Cheshire Scot
Established Member
Returning to the subject of short InterCity loco hauled trains, way back in the mid 70's I recall seeing the TEE 'Merkur' depart Copenhagen formed of just two first class coaches behind a diesel loco (can't remember which class), the restaurant car and further first class coaches only being added after the short consist had left the Train Ferry at Puttgarden.
Continuing with the Danish Train Ferry theme, the DSB shunt locos (much smaller than the Calbrian/Sicilian examples) were coupled directly to the stock and shunted on an off the ferries on the three routes I used, but my biggest surprise came on a Great Belt crossings from Nyborg to Korsor when, having left some coaches in Nyborg the Copenhagen portion of the train, short enough to not need to be split to fit on the ferry deck - I recall five or maybe six coaches, on arrival at Korsor the train loco reversed down the link span and coupled onto the coahces, brake test and away, up the linkspan, through the yards and next stop Copenhagen. On refelction perhaps not surprising as these ferries had carried the Lyntog sets where the power car was effectively a loco, so the design of the ferry and link spans reflected the need to support such weights.
Continuing with the Danish Train Ferry theme, the DSB shunt locos (much smaller than the Calbrian/Sicilian examples) were coupled directly to the stock and shunted on an off the ferries on the three routes I used, but my biggest surprise came on a Great Belt crossings from Nyborg to Korsor when, having left some coaches in Nyborg the Copenhagen portion of the train, short enough to not need to be split to fit on the ferry deck - I recall five or maybe six coaches, on arrival at Korsor the train loco reversed down the link span and coupled onto the coahces, brake test and away, up the linkspan, through the yards and next stop Copenhagen. On refelction perhaps not surprising as these ferries had carried the Lyntog sets where the power car was effectively a loco, so the design of the ferry and link spans reflected the need to support such weights.