A Train With The Engine In The Middle
As I left Kassel, I saw this train, which appears to have an engine module in the middle.
It is actually a Stadler GTW and it must be a good concept as over five hundred of them are working all around the world, in both diesel and electric versions..
One great advantage for passengers is surely that the noise and vibration problem of underfloor diesel engines is minimised. The train is also a low floor design.
The design is also very flexible.
- The power packs are probably interchangeable, so you could switch trains from diesel to electric according to need.
- A battery could be incorporated into the power pack, which is charged when running under wires.
- The articulated design goes well on curvy track.
- Extra passenger modules can be added.
- For the UK, they could be a way round not buying any more diesel multiple units. We would buy some diesel versions and if we had too many due to the march of electrification, we just swap the central module.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more trains with a central power pack. I think if the UK used the same loading gauge as Europe, we’d have seen one in the UK on test by now.
The Anonymous Widower 
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