restaurant accommodation.

The court ruled, however, that their demand for an elevator to the upstairs restaurant was a “disproportionate response” to the problem of inadequate access to good services.