hurricanemk1c

Easter 2023 saw a long long weekend in The Netherlands, flying over on the Thursday and back the following Wednesday. Primarily for two concerts (Charlotte Wessels in Haarlem and Floor Jansen in Amsterdam), plenty of railway interest too with Traxx+ICRm formations between Amsterdam and Rotterdam/Brussels (although new Alstom ICNG sets are entering traffic), 1700s still on Berlin trains and a fantastic visit to the Spoorwegmuseum (which was having an "open train day" so many exhibits were open).

Full album link - https://flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720308734361/page1

Regards,

Kieran

3 hours ago, Noel said:

Aviation control is entirely virtual and digital,yet the speeds are greater and the consequences of mishap orders of magnitude higher.  Why slow 100 mph trains cannot be controlled and separated digitally seems difficult to understand. The cork train service is excellent love travelling on those CAF PP sets. Is there a mental block in thinking about physical interlocking and physical mechanical default fall back.  It’s a national shame we don’t yet have a high speed rail link like TGV between our three principle cities, not to mention the laughing stock of Europe for not having a high speed airport rail link to EIDW and EINN

Planes can move left, right, up or down out of the way, trains can't. There's failures in comms there too and a set process around it which wouldn't work in a rail environment

15 minutes ago, Noel said:

In the 21st century why are railways not using virtual digital signalling instead of physical signals. It seems Jurassic that wires are still used. Lines could be cost effectively and quickly re-signalled to have more shorter block sections enabling a trebling of pathways.

Like ETCS Level 3 (in development) or CBTC (in use)? Both are better suited to consistent rolling stock characteristics than the relatively wide mixture of stock in use (a Tara Mines train has very different characteristics to a 85xx DART set). Such systems are not cheap by a long, long, long way, with many systems also having an absolute block system overlaid for when such systems fail.

There's a lot that's happened in the last 30 years which has seen far greater service level on pretty much all routes (bar a couple), network expansion and generally reduced average run times. Cork for example has gone down from 2 hours 57 minutes in 1991 to 2 hours 37 minutes today, and increased service level from 16 to 29 services a weekday. That factor is never considered in random comparisons against the best performing trains decades ago and what we have today.

Incidentally, while DART+ will have an impact, it will likely be less than people imagine. There's also due to be increased service levels for NIR which is equally never discussed. Always, always DART to blame.

1 hour ago, Louth said:

Enterprise journey times in 1970 were 2 hours and 15 minutes with stops at Dundalk and Portadown. What is at issue here is not the headline time which can vary depending on time of day and number of stops, but that the Dublin-Belfast service will be considerably slower once DART+ is implemented. It is also contrary to the aspiration of "higher speed" Intercity services. 

Still not comparing like with like. 2 stops is not 4 stops. That is my point. Now they are 2 hours 12 minutes (generally) with 4 stops on a considerably busier network on both sides of the border, the NIR section in particular never being highlighted as an issue which is equally so due to signalling constraints.

On 24/5/2023 at 8:50 AM, Louth said:

At the same time, Irish Rail are extending the DART to Drogheda with a big increase in the number of commuter trains. The Enterprise already crawls in from Malahide and in the future will crawl from Drogheda. In 1947 when the Enterprise service started, it took 2 hours 15 min from Belfast to Dublin with steam locomotives. Journey times are the same today. Based on DART+ timetable estimates from Irish Rail, the Enterprise will in the future take well over 2 hours 30 minutes at peak times (and this is being optimistic). Another consequence of DART+ is a shuttle service between Howth and Howth Junction rather than direct services to Dublin. The solution is to increase the number of tracks from 2 to 3 or ideally 4 between Malahide and Connolly as was done on the Heuston-Hazelhatch portion of the Cork line. If you wish to make a submission to Irish Rail, send an email to DARTCoastalNorth@irishrail.ie by Friday 23 of June. Full details on www.dartplus.ie

1947 Enterprise was also non stop, compared to four stops, the dwell time alone being 6.5 minutes, and a stop on average costs an extra 2.5 minutes in acceleration and deceleration, so that's 16.5 minutes just for stops. I really hate when people just look at a time and go "oh it was better then" without actually properly comparing them. There has been trains sub two hours in the last year.  

Batteries are useless for long distance operation, plus the environmental impact of creating the batteries and recycling them end of life. It's several tonnes extra per vehicle to carry around, and the heavier the vehicle the more energy required to move it. Electrification is the only way to go for proper reductions in emissions and to secure the long-term viability of the railway network. I will admit that some routes (for example the Nenagh branch) wouldn't, at the moment, justify electrification and alternative methods would be possible.

That Wabtec loco is 177 tonnes. A 201 is 112 - so 65 tonnes (or approximately a Baby GM) heavier

March 2023 was a busy month for me, with the final ICR delivery and a trip to Switzerland making two significant parts of the month, along with shots of the Sperry train in action.

All photos here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720307938147

Regards,

Kieran

1 hour ago, spudfan said:

I do not think that electrification of our rail network will happen. A lot of our tunnels and bridges just have the bare minimum clearance for the current stock. To get over head catenary throughout would probably need a complete rebuild of these. That effects the road as well as raising the bridge or tunnel means a complete new road approach and alignment. This would not be a close the line over night or at weekends effort. This would be a major shutdown of the line for months on end. Even if there are parts of the network suitable for electrification there will be other parts where non electrified traction would be needed. Maybe third rail electrification might suit but that has other issues.

I do not think it is anyway "green" to ditch the 071 class purely on emissions based reasoning. They have been modified since first entering service and no doubt will continue to be. To mine raw materials, manufacture parts, transport them, take into account emissions caused by people travelling to work to make a "greener" loco it will be better to leave the 071 locos in service. 

