tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64373034621639792022024-02-02T15:27:54.877+01:00Train of the WeekUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger322125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-55712377353136027152017-08-16T15:45:00.000+02:002017-08-16T15:46:20.141+02:00Time for a change (and more interesting things around trains!)I've started a new blog, maybe something of an expansion to this one, where I'll do more than linking and summarizing things from Wikipedia most of the time. At the time this blog started, the name might have suited the purpose just fine, but over time, I found it a little restricting. Maybe it's because I have OCD tendencies or something, it bugs me to not rigidly posting about some nerdy train stuff every week (although I had missed posts many a time), and slowly the fun of blogging had been eroding away with it.<br />
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Anyway, enough of making excuses for myself. Here goes the new blog, called <a href="https://wenigeminutenspaeter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wenige Minuten Später</a>, a name that accurately depicts my experiences with the Deutschebahn over the past two years of living in Germany. And as my stay here draws to an end, this blog will hopefully serve as a reminder of the fun-filled, semi-carefree time of my grad school days. So what if the posts might be a few minutes late?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-31876990244688369582017-07-19T21:17:00.001+02:002017-07-19T21:17:26.011+02:00DB Class 440/1440At some point in the past, as I was daydreaming about the Scandinavian skies, I wrote about the Alstom <a href="https://trainoftheweek.blogspot.de/search?q=coradia+nordic" target="_blank">Coradia Nordic</a>. They became quite active in the snowy north, having replaced a variety of vintage rolling stocks across a wide spectrum of services. Little did I know. They had cousins, the Coradia Continental, who made their way south to Germany. Some of them even settled right in my current backyard, humbly serving on the busy S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:440_524_Donauw%C3%B6rth.JPG#/media/File:440_524_Donauw%C3%B6rth.JPG"><img alt="440 024 im Bahnhof Donauwörth" height="480" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/440_524_Donauw%C3%B6rth.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
Von <a class="extiw" href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Muellean" title="de:User:Muellean">Muellean</a> in der <a class="extiw" href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/" title="de:">Wikipedia auf Deutsch</a> (Andreas Müller) - Eigenes Werk des ursprünglichen Hochladers, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 de">CC BY-SA 3.0 de</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10353608">Link</a><br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:9480_1440_314-1_D-DB.jpg#/media/File:9480_1440_314-1_D-DB.jpg"><img alt="9480 1440 314-1 D-DB.jpg" height="395" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/9480_1440_314-1_D-DB.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Von <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:IPRobin" title="User:IPRobin">IPRobin</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="de">Eigenes Werk</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC-BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39074392">Link</a><br />
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These electric multiple-units are known as the Class 440 (newer versions are called the Class 1440). They had been roaming far and wide in the Vaterland since the late 2000s. Having a top authorized speed of 100 mph, these trainsets not only could operate in frequent-stop suburban commutes, they are fully capable of running as RegionalBahn or RegionalExpress trains.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alstom_Coradia_Continental_Dresden_Hauptbahnhof.JPG#/media/File:Alstom_Coradia_Continental_Dresden_Hauptbahnhof.JPG"><img alt="Alstom Coradia Continental Dresden Hauptbahnhof.JPG" height="467" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Alstom_Coradia_Continental_Dresden_Hauptbahnhof.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />Von <a class="extiw" href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Rainerhaufe" title="de:Benutzer:Rainerhaufe">Rainerhaufe</a> (<a class="extiw" href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer_Diskussion:Rainerhaufe" title="de:Benutzer Diskussion:Rainerhaufe">Diskussion</a>) 09:13, 13. Mai 2016 (CEST) - <span class="int-own-work" lang="de">Eigenes Werk</span>
<span lang="de">Originaltext</span>: selbst fotografiert, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 de">CC BY-SA 3.0 de</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48778850">Link</a><br />
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Since they come in quite a few different sizes and shapes, I will leave it up to the <a href="https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAlstom_Coradia_Continental&edit-text=" target="_blank">good ole Wikipedia</a> to keep you better informe. Don't ever be shy to click around.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-79938598717362283402017-07-14T14:22:00.003+02:002017-07-14T14:23:48.299+02:00British Rail Class 195What I’m blogging about today, doesn’t exactly exist in real life yet, but it’s been a while since the last time I wrote about anything British. It was just <a href="http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/northerns-pacer-replacement-multiple-units-under-construction.html" target="_blank">on the news</a>, by the way.<br />
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Don’t know if the little Pacer DMUs ring a bell to anyone who reads this blog, but they are literally busses on rails (bus frame plus four steel wheels). They are interesting to see, and ride once in a while. They sound like an old bus, rattle like an old bus, and the experience is quite unique. Sadly, or maybe not so to people who might be stuck with them on their commute, they are about to be replaced by new Spanish built DMUs that will enter service when Arriva (pronounced Deutschebahn) takes over the Northern franchise.<br />
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The new DMU is called the Class 195, and its production has officially commenced this week. For that reason, there’s only this artist rendering which I can't share with you (but <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_195" target="_blank">here it is</a> in Wikipedia), but I’m sure pictures will surface when the time comes. These trains are expected to enter service in 2018.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-621925129620233002017-07-04T10:49:00.000+02:002017-07-04T10:49:01.933+02:00DB InterCity 2<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cnrEJmu1Re0" width="560"></iframe>
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The IC2 is still considered a rare sight by me, unless I camp outside a station where they stop. They are meant to be a kind of an intermediary solution to lines where the maximum authorized speed does not warrant the use of one of the shiny new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICE_4_(Deutsche_Bahn)" target="_blank">ICE4</a>s that are to replace some existing InterCity trains. Essentially, the IC2 is an upgraded RegionalExpress Twindexx Vario trainset with an inverted long-distance colour scheme. They even have the same Class 146 locomotives on one end. As such, they do not come equipped with a bistro car. Food and beverages are served from trolleys, airline style (and maybe some people would rather prefer not to leave their seat).<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J24_223_Sch%C3%B6nefelder_Gruppe,_146_560.jpg#/media/File:J24_223_Sch%C3%B6nefelder_Gruppe,_146_560.jpg"><img alt="J24 223 Schönefelder Gruppe, 146 560.jpg" height="427" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/J24_223_Sch%C3%B6nefelder_Gruppe%2C_146_560.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Von <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Falk2" title="User:Falk2">Falk2</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="de">Eigenes Werk</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC-BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45029020">Link</a><br />
