Swiss trains to undergo major face-lift
Intercity passenger coaches of the Swiss Federal Railways are to undergo a major refurbishment in a project costing SFr180 million ($104.65 million).
More than 500 coaches will be completely renovated at the company's carriage workshops in Olten, canton Solothurn.
Presenting the first of the renovated coaches on Wednesday, the Federal Railways said that improvements would be visible both inside and outside.
The most striking change is that the traditional green colour of the coaches will be replaced by white.
The interior changes include modernised toilets, which will no longer expel waste on to the tracks, as well as new air conditioning and electronic systems.
Seats in second-class coaches will be covered with anthracite-coloured upholstery with yellow, red and light blue squares.
The refurbishment programme is expected to be completed by the year 2004 when the first stage of the Rail 2000 modernisation programme goes into service.
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