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    Is it possible to re-equip SBB's Astoro/Giruno Fleet to allow homologation to Benelux?

    Obviously running in the Netherlands would require installation of the appropriate safety systems, thankfully I would add! Nevertheless, Desiros could probably run quite happily under 1.5 kV with a mere software update, if SNCB got Siemens to do the work. Nothing major like new transformers or...
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    Is it possible to re-equip SBB's Astoro/Giruno Fleet to allow homologation to Benelux?

    Trains that can run under 3 kV DC can usually run under 1.5 kV too, with only minor tweaks, albeit at reduced power (not much of a problem in flat Holland). All 3 kV Italian locomotives run without issue under French 1.5 kV in Modane and Ventimiglia border stations for example.
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    Using the SNCF app to identify train type

    No chance of loco haulage on that train, it will be either a Regiolis or an AGC.
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    Procedure for driving on rarely used / rusty track

    A very interesting question, I've often wondered how NR procedures cope with rusty rails. I work in operations in France, and it's a huge issue for us. If any section of track goes 72 hours without a train, the track circuits are deemed unreliable and specific actions must be taken to allow...
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    DB BR 102--when can it start service it's a mystery

    Great to see them finally in service, albeit extremely late. Here's some interior pictures I took at Innotrans 2018: https://twitter.com/NicholasNCE/status/1326987062256537601?s=19
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    Stations similar to London Blackfriars that span a river

    Haliç metro station in Istanbul, on a bridge bang in the middle of the Golden Horn
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    Iran Railways

    Many thanks for these very interesting articles, which I'm going to be reading carefully over the next few days. For someone like me who has an interest in both Iran and the railways it's great to see a mention of Iranian railways here, a very interesting system both historically and...
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    Berlin to Szczecin

    May I suggest you look up a travel planner ( bahn.de/en ) and Google Maps for the station location before further inquiries.
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    Why are French trains so poor?

    Worth mentioning there is no longer one SNCF, but three: SNCF Mobilités, the incumbent TOC; SNCF Réseau, the infrastructure manager; and La SNCF (often referred to as "EPIC de tête"), the "holding" company which is in charge of HR, strategy, etc... I put holding in brackets as all three...
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    Why are French trains so poor?

    No reason why not, technically there is no distinction between LGVs and conventional lines, they are all part of the RFN (Réseau Ferré National) and subject to the same T&Cs as defined in SNCF Réseau's network statement (available in English here...
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    Why are French trains so poor?

    All conventionné services, ie. TER, TET (marketed as Intercités) and Transilien/RER are subsidised by the relevant public authority. There are no longer any "conventionné" TGVs, the Brive - Lille service used to be, but it was withdrawn in 2016. Some individual TGV services are of course...
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    Why are French trains so poor?

    Marché "non conventionné" refers to all non-subsidised services, currently 99% of which are TGVs, the rest being the auto-train services, the odd Intercités 100% Eco services and obviously charters... CQFD as we say in french ;)
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    Why are French trains so poor?

    Interesting debate! As someone who has worked for the french railways, and has good knowledge of the British system, I would agree in some ways with the OP. The flagship long-distance high-speed are the pride and joy of SNCF Mobilités, and as such are second to none in Europe on many levels...
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    Athens by rail?

    They did indeed, the Hellas-Express 1989 composition was made up of a mix of DB, JŽ and OSE carriages according to the archives of the ever useful vagonweb.cz website: http://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?rok=1989&id=390&lang=en And here is the compostion of the Attika in 1991, complete with...
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    RIC coaches

    Coaches complying with the RIC (Regolamento Internazionale delle Carrozze) have been built very recently, notably the WLABmz sleeping cars for the Russian Railways by Siemens (2011-2015) and the Bmpz/Bpmz coaches for RegioJet and Astra Transcarpatic by Astra Vagoane. The standard is nevertheless...
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    Eurostar Delayed By Four Hours Due To Drunk Passengers

    If only the UK was part of the Schengen area... :roll:
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    CIV-protected fares for the Caledonian Sleeper

    Hi all, Would anyone be able to advise me where I could purchase the special CIV-protected fares for a trip from LNE (London International CIV) to Inverness on the sleeper? Here's an example: http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=LNE&dest=INV&rte=345&tkt=SBE I've called both the Sleeper...
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    German and or Continental Coupling

    They all do, even the most recent series, as this picture taken only last week proves: https://twitter.com/QBareille/status/824305647651065856 (brand new trailers awaiting delivery) The standard coupling comes is useful during the assembly process as the trailers are built in Aytré (near La...
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    Przemyl (PL)-Lviv (UA) without gauge change?

    I was curious about that too, the answer seems to be line 92 ( https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linia_kolejowa_nr_92 via Google translate ), a broad gauge line linking Przemyśl with the border, that runs alongside the standard gauge line. If OpenStreetMaps is to be trusted, the line on the right of...
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    SNCF Loco hauled

    Hope all has gone well up to now! I just wanted to add that the Strasbourg - Paris Est Intercité 100% éco doesn't use couchette stock but rather the spare Line 4 (Paris - Troyes - Belfort) daytime Corail set... It usually is BB26000 hauled though, with very occasional BB15000 substitutions I...

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