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The speed of these trainsets remains the same as their regional cousins, at 99 mph, down from 124 mph with the regular InterCity services. More sets will gradually come online throughout the next few years, as Bombardier irons some bugs out in the meantime (read more <a href="https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBombardier_Twindexx" target="_blank">here</a> on the translated Wikipedia page, an English version is, unfortunately, unavailable as of now).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinSx18-ZRpGzLIHQzr6sbjbDDdMpfN5TabhMZRDPXWZ8NerwdinfdadoGarZtCeP7eStY9CTxGSTn0G3eCj5VPSFaNaOdQ-ESBXltMKIre3TSsE0l6HWAa0PAcyFrYLaQozTTo5o_K94/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinSx18-ZRpGzLIHQzr6sbjbDDdMpfN5TabhMZRDPXWZ8NerwdinfdadoGarZtCeP7eStY9CTxGSTn0G3eCj5VPSFaNaOdQ-ESBXltMKIre3TSsE0l6HWAa0PAcyFrYLaQozTTo5o_K94/s640/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An IC2 near Düsseldorf-Benrath S-Bahn Station</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-82220687645738305532017-06-21T14:52:00.001+02:002017-06-21T14:52:29.655+02:00SD70ACu<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mpbXlSOO90s" width="560"></iframe><br />
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After the post on the shiny rebuilt GE road power, it's only fair to have a look into what Progress Rail has to offer on their side of the table. I'm using the company's recently-changed, formal name of course. For those who are not up-to-date on the current state of North American railroading affairs, Progress Rail is the company (owned by Caterpillar) that purchased EMD a few years ago.<br />
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The SD90MAC was arguably the biggest gong show in EMD's recent memory. It happened at a time when they were comfortably resting on their laurels, unaware the fateful changes that were about to occur in the locomotive market in the not-so-distant future (they got beaten badly by GE). What was supposed to be one of the most remarkable locomotives whose presence is to grace the mainlines in modern history, turned out to be an utter disaster (I'll redirect <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_SD90MAC" target="_blank">further readings</a> to Wikipedia). As a result, today, the number of SD90s still in operation on a Class 1 Railroad is, if not identically, close enough to zero.<br />
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About a couple of years ago (or maybe a little more than that), EMD started making some waves again by claiming to have produced a much more reliable SD70ACe by swapping all the underwhelming Siemens electronics for components from rival Mitsubishi. Perhaps this had inspired the rebuilding of the dismal SD90s, for there was still quite a number of them sitting around idle and waiting to be scrapped. This, I could only speculate. It's an idea Norfolk Southern certainly had warmed to, being at the forefront of this kind of work, even though they didn't have any SD90s on their roster at any time in history. I have no doubt, though, that whoever could offload their SD90s to them, were more than happy to do so.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NS_SD70ACU_7248.jpg#/media/File:NS_SD70ACU_7248.jpg"><img alt="NS SD70ACU 7248.jpg" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/NS_SD70ACU_7248.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
By <a class="new" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ewwestsr&action=edit&redlink=1" title="User:Ewwestsr (page does not exist)">Ewwestsr</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46461146">Link</a><br />
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So, there you have it, the locomotive that's called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_SD70ACu" target="_blank">SD70ACu</a>, it's probably what the SD90MAC should have been all along.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-29055565432401016932017-06-15T20:20:00.003+02:002017-06-15T20:20:48.614+02:00Siemens-Düwag U2<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U2_LRV_Drawing.svg#/media/File:U2_LRV_Drawing.svg"><img alt="U2 LRV Drawing.svg" height="272" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/U2_LRV_Drawing.svg" width="640" /></a><br />
By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Koman90" title="User:Koman90">Koman90</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16215414">Link</a><br />
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Sometimes I feel like I'm running out of things to write about on this blog, but maybe that's because there are really too many things out there. It's hard to decide, and I can't keep up lately. One of the very first posts on this blog I started quite a few years ago was about the C-Train. For those of you who don't know, that's the name given to the Light Rail Transit system in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta, a place I reluctantly (at first, anyway) called home due to its lack of public transit infrastructure (still true today, but hell, we've got oil and pickup trucks) despite having a population of over one million. Though, never had I known was that the C-Train would become one of this meaningless but nonetheless interesting coincidence in my life. You see, the oldest of the C-Trains are the Siemens-Düwag U2. They were built in the city of Düsseldorf, a few stops down the line on the RegionalExpress from where I live now. In fact, I first learned of Düsseldorf from the manufacture's stencil on the door-windows on the C-Trains. Oh, and I meant to say that, I didn't remember writing about the U2 specifically.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siemens-Duewag_U2_Calgary_2022.JPG#/media/File:Siemens-Duewag_U2_Calgary_2022.JPG"><img alt="Siemens-Duewag U2 Calgary 2022.JPG" height="427" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Siemens-Duewag_U2_Calgary_2022.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
By <a class="new" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:KigoNico&action=edit&redlink=1" title="User:KigoNico (page does not exist)">KigoNico</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44384064">Link</a><br />
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Depending on who it is, the name U2 probably reminds people of things ranging from reconnaissance planes to a rock band. The letter U here, however, stands for U-Bahn (untergrundbahn), which the train (or Light Rail Vehicle) was conceived for, in the city of Frankfurt am Main. I hope I don't nee to translate the word untergrundbahn to English, although in a lot of cities in Germany, U-Bahn really means U-Stadtbahn, and are not mostly underground.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U2-Wage_331_Gonzenheim.jpg#/media/File:U2-Wage_331_Gonzenheim.jpg"><img alt="U2-Wage 331 Gonzenheim.jpg" height="480" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/U2-Wage_331_Gonzenheim.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
By MdE (<a class="extiw" href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:MdE" title="de:Benutzer:MdE">page at dewiki</a> | <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:MdE" title="User:MdE">page at commons</a>) - own photo, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 de">CC BY-SA 3.0 de</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5694522">Link</a><br />
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Like a lot of the successful old equipment, the U2's production began in the 1960s and lasted all the way up to 1990. Other than Frankfurt a.M. and Calgary, they were also acquired by Edmonton (the other big city in Alberta) and San Diego, California. But all good things come to an end, and the U2 is no exception. The day it has to say good-bye to all is coming sooner or later. As of today, the U2 fleet is already retired in Frankfurt a.M. and San Diego (some were offloaded to Mendoza, Argentina). In Calgary, they are beginning to be replaced by the Siemens S200, an American-built offspring to the German LRV.<br />
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As my European tour winds up to an end, I might actually end up at where the C-Trains run again (the Rockies are just too photogenic for someone who likes cameras). Time will tell, and maybe I'll write about the S200 after seeing them for the first time.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-36789595234896792542017-06-04T16:16:00.000+02:002017-06-04T16:16:02.074+02:00GE AC44C6MNorth American railroads are no strangers to rebuilding older locomotives to help lower cost. Unlike many parts of the world, the adhesion-limited operating environment often means that our locomotives are heavier and moderately powered. At one point in history, First Class Railroads have converged onto the ideal mainline locomotive, a six-axle unit having about 4,400 hp, and weighing at about 400,000 lbs.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NS_4005_sitting_in_South_yard_in_Roanoke,_VA.jpg#/media/File:NS_4005_sitting_in_South_yard_in_Roanoke,_VA.jpg"><img alt="NS 4005 sitting in South yard in Roanoke, VA.jpg" height="427" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/NS_4005_sitting_in_South_yard_in_Roanoke%2C_VA.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
By <a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Nstrainman1006&action=edit&redlink=1" title="User:Nstrainman1006 (page does not exist)">Nstrainman1006</a> - Taking a photo.
