škoda 2024

6/2004

WLABmz 173.1: A New Sleeping Car For Europe

In 1997 Deutsche Bahn AG founded a subsidiary, DB AutoZug GmbH, to modernise car carrier and overnight passenger services. Since then more than 75 carriages with seated accommodation and 150 couchette coaches, restaurant cars, and service vehicles have beeen overhauled and in most cases completely refurbished. Finally, to provide overnight services with a brand new image and economic foundation for the early 21st century, an entirely new design of sleeping car was developed, and a batch of these built.

Two new WLABmz173.1 coaches forming part of NachtZug 301 at Köln Hbf. on the evening of 2 December 2004 at the start of their overnight trans-European journey from Dortmund to Milano.

Photo: Libor Geisler
Innotrans 2004 Part 2
We come with second part of the InnoTrans 2004 story, opened in the previous issue. Now, the description of "traditional" motive power is enclosed, ie. bringing the rest of multiple units, motor coaches and locomotives, enriched with tramways and again a mixture of various components.
This photo shows driving car of ROTEM’s XG EMU.
Photo: Petr Kadeřávek
SPATZ
In German, "Spatz" is a sparrow. But SPATZ also stands for "Schmalspur-PAnorama-TriebZug", which is how Stadler markets its new metre gauge panoramic electric units. The first of these was unveiled at Altenrhein on 8 October 2004 in the presence of SBB Brünig management.
ABe 130 001 near Brienzwiler on the Meiringen - Interlaken line on 28 November 2004 during tests.
Photo: Stadler
A Decade Of Privatisation On Britain

The old British Rail may be alikened to the disappearing Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Everything has gradually vanished, save the famous double-arrowed logo introduced in the early 1960s. Privatisation of the network has come in for increasing criticism over the past ten years, while as the big fish in the passenger franchise pool start gobbling up the lesser ones, and the State assumes an increasingly active role in controlling the franchise purse strings and infrastructure management, the spectre of renationalisation by stealth hovers, vulture-like. Both good and bad have come out of the process which was started in 1994 - so what lessons can other European rail operators and governments learn from the British experience?

On 4 November 2004 Virgin Trains’ Pendolino 390 005 stands at London Euston in readiness for another WCML service.

Photo: Libor Geisler
PRIMA 6000: Alstom’s Most Powerful Locomotive
As the integration and liberalisation of the European rail network steadily progresses, more and more rail operators agree that there is a growing need for a multi-voltage, go-anywhere locomotive. In response, ALSTOM has developed a quadruple-voltage version of its PRIMA locomotive design.
447 001 at ALSTOM’s Belfort factory, awaiting its first test run.
Photo: ALSTOM Transport
Archimede high speed measuring train
As traffic on the Italian railway network grows, and the demand for paths for commercial trains increases, fewer slots are available for infrastructure maintenance trains. And more trains mean greater infrastructure wear and tear. MER MEC designed and developed for RFI the measuring systems which were integrated and installed on the "Archimede" high speed measuring train, capable of monitoring a wide range of infrastructure parameters simultaneously as it tours the network.
The full „Archimede“: E 402 101, the two support cars, the electrical systems coach, the permanent way coach, and the driving trailer, at Monopoli station on the Bari to Lecce line.
Photo: Mer Mec
Compact TBU Field Experience
SKF has developed a new bearing generation for railway applications that offers lower life-cycle costs and longer maintenance intervals. Laboratory and field-test results confirm the performance expectations. When considering tapered journal bearings for railways, safety and reliability are a matter of bearing design. Design has a further impact on the LCC.
The Compact TBU design principle.
Photo: SKF
EuroRunner And Hercules In Slovakia
The first EuroRunner to traverse ÎSR metals did so in late September 2004 while hauling a „Tatra-Express“ railtour special for IGE Bahntouristik of Germany. This was something of a surprise, since ÖBB now has a large fleet of Hercules, and given the proximity of Austria and Slovakia, the likelihood was that the first to cross the border would have been one of these locomotives.
The IGE special on 27 September 2004 on the scenic Banská Bystrica to Margecany line on the viaduct near Telgárt Penzión.
Photo: Marián Dujnič
And much more!
Cover of 6/2004
Poster

Features: Pendolino 680.001 during tests for quality of ride and EMC on the scenic Brno - Česká Třebová line near Dlouhá halt. This unit reached 237 km/h, thus creating a new Czech rail speed record, between Zaječí and Rakvice on Brno - Břeclav line on 18 N