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David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
The Yellow Ribbon Express It will be interesting to see which railroads will bend or rescind their limitations on steam if this comes to be. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24881 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
If that gets off the ground, would love to visit it. |
Bernie Vine Send message Joined: 26 May 99 Posts: 9954 Credit: 103,452,613 RAC: 328 |
From an article on trains.com Newswire-- I hope not! Personally I like the 66 in Freightliner colours, better than DB I really don't think orange will suite them at all!! |
Bernie Vine Send message Joined: 26 May 99 Posts: 9954 Credit: 103,452,613 RAC: 328 |
Was watching the Chicago cam earlier and all you could see was snow, luckily it cleared up and just got this. Yet another ACS-64 hauled up from Florin CA. If they are numbering them in order then nearly half way through!! Sky looks pretty good as well!! That is the Lake Shore in the foreground turning on the wye. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
From an article on trains.com Newswire-- That does look nice. However, G&W paints everything (in the US at least) like what you see here. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65793 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
At 4'8.5"? Nah, that would be Russia and their 5'0" gauge between the rails I think. The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
That is correct, but you and I (and pretty much everyone reading this thread) is familiar with the subject. I'm worried about what people who don't know diddly squat about trains will think when they hear it. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
Richard Haselgrove Send message Joined: 4 Jul 99 Posts: 14654 Credit: 200,643,578 RAC: 874 |
BBC News I think they probably breach human rights law with regard to disabled people already, and have done for years! Chris, I know you've actually ridden on these Pacer trains, and got off at an isolated rural station 20 miles (or fifty years) away from the nearest member of railway staff. Without a travelling guard/conductor/ticket seller, who is going to deploy the wheelchair ramps? Is the driver going to lock down the engine controls, and leave the driving cab unattended, to provide mobility assistance? Even a temporary reliance on a zimmer frame can be enough to render public transport inaccessible without human assistance. |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24881 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Driverless trains is just the media running their scare tactics to sell papers! There is a very valid reason (for the moment anyway) why driverless trains on the Underground is not possible - Even TFL agree as the following report shows... Driverless trains "with a driver" :-) ...I do like the designs. "For despite the occasionally breathless coverage from the media and comments from politicians, the truth is that the NTfL does not signal a tolling bell for the job of Tube driver. Put simply if you are the parent of a child who yearns one day for the pull of the lever and the thrill of the door button, then fear not. We can state with near certainty that by the time they are old enough to enter the work force the Underground will have more, not fewer, Tube drivers than it has now. Indeed should you wish to start a Tube-driving dynasty, then you can be reasonably confident there will be driving jobs on the Underground for your grandchildren as well." As for the 1938 stock you got to be kidding, even 40 years ago, they were troublesome. |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22237 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
The strike of the fluffy pink bow ties.... At least they got one thing right - air conditioning doesn't work in the deep tubes. I have my doubts about air cooling on the Victoria line which essentially a deep tube railway with little or no direct access to the surface other than by way of the stations - and with PEDs installed that is going restrict the potential for "fresh" air getting to the trains to do its stuff... Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22237 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
10,000Amps on a 750hp motor - yes, very possible, and not the inrush, but under controlled high torque low speed conditions with a very low field voltage the ar armature current will go "sky high". Of course if these are three phase motors then its a fairly easy, and very controllable situation, you pull the voltage and rolling frequency down, while pushing the slip frequency up and the stator current will be very high. (My initial reaction was "Only 750hp per motor" - too much time spent on the 1Mw and more motors for high speed trains....) Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24881 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
I was of course mainly referring to underground transport within London with manned stations. With modern trains and track controls guards are not necessary. As I said before, all modern tube trains could be operated fully automatically but the unions insist upon a driver in the cab to protect jobs. But it has to be said that it gives customer confidence to have "a man in the cab", and in an emergency or a breakdown the train can be driven manually. It seems that you do not read the reports provided & only want to prove your views above all others. I suggest you use the Wiki or whatever research tool you use to learn the difference between ATO & UTO. One is Automatic Train Operation, the other Unmanned Train Operation. London Underground has always been seen as two separate entities - Tubes & sub-surface Underground. ATO & even UTO can work without any ill effects on the Tubes, but not on the Underground for various technical reasons. You as a retired engineer should have realised that had you read that report. As for the Victoria Line, that was meant as an ATO system from the day of its inception - Funny that several years after its implementation that the man on the front actually had to drive them - why is that do you think? |