If we lived somewhere like India where they are building new railway lines, some specifically for freight, then buying new traction makes sense. 

While some routes would never be economically viable to electrify, it's more than possible to electrify from an infrastructural viewpoint. A bridge can be raised (if planned correctly) over a bank holiday weekend. It's planned for the Maynooth line and electrification proposals for the Phoenix Park Tunnel are in progress as per the public consultation. 071s can't last forever, neither can 201s, and parts are starting to become harder to get by. If Enterprise goes for loco propulsion, a full fleet replacement would be beneficial both to standardise parts, training and reduce the cost per vehicle. There is a project plan to convert at least one 071 to hydrogen power

February 2023 was reasonably quite, with a trip to the UK at the beginning of the month, the new Track Recording Vehicle on trial and more more ICR B2 car deliveries

All photos - https://flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720307588624

Regards,

Kieran

I've always believed it was to clearly mark it as an outlying platform. Numbering Platform 10 as Platform 9 would indicate it was close to Platform 8 even though it's not.

Similar ideas are used in Europe, with stations on different levels (such as Zurich Hb) being numbered in different series (1-11 being street level, 21-24 next level down, 31-34 level below etc). Additionally they frequently number the tracks rather than platform. For example, a station with through road (so platform, through, through, platform) would be Platform 1 and Platform4, 2 and 3 being the nominal through platforms

It's a fuel consumption based on max rpm with a 1,000 tonne load according to the RSS website. As is though I'd struggle to see an application for a loco with a 33-ton axle load!

January 2023 was a quiet month for me, only taking rail photos on three days of the month. Main highlight was as below

All photos - https://www.flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72177720306915806

February was a bit busier!

Kieran

DART+ West ground preparation work is due to start in October 2023 with drainage works according to the Network Statement

Several sets were painted, but with the slow progress the last sets weren't painted but wrapped in vinyl, hence the article. Although rather late as the last one was done in September from memory

1 hour ago, Horsetan said:

Neither of them are 1'10" gauge anyway

I was more pointing out about Guinness starting up their railway again, which is covered under the same law as any railway above 350mm gauge (Guinness being approx 560mm). It's a business decision, Diageo couldn't care less about the distance between the rails!

20 hours ago, minister_for_hardship said:

Seems a shame that a brewery not short of a few bob, a turnover of 2 billion, wouldn't restore one to working order as an attraction at St James' Gate.

Or one of the barges.

Lot more than just that, as the gauge is over 350mm would have to meet the full CRR requirements (for a loco have a look at document CRR-036A). Restoring it would be the simple part, everything else around it wouldn't be and probably not worth it when there's currently two heritage railways with steam, and more on the horizon

10 hours ago, Horsetan said:

Interestingly, at least one book "Ireland's Largest Industrial Railway" (by Hugh Oram) has it the other way around, with boilerless no.15 being at Dromod, and no.22 being at Stradbally.

Frames and boilers had different numbers in the same series, think Guinness actually numbered the locos by boiler rather than frame just to confuse everyone!

1 hour ago, 228RiverOwenboy said:

My apologies, sir.

 

I actually did have a question in mind about said project... Is it going to be a mix of narrow and broad gauge? Or is the narrow gauge just temporary and will be laid over with 5'3 track?

Narrow gauge is "temporary" (operating cert covers the running of it for 5 years).

Gut instinct is the top one is a 2600

Current usable lengths are 146m for both platforms. Note that'll exclude ramps, and sections of platform no longer used (if there are any, been a few years since I was down that way)

On 14/12/2022 at 2:00 PM, Galteemore said:

a400M is also a collaborative project 

 

True, but never operated by the Marineflieger, only the Luftwaffe

On 14/12/2022 at 2:07 PM, Georgeconna said:

'Winkle' Brown no doubt had a input into the Aeroplanes flown post war by the Germans   The Incredible ‘Winkle’ Brown (historynet.com)

In 1958 Brown was detached to Germany to help set up the German naval air arm at Kiel and Schleswig, starting with Sea Hawks and Fairey Gannets. Promoted to captain in December 1960, he was appointed air deputy director of the Gunnery Division at the Admiralty, becoming heavily involved in the battle to acquire the Phantom II for the Royal Navy. Then it was back to Germany as naval attaché in Bonn.

 

He goes into it in some detail in his book "Wings On My Sleeve" and the rebirth of the naval air arm

2 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

Surely one of few British planes to have been flown by the GERMAN Navy?

 

Post war the initial Marineflieger used British aircraft as they used the Royal Navy to rehabilitate it. They still use Lynx and Sea King helicopters, and historically used Hawker Sea Hawks and Percival Pembroke (which was their first aircraft since the 1930s when all aviation moved to the Luftwaffe). They also used Tornados which were part British

And they were called Polo Mints because they reminded people of the sweets!

Good size for a money box......

On 31/10/2022 at 3:33 AM, Rob said:

Would the date order below be reasonably accurate as regards the different options?

- Inter City branding with Bowling Ball set Numbering (2007 - 2008/9????)

- lnter City branding with Individual Numbering (2008/9??? - 2013)

- Irish Rail branding (2013 - ????)

- lrish Rail branding with blue doors etc (???? - current day)

Pretty much. The bowling ball didn't last too long, although 22007 was the last to be treated some time between April and August 2013 from my own photos.

UIC numbers started creeping in with the 22047-22063 batch delivered in 2012 and progressively were added to the existing fleet.

Blue doors (or more accurately a shade of purple) started with 22008 in November 2018 and was spread across the fleet as they went in for internal refurb. The last set was I think 22029

15 hours ago, DoctorPan said:

Better be a model of a certain headlamp hi vis wearing individual 

I am available for scanning!

My big question is where the front number will be on 22302.........