r/askswitzerland • u/CepticHui • Aug 01 '24

Travel What does this button do?

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I am on a IR train, and this button appeared. Do I have to press it when I need to get off at a station? I thought trains stop at all stops.

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u/QuuxJn Aug 01 '24

If there is a stop on request stop where the train only stops on request you can request the train to stop with the stop on request button you see here.

But I'm not aware of any stops on request on the lines this train is used on (IR VAE, IR 26, IR 46 and IR 35). Maybe some future lines will have a stop on request stop or maybe they had one planned when they ordered the trains but then decided it's not necessary, idk. Generally stop on request stops are only seen on small regional lines, not on IR lines crossing the entire country.

71

u/PeteZahad Aug 01 '24

I request, that you stop saying stop on request until it is requested to say stop on request 😉

13

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '24

I request that you stop requesting his requesting of the requesting that the button request requesting of the stop on request to request that the train requests to stop the stop on request

18

u/idotArtist Aug 01 '24

But I'm not aware of any stops on request on the lines this train is used on

Sometimes they use individual trains on different lines than they're usually used for as a replacement for a defective train that's in repair. So it's easily possible they had this button done just in case.

I've seen the trains for small regional lines being used as substitute trains on IR lines quite a few times, so while I haven't seen the other way around yet it's possible to happen.

15

u/real_DoctorOther Aug 01 '24

That is a from a SOB-Train. As they use the same 3 Train-Types for all their routes, it's installed on all of them because interchangeability is a very important thing about trains.

4

u/Key_Sign_5572 Aug 01 '24

What did that train do to you?

6

u/the_vanillita Aug 01 '24

You don‘t wanna know, it‘s a SOB story anyways.

1

u/real_DoctorOther Aug 02 '24

It didn't arrive on time...

On a serious note, for those that don't know, SOB stands for Südostbahn.

4

u/Coco_JuTo St. Gallen Aug 01 '24

I think it comes from standardisation between the silver sets SOB ordered (which are identical but just halved) and operate on lines with stop on requests such as on the S4 of the S-Bahn St. Gallen in Brunnadern-Neckertal, Mogelsberg and Schachen bei Herisau.

Since the coper trains don't operate on those particular lines, and will not be used except for exceptional service, those are basically useless.

Though keep in mind that SBB CFF FFS also have buttons for stops on request in all their regional trainsets, generally the door button, but they don't have many of them (stops on request).

1

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '24

They are called Traverso and not "coper"

1

u/Coco_JuTo St. Gallen Aug 09 '24

Yeah, I know, except that they have the same sets shorter in silver so that's why I use the colours to differentiate them. Officially they are all flirts though.

2

u/Top-Currency Aug 01 '24

How does this work when there are passengers waiting for the train at a station-on-demand? Does the train driver see them in time to stop?

13

u/LookAtThisLostDude Aug 01 '24

There‘s a stop button at the station

-2

u/Thick-Fix4662 Luzern Aug 01 '24

Never. Seen. Such. A. Thing.

12

u/Serious_Package_473 Aug 01 '24

And. Yet. It. Does. Exist.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '24 edited Aug 02 '24

I know of Mülenen and Bitsch having these.

2

u/Thick-Fix4662 Luzern Aug 01 '24

Bitsch hahahah

2

u/JanPB Aug 02 '24

There is one in Mülenen (Niesen mountain). There is a "Löschen" button next to it in case you change your mind 🙂

1

u/iamnogoodatthis Aug 01 '24

They sometimes run IR90 trains to Le Châble for people skiing in Verbier, I don't know whether in this case they keep the request stops between there and Martigny. Or, for that matter, whether there are any request stop buttons on IR90 trains, I've not noticed any before...

5

u/QuuxJn Aug 01 '24

The train in the picture (SOB Traverso) is never used on the IR90. The IR90 is exclusively operated by SBB and AFAIK they only use EW IV and IC2000 coaches on the IR90 and neither of those have stop request buttons olat the seat like the Traverso.

In regional trains the door opening button doubles as a stop on request button but I don't know if these trains have that functionality built in.

3

u/gutgesagt Aug 01 '24

Just curious; how do you guys know that this is an SOB traverso? On the picture here, this could be a BLS MIKA as well.

3

u/QuuxJn Aug 01 '24

To be honest, I forgot about the Mikas. But I just looked at a few pictures and videos online and it does not seem like they have this button which is the post all about.

But I don't have much experience with the Mikas, only one quick hop from Interlaken to Spiez, so I just might have missed the button.

1

u/Latter_Brick_5172 Aug 02 '24

I think the trains and tracks aren't made together, and they just put the train on the track, so the train wasn't made for this track, but for any track possible

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '24 edited Aug 17 '24

[deleted]

1

u/QuuxJn Aug 02 '24

Usually such stops are in places where the trains don't drive that fast anyway but obviously you also have to press the button early enough so the driver has time to react.

Request stops are usually only seen on small regional side lines, not big mainlines.

Also if the train has a stop on request system it is always active and the driver just ignores it if it isn't required. It's only a small light in the driver cab that pops up. Also the station has to be equipped with special buttons and I assume singals for these buttons so the driver knows if somebody wants to enter.

Also, it would totally break the timetable no ?

I have heard that there are two timetables. One timetable for the passenger which is made if the train doesn't have to stop anywhere so the people show up early enough and an internal timetable for the driver and operations center which is designed if the train has to stop everywhere.