Previously published: YYYY-MM-DD, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" title="Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54204316">Link</a><br />
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In the 1990s, amid the market dominated by General Motors, the microprocessor-controlled Dash 9 Series was the revolution General Electric needed that kick-started their rise to the top. Within the series, there was the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_Dash_9-40CW" target="_blank">C40-9W</a>, a limited-power edition of the mainstream <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_Dash_9-44CW" target="_blank">C44-9W</a>, specifically conceived for the Norfolk Southern. Starting in late 2013, these units were converted to the C44, and then two years later, some started further upgrades to, eventually, become the AC44C6M.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dSmtV8hrlAY" width="560"></iframe>
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Compared to DC traction, locomotives with AC motors are vastly superior. They require less maintenance, and have better traction control, all thanks to the nature of the AC motors' design. Republic Locomotives has a <a href="http://www.republiclocomotive.com/ac-traction-vs-dc-traction.html" target="_blank">fairly informative page</a> on their advantages. As you can see in the video, at low speed and high tractive effort, the DC locomotive had a bit of a motor runaway. The AC44C6M is capable of producing 200 kips of starting, and 180 kips of continuous tractive effort, up from 142 and 106 kips as DC units.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-29739276833617552052017-05-13T10:14:00.000+02:002017-05-13T10:14:41.446+02:00Another lazy week (but there are steam engines!)Last week, I linked a couple of clips that I posted on Instagram from the Fototag at the local museum. I actually have more footage, and I briefly patched them together in iMovie, and here it is, in one video.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-38638190045031471772017-05-04T17:04:00.000+02:002017-05-04T17:25:21.206+02:00A Special Museum on a Special DayIt was a long weekend here in Germany last week, and the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum put on a good show to celebrate its 40-year history. Well, I confess, of course I hadn't found out about any of it until it was almost too late.<br />
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<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/RQt71sMVv6a5AhDt9" target="_blank" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ret-jJCk3iOJFQlm-kDrumbIiIoMCjQFSqs4GpxqtCTWMvmCdpMbyNf-rkDCaTcaRpEQ18XYKp-FEH_RM-Aoa_xOjQsa4K3ZDw2lDVr1l0DSlp26FAJgfJOG4xnF6UkEB4WcXXvkf-Y/s400/_MG_7146_DxO.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
Click <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/RQt71sMVv6a5AhDt9" target="_blank">here</a> to view the entire album<br />
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In the spirits of the East Meets West theme, many locomotives from other railway museums across Germany joined their brethren in Bochum-Dahlhausen. I attended on the extra-special day, May 1, der <a href="http://eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de/veranstaltungen/fototag.php" target="_blank">Fototag</a> (Photo Day), where locomotives paraded down the track, providing lots of photo ops for foamers of all sizes and shapes. Of course, the typical Bochum-weather did not bother to show us any blue sky, but boy, do those steam locomotives look beautiful in the rain.<br />
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Three pairs of diesel and three pairs of steam locomotives participated in two rounds of parades throughout the day. Each pair shared performed similar duties for the Deutsche Reichsbahn and Deutsche Bundesbahn. First was a presentation in their individuality, and then, a showdown between East and West Germany.<br />
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I won't go in too much detail about the locomotives on display. I'll leave a link to the museum <a href="http://www.eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de/" target="_blank">here</a>. I highly recommend paying a visit to this museum rich in valuable collections throughout German railroading history if you are ever in the NRW.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-24225092360080816832017-04-27T14:39:00.001+02:002017-04-27T14:39:07.896+02:00MPI MP32PH-Q<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UZEWYGLZq-U" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Let me come back to my own side of the pond for now and write about a locomotive in the warm parts of the continents. The slight mystery surrounding them intrigues me a little, but I'm sure it's nothing a seasoned railfan can't educate me on.<br />
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I shall begin by talking a little about the previous life or lives of what are known today as the MP32PH-Q. Unlike its brethren MPXpress locomotives, it is a direct re-iteration of its ancestors from MPI's Morrison-Knudsen days.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SunRail_train_leaving_Winter_Park_Station.JPG#/media/File:SunRail_train_leaving_Winter_Park_Station.JPG"><img alt="SunRail train leaving Winter Park Station.JPG" height="360" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/SunRail_train_leaving_Winter_Park_Station.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
By <a class="new" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Artystyk386&action=edit&redlink=1" title="User:Artystyk386 (page does not exist)">Artystyk386</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32669423">Link</a><br />
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When MK Rail was still a thing, they were known for rebuilding locomotives of other origins. Many transit agencies enlisted their service to provide spin-offs of the proven EMD <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_GP38" target="_blank">GP38</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_GP40" target="_blank">GP40</a> locomotives. Known as the GP40WH-2 in their previous life under MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter), the MP32PH-Q already packed lots of mileage hauling passengers under their belt. These days, they work down south, serving in Florida and soaking up all the sunshine the SunRail can offer.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MPI_MP32PH-Q_103_Sunrail_Sand_Lake_Road_Station_26.10.2016_Placa.jpg#/media/File:MPI_MP32PH-Q_103_Sunrail_Sand_Lake_Road_Station_26.10.2016_Placa.jpg"><img alt="MPI MP32PH-Q 103 Sunrail Sand Lake Road Station 26.10.2016 Placa.jpg" height="240" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/MPI_MP32PH-Q_103_Sunrail_Sand_Lake_Road_Station_26.10.2016_Placa.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Meloaraujo" title="User:Meloaraujo">Meloaraujo</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54476912">Link</a><br />
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Although they still retained the 3,000 hp, silky-smooth sounding <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_645" target="_blank">16-645</a> engine, much of the old GP40WH-2 had been updated. Modern electrical and computer equipment was what made them the MPXpress and the new cab gave them the family resemblance they rightfully deserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-67864904453793387032017-04-20T20:57:00.000+02:002017-04-20T20:57:13.372+02:00DB Class 420Shall we continue with the retro theme of the recent weeks? The DB Class 420 EMU screamed 1970s the very first time I laid eyes on it (not in a bad way). It's not bad looking by any means. In fact, it is actually refreshing to see something relatively old among all the shiny modern passenger equipment around me in the NRW.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DB_420_(14.09.1985).jpg#/media/File:DB_420_(14.09.1985).jpg"><img alt="DB 420 (14.09.1985).jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/DB_420_%2814.09.1985%29.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Bahnfan44789" title="User:Bahnfan44789">Manfred Kopka</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46760563">Link</a><br />
