Swiss Pass And Swiss Pocket Timetables
I used a Swiss Pass on my three day trip to Switzerland.
Wikipedia describes it like this.
The Swiss Travel Pass allows unlimited travel on the Swiss public transport network (trains, buses, ships and tramways) for a certain number of days (3, 4, 8 or 15 consecutive days), as well as free or discounted entry to most Swiss museums. Discounts apply to mountain transport (lifts, funiculars, cogwheel trains). Some mountain transport is free of charge.
The Swiss Travel Pass Flex works exactly like the Swiss Travel Pass, but can be used to travel on 3, 4, 8 or 15 consecutive or non-consecutive days within one .
Research the pass you need before you go.
I bought mine from athe SBB ticket office in Zurich Airport.
It also came with a map, where it could be used.
In the picture, there are four of the mini-timetables that seem to be available at most major stations.
These timetables give the times of trains from the station to other major cities. They also give the return trains, so are ideal for planning a day out.
The train companies in the UK, should copy this.
One thing that I found out about a Swiss Pass after I bought it, is that you can buy extension tickets for a journey from the Swiss border to say somewhere like Innsbruck, which is a few kilometres further on. It’s a bit like the ticket, I’ll buy in a few minutes to extend my Freedom Pass to Rayleigh.
The Swiss Pass may be pricey, but it’s worth it and is probably a lot cheaper than hiring a car.
Steelworm At Whitechapel Station
I took this picture at Whitechapel station.
It looks like steel’s equivalent of woodworm has been at work!
What Is Happening (Or Not!) At West Ealing Station?
I took these pictures at West Ealing station a few days ago.
There appears to be no work going on to finish the station for Crossrail.
There has also been no announcement about what is happening to the Greenford Branch.
Surely, if the bay platform were to be electrified, it would be the ideal place to charge a battery shuttle train to Greenford station.
Hybrid Regional Train To Be Tested
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Plans to convert a TER regional multiple-unit into a prototype overhead electric, battery and diesel hybrid unit were announced by SNCF and Alstom on September 17.
The Grand Est, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions and Alstom are to spend €16.6m converting and testing the Régiolis unit, which will be taken from the Occitanie region’s fleet. Two of the four diesel engines will be replaced with high-capacity lithium-ion batteries able to store regenerated braking energy.
It looks to me, that each Régiolis train has four slots in which to put a diesel engine. So are they doing what Stadler are doing with the tri-mode Flirts for the South Wales Metro and allowing operators to fill each slot with a diesel engine and generator or a lithium-ion battery.
Hopefully, the modules are designed, so they are just Plug-and Play.
The train’s computer would decide what power is best and swap between electric/diesel and battery power automatically or under the control of the driver.
The concept is simple and it could have some interesting outcomes.
- The ability to use regenerative braking on an electrified line, that can’t handle the reverse currents.
- Extending routes efficiently on non-electrified lines, where noise and pollution could be a problem.
- As battery technology gets better and can hold more energy, all diesel engines might be replaced with batteries.
It does seem that Alstom are taking battery trains seriously.
It also appears that the number of existing trains, that are being improved by the addition of batteries is growing.
An Analysis Of The Route Between Buxtehude And Cuxhaven
Alstom have chosen the route between Buxtehude and Cuxhaven, as the launch route for their hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint train.
I’ll now look at the route.
Buxtehude Station
Buxtehude station is on the outskirts of Hamburg.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
- There is a double-track electrified line through the station.
- There appears to be a West-facing bay platform, which conveniently has what looks to be a train in DB red, in the platform.
Services at Buxtehude include.
- Line S3 of the Hamburg S-Bahn between Pinneberg and Stade. This line appears to be electrified with 15 KVAC overhead wires.
- Service RE 5 between Cuxhaven and Hamburg via Otterndorf, Stade and Buxtehude. This route is only electrified between Hamburg and Stade.
- Service RE 33 between Cuxhaven and Buxtehude via Bremerhaven and Bremervörde. This route is not electrified.
Service three is the one that from yesterday has been run by the Coradia iLint trains.
Between Buxtehude And Bremervörde
I followed this route in my helicopter and it is a single-track line through reasonably open country with in places trees along the line.
If this line was in the UK, it would be something like the Breckland Line or Great Eastern Main Line. through Norfolk, both of which have an operating speed of between 140-160 kph.
