Hello all ;
Here are some videos of RailJet, the latst big thing in conventional trains to enter service in Europe. It is a very nice train, with some service features imported from airline service, and operating between Veinna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary) and Munich (Germany). I know it's a completely different technology, and designed to operate in railroads thhat are technically much different from the ones in the US, but the aerodynamical shaped train, with it's bold colour scheme really looks like a Streamliner. And it's fast too, since there are sections of the lines used where it will reach at least 200/220 Km/h (125/137 mph). Now the videos with a special note : just listen carefully to the whine of the locomotives.when departing. ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud7MWgd0C-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yKz2hwGzek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94byK49NDCQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEYJlC5tixQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLqygWOENwc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsjBvFcTPFg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfW-ctNlkzM
Mario_v Hello all ; Here are some videos of RailJet, the latst big thing in conventional trains to enter service in Europe. It is a very nice train, with some service features imported from airline service, and operating between Veinna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary) and Munich (Germany). I know it's a completely different technology, and designed to operate in railroads thhat are technically much different from the ones in the US, but the aerodynamical shaped train, with it's bold colour scheme really looks like a Streamliner. And it's fast too, since there are sections of the lines used where it will reach at least 200/220 Km/h (125/137 mph). Now the videos with a special note : just listen carefully to the whine of the locomotives.when departing. ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud7MWgd0C-k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yKz2hwGzek http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94byK49NDCQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEYJlC5tixQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLqygWOENwc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsjBvFcTPFg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfW-ctNlkzM
It's pretty nice looking. I thought the sound was music.
I first saw "Railjet" and was visualizing something like the 60's experiment the NYC did with a modified RDC and a jet engine.
However, after watching the videos I fail to see anything more than 20th century technology. It's not even as streamlined as the Acela. With the pantograph, it appears to run as an electric, nothing new there for over a century. Fast???? 125 to 135 MPH is below the top speed of even the Acela, without even considering the other European HS trains. The paint job was hardly impressive, and where does the "jet" come in?
TomDiehlI first saw "Railjet" and was visualizing something like the 60's experiment the NYC did with a modified RDC and a jet engine. However, after watching the videos I fail to see anything more than 20th century technology. It's not even as streamlined as the Acela. With the pantograph, it appears to run as an electric, nothing new there for over a century. Fast???? 125 to 135 MPH is below the top speed of even the Acela, without even considering the other European HS trains. The paint job was hardly impressive, and where does the "jet" come in?
Railjet of course is a creation of the Marketing Dept. I wouldn't be too hard on the OeBB, as on the core system, the Railjet will achieve a higher average speed than Amtrak's Acela. The Austrian's have correctly calculated they will get more for their money by eliminating speed restrictions, than they will by raising the top speed of their trains significantly. The prime market for these trains is Budapest - Vienna - Salzburg - Munich. The Germans haven't indicated that they are willing to invest significant amounts of money to upgrade their portion of the route, and the Hungarians just don't have the money. Because of this the Austrians have decided to follow the Swiss towards a highly integrate transport system built on connections to everywhere rather than a true HSR. The Westbahn from Vienna to Salzburg is being transformed from a busy doubletracked mixed use railway with 160 kph top speed and many speed restrictions, especially in the Wienerwald between Vienna and St. Polten, into a 4 track railroad with two tracks assigned primarily to 200 kph passenger trains. In some areas the faster trains use two tracks on a new alignment, while the freight and local passenger trains use the old alignment, while along most of the route all four tracks will be side by side. Where ever the slow tracks need to cross the fast lines they will be grade separated. Once enough of the new trains are in service the schedule will be one hour from Vienna to Linz, with a further hour to Salzburg. Trains will depart at the exact same time every hour throughout the day, during peak periods there will be additional trains, and some of these will stop at lesser stations along the route.
beaulieu TomDiehl I first saw "Railjet" and was visualizing something like the 60's experiment the NYC did with a modified RDC and a jet engine. However, after watching the videos I fail to see anything more than 20th century technology. It's not even as streamlined as the Acela. With the pantograph, it appears to run as an electric, nothing new there for over a century. Fast???? 125 to 135 MPH is below the top speed of even the Acela, without even considering the other European HS trains. The paint job was hardly impressive, and where does the "jet" come in? Railjet of course is a creation of the Marketing Dept. I wouldn't be too hard on the OeBB, as on the core system, the Railjet will achieve a higher average speed than Amtrak's Acela. The Austrian's have correctly calculated they will get more for their money by eliminating speed restrictions, than they will by raising the top speed of their trains significantly. The prime market for these trains is Budapest - Vienna - Salzburg - Munich. The Germans haven't indicated that they are willing to invest significant amounts of money to upgrade their portion of the route, and the Hungarians just don't have the money. Because of this the Austrians have decided to follow the Swiss towards a highly integrate transport system built on connections to everywhere rather than a true HSR. The Westbahn from Vienna to Salzburg is being transformed from a busy doubletracked mixed use railway with 160 kph top speed and many speed restrictions, especially in the Wienerwald between Vienna and St. Polten, into a 4 track railroad with two tracks assigned primarily to 200 kph passenger trains. In some areas the faster trains use two tracks on a new alignment, while the freight and local passenger trains use the old alignment, while along most of the route all four tracks will be side by side. Where ever the slow tracks need to cross the fast lines they will be grade separated. Once enough of the new trains are in service the schedule will be one hour from Vienna to Linz, with a further hour to Salzburg. Trains will depart at the exact same time every hour throughout the day, during peak periods there will be additional trains, and some of these will stop at lesser stations along the route.
TomDiehl I first saw "Railjet" and was visualizing something like the 60's experiment the NYC did with a modified RDC and a jet engine. However, after watching the videos I fail to see anything more than 20th century technology. It's not even as streamlined as the Acela. With the pantograph, it appears to run as an electric, nothing new there for over a century. Fast???? 125 to 135 MPH is below the top speed of even the Acela, without even considering the other European HS trains. The paint job was hardly impressive, and where does the "jet" come in?
You need to look at your metric conversions. 200 KPH is the same as 125 MPH. Although not the original question, which was "is it a train for the 21st century?" (The answer to that is "no." it's a 20th century equivalent), even the Acela, which is slow by European standards routinely runs at that speed.
And we've seen more than our share of advertising hype, the name does little to make up for the fact that it's a medium speed train.
I wonder if this train could run in the USA under current condition?. I'm not saying there is a need for it, we already have the Acelas, but just for the sake of argument (never in short supply on these boards), if the voltage were correct I'm just wondering if it could run over Washington - Philadelphia -NYC - New Haven - Boston, or Harrisburg - Philly?
From the gist of the topic I gather (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that the train runs on a speed-improved regular track, unlike much of the TGVs' route which was specially built. But I wonder if that isn't so much better than many of the Amtrak electrified portions that the train wouldn't necessarily function so highly over here?? - al
Question is, why?
Northeast Regional already runs 125 mph in the areas where Acela only runs 135 mph.
Furthermore, it's called "Railjet" because the on-board level of service is emulating airliner service with overhead bins, first class, stewards.
aegrotatio Furthermore, it's called "Railjet" because the on-board level of service is emulating airliner service with overhead bins, first class, stewards.
There's First Class, Business, and Coach. Maybe you get those extras in First Class, but the others you pay extra for drinks, peanuts, and meals. Extra charge for extra baggage (some airlines, extra charge for ANY baggage).
Let's hope they don't go for the closely spaced, dinky seats the airlines seem to be in love with lately.
I also don't see what's supposed to be 21st century about it, it seems like a nice regular European train, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Why does the first video display 10kph on a train obviously sitting still on display?
What's the musical tone when the train starts? Is it engine noise, or manufactured music for marketing effect? It sounds a little bit like a chopper, do these trains use some variation on a chopper, or thyristor, control?
Why'd they pick the name Railjet? I don't think that's a German or Hungarian phrase. Then again Acela's not exactly an English phrase.
Looks like they have fixed consists of x number of coaches and a locomotive, hence the shots I saw of coaches with a locomotive in the middle and one end, so apparently they couple 2 sets together ot get a double train instead of incrementally adding coaches and locomotives.
And why do the 2 videos that have background music show the trains in slow motion?
It seems to me that's a weird marketing technique for a high speed train. Even worse if that's actual train speed.
Patrick Boylan
Free yacht rides, 27' sailboat, zip code 19114 Delaware River, get great Delair bridge photos from the river. Send me a private message
gardendanceWhat's the musical tone when the train starts? Is it engine noise, or manufactured music for marketing effect? It sounds a little bit like a chopper, do these trains use some variation on a chopper, or thyristor, control?
The musical tones when the train starts to move, are produced by the AC inverters in the locomotive. All modern Siemens built locomotives, and the ICE trainsets produce these tones. That is why they have the Do-Rae-Me nickname.
What's so "21st Century" about a 125 MPH overhead powered electric train?
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.