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Like the Class 111 locomotive featured last week, the Class 420 was developed by the Deutsche Bundesbahn for the S-Bahn service. It, however, was assigned to the S-Bahn networks of Munich, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt am Main instead. Each trainset consists of 3 cars. As usual, they can doubled up and work in multiple units. Like older subway cars, these mass-transit mainline trainsets do not have through gangways between cars. If you were unlucky, you'd be stuck in a very packed car, while the next one could be nearly empty.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bahnhof_Wuppertal_HBF.jpg#/media/File:Bahnhof_Wuppertal_HBF.jpg"><img alt="Bahnhof Wuppertal HBF.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Bahnhof_Wuppertal_HBF.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
By Michael Bienick - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1241924">Link</a><br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:420_464-0_K%C3%B6ln-Kalk_Nord_2015-11-03-02.JPG#/media/File:420_464-0_K%C3%B6ln-Kalk_Nord_2015-11-03-02.JPG"><img alt="420 464-0 Köln-Kalk Nord 2015-11-03-02.JPG" height="308" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/420_464-0_K%C3%B6ln-Kalk_Nord_2015-11-03-02.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rolf_H." title="User:Rolf H.">Rolf Heinrich, Köln</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution 3.0">CC BY 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44827329">Link</a><br />
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The technical details of the Class 420 are fairly standard, and you can find them on its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DB_Class_420" target="_blank">Wikipedia page</a>. They are not very powerful either (relatively speaking, in passenger equipment terms), pumping out about 3,200 hp per 3-car set (that's still more than a single F40PH, for example). Their maximum speed in service is 75 mph.<br />
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Today, they no longer work in any of the three cities mentioned above. Instead, they pop their heads up wherever they are needed. Some of the Class 420 units later even had a retirement gig in Stockholm on the SL (their suburban network), but have since been replaced by the (relatively) new <a href="https://trainoftheweek.blogspot.de/2012/01/coradia-x606162.html">X60</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-3492667897512511212017-04-12T21:38:00.000+02:002017-04-23T11:51:31.102+02:00DB Class 111<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4556HI2vCpc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EHvfi-9ceuE" width="560"></iframe><br />
Beautifully made videos by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRDJWHbr77O8yypm2OTniew" target="_blank">TheKnaeggebrot</a> in stunning Southern Bavaria<br />
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Aha, it's that time of the week, and I haven't forgotten about this blog this time around (which is a little sad, really). Let me bring your attention to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DB_Class_111" target="_blank">DB Class 111</a>, another locomotive from the Deutsche Bundesbahn days. It seems to be making a comeback? (Not sure if that's really the case, but there seems to be more and more of them on RegionalExpress trains around the area I live in, and even on some S-Bahn trains).<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:111_214-3_N%C3%BCrnberg_Hbf,_2013.jpg#/media/File:111_214-3_N%C3%BCrnberg_Hbf,_2013.jpg"><img alt="111 214-3 Nürnberg Hbf, 2013.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/111_214-3_N%C3%BCrnberg_Hbf%2C_2013.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
By <a class="extiw" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/98803813@N05" title="flickruser:98803813@N05">Lars Steffens</a> - <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Flickr" title="Flickr">Flickr</a>: <a class="external text" href="http://flickr.com/photos/98803813@N05/9529853483" rel="nofollow">Baureihe 111</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28019464">Link</a><br />
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Built from the mid-70s, throughout to the mid-80s, the Class 111 was originally designed for regional trains and the then new S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr. Capability for InterCity service was added in the early 1980s, with an increase of maximum permissible speed from 93 to 100 mph. Like many locomotives of the same era, the Class 111 was built by a consortium of builders, consisting of Krauss-Maffei, Henschel, Krupp, Siemens, AEG, and BBC. Under the hood, the Class 111 isn't terribly powerful in electric standards, packing a moderate 4,990 horsepower.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-47871935869874863492017-04-07T15:48:00.000+02:002017-04-07T15:48:08.163+02:00DB Class 120<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b-HdsKFm9uw?list=PLs-hWXa1dbfmg3e3XgoojXM52KdNWV-EH" width="560"></iframe>
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The Class 120 is an inconspicuous looking locomotive (in today's standard, anyway). It occasionally, casually drifts across the rails right in front of my eyes, almost blending into the background, hardly noticeable at all. I would've probably have never thought much of it, until now.<br />
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The amount of information the English Wikipedia page has provided is a bit of a pity. Luckily, though, it is 2017, and there's Google Translate (well, hopefully at least one version of me in some alternate universe is actually learning German). There is no way this post can contain (nor should it) all the wealth of information found on the locomotive's German Wikipedia page. Here, I'll just show off a few what I think are highlights.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:120-002.jpg#/media/File:120-002.jpg"><img alt="120-002.jpg" height="323" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/120-002.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
Von Benedikt Dohmen (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Benedictus" title="User:Benedictus">User:Benedictus</a>), Archiv-Nr. 63/28 - <span class="int-own-work" lang="de">Eigenes Werk</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1574273">Link</a><br />
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So beneath the underwhelming looks of the Class 120 is one of the first production three-phase AC locomotives equipped with regenerative braking. It was developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s for the then German Federal Railways (Deutsche Bundesbahn, rather than the Deutsche Bahn of today) by a consortium of companies. The utilization of AC traction meant that in the same space of a four-axle locomotive, engineers were able to cram in 7,500 hp worth of oomph. This means that the Class 120 can reach a maximum speed of 124 mph with relative ease. In fact, in a test run in October 1984, with about 280 tons of trailing tonnage, Unit 001-3 reached a record-breaking speed of 165 mph. This series of locomotives went on to inspire and influence the development of more modern high speed locomotives such as the power cars on the ICE 1, 2, and the Class 101.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:InterCity_Bartelsgrabentalbr%C3%BCcke.jpg#/media/File:InterCity_Bartelsgrabentalbr%C3%BCcke.jpg"><img alt="InterCity Bartelsgrabentalbrücke.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/InterCity_Bartelsgrabentalbr%C3%BCcke.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Von Klaus Trencsik - Klaus Trencsik, www.dominobahn.de, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4164977">Link</a><br />
