Railway General Knowledge.

[DerekC]

Now declared open floor

 

[Calthrop]

Which West Indian islands, or nations thereon (we're thinking strictly "islands", not places anywhere on the continental land-mass of the Americas) have, or have had, public commercial passenger railways? Please name five -- or more, if you like.

 

[theageofthetra]

Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba, Puerto Rico (Metro) , Aruba(tramway) Dominican Republic (Metro in Santo Domingo), St Kitts scenic railway for a start. In fact you struggle to find an island that didn't have a passenger rail system of some sort!

 

[Calthrop]

theageofthetra, I might mildly dispute with you over a couple of fine points; and being a dinosaur, I wasn't thinking about modern Metros (though they perfectly fulfil the "public commercial passenger railways" condition) -- in any case, you've named a satisfying number of locations chiming in with my archaic notions ! It's your tropical paradise on which to promote railed-transport enterprise...

 

[DerekC]

It's your tropical paradise on which to promote railed-transport enterprise...

Oh - the Isle of Wight, then! (Sorry, not my floor)

 

[martinsh]

you can add Barbados to the above list

 

[Calthrop]

you can add Barbados to the above list

And Haiti; and (marginally) Curacao -- internal-combustion-operated tram route for about 10 years in early 20th century. (theageofthetra, if I wasn't fully clear -- your answer correct, it's your floor !)

 

[theageofthetra]

Which still standing rail record was achieved and then broken by two neighbouring countries rail systems just over 2 years apart.

 

[DerekC]

I think we might need a clue for this one. I am going to guess France and Germany but I have no idea what the record is.

 

[theageofthetra]

I think we might need a clue for this one. I am going to guess France and Germany but I have no idea what the record is.

The record is not speed related. You are in the correct part of the world but wrong countries. The record was broken, then re broken in the last 25 years

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Is it something to do with the highest railway station, and the two countries are Switzerland and Austria?

 

[krus_aragon]

Is it something to do with the highest railway station, and the two countries are Switzerland and Austria?

If they're that high, maybe instead of greatest speed they could tie for greatest acceleration (9.81m/s^2) :P

 

[DerekC]

If they're that high, maybe instead of greatest speed they could tie for greatest acceleration (9.81m/s^2) :P

Hmm - a bungee jumping train? But then as you say they would tie and the record can't have changed hands so that can't be right.

Ah - now Switzerland claims the slowest express train in the world. Could it be that this title used to belong to Austria - or even maybe Italy?

 

[theageofthetra]

Nothing to do with altitude or any kind of speed/acceleration

 

[DerekC]

I think it must be the record for the longest passenger train. Currently held by Belgium but previously by the Netherlands.

 

[theageofthetra]

I think it must be the record for the longest passenger train. Currently held by Belgium but previously by the Netherlands.

Thats it. The Belgian one was done to raise money for a local cancer charity.

I must admit I thought the Florida auto train was longer than all of them but I suppose for the record all the vehicles other than the locomotives must be capable of carrying passengers- most of the Florida one's length are the car carriers.

Your never mind the length feel the quality floor..

 

[DerekC]

I can see regular trains from four main line passenger operators and two London Underground lines. Where am I standing?

 

[krus_aragon]

I can see regular trains from four main line passenger operators and two London Underground lines. Where am I standing?

My first (obsequious) thought was "next to a telescope on the International Space Station", but you'd be floating there, not standing.

 

[DerekC]

My first (obsequious) thought was "next to a telescope on the International Space Station", but you'd be floating there, not standing.

Well yes, and if you panned your telescope round a bit you would be able to see trains from a lot more than four operators!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I can see regular trains from four main line passenger operators and two London Underground lines. Where am I standing?

Anywhere between Paddington and Westbourne Park:

Great Western
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Connect
Chiltern

Hammersmith and City Line
Circle Line

 

[martinsh]

In the grounds of Northwick Park Hospital, where Aylesbury line crosses over the WCML

Chiltern
London Midland
Southern
Virgin West Coast

Metropolitan
Bakerloo

Also London Overground and Caledonian sleeper ...

 

[DerekC]

Anywhere between Paddington and Westbourne Park:

Great Western
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Connect
Chiltern

Hammersmith and City Line
Circle Line

A very good shot although not the location I had in mind - I thought Chiltern only ran this way in exceptional circumstances.

In the grounds of Northwick Park Hospital, where Aylesbury line crosses over the WCML

Chiltern
London Midland
Southern
Virgin West Coast

Metropolitan
Bakerloo

Also London Overground and Caledonian sleeper ...

Spot on - and you are right, there are more TOCs than I thought. I did think of Caledonian Sleeper but thought this was a bit unfair. However I completely forgot Southern. Anyway, your floor.

 

[martinsh]

What claim to fame does "Hercules" an 0-4-0ST of the Ystalyfera Tinplate Works have ?

 

[theageofthetra]

What claim to fame does "Hercules" an 0-4-0ST of the Ystalyfera Tinplate Works have ?

Wasn't it the inspiration for Percy the small engine?- think the Awdrey story of him being attached to a passenger train & going too fast came (as with all his stories) of a real life incident involving this loco?

 

[martinsh]

Wasn't it the inspiration for Percy the small engine?- think the Awdrey story of him being attached to a passenger train & going too fast came (as with all his stories) of a real life incident involving this loco?

Err, No. Nowhere near in fact.

What I'm looking for is connected with the subsequent history of this loco.

 

[DerekC]

"Hercules" eventually joined BR as locomotive No.1. Sadly he was scrapped in 1954 - the story should have a better ending!

 

[theageofthetra]

Err, No. Nowhere near in fact.

What I'm looking for is connected with the subsequent history of this loco.

I know it joined BR as No 1 but it was towed from the industrial site behind a rake of coaches & I am sure this lead to the Awdrey story.

 

[martinsh]

"Hercules" eventually joined BR as locomotive No.1. Sadly he was scrapped in 1954 - the story should have a better ending!

That's what I was looking for.

Your obscure tank loco

 

[DerekC]

This one should be easy, I think:

When the London & Birmingham Railway bought land for its "Euston Extension" in 1835, why did they acquire sufficient for four tracks?

 

[Calthrop]

This one should be easy, I think:

When the London & Birmingham Railway bought land for its "Euston Extension" in 1835, why did they acquire sufficient for four tracks?

Would this be because of the relative feebleness of the steam loco when that device was very new -- making it necessary initially on the L & B, for cable haulage on the incline between Euston, and the point where loco haulage could be switched to (Chalk Farm?) -- the cable set-up requiring more tracks than the loco-hauled one?