So I wouldn’t be surprised that the Coradia iLint could be almost at its maximum speed of 140 kph for long periods between stations.
Bremervörde Station
This Google Map shows Bremervörde station.
It would appear to be on a large site and there might even be a depot.
There’s certainly space to add a couple of large wind turbines to generate electricity, that could be used to create hydrogen through electrolysis.
Between Bremervörde And Bremerhafen HBf
As with the line to the East of Bremervörde, it is fairly straight across what appears to be fairly flat and through a mixture of open countryside and woodland.
This Google Map shows Bremerhafen Wulfdorf station.
The line from Buxtehude can be seen joining from the East.
The line is electrified to Bremerhafen HBf station.
So will the Coradia iLint trains change to overhead power at Bremerhafen Wulfdorf?
From Bremerhafen HBf To Cuxhaven
This Google Map shows Bremerhaven HBf station.
It looks to be a typical functional German station with four platforms, which are all electrified.
The electrification continues Northwards for a few kilometres, but once out of Bremerhaven, the line becomes single track without electrification.
I found this passing loop at the two-platform Dorum station, shown here on a Google Map.
Note how the tracks go either side of an island platform.
I suspect there are other places for trains to pass or they could easily be created.
The route ends at Cuxhaven station, shown in this Google Map.
In addition to the service to Buxtehude, there is also a another service on a shorter and more direct route to Hamburg along the estuary of the River Elbe.
Summing up this section of the route.
- It is single-track with at least one passing loop.
- There are just four stations.
- It is electrified for a few miles at the Southern end.
I’ve also never seen a line with so many level crossings.
Services Between Cuxhaven And Buxtehude Via Bremerhaven HBf
The current service is hourly, with what looks to be these timings.
- Buxtehude to Bremerhaven HBf – 1:43 – Incldes 14 stops
- Bremerhaven HBf to Buxtehude – 1:37
- Bremerhaven HBf to Cuxhaven 0:51 – Includes 4 stops
- Cuxhaven to Bremerhaven HBf – 0:44
- Buxtehude to Cuxhaven – 2:34
- Cuxhaven to Buxtehude – 2:21
Turnrounds are the following times.
Buxtehute – 28 minutes
Cuxhaven – 12 minutes
This gives a round trip of five hours and thirty-five minutes.
So it would appear that at least five Coradia Lint 41 trains are needed to provide the service.
Coradia Lint Trains
From what I can find on the Internet, the Coradia Lint trains are diesel-mechanical units, where the wheels are driven directly from the two diesel engines.
I’m not sure, but the engines may be mounted under the cabs!
Coradia iLint Trains
I suspect that the hydrogen-powered iLint trains could be driven by simply replacing the diesel engine, with a suitable traction motor.
What surprises me, is that there appears to be no plans to fit a pantograph to the iLint, so that the intelligent brain on the train can use overhead electrification, when it exists.
This would mean that the range of the train on hydrogen would be increased, if the route was partially electrified.
Coradia iLint Trains Between Buxtehude to Cuxhaven
On the Buxtehude to Cuxhaven route, using electrification could be used to advantage to power the train and charge the batteries through Bremerhaven, where about ten kilometres is electrified using 15 KVAC overhead wires.
Also, in Buxtehude station, which has 15 KVAC electrification on other lines, the bay platform that it appears will be used for the hydrogen-powered trains could be electrified to charge the batteries, during the twenty-eight minutes, that the train is in the station. Perhaps, they could use a system such as I wrote about in Is This The Solution To A Charging Station For Battery Trains?
A similar system could be installed at Cuxhaven.
Surely, it is better to use the turnround times at each end of the route to charge the batteries, as this means less hydrogen will be consumed and the train’s range on a tankful will be increased!
There is an interesting comparison to be made here, with a route, I know well in the UK; Cambridge to Norwich.
- Both routes are around 100 km.
- Both routes are fairly flat and reasonably straight.
- The operating speed of the UK line is 140 kph and I suspect the German line is about the same.
- The UK line has six intermediate stops, whereas the German route has fourteen stops.
- Both lines are run by diesel trains with similar operating speeds.
But the UK route is timed at one hour and nineteen minutes, as opposed to the two hours thirty-four minutes of the German one.