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So the moral of the story—never judge a locomotive by its looks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-25616990353448566802017-03-29T15:15:00.002+02:002017-03-29T15:15:42.189+02:00AVE Class 100I slacked off last week again, didn’t I. Anyhow, let’s continue with the Paella theme and check out the AVE Class 100. As you may recall, AVE stands for Alta Velocidad Española, the service name used by the Spanish national passenger operator, Renfe, on its high-speed trains.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpAEpaxMXgZKw2KeQu_MrOMYD-e8jB34t1oTnxlNdB3vIjbUeba0b5xrle0Q_WYgqSLCcve8nuvTTrb6qNAxtkqedYd-PVM_rCWeiBvL6CQqXkrQqp4bqDmkv6MwZJsOXZ9_FsGjM9oM/s1600/_MG_6651_DxO.jpg"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpAEpaxMXgZKw2KeQu_MrOMYD-e8jB34t1oTnxlNdB3vIjbUeba0b5xrle0Q_WYgqSLCcve8nuvTTrb6qNAxtkqedYd-PVM_rCWeiBvL6CQqXkrQqp4bqDmkv6MwZJsOXZ9_FsGjM9oM/s320/_MG_6651_DxO.jpg" width="480" /></a>
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A Class 100 on the Madrid to Barcelona high-speed line<br />
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The story here sounds similar to some of the other countries that got into the high-speed rail business by importing in the later parts of the 20th century. The Class 100, like the first KTX (Korea Train eXpress), are derived from the iconic TGV Atlantique. Like the KTX, the styling of the AVE Class 100 has been modified slightly, resulting in a more rounded nose. Nonetheless, it does not require any effort to spot the family resemblance.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TGV_Gare_Montparnasse.jpg#/media/File:TGV_Gare_Montparnasse.jpg"><img alt="TGV Gare Montparnasse.jpg" height="360" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/TGV_Gare_Montparnasse.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:SeeSchloss" title="User:SeeSchloss">SeeSchloss</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5">CC BY-SA 2.5</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1456116">Link</a><br />
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The trains went into service in 1992, after the first standard gauge high-speed line was completed in Spain from Madrid to Seville (it was almost going to be Iberian gauge, like the rest of the Spanish network, wise choice at the end, perhaps). The maximum speed, the usual 186 mph or 300 km/h.<br />
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The fleet of Class 100 was refurbished in 2007, and some were converted/upgraded later to be used on the Paris to Madrid service. Hopefully, these classic looking high-speed trains will still be with us for many years to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-70698527813299193982017-03-15T22:58:00.000+01:002017-03-15T22:59:24.008+01:00AVE Class 103<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AxoM_ncsQJM" width="560"></iframe><br />
A very well made video by YouTube user <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgmRtpGuEMlrRkGP8Jn52hg" target="_blank">Mikhail@Novgorod</a> showing various types equipment on the Córdoba to Málaga High-Speed Line<br />
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I have already written about some of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens_Velaro" target="_blank">Siemens Velaro</a> family of high-speed trains in earlier posts, but I wanted to dedicate this one to the Velaro E (for España), or more commonly known as the AVE (Alta Velocidad Española or Spanish High Speed) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVE_Class_103" target="_blank">Class 103</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReaw28pBatfCqLYi-BM8exmfhiIAeZZc7BAEBdWAuHucP1JM5QjFkQ3bDr-G8lx6ucBM5WpfEg0fZ2GB5NlaV7ioCuyB3qgrJLDQ691laYlFb2Z3TqcLI7q4hk2EYsbOw7Hy3Nv5lDTM/s1600/_MG_6678_DxO.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReaw28pBatfCqLYi-BM8exmfhiIAeZZc7BAEBdWAuHucP1JM5QjFkQ3bDr-G8lx6ucBM5WpfEg0fZ2GB5NlaV7ioCuyB3qgrJLDQ691laYlFb2Z3TqcLI7q4hk2EYsbOw7Hy3Nv5lDTM/s640/_MG_6678_DxO.jpg" width="480" /></a>
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A Class 103 towards Barcelona on the outskirts of Madrid<br />
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On the outside, the Velaro E looks almost identical to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICE_3" target="_blank">ICE 3</a>, which is a product jointly developed by a number of companies in Germany. However, due to licensing issues, Siemens re-developed components on the ICE 3 it did not make, thus completing the Velaro platform of high-speed trains. The Velaro E also received an upgrade in the traction department, in order to cope with the demand for higher acceleration and maximum speed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RENFE" target="_blank">Renfe</a> (the Spanish national railway company). As a result, the AVE Class 103 is authorized for service at 350 km/h (217 mph), making it one of the fastest trains in the world (however, the current top speed in revenue service in Spain is capped at 310 km/h or 193 mph).<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Velaro_E_bogie.jpg#/media/File:Velaro_E_bogie.jpg"><img alt="Velaro E bogie.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Velaro_E_bogie.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
De bigbug21 - <span class="int-own-work" lang="es">Trabajo propio</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2705451">Enlace</a><br />
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Renfe currently has a fleet of 26 sets of the Velaro E.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-50867564145518968922017-03-08T20:27:00.001+01:002017-03-08T20:27:51.429+01:00Renfe Class 446 and 447<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EdI9AQSro7w" width="560"></iframe><br />
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I've had the fortune to go on yet another getaway to the not-so-distant country of Spain, where conventional lines use the Iberian gauge of 5' 5-21/32''. Although it was devoid of any long-distance train trips, I still had the pleasure of experiencing the suburban <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cercan%C3%ADas" target="_blank">Cercanías</a> service in Madrid.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hugh_llewelyn_180_(5553135644).jpg#/media/File:Hugh_llewelyn_180_(5553135644).jpg"><img alt="Hugh llewelyn 180 (5553135644).jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Hugh_llewelyn_180_%285553135644%29.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
The Class 446, De <a class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/" rel="nofollow">Hugh Llewelyn</a> - <a class="external text" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/5553135644/" rel="nofollow">180</a> Uploaded by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Oxyman" title="User:Oxyman">Oxyman</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24389907">Enlace</a><br />
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The Renfe Series 446 and 447 make up a portion the current Cercanías fleet. Since they look almost identical from the outside, I'm lumping them together in this post. In reality, though, the two series differ considerably mechanically.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:447_en_Vilajuiga.jpg#/media/File:447_en_Vilajuiga.jpg"><img alt="447 en Vilajuiga.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/447_en_Vilajuiga.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
