The abbreviation TEE evokes memories. Once upon a time, these three letters standing for luxurious travel adorned the Trans Europ Express trains. When their era inevitably came to an end, it was IC trains and also overnight connections that made limitless travel possible. However, European railroad companies were looking for a new product with very high uniform standards and eventually launched the EuroCity. The EC was born on May 31, 1987. Tourists or business travelers could travel comfortably along the main routes and reach the most beautiful cities of Europe. Not all connections were in the timetable from the beginning. Only a year later a train was added, the EuroCity ‘Vauban’. It ran from May 29, 1888. The name goes back to the French Marquis de Vauban, who lived from 1633 to 1707 and became best known as a fortress builder under Louis XIV. The composition of this train was varied. The starting and ending points were always Brussels. In Switzerland, it stopped at the stations of Basel, Zurich and, for a while, Interlaken. For a few years it went via Lötschberg to Brig (canton of Valais). And for a while Milano Centrale was also on the timetable. Modern Eurofima cars from the Belgian, Swiss or Italian railroads always made up the fleet. Occasionally the FS provided the dining car. What a pleasure it must have been to travel on such a train! It was also visually attractive, both in classic orange and later in SNCB’s well-chosen discreet colors. The train trip from Brussels to Basel/Zurich was the longest in the timetable.
3 express train coaches of the Belgian Railways (SNCB) for the EuroCity “EC 90 Vauban”, on the route Zurich-Basel-Luxembourg-Brussels. 1 carriage AI6, 1st class. 2 carriages BI6, 2nd class. Eurofima type. As used in the early/mid-2000s.
Highlights
EuroCity 90 Vauban.
Traject Zurich-Basel-Luxembourg-Brussels.
Model: Smallest rideable arch radius 360 mm. Type-specific molded bottom plates. Fiat bogies Y0270 S without yaw damper and without magnetic track brake. Prepared for 7319 current-conducting couplers or 72021 current-conducting close couplers, 73410/73411 interior lighting, 73406 slider, and 73407 marker light. Decal set with course signs is included. Length over the buffers per car 28.2 cm. DC wheel set E700580.
