Virgin Trains driver / engineer in U.K.

[Anonymous]

Im a driver here in the U.K. I drive the clas 390 pendolino tilting train between Manchester and London.Im purchasing a house in Florida for rental purposes.Would be great to here from engineers in the U.S.A.If anyone would like pictures of U.K trains maybe we could swop.My email is
[e-mail]
All the best from the U.K

Note to bnsfkline
Our class 57 " Thunderbird " rescue engine - General Motors engine
Our class 220 Voyager engine- Cummins
Freight class 66. 300 built in Ontario Canada

[jchnhtfd]

Aw c'mon Jim. Briti***rains are fine! They're just different. And the Pendolino is very interesting technology. In fact, the whole British passenger transport system seems to work pretty well, in spite of everything (at least it's by far the easiest way for my daughter and me to get from Edinburgh to Thurso and Orkney when I go visiting her... come to think of it, it's pretty dang near the only way... oh well!).

Not an engineer, though, Darren -- but there are quite a few on here, and I hope you get some good pictures from them!

[bnsfkline]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be insulting. All comments being deleted

[Anonymous]

I go to the United Kingdom several times per year and am a great user of the British rail system. The trains are fast, frequent, and ON TIME. Since British Rail privitized companies like Branson's Virgin Rail have picked up several key routes. All of the new operators have upgraded/modernized their train sets, or are in the process of doing it. The British passenger scene is something to be proud of. My hat is off to darrenclegg and all of his associates for his part in making the system work. The British system is something we should be striving to duplicate.

Freight is a different story. Thanks to the link and pin type of couplers the train length is much shorter than US standards. Most of the cars are two axel and of limited capacity, however, larger cars are making their appearance. Due to the smaller train length you will not see any MU train sets.

I hope that some more enlightened rail people instead of the narrow minded pin heads who have responded so far will estlabish a good dialog with darrenclegg. I would, but my engineering experience is being a board member for the local transit sgency (light and heavy rail) and my engineering experience is in oil and gas extraction consulting. Unfortunately I have never touched a throttle of an engine, although I have had many cab rides. Come on you true US and Canadian engineers-strike up a dialogue with one of your brothern.

[Anonymous]

wrwatkins thankyou for your kind accurate comments

[mhurley87f]

Originally posted by wrwatkins
[. All of the new operators have upgraded/modernized their train sets, or are in the process of doing it. The British passenger scene is something to be proud of.

Freight is a different story. Thanks to the link and pin type of couplers the train length is much shorter than US standards. Most of the cars are two axel and of limited capacity, however, larger cars are making their appearance. Due to the smaller train length you will not see any MU train sets.

Not strictly true - it's rather like the Curate's egg, good in parts! There are a few excellent operators who deserve all the accolades going their way, and there's the "Brand X" operators, who are nowhere near the benchmark set by the best. That said, quality unfortunately takes second place to cost when franchise bids are being considered, so good service now is no guarantee that that will be the case in the future.

Yes, out freight trains are rather shorter and lighter than years, but also far more nimble! Perhaps congestion around Chicago, say, might be relieved by running shorter inter-yard transfers more often so you minimise the chance they get in each other's way?

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