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March 22nd

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Where 58's still operate in commercial service...
The day after my birthday, a horoscope told me, today prommissed to be a disaster.....
Well.... Lucky for me that I never believed those stupid things ;)

Today was perfect....

Spotted a ACTS Class 58 in perfect light conditions, A diverted coal train with 3 red class 6400 loco's, a special ECS run to Germany with 17 coaches and many more....

Pictures can be found here
 
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R

RailUK Forums

Joined
25 Aug 2005
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274
Location
Where 58's still operate in commercial service...
It is the "I love Betuweroute" sticker. 3 large private freight operators in holland ( ACTS, ERS Railways, Rail4Chem ) have joined forces to protest against the "Betuweroute" freight corridor. The goverment wants to get ALL freight trains over that route... or a part of it. Nice... but the biggest problem is the signalling system on the line, ECTS level 1. There are NO loco's in Holland fitted with this signalling equipment. And the TOC's now have to buy these systems wich cost about 150.000 EURO (around 100.000 UK Pound) per locomotive. And if you have 20 or more loco's..... Point is... the price is to high for freight operators. Even Railion the biggest freight operator won't buy the onboard systems.

The Operators are well willing to operate on the "Betuweroute" under THEIR conditions, and that includes a free installation of the systems, becouse the goverment want them to use the new line. They didn't choose for using it.

"I love Betuweroute" is meant sarcastically.......

The "Betuweroute" will be used by TOWrail... a company of Angeltrains.
 

Dennis

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Oh dear, sounds like the UK is not the only country where the cost of 'safety' is an issue then. The cost of ECTS is seen as too high in the UK and I don't think it will be used here (except in limited trials) for a good few years despite interoperability requirements. I think ECTS was also abandoned in Switzerland as it was found to be unreliable.

Is the reason for forcing all freight down one route because of the amount of passenger traffic on the other routes?
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Where 58's still operate in commercial service...
Officially: NO
But ehh..... YES

There is simply no space on our network for freight trains anymore.... Almost all main routes are upgraded to 4 tracks... all junctions are Fly-over today. And with the proposed new timetable by NS for 2007 and later..... then there is not even space for special trains / museum trains.
 

Dennis

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8 Aug 2005
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2,676
Location
Trowbridge
I remember seeing those last year...I was thinking of in the future, any more likely?
 
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