skinner75

At around the 12.30 mark, the points appear to be set the wrong way for the loco - are they a kind of spring loaded point that the loco can drive through, without the need for the points to be manually set, then set again after the loco passes? For shunting purposes I guess?

A damn sight less than dino-juice going by the Kia page below!: https://www.kia.com/ie/about-kia/experience-kia/technology/electrification/electric-car-charging-costs/ "Assuming the cost of electricity to be €0.17 per kWh, here's what it would cost to charge the batteries that are used in both the e-Niro and e-Soul, and also the cost per 100km driving for the e-Niro, fitted with these batteries, based on the WLTP average range figures. The 64 kWh battery has an average range 455km, and the 39.2 kWh battery has an average range 289km On the long range battery: 64kWh (64 X €0.17) = €10.88 to fully charge: €2.39 per 100km (€10.80 /455km *100km). For the mid range battery of: 39.2kWh (39.2 X €0.17) = €6.66 to fully charge: €2.30 per 100km (€6.66 / 289km *100km)"

My dad got one of the Kia Niro all electric cars, and is well happy with it. He was always into his motors, and would have always done his own servicing, but is well happy since making the switch. Range is around 530km, which should be more than enough for most people here in Ireland! His view on hybrids is that they still have all the hassles of petrol/diesel engines - that still need regular servicing, compared to pure electric. Pure electric needing very little apart from the consumables - brakes, tyres. With the engine regen charging, even the brake pads will last much longer. I heard of a Tesla driver who was still on the same brake pads after 100,000 miles! Also, when charging at charge point, be it at a petrol station or on street, getting the charge up to 80% will be a lot faster than 2 hours, but after 80%, the charging rate slows down

I've not done my driving test for a car yet (and I'm 47!), but when I do, I'll do a test for automatic, as that's all there is going to be in the electric future. Also, when fully automatic driving cars come out, will you still have to do a driving test to use one?...

On my BMW R1150GS motorbike, a typical spin from Athlone to Dublin and back, will take about 20 liters. This works out at 8L/100km or 35mpg in old money. Speed would be a steady 130kmh on the motorway

Don't know, but I was watching the 24hr race at the Nurburgring over the weekend, and the figures for a GT3 car are shocking: 1.75L per minute - 14L per lap. The winning car did 159 laps, using approx 2226L in total. The mad thing is, each fueling, the team gets a docket with how much went in, and at the end of the race, all dockets are totted up, and then the team either pays the balance, or gets a refund (they pay a certain amount before the race). Tyres work out around 70 grand for the full race! Racing - definitely not cheap!!

Did these get produced & delivered? Anyone with a second one they want to sell/trade?

Saturday was my first time taking the train in maybe 3~5 years - Athlone to Newbridge. Had to change in Portarlington, and noted three locos in the ballast sidings - 086 , and two 201s - one of which was started up while I was waiting.

I just received an email from IE regarding catering on Intercity services: On board catering services update Iarnród Éireann regrets to inform customers that our catering provider, RailGourmet has advised that it is no longer able to provide catering services on Iarnród Éireann’s Intercity network. This is despite extensive efforts by both Iarnród Éireann and RailGourmet to see on-board catering services resume, following their enforced absence for two years of the pandemic. Since the lifting of face covering regulations in February 2022, RailGourmet has not been able to resume services, primarily due to the challenges in resolving staffing issues, and significant additional costs. As a result, a termination of the contract with RailGourmet has been agreed, and catering services will remain suspended. (Catering services on the Dublin / Belfast Enterprise train, under a separate contract with Corporate Catering Services Ltd, are continuing to operate on a limited basis.) We will quickly commence the process to tender for a new catering contract. However, this will mean that catering services are unlikely to be available on board until at least early 2023. We sincerely apologise to customers who will be inconvenienced by this and we look forward to returning the on-board catering service to you as soon as we can. Meanwhile many of our Intercity stations have existing retail / catering facilities available for customers, and Iarnród Éireann will work with CIÉ Property in the interim to further enhance, where possible, station based retail and catering options for customers. Customers planning a substantial Intercity journey should be aware especially those making early morning trips and in general for travel over the summer months.

I've been working in IT support for 25 years - and have had many dealings with people who have lost work due to having no backups made. One guy lost his thesis as he had no backup copies made, and didn't even have a copy of it on his network drive space, as he was the paranoid sort. No pity felt for him!

I've got one of those panels too!

I must investigate the insulators on the head of an old telegraph pole that is laying on the ground in a friend's housing estate, next to the old Athlone-Mullingar line

Nice one - just ordered the bundle of the two of them there

C class would be a winner in my books!

It's great to see it reassembled in it's new home. Very interesting to see the steel frame used for the supports - when I go to build a layout of my own, this would be the way I would go about supporting it, after seeing it first on Barrow Street!

Never been myself - I tried to go years ago to one, but missed the tour start time as I couldn't find the entrance to the Works in time!

Argh - my eyes!! It burns, it burns!!! http://emdexport.railfan.net/samerica/brasil/brasil47.html http://emdexport.railfan.net/samerica/brasil/brasil30.html http://emdexport.railfan.net/demos10.html and this little cutie: http://emdexport.railfan.net/demos2.html

Perfect for testing out skills before tackling a large scale layout - looks amazing!

This screams scam to me! He's only on ebay since 2nd Feb this year too

Yep - bit daft if you ask me!

Still 5 running Kriegslok WW2 locos running in Tuzla, Bosnia - 80 years service from a loco only designed to last 10 years! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH96yjd6BKU

Funny enough, I only watched a vid on youtube on this a couple of months ago! Great channel this guy has - he has a vid on the Lartigue railway too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGwjtjgiivE

It reminds me of the time when I was in college, we drove down to Spain. Coming back, we went through Andorra, and went mad on buying whiskey etc. When we were leaving, heading into France, the French police/border guards saw the Irish plate and pulled us over. Their eyes lit up when they saw the bottles of whiskey! We had to pay a 'fine' for each bottle, then, if we wanted to keep them, pay even more. As it was the end of the holiday, we had little cash, so we left the bottles with them... Kind of a foreshadowing of the Brexit customs since the UK became a 'third country'

"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes" as the saying goes!

Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving