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Hi, I'm a new boy from the UK, who has followed European Railway activity for years. I am a retired railway manager, and even at 62 an aspiring consultant! As its way passed my bedtime, this post will be brief. The European Union, so far as railways are concerned, is a joke. How Interoperbility, Private Access, Voltage changes etc. works, depends on which Country you are studying. Germany, and Romania ( the last joining the EU on 01-01-2007) have a considerable numberof private freight operators.One of the interesting things about private railfreight is the number of old loco's, which would otherwise have been scrapped. A small firm starting up, obviously wants to keep his capital outlay to a minimum. He has three choices, buy new, lease a modern loco ( Siemens Dispolok seems about the most prominent) or buy an old one and "do it up".With a new multi - voltage loco, a reasonable price tag is about $3 million, renting one about 10% per annum.However buying a second hand one, can be very cheap, your biggest expense getting all the permissions to run on the Network.As an example a sound, well maintained 15kv Austrian Co-Co electric was sold by the State Railway for about $20,000! The only condition was that it could not work on Austrian railfreight. The nonsense over the various electric supplies, is mainly historical. Without giving a full list, below is just a few examples: Holland 1.5k DC.   Belgium, Italy, Poland 3.0k DC.    France both 25kv AC and 1.5k DC    Germany, Austria, Switzerland 15kv AC.   Hungary, UK, and most new lines, and all new High speed lines, are 25kv, the simplest and compatable to national power grids Building a multi voltage loco is now almost the same as a single voltage, the Austrian 25/15kv AC class 1116, was about 10% more expensive than the single 15kv 1016 of the same design.One service to benefit was the Vienna -Budapest. Where previously, the Austrian loco had to be changed for a Hungarian one, the change point and national boundary being only a few miles east of Vienna, with a 1116, the regular service ( about hourly) the loco runs right through. I'm afraid I've only scratched the surface of this fascinating subject. Different voltages are only one problem. France, though a founder state in the EU, takes the attitude "if it ain't built here it can't run". The "roadrailer" which is used extensively in the US has mainly only operated in Germany and Italy.The French SNCF have had one for over ten years, and as the editor of one magazine says, they only keep testing it, until it derails, when they can say its unsafe! I hope to post again in a few days, but if anyone would like to respond, on whether I am providing useful information or otherwise, please do so. One day it is my hope to write a book on European railways, as well as my consutancy, but increasing senility will probably stop ambition. The magazine I referred to is "Todays Railways Europe". there is also a TR for the UK Take care all Railway Andy   Back in the 50's and60's multi voltage machines were expensive, complex, and thus more to go wrong. Finally for tonight
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