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  1. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    I have actually heard that this isn't all too rare in England. Thankfully, it is indeed very rare in Germany. However, we're just as susceptible to foreign objects finding their way in there, which of course cause major delays too (random things during a storm, or balloons...). But for the...
  2. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    To be honest this is something I've also always wondered. So far all of the InterCity services are loco hauled by a 101 or now very rarely a 120, unless there is a replacement that uses an ICE train. the newest ICE 4 was intended to later be bought in shorter variants to make up for some...
  3. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    As far as I'm aware, diesel-hydraulic locos were built mainly to support the industry rather than it being done because it was believed to be more efficient or cheaper. I'm afraid I personally do not have GNT training but I'm in close contact to someone who drives with it daily, so if there are...
  4. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    Tilting trains use a GNT Plan, and if your GNT is active and you have a valid plan, then all line speed signals are no longer valid for you. So I think this is more of the variant that they can exceed line speed.
  5. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    The ICE-T tilts on I believe 3 routes - definitely Nürnberg - Passau, something around Würzburg (Hannover - Würzburg comes to my mind, but that might be an actual high speed line, I'm not too familiar with that area), and another route that has completely evaded my memory. There are some...
  6. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    It means that if the train is scheduled to stop, then it is safe for the restricted speed in the weichenbereich to be ended at that point. The Zugschluss has to pass the next main signal in all situations, except when there is a scheduled stop - then your speed restriction is lifted as soon as...
  7. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    Scheduled stop is me trying to translate planmäßiger Halt. As far as I know that's also the biggest difference between the Austrian and German railway in that regard - the austrians don't use it either, so it might not exist for you. It basically means if the train has a scheduled stop, i.e. at...
  8. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    I've already tried to explain this earlier in the thread. However, I am home now and could make a video about this topic if the demand is there. But in a nutshell: It depends what kind of main Signal is attached to the speed restriction. If it's an entry or 'in-bewteen' signal, then the speed is...
  9. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    Pretty much as @Fireless has said. A "H-Tafel" aka Ne 5,is where the front of the train must stop according to its length - failure to do so is technically disobeying a signal, although repurcussions for missing by a few meters are rather small. These H-Tafel are sometimes set up in questionable...
  10. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    You're very welcome! As far as I'm aware there isn't an upper age limit for Eisenbahner in Betriebsdienst, but know that most people will be young.16 - 19 seem to be the most common ages to start, although in my year there were two people in their early thirties. If you're asking this because...
  11. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    In a nutshell, that's pretty much all the areas that can be affected. Safety systems such as the PZB and SiFa (UK AWS/TPWS and DSD I believe) can fail, the horn, any kind of lights, including headlights or the lightbulbs for failure lamps in themselves could also stop working, or the various...
  12. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    A big filter of applicants is the medical and psychological tests that everyone has to go through. I think this might be identical to the UK tests, as we both end up with EU licenses (before a brexit at least) - would be great if someone could shed more light on the matter. And you're right -...
  13. BR111

    Another fatal rail crash, Bavaria, Germany (May 2018)

    I'm not sure I can answer this to be honest - I'm not signaller, but I know that Zs 1 is a lot more common than Zs 7 (which you almost only find on entry signals and a few block signals), but that if the reason for Zs 1 is due to some kind of track occupation error, then you will always...
  14. BR111

    Another fatal rail crash, Bavaria, Germany (May 2018)

    Only sections within stations. For a train to leave a station first permission must be asked from the next signalbox. The following signaller would then have to look out for the train end markers/lights and only then could the line be declared empty again.
  15. BR111

    Another fatal rail crash, Bavaria, Germany (May 2018)

    I'm late to the party, but someone linked this thread in one of mine to see what I thought of the situation. That's not how Zs 1 works. Zs 1 is used if there is a signal fault but the signaller is certain that there is nothing in there. If the signalbox still says that the track is occupied...
  16. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    There's not really a rule on that, but we are trained to brake with as few adjustments as possible, which is the most comfortable for the passengers. Freight trains have a few rules regarding how to brake but for the most part, you do it by 'feeling'. Before any journey the braking potential is...
  17. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    Drivers and on-board staff are based at passenger stations (except for Cargo - they are based at shunting yards) - the vast majority of main stations will have a driver depot, but it definitely isn't limited to that. It also depends on which area you drive. Stations that have a regional depot...
  18. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    It depends what happened. If PZB does force you to stop, after you have come to a halt you must contact the signaller and tell him what happened to ensure you haven't overlooked anything (even if you're 100% sure you know the reason and it was human error with no danger), and if both parties are...
  19. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    All of Fernverkehr, so the intercity and intercity express trains (the white ones) are not allowed to operate without other staff on board. What I believe to be translated as Conductors and the Guard (Zugbegleiter and Zugführer, aka Zugchef) take full control of door closing, and are entirely...
  20. BR111

    German driver happy to answer questions you may have on rail operation

    Correct - the EBuLa is vital to any train journey, and without some form of "Timetable" whether that be a printed version or electronic, you are not allowed to set off at all. The system even allows you to drive on routes without any route knowledge - this is only done in exceptional...

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