Fancy a cab ride?

[Polarbear]

I spotted this on the internet the other day. A great idea if you have the money...

http://www.goldenpass.ch/CMS/default.asp?ID=757

Ride in the cab with the driver
Not your average train ride!


What would you say to accompanying a GoldenPass Panoramic driver in the cab of a series 6000 or 8000 locomotive? Now your dream can come true!


Feel the power of the engine as it pulls the train up to the Saanenmöser pass or the Col-de-Jaman.

One wonders why some UK operators couldn't do this on some of our more scenic lines?

 

[gazthomas]

Very civilised!

 

[317666]

The Rhätische Bahn also used to offer something like this on their website, although I now can't find it. It also seemed to mention being allowed to have a turn at the controls, and the fact that it was considerably more expensive than the one listed in the OP hints at this too. That said, it may have been incorrectly translated.

It looks like they do still offer the option of a ride on board their steam-powered snowplough though! http://www.rhb.ch/Steam-snowplough-rides.2291.0.html?&L=4

 

[33056]

The Rhätische Bahn also used to offer something like this on their website, although I now can't find it.

Still available click me , listed under the "Discover Graubünden" section rather than "Railway Experiences".

If you want something cheaper then try Austria on the "Leiser Berge" between Korneuburg and Ernstbrunn €50 with steam and €25 with diesel in addition to the ticket price. This only runs Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays until 31st October though.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Or take charge of a scheduled steam train in Poland, something I'd like to do assuming the linespeeds are over 25mph!

http://www.thewolsztynexperience.org/footplating.php

Imagine something in the UK, for £600 take charge of a HST from Paddington to Bristol and back in service. Hell I'd pay that!!!

 

[notadriver]

I'm glad cab rides in the UK aren't readily available to be purchased and the thought of an amateur at the controls of an HST on the main line as part of some sort of train driving experience fills me with fear.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

The thought of that wouldn't cross my mind, being that trained staff would be at the front with you. Same would go for driving a mainline steam loco in Poland for the first time, so many things could go wrong especially with a kettle, but there's trained staff up front anyway.

What makes you say that you are glad there is no cab rides available to purchase in the UK out of interest? What makes it different compared to other countries offering the same thing?

 

[rmt4ever]

Or take charge of a scheduled steam train in Poland, something I'd like to do assuming the linespeeds are over 25mph!

http://www.thewolsztynexperience.org/footplating.php

Imagine something in the UK, for £600 take charge of a HST from Paddington to Bristol and back in service. Hell I'd pay that!!!

I can think of ten million things id rather spend £600 on.

Let members of the public ride the trains, and professionally trained drivers drive em

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I can think of ten million things id rather spend £600 on.

Let members of the public ride the trains, and professionally trained drivers drive em

To be fair so can I, but with lottery winnings I'd willingly spend money to drive a mainline steam loco in service, but if I had to save for it, I'd save £600 to drive a mainline diesel instead so that I didn't have to save more to travel to Poland (It costs £600 just for a shunting experience!)

We have some good safety systems here, unsure why the UK is obsessed with H&S, and why other countries are like 'yeah come in the cab' or 'why not drive this train without experience?'

Just saying by the way, I know nothings going to change, but I would spend £600 on that, like other people would like to spend £600 on something they like. I didn't say it should be implemented ASAP, I can dram ya know

 

[Temple Meads]

I can think of ten million things id rather spend £600 on.

I can't..

But then I'm a slightly mad railway enthusiast, which judging from your posts, you aren't.

Horses for courses and all that. (plus it's highly unlikely to ever happen in the UK of course)

 

[notadriver]

I can't..

But then I'm a slightly mad railway enthusiast, which judging from your posts, you aren't.

Horses for courses and all that. (plus it's highly unlikely to ever happen in the UK of course)

I personally wouldn't pay £600 to drive a train or ride in the cab of one. But I'm into railways.

 

[eastwestdivide]

SBB offer cab rides too, on their ETR610 one way and an Re460 the other. Only CHF785 or £550-ish.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holida...andsfahrten-fuehrerstandsfahrten_etr_610.html

(or search for "driver" on the SBB site in English)

 

[themiller]

SBB offer cab rides too, on their ETR610 one way and an Re460 the other. Only CHF785 or £550-ish.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holida...andsfahrten-fuehrerstandsfahrten_etr_610.html

(or search for "driver" on the SBB site in English)

Did that one in July this year - quite an experience especially going through the Loetschberg Base Tunnel (the fastest part of the trip at 200kph). You need some knowledge of French or German to understand the guide who is a retired driver. The best way of dong the route is from Berne at 1310(ish) as the Re460 is at the leading end of the Brig section on a rake of double stock with a driving coach at the rear so if you do the trip from Lausanne you'll be in a driving coach from Brig with the loco propelling. See the link under for this and other SBB offers:
http://www.sbb.ch/content/sbb/en/de...ipItem=railway_adventures&recommendation=desc
Also BLS are doing cab-rides from Berne over the classic Loetschberg route to Brig in a RABe535. See the link for details:
http://www.bls.ch/d/reisen-ausfluege/ausfluege-fuehrerstand.php

 

[notadriver]

I think I've seriously under estimated how much people want a cab ride!

 

[themiller]

I spotted this on the internet the other day. A great idea if you have the money...

http://www.goldenpass.ch/CMS/default.asp?ID=757





One wonders why some UK operators couldn't do this on some of our more scenic lines?

On this same line (GoldenPass) you can reserve a front seat at the front of the 'Panoramic Express' trains which ply the same route every day. It costs extra (though not as much as a cab-ride) but you actually sit in front of the driver whose cab is elevated with a corridor past it at one side. Because of his position, the driver depends for visibility on video cameras mounted on the sides of the driving coach. The loco is in the middle of the coaching stock on these services.

 

[Squaddie]

On this same line (GoldenPass) you can reserve a front seat at the front of the 'Panoramic Express' trains which ply the same route every day. It costs extra (though not as much as a cab-ride) but you actually sit in front of the driver whose cab is elevated with a corridor past it at one side.

I've done this a couple of times and I think the view is actually better than it would be from the driver's cab - and I think it was only an additional 15 francs (£11) on top of the first class fare. There are two rows of seats at the very front of the train, with the second row elevated above the front row so everyone gets a view.

 

[bronzeonion]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iyfD9q6mSEU/Tu3mWeV74FI/AAAAAAAAAq4/M7AbQWyIIa8/s1600/Odakyu10000.JPG Reminds me of the Odakyu 'Romance Car'