škoda 2024

3/2007

Talgo In The Footsteps Of Marco Polo
A century ago, Spanish hotels led the way in Europe in offering rooms with ensuite facilities. In 1987 Talgo Patentes built the very first standard service sleeping cars in Europe featuring compartments with shower and WC cubicles. The „Tren-Hotel“ concept has become popular outside Spain, and the latest countries to offer hotel-style overnight train travel are Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kazakhstan.
Talgo VII stock used on the Almaty to Astana service at the Talgo maintenance base in Almaty in March 2006.
Photo: Talgo
The BDmh 2Z + 4A/12 DMUs For OSE
Greek Railways (OSE), which were divided into infrastructure manager EDISI AE and railway undertaking Train OSE AE on 1 January 2007, ordered in 2004 four diesel-electric narrow-gauge rack multiple units from Stadler Bussnang, at a cost of 34.8 million CHF. The new three-coach tourist trains will be operated on the Diakopto - Kalavryta line on the Peloponnesus peninsula. These next-generation train sets are scheduled to enter into service in spring 2008.
3107 at Diakopto depot on 13 May 2007. On the right the old Decauville vehicles.
Photo: Emmanuel Tzevelekakis
Voith Maxima 40 CC
In February 2005 Voith Turbo, which manufactures transmission systems, clutch/gearbox assemblies, automatic couplings, cooling systems and a range of other components for rail vehicles, took things one step further by creating the Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik division, to actually design and build its own locomotives. The first fruit of this decision is the Maxima 40 CC, whose development timescale was arranged so that the prototype would be ready for exhibiting at InnoTrans 2006.
The prototype in an area of daughter company Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik, based at a new 9,000 m2 factory in Kiel-Nordhafen.
Photo: Voith Turbo
Pandrol Fastclip Accessories
The PANDROL FASTCLIP rail fastening is a switch on/switch off system, specifically developed in response to a growing need by both contractors and railway operators for fast, efficient track installation, and reduced maintenance costs. Since its introduction in the early 1990s it has been adopted by 84 railway systems in 34 countries worldwide.
The CD500 High Output Fast-Clipping machine is a self-propelled rail fastening machine for use with PANDROL FASTCLIPS. It has a built-in on-and-off tracking system that enables it to „walk“ on and off the track.
Photo: PANDROL
The Grand Central Case In Retrospect... + Count-Down To Start-Up
On 27 July 2006 the Great North Eastern Railway was defeated by a High Court ruling following its complaint to the Office of Rail Regulation in March that year over the latter body's willingness to allow open access operators Hull Trains and Grand Central to use the national network. Some of the issues involved in the case merit close examination.
Grand Central will initially run the Sunderland to London service using refurbished 200 km/h Class 43 HSTs, formed of two power cars, one first class car, one restaurant/buffet car and four standard class cars, with in total 324 seats. Unlike on many long distance services, the wakiter-service restaurant will be available for passengers travelling in both classes. Six more trailers, three first and three standard, have been acquired to strengthen trainsets as demand rises. This is a photomontage of an HST in the sober and dignified Grand Central livery.
Photo: Grand Central
AVG ... And A Couple Of Questions To ALSTOM TRANSPORT
On 6 March 2007 ALSTOM responded to the invitation for tenders issued by NTV (Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori), a new Italian open access operator. NTV initally requires 15 high speed trains, with an option for 10 more. ALSTOM's offer is for a batch of 11-car trains, the proposed contract including maintenance for 30 years. This is the first time that ALSTOM has offered a prospective customer its new Automotrice a Grande Vitesse, the latest prototype for which - the Prototype Évolutif Grande vitesse Automotrice Standard Européen (PÉGASE) - is now under construction.
The first AGV under construction at Aytré: one of the end cars is taking shape, while in the lower view an aluminium bodyshell sidewall is being lifted into position.
Photo: ALSTOM
Oil And Transport (4)
The constantly increasing global demand for energy, coupled with the limited potential for exploiting new sources of energy, is leading us towards a situation in which demand will outstrip supply. This will occur above all in the market for liquid hydrocarbon fuels, with consumption subsequently being adjusted to the levels of production that are physically possible. The second half of the Oil Age will be characterised by this new type of equilibrium.
The usage of the USA rail network is more or less an inverse image of usage of the European one. Here, the transport of passengers, especially on long distance routes, plays a very secondary role compared with the movement of freight, and investment policies are orientated towards fostering this. Most trunk routes have infrastructure designed for axleweights of 30 tonnes or more, and loading gauges are very generous, permitting the double-stacking of containers and the transport of HGV trailers on ordinary platform wagons. On single track routes passing loops are very long, so the length of trains is not limited in this respect as it is in Europe. There are numerous intermodal terminals. All this means that the road network is relatively free of HGVs when compare to Europe, with consequent savings in the consumption of diesel fuel. The rail/ road freight modal split in the USA demonstrates that rail enjoys double the share that it has in Europe, and national transport policies ensure that this share continues to rise. Here we see a triple-headed Norfolk Southern container train - note that the containers are double-stacked. The lead locomotive is a Dash 9 diesel.
Photo: Norfolk Southern
And much more!
Cover of 3/2007
Poster

Features: one of the special trains, formed of 1216 050, a Taurus which holds the electric locomotive world speed record, and five Ampz cars, on 6 December 2006.