The ABeh 150, 160 and 161 built by Stadler since 2012 are combined rack and adhesion electric multiple units built for the Zentralbahn. A new feature were the rack drives which were mounted with a quill to reduce wear and tear. These allow rack operation on inclines of up to twelve percent with 40 km/h, while the adhesion drives provide around one third of the total power. Mainly designed to replace loco-hauled trains, both types are similar in many respects and can be used together in multiple working.
The ABeh 150 is a seven-car train that is called “Adler” by the manufacturer, what stands for “Alpiner dynamischer leichter eleganter Reisezug” or “Alpine dynamic light elegant passenger train”. Each set consists of two articulated three-car parts and a central dining car. The three-car parts rest on four bogies each, of which the outer ones form the adhesion drive, while the inner ones have non-powered axles and house the rack drive. Four sets were built in 2012 and 2013. Later, five more were ordered which are to be delivered between 2026 and 2029.
The ABeh 160 “Fink” is a shorter variant that resembles one of the three-car parts of the ABeh 150, but has two cabs. Its name stands for “Flinke innovative Niederflurkomposition” (“Agile innovative low-floor composition”). In times of high demand, a Fink is being used to reinforce an Adler. Six sets were built in 2012, followed by six more in 2016 which have slight differences and are designated ABeh 161. A third order of seven was placed in 2019 and delivered in 2022, followed by a fourth order of three in 2025 that will be delivered in 2026.
