50 years RAe TEE II! Today (April 12th) exactly 50 years ago, the first completed electric multiple unit for the TEE (Trans Europ Express) system, capable to run under the 4 different power systems in Central Europe, made its first test ride from Zurich to Frauenfeld. The four very comfortable and 160 km per hour fast RAe TEE II 1051 to 1054, built by SIG, MFO and BBC, were really pioneer work in the early sixtees. They were supplemented in 1965 with a sixth car and in 1967 there was built a fifth trainset, also with six cars. From the change of timetable on July 1th, 1961, the new RAe TEE II run the TEE GOTTARDO between Zurich and Milan, the CISALPIN between Milan and Paris and the TICINO between Milan and Zurich. From 1974 CISALPIN changed to a loco hauled train and TICINO was discontinued, the RAe run instead as EDELWEISS and IRIS between Zurich and Brussels. In 1988, the 5 trainsets were converted to Eurocity with first and second class and lost the elegant red / cream livery (new in two tone grey). Since 2003, the RAe 1053 is back in the original painting for SBB Historic. On the third of June 2003 RAe TEE II 1053 was presented to the media, after refurbishment in the BLS workshop in Bönigen near Interlaken. The photo was taken between Thun and Spiez near the stop of Kumm, above the Thunersee.
