Either that, or a self-contained experiment which will use European funding to try out something which might fly, but maybe won't?The 'hydrogenisation' of the 9630s sounds like a vote of confidence in the future of the Vouga narrow-gauge, I would hope?
Which makes me wonder which sections this could possibly encompass? (Reasonably confident it won't be Tua or Sabor...!)... and the national PNI2030 capital programme has suggested that up to €100m could be spent reactivating sections of moribund narrow gauge railway around the country.
Saw somewhere that 1432 also back in service, is this correct?
Amarante had been long touted for reopening, though I believe they were looking at a standard gauge conversion like they did with Guimeraes.Trusting this isn't too off-topic for this thread about the rejuvenation of Portugal's railways, Railway Gazette this week carried what to me was a very pleasant surprise in the form of reporting that the out-of-use (or ECS-only, I think?) central section of the Vouga metre-gauge line between Oliveira and Sernada is to be restored to passenger use:
(sorry, I think the article requires a login - albeit that this is free)IP calls tenders to restore narrow-gauge missing link
PORTUGAL: Rail and road network manager Infraestruturas de Portugal has called tenders for the renovation and reopening of the central section of the 1 000 mm gauge Vouga line between Oliveira de Azemeis and Sernada do Vouga.www.railwaygazette.com
But perhaps even more enticing / tantalising is this closing comment:
Which makes me wonder which sections this could possibly encompass? (Reasonably confident it won't be Tua or Sabor...!)
I'd love to know more!
Meanwhile at Guifões we started working on Nr. 1159 and Nr. 9005.
Interesting point - yes, Amarante does sound plausible, doesn't it.Amarante had been long touted for reopening, though I believe they were looking at a standard gauge conversion like they did with Guimeraes.
I believe one of the problems with the central and northern parts of the Vouga is that the units that were cascaded from Porto metre gauge services (when that system was converted to Metro) are too heavy for the unballasted track of that line, and this has caused issues and speed limitations. The line (like much of the metre gauge system) is extremely winding and slow, built cheaply in this way to avoid expensive tunnels, bridges and earthworks where possible. It needs serious work to make it run at the sort of speed acceptable for modern transport.
Currently active: 2601 / 2602 / 2605 / 2607 / 2610 / 2611 / 2612 / 2623 / 2626 / 2627If so how many (...) 2600s are now in regular service with CP?
Currently active (regional): 1413 / 1415 / 1424 / 1429 / 1432 / 1435 / 1438 / 1455 / 1461If so how many 1400s (...) are now in regular service with CP?
Thank you for that. Slightly off topic but is there a list of locos stored at Entroncamento that are visible from passing trains?Currently active: 2601 / 2602 / 2605 / 2607 / 2610 / 2611 / 2612 / 2623 / 2626 / 2627
Undergoing reactivation: 2603 / 2628
Awaiting reactivation: 2624
Shipped to Porto for reactivation in February 2nd: 2604 / 2609 / 2622 / 2629
Remaining in reserve at Entroncamento: 2606 / 2608 / 2621 / 2625
Currently active (regional): 1413 / 1415 / 1424 / 1429 / 1432 / 1435 / 1438 / 1455 / 1461
Currently active (shunting): 1408 / 1427
In reserve: 1442 / 1447 / 1451 / 1454 / 1457
Parts donor: 1411 / 1419
Thanks for info. Managed to ID most stored locos when I went past but missed a few. If they move them around then can't be certain anyway.
I made a video on my phone when passing a couple of years back, calling out the numbers as I passed. Someone on the Portuguese railway appreciation group on facebook helped me fill in the gaps. There’s quite a lot of stuff that doesn’t move much, but in the last year or two a few locos have been dragged out for revival. Keeping old stock sat around for more than a decade seems quite astute now.Thanks for info. Managed to ID most stored locos when I went past but missed a few. If they move them around then can't be certain anyway.
Currently IC services to Lisbon, IR services to Pocinho, IR services to Valenca and Figurez de Fos and some extended IC services from Lisbon.Sorry if this has been answered further back but does anyone know what services from Porto are currently loco hauld?
Are all workings now loco hauled 1400+Schindlers? Probably looking at the 07.25 or 08.25 from Porto next Wednesday?
I also read there's risk of strike action in June. Hopefully I avoid any disruption as we also travel onwards to Lisbon and Faro by train.
Thanks for the responses and detailed info!Rotations with "Miradouro" style trains running in the Douro Line.
I haven't seen the 17:25 departing from Campanhã being done with loco-hauled trains. Not sure if this has changed recently.
There are also new Porto - Pinhão services throughout the Summer for a shorter leg, increasing the number of trains between Porto and Régua. Can't say for sure if these are all done with loco-hauled trains.
(Last year trains except the R's and the IR's bound just for Régua were made with loco-hauled trains, so maybe it's going to be like this any time soon...)
The strike is for particular excessive work routines. You'd have to be very unlucky to get a train with a driver or a conductor going on strike.
The conditions for the strike are the following:
- Any overtime work;
- Work on public holidays;
- Work when supposedly is the weekly resting day;
- Work when resting time should be taken, as mandated by the Company Labour Agreement.
- Every eighth hour of work every day.
@Sans Pareil if you wouldn't mind a suggestion, would you rather go later and have a nice lunch at Pocinho?
If you depart from Porto São Bento at 8:20 or 9:20, you should arrive at about the time the "Taberna da Julinha" opens.
The food in this tiny tavern is incredible and an absolute treat! About one and a half hours will be needed for the meal, so the return should be done preferentially on the train departing at 15:12.
It requires a reservation, as the place is quite small so it gets fully booked very easily.
I think we will have to see regarding stopping for a longer break in Pocinho. I hear there is now a strike the next day and we dont want to get stranded.@Sans Pareil if you wouldn't mind a suggestion, would you rather go later and have a nice lunch at Pocinho?
If you depart from Porto São Bento at 8:20 or 9:20, you should arrive at about the time the "Taberna da Julinha" opens.
The food in this tiny tavern is incredible and an absolute treat! About one and a half hours will be needed for the meal, so the return should be done preferentially on the train departing at 15:12.
It requires a reservation, as the place is quite small so it gets fully booked very easily.
So I assume on these dates there is now a full strike?
So does this mean we have nothing to worry about, this train will run?