The Class 447, De <a class="external text" href="http://www.flickr.com/people/52596574@N07" rel="nofollow">Jordi Verdugo</a> - <a class="external text" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordiver/6233624862/" rel="nofollow">447 doble en Vilajuïga</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18839869">Enlace</a><br />
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In a nutshell, the Series 447 is lighter and faster. They have more modern electric motors that help them accelerate more rapidly (more details on Class 446 <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_446_de_Renfe" target="_blank">here</a> and Class 447 <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_447_de_Renfe" target="_blank">here</a>).</div>
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The two series are compatible in multiple-unit, if necessary, and up to 4 sets can be coupled together at a time.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-81894724620546675962017-02-23T20:36:00.000+01:002017-02-23T20:39:21.407+01:00Tarka LineI went hiking in England in the past week. Although most of my intercity travel was made by coach bus (for budgetary and logistical reasons), being who I am, I still had to slip a train ride in there somewhere, didn't I.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cowley_Bridge_142009.jpg#/media/File:Cowley_Bridge_142009.jpg"><img alt="Cowley Bridge 142009.jpg" height="360" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Cowley_Bridge_142009.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Geof_Sheppard" title="User:Geof Sheppard">Geof Sheppard</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10972092">Link</a><br />
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What could be a more suitable way to end my hike than a train ride on the quaint and picturesque single track <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarka_Line" target="_blank">Tarka Line</a> from Barnstaple to Exeter? In the gentle green hills of Devon, DMUs on this line traverse a scenic 40 miles along the Rivers Creedy, Yeo, and Taw.<br />
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The Tarka Line got its name from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarka_the_Otter" target="_blank">Tarka the Otter</a>, a local animal hero from a novel by the same name. It is part of what used to be the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Devon_Railway" target="_blank">North Devon Railway</a> between Bideford and Exeter. Today, the line terminates in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstaple_railway_station" target="_blank">Barnstaple</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barnstable_railway_station.JPG#/media/File:Barnstable_railway_station.JPG"><img alt="Barnstable railway station.JPG" height="322" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Barnstable_railway_station.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
Barnstaple Station today consists of a sole platform and track. By <a class="extiw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Geni" title="en:User:Geni">Geni</a> at the <a class="extiw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/" title="en:">English language Wikipedia</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4553532">Link</a><br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg#/media/File:Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg"><img alt="Barnstaple Junction railway station 1972067 31fed26e.jpg" height="287" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
Barnstaple as a Junction Station in yesteryear. By Ben Brooksbank, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11008601">Link</a><br />
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Operated by the Great Western Railway, the entire journey takes a little over an hour for a modest fare of 10 Pounds Sterling and change. Many services on the Tarka Line stop at both Exeter St. Davis and Exeter Central Railway Stations. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-22700830179967081562017-02-10T12:35:00.002+01:002017-02-10T12:35:43.241+01:00We Have a Lift Off<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JR_Central_SCMaglev_L0_Series_Shinkansen_201408081006.jpg#/media/File:JR_Central_SCMaglev_L0_Series_Shinkansen_201408081006.jpg"><img alt="山梨実験線で試験走行を行うL0系(笛吹市)" height="324" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/JR_Central_SCMaglev_L0_Series_Shinkansen_201408081006.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Hisagi" title="User:Hisagi">Hisagi</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="ja">投稿者自身による作品</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0">CC 表示-継承 4.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34606201">Link</a><br />
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Hyperloop seems to be all the hype these days. Given the progress in its development, it's about time we can call it for what it is (as far as a "new" invention goes). I won't directly address it, however. Instead, here is another system, currently under construction, that will serve as a case study to the rest of the world on the mass adoption of maglev technology.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JR_Maglev-Lev.png#/media/File:JR_Maglev-Lev.png"><img alt="JR Maglev-Lev.png" height="288" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/JR_Maglev-Lev.png" width="480" /></a><br />
<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=414668">Link</a><br />
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Formally called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%AB%C5%8D_Shinkansen" target="_blank">Chūō Shinkansen</a>, the new central mainline in Japan is fundamentally different than the high-speed lines that come before it. It utilizes the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCMaglev" target="_blank">SCMaglev</a>, or Super Condicting Magnetic-levitation, technology that has been under development since 1962. The SCMaglev uses one of the three principal implementations of magnetic levitation, called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrodynamic_suspension" target="_blank">EDS</a>, or Electro Dynamic Suspension. The other two consist of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_suspension" target="_blank">EMS</a> (Electro Magmetic Suspension), used by Transrapid, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductrack" target="_blank">Inductrack</a> System (Permanent Magnet Passive Suspension, which is a passive EDS system), used by Hyperloop. On EDS, there are magnets both on board of the train and embedded into the guide way. This allows a larger margin between the track and the train. The EDS implementations are not able to provide levitation below a threshold speed, and therefore, the current SCMaglev trains run on wheels (see picture below) at speeds below 150 km/h.</div>
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JR_Maglev-Model-truck.JPG#/media/File:JR_Maglev-Model-truck.JPG"><img alt="JR Maglev-Model-truck.JPG" height="360" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/JR_Maglev-Model-truck.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
By No machine-readable author provided. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Yosemite~commonswiki" title="User:Yosemite~commonswiki">Yosemite~commonswiki</a> assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=442143">Link</a><br />
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The Chūō Shinkansen, with its first phase projected to be open in 2027, will link Tokyo and Nagoya at an operational speed of 505 km/h (315 mph). I can't wait until the day when I get to experience it first hand.</div>
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Other resources on Maglev technology and current operations are linked below. Happy Reading.</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L0_Series" target="_blank">L0 Series</a> Shinkansen, the first production SCMaglev train (pictured on top of the post)</li>
