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DB through the tunnel this year?

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How will this work at Brussels-Midi? The E* platforms (and associated passport controls, holding areas etc) are dead-end, and somewhat separate from the main station. Will passengers be able to leave/join the train at Brussels in both directions? Or could this in fact be a non-station-stop, just a stop for splitting the units?

Thought about this, too. At Brussels, reckon DB passengers boarding a London bound ICE, will use the existing Eurostar check points, then the Thalys-Eurostar shortcuts passageways to join the train on the through Thalys platforms.
 
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Peter Mugridge

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If there is any increase in "through Bruxelle" services from London ( remembering that Eurostar have their eye on Amsterdam as well ) then I wonder if the adjoining platform might become dedicated to such services?

They'll need more space in the lounge and security zone though won't they? It can barely cope with the volumes using Eurostar as it is...
 

jopsuk

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The ICE looks quite smart in St Pancras, seems to have a awful lot of pantographs, I only saw half the train and counted 4, each pan is opposite each other on opposing coaches i- how many pantographs do they have and how many do they use in normal service?
Perhaps have seperate AC and DC pantographs, and then have two of each per set?
 

starrymarkb

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Perhaps have seperate AC and DC pantographs, and then have two of each per set?

Yes, Both the NS and SNCB (can't remember the dutch initials) classic networks are DC, Eurostars also have DC Pantos for operating on the Classic Belgian network (and on some SNCF sets on the French Classic Network for Ski Trains), IIRC in the Netherlands ICEs need both DC Pantos raised because of the high currents drawn under 1500V (Current = Power/Voltage)

Also there are 3 flavours of ICE3 - Cl403 is IIRC 15kV only and Cl406 is the Multisystem version, There is a further subclass of units with TVM, ETCS and KVB and spoilers for operating in France
 
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jamesontheroad

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Thought about this, too. At Brussels, reckon DB passengers boarding a London bound ICE, will use the existing Eurostar check points, then the Thalys-Eurostar shortcuts passageways to join the train on the through Thalys platforms.

Ah, thanks. Didn't know such passageways existed.
 
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I think I am correct in saying that the ICE does not need to stop to be split, please do correct me if I am wrong but I'm sure this does happen in Germany.
 

Electrostar

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Eurostar took both the front and back cover of tonight's Evening Standard tonadvertise their service connections to Amsterdam and Cologne. The paper provided just a brief report towards the back of the paper about today's DB debut. Earlier in the day their website featured a photo of the rear of the ICE with its coupling cover raised and extra tail lights. I guess this showed off the unit a little better than the Eurotunnel locos pulling it from the front. Are there any pictures of the Eurotunnel locos? Did they uncouple prior to reaching St Pancras, run round and push the ICE's in?
 

TGV

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The ICE looks quite smart in St Pancras, seems to have a awful lot of pantographs, I only saw half the train and counted 4, each pan is opposite each other on opposing coaches i- how many pantographs do they have and how many do they use in normal service?

Depends on the voltage running. There are 2 AC ones (depending on direction running - like a Pendolino), same for the 3kV DC pans and there are additional ones of the same so that under 1.5kV, 2 are raised at any one time.
 

jon0844

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Do you think someone should tell this lady that the train doesn't start until 2013?

Woman-Waits-for-ICE-St-Pancras.jpg

:D
 

EWS 58038

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I'm sure it was GEC Alsthom, but they dropped the GEC and removed the H?
They did after the company went bust and was re-enacted by the French minister of finance.... Nicolas Sarcozy...

That's why there is such a war between Eurotunnel/Eurostar/DB/Germany in one hand and the French state on the other.
The frogs have challenged Eurostar and the battle will be fought in European court... who has no time for this kind of nonsense as they are far more busy deciding how long and how green a cucumber has to be...
 

WestCoast

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You're telling me an ICE rides smoother than a TGV carriage...

I disagree 100%.

Perhaps, but the ICE, in my opinion, is so much better looking than the TGV. It's so streamlined and the "panorama lounges" are fantastic! :D Best train in Europe if you ask me, shame the Velaro D will not feature the lounges (but they would not be acceptable for the Channel Tunnel anyway).
 

TGV

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Perhaps, but the ICE, in my opinion, is so much better looking than the TGV. It's so streamlined and the "panorama lounges" are fantastic! :D Best train in Europe if you ask me, shame the Velaro D will not feature the lounges (but they would not be acceptable for the Channel Tunnel anyway).

I think Pendolinos are "better looking" than an HST, but I know which one I'd rather travel in.

I agree the Velaro looks good from an aesthetic point of view - all swoopy and curvy, but they look too fat too me. They make the wheels look tiny - like some kind of toy train. Inside there is a good bit more headroom, but nowhere near as much extra width as you'd think over a UK gauge train.

The things I prefer about TGV design are powercars and trailers over distributed traction - as I do in ANY train (HST vs Voyager for example) and the fact it uses articulated bogies vs the traditional type which I think is a better solution for very high speed running.
 

Goldfish62

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Fantastic train and great to see it in the UK. Although the ride quality of the TGV is hard to better I think the ICE has a superior overall ambience and level of comfort.
 

Chester025

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Eurostar took both the front and back cover of tonight's Evening Standard tonadvertise their service connections to Amsterdam and Cologne. The paper provided just a brief report towards the back of the paper about today's DB debut. Earlier in the day their website featured a photo of the rear of the ICE with its coupling cover raised and extra tail lights. I guess this showed off the unit a little better than the Eurotunnel locos pulling it from the front. Are there any pictures of the Eurotunnel locos? Did they uncouple prior to reaching St Pancras, run round and push the ICE's in?

It was dragged to St Pancras using two of those 'Krupp' things used when the Eurostars hit a farce last.
 

blackfive460

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Nice to get to see it in London today but many thanks go to EMT's gateline staff for allowing people through for photographs with no fuss or bother. Very much appreciated.
 

jon0844

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I couldn't get over how big the train seemed compared to the Eurostar trains. I just wish I'd found a way to blag my way into the party, which presumably went on into the evening?
 

tripleseis

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Loads of press, DB staff and others when I was there around 3pm. They were getting ready for a press conference on the platform. I didn't hang around to watch but I did take some pics.

DSCF0079.jpg DSCF0081.jpg DSCF0082.jpg DSCF0085.jpg DSCF0088.jpg DSCF0089.jpg DSCF0093.jpg DSCF0095.jpg DSCF0099.jpg DSCF0102.jpg

It was great seeing a DB ICE train in London and I wonder what John Betjeman would think of all this:

DSCF0097.jpg
 
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