The Rail Enthusiast thread

[Paulus]

Royal Scots Grey D9000 came through Oakleigh Park this morning on the down main, enroute to Edinburgh.
Most underwhelmed. One engine only, about 30 mph and seemed to be struggling.
As a second man on this engine and other of the class we would of had it up to 70 mph up the hill to Potters Bar.

 

[Paulus]

90001 was on the back.

 

[Cathryn]

Went to Didcot today to see the 1014 Vale of Glamorgan my dad has been restoring for 15-odd years now! It’s beautiful…or it will be when it’s finished!

 

[robjh]

Some pictures of the overnight Milan to Siracusa train on board the ferry to Sicily last week. It is a short crossing of about 30 minutes, and these show the arrival at Messina.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Some pictures of the overnight Milan to Siracusa train on board the ferry to Sicily last week. It is a short crossing of about 30 minutes, and these show the arrival at Messina.
View attachment 686537

View attachment 686538

View attachment 686539

I know it is missing the point, but why don't they just de - train you, put you on the ferry and then you catch another train on the other side?

Yes yes, very unromantic, etc etc, but... Still... 🤷

 

[robjh]

I know it is missing the point, but why don't they just de - train you, put you on the ferry and then you catch another train on the other side?

Yes yes, very unromantic, etc etc, but... Still... 🤷

I had thought that myself - for the amount of time taken in loading/unloading and the relatively few passengers still on board at that time, then a well organised coach transfer would look like an option.
However, I think I saw the service at a slack time. All the trains had been fully booked at the weekend, and Italian long distance trains do tend to be well used. The other thing is luggage - imagine (traditionally) regular flows of workers between Sicily and the wealthier north, and holidaymakers coming the other way, all of whom have large cases with them, and a continuous in-train service looks very attractive to passengers.
And finally, Italian railways are well financed and offer a comprehensive service in a way that has become rare in Britain, and I suspect that railway policy is rather conservative and they simply carry on doing what they've always done.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I had thought that myself - for the amount of time taken in loading/unloading and the relatively few passengers still on board at that time, then a well organised coach transfer would look like an option.
However, I think I saw the service at a slack time. All the trains had been fully booked at the weekend, and Italian long distance trains do tend to be well used. The other thing is luggage - imagine (traditionally) regular flows of workers between Sicily and the wealthier north, and holidaymakers coming the other way, all of whom have large cases with them, and a continuous in-train service looks very attractive to passengers.
And finally, Italian railways are well financed and offer a comprehensive service in a way that has become rare in Britain, and I suspect that railway policy is rather conservative and they simply carry on doing what they've always done.

I did wonder if, as with your last point, if it is also to do with the Unions or whatever as well.

As it is, I wish I had seen the old electric locos like the E636s' on the lines in Sicily and southern Italy in general. 😏

 

[Andy in Germany]

I know it is missing the point, but why don't they just de - train you, put you on the ferry and then you catch another train on the other side?

Yes yes, very unromantic, etc etc, but... Still... 🤷

If it's anything like Germany, it may be that the local or national government specifically pays for the service to run like this. The logic could be that Sicily needs all the tourists it can get, and the easier it is for people to get to and from the island the better.
There's a well known phenomenon where the number of passengers drops if they have to change train, so the local government may have calculated that it's worth subsidising the service to give a convenient way to get to the island. They may even (and I know this is shocking in a UK context) want to encourage visitors to go by train instead of driving.
It will sound much more convenient for a tourist to get on a train in say Rome and get off in Sicily, especially overnight, than get on a train knowing they'll have to then get off again (with luggage, maybe early in the morning...), get on a ship, then get on a bus and eventually get where they want to go.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Where's this bus coming from? There would be another train waiting, surely?

But yeah, I see the point.

 

[robjh]

My only diesel of the trip so far, a single-car ALn 668 from Potenza to Foggia, and thankfully without the graffiti that disfigures so much secondary rolling stock in Italy. I was glad to get to travel on one of these, as they are amongst the oldest extant stock on the national railway system.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

My only diesel of the trip so far, a single-car ALn 668 from Potenza to Foggia, and thankfully without the graffiti that disfigures so much secondary rolling stock in Italy. I was glad to get to travel on one of these, as they are amongst the oldest extant stock on the national railway system.
View attachment 686834

I remember getting chucked out of Foggia Depot by a guy who looked a bit like Lionel Blair, as I photographed the lines of withdrawn E646s' and one or two fire damaged diesel locos (class 345 or 445, I can't quite remember now) that were waiting to be scrapped. 😆

I had gone hunting for E636s', but was far too late for those, so E646s' it was instead.

 

[robjh]

I remember getting chucked out of Foggia Depot by a guy who looked a bit like Lionel Blair, as I photographed the lines of withdrawn E646s' and one or two fire damaged diesel locos (class 345 or 445, I can't quite remember now) that were waiting to be scrapped. 😆

I had gone hunting for E636s', but was far too late for those, so E646s' it was instead.

Bet you didn't see one of these

It's one of the exhibits in the national railway museum in Naples, and worth a visit.

Also, if you're into any more Italian depot-crashing, I noticed the rusting nose of one of the large 1930s electric classes, maybe an E626, poking out from behind a shed at Ancona.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Bet you didn't see one of these
View attachment 686851
It's one of the exhibits in the national railway museum in Naples, and worth a visit.

Also, if you're into any more Italian depot-crashing, I noticed the rusting nose of one of the large 1930s electric classes, maybe an E626, poking out from behind a shed at Ancona.

The Germans and Swiss used to refer to the long nose configuration as crocodiles.

 

[Cycleops]

You might be interested in this project where two new steam locomotives are being built from scratch in Sheffield, a B17 and a British Railways standard class 6, or Clan class.


View: https://youtu.be/OGe9B00mqWE

 

[Andy in Germany]

A Dutch Railways branded ICE just went past. We're used to French, Swiss, and Italian trains but Dutch is a new one.

The Germans and Swiss used to refer to the long nose configuration as crocodiles.

An important criteria is apparently the 'noses' being articulated with the body carried between like a Beyer-Garret, as opposed to being on bogies:

There is also something of an ongoing controversy as to whether a diesel Krokodil is really a proper Krokodil, or of only electric versions are the real thing. My conclusion from this is that some people have far too much time on their hands.