links for 2007-06-28
-
Intended to operate at speeds of up to 320kph on the French, German, Swiss and Luxembourg networks, the trains will be fitted with signalling equipment which is compatible with all European networks.
Swiss “Bahnhofsuhr” (station clock) in Flash
This is very cool - somebody at SBB has programmed a clock in Flash that looks just like the clocks at the Swiss rail stations.
(If you’re reading this in an RSS reader, you may not see the embedded Flash clock …)
links for 2007-06-27
-
The Department for Transport is looking at plans for a new 190mph (305km/h) link from near the new Channel Tunnel terminus in London to the Midlands.
SNCF to order additional TGV Duplex trainsets
The French national railways SNCF will order an additional 80 + 40 TGV Duplex bi-level high speed trainsets, according to recent reports.
The order will reportedly consist of three lots:
Lot #1 is for 25 so-called “DASYE” type trainsets, as a continuation of the current order for 24 of this most recent variation of the basic TGV Duplex design. The “DASYE” subtype is basically a trainset composed of TGV-POS power cars (minus the 15 kV AC equipment) with 8 Duplex trailers (”DASYE” is for Duplex Asynchrone ERMTS-2). These trainsets will be equipped with the ERMTS-2 train control system.
Lot #2 is for 30 second generation Duplex trainsets capable of running in Germany and Switzerland (i.e. essentially a second generation Duplex trailer set with POS power cars)
Lot #3 is for another 25 second generation Duplex trainsets for French domestic service (i.e. minus the Germany/Switzerland specific train control systems, but retaining the 15 kV AC capability).
The 40 options that are to be part of this contract are not specified yet - these could be of any type.
Update: Here is now the Alstom press release announcing this order.
links for 2007-06-23
-
The RENFE Series 103 (Siemens Velaro E - the equivalent of the DB ICE 3) trainsets are scheduled to finally start running in commercial service starting June 22, on the Madrid-Zaragoza-Camp de Tarragona (-Barcelona) line.
-
On 1 April 2007, the European Railways launched the new InterRail product offer. This offer consists of the classic Global Pass, valid in all participating European countries, and the One-Country Pass, which allows you to explore one country in-depth.
links for 2007-06-22
-
Britain’s first digital magazine dedicated to the railway enthusiast.
-
The home of Railway Centre News - Where important UK and Worldwide railway news is brought to you daily
-
Index of all railway and model railway related websites in the UK and Ireland…
-
I have developed this site in an attempt to show the up to date position of all Locomotives, Multiple Units and Loco Hauled Coaching Stock currently authorised by Network Rail to run on Britain’s railways (or railroads for my US friends).
-
Network Rail is pleased to launch the May - Dec 2007 National Rail Timetable on the web which contains rail services operated over the National Rail network together with rail and shipping connections with Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight.
-
On this website you can download route tables from the official timetable of Switzerland. You can also order the official timetable on CD-ROM.
-
Click on a train name link in the Timetables list to open or download a printable PDF version of that timetable. Timetables are only as current as the date of the last printing.
(Free) Online Railway Magazines - a new trend?
During the past months, I ran across two British Railway Magazines, that are published online only as a PDF. And the great thing about them - they’re completely free! Now you might expect, oh well, then this is just some bad pictures cobbled together by some amateur. Nothing could be further from the truth - they’re actually excellent reads, contain lots of good or even great photographs. One of them is actually published weekly!
So, in short, if you’re interested in British railroading at all*, you should take a look:
Do you guys know of any similar publications in other parts of the world? Please let me know …
* if you’re not familiar with the British scene (like me), I’ll admit things might look a bit boring at first sight - all those diesels and EMUs/DMUs - don’t they all kind of look the same? But if you look closer, there is actually quite a big variety there. I think it’s the same in every country - US railroads might also look very boring to foreign eyes - after all, an SD40 doesn’t really look that different from an SD70 or Dash 9, does it?
Call your (CA) legislators now - ask them to support funding for transit and HSR!
Once more, it’s budget crunch time in Sacramento and the powers that be seem to be following the Governor’s “lead” and intend to reduce funding for both High Speed Rail and Transit in general.
…the news is not good. If you don’t want to see HSR dead in a week please mobilize people to make calls now!It is looking like some $900 million out of $1.3 B that had originally been coming due to public transit is may be diverted, leaving transit with only $400 M. HSR was hoping to get funded out of that pot. If public transit only gets $400 M then it will be difficult for HSR to get $50 M out of that.
[…]
In any case if you want HSR, tell them now and also tell them to support higher levels of funding for public transit.
For who to call, see http://www.bayrailalliance.org/hsra_2007_budget
Amtrak Partners with GrandLuxe to Offer Luxury Rail Service
This is interesting news. I suspect there is some connection with this survey that Amtrak did earlier this year. Note that space on these luxury cars will be sold by GrandLuxe as the “GrandLuxe Limited“. Service starts this November and continues through the winter offseason.
Beginning this fall, passengers traveling on select Amtrak routes will have the option of lingering over five-course dinners, sleeping in luxurious suites and enjoying personal butler service. The premium service is being made possible by a new partnership between GrandLuxe Rail Journeys, the country’s premier, private rail tour operator, and Amtrak, the national passenger rail service.
[ Amtrak Partners with GrandLuxe to Offer Luxury Rail Service ]
links for 2007-06-19
-
Governor Schwarzenegger is on the verge of destroying the most important transportation project for the state of California, and it may be because of a misunderstanding.