<li>L0 Series <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_speed_record_for_rail_vehicles#Maglev_trains" target="_blank">speed record</a> in April 2015</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev" target="_blank">Maglev</a> on Wikipedia</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Maglev_Train" target="_blank">Shanghai Maglev</a> (by Transrapid, an EMS Maglev system)</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vactrain" target="_blank">Hyperloop</a></li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-18591133971866665012017-01-26T20:10:00.000+01:002017-01-26T20:10:00.652+01:00Hey there, IOREBetween the Internet and the LKAB presentation at the Heavy Haul Conference in Calgary some five years ago, I've become no stranger to these iron ore trains of the Arctic Circle.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was quite excited to see a big train again</td></tr>
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It has been a while since I last laid my eyes on some AAR 100-ton trucks, although they were surrounded by otherwise unfamiliar equipment. Photos don't do the IORE justice when it comes to their incredible might. In person, they, even with just a single section, almost in a weird way, look really long.<br />
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The City of Kiruna itself feels like a deja vu. Snow and mountains in the backdrop, fatally frigid temperatures, sizable, heavy freight trains, and a passenger depot that was moved out of the city centre (although for different reasons than we are used to in our neck of the woods), to the yard at the edge of town. Fortunately, Kiruna isn't very big. It takes less than half an hour to complete a leisurely walk downtown, and there is a bus that shuttles people in between.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-83666360588523527582017-01-19T19:50:00.001+01:002017-01-19T19:51:52.735+01:00The Arctic Circle TrainThe night I was on the Arctic Circle Train, it felt more like an Asian tour bus than anything. I had no idea there would be so many Asian tourists in Stockholm and heading north all at the same time. Anyway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I boarded the train before it was overrun</td></tr>
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The train itself, a locomotive hauled night train with aging long-distance cars, feels more familiar than the typical futuristic European multiple units. There are the relatively large seats (no leg rests, unfortunately) and the 100 mph top speed, which we are more accustomed to on our side of the Atlantic. I would go as far as calling the Arctic Circle Train the Canadian (of course, minus the Skyline and observation cars) from another dimension. It comes from a world that looks and feels similar but sounds completely different. Oh, did I mention that almost the entire network in Sweden is also electrified?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An intermediate stop somewhere, early morning on Boxing Day</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to depart Kiruna towards Narvik in Norway</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-72989307242159164082017-01-14T20:34:00.000+01:002017-01-14T20:34:00.939+01:00Oh the Arlanda ExpressA glorious 22 minutes (plus an arm and a leg, or 540 SEK), that's what it took me to get between Stockholm Central Station and Arlanda Airport. Sweden is home to many trains I had blogged about (<a href="https://trainoftheweek.blogspot.de/2011/12/arlanda-express-x3.html?m=0#!">including this one</a>) over the years. It wasn't, until now, had I seen any of them in real life.<br />
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In spite of being from North America, Swedish trains are wide. The 2+2 seating makes them look even wider on the inside (although it appears I had forgotten to take a picture of the train's interior). People would possibly have to shout across the row of seats in order to talk to their buddies on the other side of the aisle.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arlanda Express terminal at Stockholm Central</td></tr>
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Oh, by the way (as a PSA for people who plan to ride the train from Arlanda to Stockholm), there are three train stations in the underbellies of Arlanda Airport. Arlanda Central serves regular SJ and SL trains (which completely slipped my mind as soon as I saw the sign for the Arlanda Express), while Arlanda North and South serve exclusively Arlanda Express trains. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-20899227431506640272017-01-05T19:36:00.000+01:002017-01-05T21:29:35.075+01:00I met my childhood hero, and it couldn't have been more awesomeI got to meet my childhood hero, and it's everything I dreamed it would be! Yes, by it, I mean a train, of course, given how weird and awkward I am as a human being, this shouldn't come as a surprise. It all happened when I still lived in Asia, more than half a lifetime ago. The Chinese Railways, whatever they called themselves back in the 1990s, bought (or "leased") a set of the <a href="https://trainoftheweek.blogspot.com/2010/05/statens-jarnvagar-x2.html">X2</a> (a.k.a. X2000 or SJ 2000) from SJ for services on the KCR (Kowloon to Canton Railway) at 125 mph (the first ever regular service in China at that speed). Granted, being Chinese, they'd also conveniently and inadvertently copied its design, albeit not quite so successfully (see <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJJ1%E5%9E%8B%E7%94%B5%E5%8A%9B%E5%8A%A8%E8%BD%A6%E7%BB%84" target="_blank">DJJ1</a>).<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Xinshisu.jpg#/media/File:Xinshisu.jpg"><img alt="Xinshisu.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Xinshisu.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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由<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:%E6%85%95%E5%B0%BC%E9%BB%91%E5%95%A4%E9%85%92" title="User:慕尼黑啤酒">慕尼黑啤酒</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="zh">自己的作品</span>,<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>,<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16567175">链接</a> (the Chinese X2)</div>
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This time around, the X2 also brought me about my first impressions of the friendly Swedes. Judging from the sign of me taking pictures like a mad (or normal) Chinese tourist, not one, but two drivers invited me on a tour of the cab. Finally, not only did I get to see the mighty X2 in person; I also had the good fortune of sitting in the driver's seat and pretend I was a child again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxpbCP70lJWw_gp_GyIiO7owuqj1dMVfOTVihkEeuPlnXvblRZczKwh-1RdVeB_UfLaVGmsEhMyZSJcvw9syQZ-X5SGGjfXoF3ZZqrW9jJUW9KZEyg2JCWO5sLovmxNa3abRNKk2S3V8/s1600/IMG_3436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxpbCP70lJWw_gp_GyIiO7owuqj1dMVfOTVihkEeuPlnXvblRZczKwh-1RdVeB_UfLaVGmsEhMyZSJcvw9syQZ-X5SGGjfXoF3ZZqrW9jJUW9KZEyg2JCWO5sLovmxNa3abRNKk2S3V8/s400/IMG_3436.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The word beautiful is an understatement (I'm heavily biased)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaaH2MCHS5A65tO3H122GZpXwDGPF_Kuwr1-lR3V-uxD62kBKnTuYQAZkPgNjna9P4B18LtwAXGnxbkdKUk8ESPYXft6RYAUmKJER_mpm41KfvI6oNM95AWW3wRafbYtQ1-ZGsDfhTnU/s1600/IMG_3466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaaH2MCHS5A65tO3H122GZpXwDGPF_Kuwr1-lR3V-uxD62kBKnTuYQAZkPgNjna9P4B18LtwAXGnxbkdKUk8ESPYXft6RYAUmKJER_mpm41KfvI6oNM95AWW3wRafbYtQ1-ZGsDfhTnU/s400/IMG_3466.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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As a child, I had never seen anything as sleek and electric. As the adults around me told me, the X2 was not just any train. It tilts in the corners. Wow. The North American in me isn't a stranger to the X2, either. After all, it was one of two contenders to have become the <a href="https://trainoftheweek.blogspot.com/2010/04/amtrak-acela-express.html">Acela Express</a> (although Amtrak ended up selecting neither).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFREFh0EceAyjHFBrruSZEIkher7R1ofrwcuAlChBoRNjNAN-r5Gsy2gBmPWS54seR5EAFIKq_trdbkGjFlaIg9fVVVsANuPNBvGWgskvVDsUv2TnmRdQWsfewpMZi0e361f_bfeEJ8Mo/s1600/IMG_3392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFREFh0EceAyjHFBrruSZEIkher7R1ofrwcuAlChBoRNjNAN-r5Gsy2gBmPWS54seR5EAFIKq_trdbkGjFlaIg9fVVVsANuPNBvGWgskvVDsUv2TnmRdQWsfewpMZi0e361f_bfeEJ8Mo/s400/IMG_3392.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stockholm through the cab window</td></tr>