The German route does have twelve more stops, but even if two minutes is allowed for each stop, that doesn’t explain the difference.
The German route must be run at a slower speed than the UK one.
As the Germans improve the speed, journey times will surely reduce.
Conclusion
I am led to the conclusion, that Buxtehude to Cuxhaven route is an ideal route on which to test hydrogen-powered trains, but that as the trains develop, journey times will reduce substantially.
Colne To Skipton Rail Line Re-Opening Campaign Moves Forwards
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in the Lancashire Telegraph.
This is the first paragraph.
A meeting at the House of Commons hosted by Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson and his Labour counterpart for Keighley John Grogan convened senior officials from the Department of Transport (DfT), Transport for the North (TfN), Network Rail and commercial companies with an interest in East-West rail links.
Like many at the meeting, I feel very strongly that this link should be built.
There are obviously local reasons, like better passenger services between the conurbations of Blackburn/Accrington/Burnley and Leeds/Bradford, but there is something far more important.
Extra Train Paths Across The Pennines
Currently, trains take about twenty minutes between Rose Grove and Colne stations, over the mainly single track line.
I think it would be possible for experts to design a railway between Rose grove and Skipton stations via Colne, that would offer paths for three trains per hour (tph) across the Pennines in both directions. It might even be possible to accommodate four tph, using a combination of passing loops and digital signalling.
It should be noted that currently, the traffic through Accrington on the Calder Valley Line, which is to the West of Rose Grove station is around three tph in both directions. As the route is double-track, with modern trains and modern signalling, surely a higher frequency can be achieved.
These extra paths would be invaluable during the upgrading of the main TransPennine routes from Leeds to Manchester via Huddersfield.
I have some questions about the link.
Should The Link Be Double-Track?
Given that it will probably be difficult to put a double track on the Bank Top Viaduct over Burnley, I feel that to get the needed extra capacity, where it is possible to squeeze in a double-track, this should be done.
Should The Link Be Electrified?
Operationally, this would probably be preferable, but there are reasons why it could be difficult.
- There are a lot of quality stone bridges over all routes in the area.
- The heritage lobby might object to gantries marching across the Pennines.
- Network Rail’s abysmal performance on installing electrification.
It would also be sensible to electrify between Preston and Rose Grove stations, which would add substantially to the cost.
Passenger services wouldn’t be too much of a problem, as I am fairly certain that hydrogen-powered or battery trains could be used. The four-car Class 321 Hydrogen would probably by ideal.
Freight trains are probably better under electric power, rather than the awful Class 66 locomotives. Especially, if freight trains were run in the middle of the night.
I think the budget will decide on electrification.
Conclusion
I feel it is imperative, that to reduce the chaos of the TransPennine upgrade, work should start on the creation of the Skipton to Colne Link immediately.
Hydrogen Trains Have Arrived
According to this page on the Internet, Alstom launched the Coradia iLint today.
These are some of the pictures.
I shall go for a ride.
The web page says this about the test route.
On behalf of LNVG, the Coradia iLint trains will be operated on nearly 100km of line running between Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehude, replacing EVB’s existing diesel fleet.
As Buxtehude is close to Hamburg, the easiest way to experience the trains would be to fly to Hamburg.
A Swiss-Style Wheelchair Ramp
I took this picture of a wheelchair ramp at Interlaken Ost station
At least I noticed several low-floor trains with gap fillers.
I think most of these pictures were taken of trains built by Swiss train manufacturer; Stadler.
I think that this is the way to go.
Stadler are using gap fillers on their Class 777 trains for Merseyrail. This is said in Wikipedia about the design of the trains.
The trains will also have platform gap fillers so wheelchair users will not have to use ramps to board the train.
Will there be step-free access on Greater Anglia’s Class 745 and Class 755 trains?
It’s obviously good for passengers, but what’s in it for train operators?
It’s all about making the dwell time in a station as short as possible.
The Stunning New Public Space Under The Ordsall Chord Might Not Open To The Public For Years
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in the Manchester Evening News.
As I understand it, the new Orsall Chord in Manchester has been designed to open up a public space by the River Irwell.
The headline says it all and there appears to be no-one who knows when it will open.
For one time too, it doesn’t seem that Network Rail is the villain of the piece.
I suppose the trouble is that this development has nothing to do with football!
Come on Manchester, get your act together!
The Anonymous Widower 