Bernie Vine Send message Joined: 26 May 99 Posts: 9954 Credit: 103,452,613 RAC: 328 |
And now for something completely different. Here is something that David might like. Since finding the Railstream webcams I have become a bit of an Amtrak fan. When possible I try to see The Capitol Ltd and The Lake Shore as they pass. both Berea OH and Chesterton IN. The Capitol, train 29, comes from Washington to Chicago and The Lake Shore train 49 from New York to Chicago, they converge on Cleveland and from Cleveland travel the same route to Chicago, The Capitol Ltd usually runs about an hour in front of the Lake Shore. Yesterday afternoon I was using the Amtrak "Track a Train" page, where you can view all of Amtrak's trains, where they are and how they are running by clicking on the train icon. I noticed that The Capitol had stopped for an extended period outside Waterloo IN and when I clicked on the train icon, the message said it was unable to give any information due to a "service disruption", strange I thought. Well eventually The Lake Shore went past the still stationary Capitol, it stopoped as scheduled at Waterloo and then the little icon switched directions and it seemed to reverse! Sure enought it stopped next to the Capitol icon, then after a while both started to move in the correct direction together! Had the Lake Shore stopped to rescue a stranded Capitol, well luckily they were still a way from Chesterton so I was able to wait, and this is what I saw. You tube link Whilst like your average railfan I like order and predictability, I also enjoy the unexpected:-) |
Uli Send message Joined: 6 Feb 00 Posts: 10923 Credit: 5,996,015 RAC: 1 |
MMmm, I didn't see the rescue, just a train cruising thru Bernie. Pluto will always be a planet to me. Seti Ambassador Not to late to order an Anni Shirt |
Donald L. Johnson Send message Joined: 5 Aug 02 Posts: 8240 Credit: 14,654,533 RAC: 20 |
MMmm, I didn't see the rescue, just a train cruising thru Bernie. It's actually two trains coupled together. About half-way through is the engine for the broke train, followed by its cars. (Had to watch it several times, either YouTube or my Internet feed were being fussy today). Donald Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired |
Bernie Vine Send message Joined: 26 May 99 Posts: 9954 Credit: 103,452,613 RAC: 328 |
MMmm, I didn't see the rescue, just a train cruising thru Bernie. Yes it was really for train buffs, Donald is right. The Lake Shore comes through first with 11 coaches then loco number 12 (the one with the problem)and the Capitol Ltd are on the rear. Interesting to train buffs possibly not to anyone else. |
Richard Haselgrove Send message Joined: 4 Jul 99 Posts: 14654 Credit: 200,643,578 RAC: 874 |
I think it's a shame but there you are .... It's just a job-creation scheme for the paint companies. Some of those trains will have had five different liveries in under 20 years: British Rail, GNER, National Express, East Coast, Virgin/Stagecoach. Doesn't affect the travel experience inside the trains... |
Richard Haselgrove Send message Joined: 4 Jul 99 Posts: 14654 Credit: 200,643,578 RAC: 874 |
Talking of which... But turning to overground rail services, I can remember in the 50's all the slam door trains on Southern Railways. They would arrive at Waterloo, Victoria, or London Bridge in the rush hour and all the doors would be flung open as the train was slowing, and passengers would leap off and go running along the platform before the train had stopped! Going home at night it was not unusual to see doors opened after the train had started moving and someone risking life and limb to climb in, with the porter furiously blowing his whistle and screaming stand away! Would you believe I've actually done that, locally, within the last 20 years? Except there wasn't a porter, of course. In 1991, the line was electrified at 25 kV AC Overhead between Leeds and Skipton, and new British Rail Class 333 trains were introduced in the early 2000s. So what did we do with our shiny new electric wires for ten years before the Class 333s arrived? Borrowed some cast-off Class 308 slam-doors from Liverpool Street. They've had a few paint jobs in their Northern travels, too. |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65793 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
I watched a video on Youtube of Amtraks Acela(3:38:52 or 3 hours, 38 mins, and 52 seconds long in HD, YBW), Amtrak does need to update the track, bridges and catenary on that line in the NEC(not all track in the NEC is owned by Amtrak, some is owned by transit agencies and Amtrak is a Tenant), this was from Boston MA to Penn Station in NY, early on the guy showed the speed the train was going, the highest speed? 152 mph, since this was an express there weren't a whole lot of stops, speeds did drop the closer the train got to New York of course, the main tracks looked well maintained, people had their laptops out and were surfing the web or were doing other tasks, the train went thru Rhode Island and Connecticut on its way to New York. If the train had been noisy I'd have expected sound walls like is out here along the Freeway(Interstate Highway to everyone else), but not one was seen, also No Train Horn was sounded either(No street crossings), lots of building, more trees than one would ever see in Southern California(it's like they go on Forever), a marsh, but no sound walls... Must not be terribly noisy... The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22237 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
I've just listened to the first few minutes. There is plenty of saloon ambient noise, but the external sounds are cut by the insulation - since this is shot from a passenger saloon I wouldn't expect to hear the horn (whereas in the driving cab the horn may well be audible). Having ridden in both passenger saloons and driving cabs at over 300kph (186mph) on Eurostars I can vouch for the difference in external sound levels. All in all pretty much what I would expect of a modern high speed train on good track (or at least the bit I watched as it gets clear of Boston). Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
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