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Informed by those who knew, the SJ decided to give these legendary tilting trains a refurbishment once again. As a result, the X2 is likely to be around for many more years to come, and I wouldn't have loved the idea any better. To me, the Christmas of 2016 was truly memorable, one of the few that I'd remember for the rest of my life.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-50224732608313885672016-12-20T09:34:00.000+01:002017-01-05T21:28:18.334+01:00Avelia, Avelia LibertyThree months ago, Amtrak released this video after signing a new deal to purchase the next-generation Acela Express from our old friend Alstom. It is called the Avelia Liberty.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WH-3FsmU6KQ" width="480"></iframe>
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At the minute mark, it states that this train shares a common platform that has been proven in service. Hold on a minute, what common platform? Revenue service? What's an Avelia?<br />
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Yes, that was a long-winded way of getting into today's topic, and let me do the Googling, so you don't have to (if you have not already, that is). According to Alstom's product web page, all of their current high-speed trains are now branded Avelia. This includes the Pendolino, the TGV Euroduplex, the AGV, and of course, our Avelia Liberty. What I find interesting, is the fact that this family name has yet to be mentioned much or marketed heavily at all. In fact, I don't think it is that good of an idea. Alstom's high-speed trains ranges are already very well known worldwide, so why cause confusion? This begs the question, why Avelia at all? Frankly, I don't have the answer, but I have a hunch that it may signal what we can expect from Alstom soon. Perhaps, it is finally time to have all the great individual things Alstom produces right now come together.<br />
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Let me try to break it down. At first glance, the Avelia Liberty resembles the AGV, but is not an EMU. It is a tilting train, and it is articulated like a good ole TGV (or AGV too, for that matter). And ho ho ho, there is also <a href="http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/acela-influences-alstoms-hs2-concept-train.html" target="_blank">this concept train</a> for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Speed_2" target="_blank">HS2</a>, a double decker that looks like the love child of a Euroduplex and AVG. Right, I will leave it up to you to put two and two together from here. I am, however, really excited to see what the next Euroduplex will look like.<br />
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NTV_ETR575_R01.jpg#/media/File:NTV_ETR575_R01.jpg"><img alt="NTV ETR575 R01.jpg" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/NTV_ETR575_R01.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
Alstom AGV, by Marc Ryckaert (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:MJJR" title="User:MJJR">MJJR</a>) - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution 3.0">CC BY 3.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33296482">Link</a><br />
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Although there is nothing groundbreaking about what I have just discussed, but maybe the Avelia is a lot bigger than it appears at the moment. As with most things in life, only time will tell, but I will link some leisure readings you can do about the future right here, right now.<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.alstom.com/products-services/product-catalogue/rail-systems/trains/products/avelia-liberty-high-speed-train/" target="_blank">Alstom Avelia Liberty product page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.alstom.com/Global/Transport/Resources/Documents/brochure2014/Avelia%20Liberty%20-%20Amtrak%20-%20Case%20study%20-%20English.pdf?epslanguage=en-GB" target="_blank">Case Study: Amtrak Avelia Liberty</a> (by Alstom)</li>
<li><span id="goog_416955978"></span><span id="goog_416955979"></span><a href="http://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/NextGen-Fact-Sheet_Proof5.pdf" target="_blank">NextGen High Speed Trains Fact Sheet</a> (by Amtrak)</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-78269069414113377002016-12-14T22:22:00.000+01:002017-01-05T21:26:55.534+01:00All Aboard the BrightlineAlthough it is still premature to pop the champagne on the Brightline High Speed Rail between Orlando and Miami, this week marks a milestone in the history of this much-anticipated rail service.<br />
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The first fully assembled trainset (two <a href="https://trainsoftheweek.tumblr.com/post/148498429932/siemens-charger-sc-44" target="_blank">Siemens Charger</a> locomotives plus four intermediate cars) has arrived in South Florida, after a special transcontinental delivery from its birthplace of Sacramento, California. With the year 2017 looming around the corner, we can almost hear the "all aboard" call from Brightline's Phase One opening between Miami and West Palm Beach (Click <a href="http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/first-brightline-trainset-completed.html" target="_blank">here</a> for more from the Railway Gazette).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ELkw306DaCo" width="480"></iframe>
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The second phase of the service, covering the rest of its length to Orlando, however, wanders in limbo. Once promised the funding of this rail service, the Government had pulled the rug from underneath.<br />
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In the meantime, please enjoy these early footages of what I shall call the "Brightliner," and feel free to explore more about this project on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brightline" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> or its <a href="http://www.gobrightline.com/" target="_blank">official web page</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pWo1dg8fIBY" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437303462163979202.post-80802819899535372642016-12-01T13:12:00.000+01:002016-12-01T13:12:28.376+01:00I did a little reshufflingI suppose I've probably confused a lot of followers by this, that's on me, and my apologies. So the blog part of this blog is back on Blogger! From now on, my hopefully-still-mostly-weekly original content will be posted here.<br />
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My <a href="https://trainsoftheweek.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>, where I also post my Instagram train pics, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/totwblog/" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a> are here to stay, and I'm gonna put them to use in what they are better at—content sharing from all over the web. So please check them out!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0