Ireland's railway expansion and new Stock!

 Re-opining old lines with re-fits and the new 9000 Stock? 

Ireland is moving on with many improvements and connections to its system, the re-building of Kent street station in Cork city and the line open to Middleton has brought more business!

Meanwhile the line from Limerick to Galway, via Shannon airport also much ease and options to travel without the need of roads and now moving on to Galway via Taum for Clairemorris another new connection.

But it is the ageing stock on the DART Dublin area rapid transport that needs upgrading with the new trains to replace the German and Japanese stock!

Battery and Electric Engines?

Ending fossil fuels Pollution!

It not if, but when and the faster these new technologies are implemented the better for all with breathing problems in our large cities! Poland is leading in the field at the moment with their lithium battery vehicles that are being introduced right across the board in public transport, postal delivery and many other service areas!

These new fleets are cutting down fossil fuels carbon emissions and improving the air quality, but more has to be done and one idea is the introduction of classic or vintage vehicle conversions to electric?

The infrastructure and the demand has to be there to meet the need, but as we see that Diesel is now not safe and is being withdrawn hopefully battery and electric will replace more and more and perhaps an enticement would be to keep the prices lower so that ordinary folk could be encouraged to make the changes?

The Railways 2018. One.

Improvements?

Every nation in the world this year will be making or trying to make improvements to its railways infrastructure, wither it is new stock, new expanded or changed railway track layouts, signalling or ticket operations and security?

We can only go forward with technology and with comfort, many countries will not focus to much on safety but will rather make some changes somewhere within their remit? Others may do little or nothing to what they already have or they will cut back in place of buses and coach travel for one reason or another!

The battery train looks promising over the demise of Diesel and electric over that of the same and steam, this is the future for modern railways! But it is not the end for some countries who as yet cannot afford this or are stuck and have to make do with their existing parameters?

Railways Future. Part-Two.

Hauling, remains Profitable!

It will be a long time before humanity gives up on its railways, because both passenger travel and the hauling of goods remains big business? We may faster express trains and much improved commuter stock go from the western world to the developing world, but freight may remain the same  with some increased speed and line signalling improvements?

The United States of America, Canada, Australia, Russia, China and Brazil are huge land masses, where the train has come into its own value. Locomotion demands four plus engines to pull two mile long trains through swamp, desert, forestry and ice. The exploration for minerals, fossil fuels and precious metals and stones demands specialist equipment to be supplied.

Some of this can be done without rails, but rails are much faster and direct with telecommunications and eventually gas and oil pipelines marking the almost same route. New towns and cities will also be built along side the new railways, even the remotest places?

The Snow Plough.

Roads and Rail.

Basically this is a shovel fitted to trucks and locomotives to push soft snow to one side, but these ploughs could also be employed for pushing sand after a storm. The need for this goes back at least two hundred years, with the onset of the the invention of the engine the design has not changed much!

Today the idea of blowing both snow and sand has been added to snow plough or for sand removal. Railways suffer greatly from such obstacles and from wet leaves that can be the cause of both slippage and derailment. Various forms of weed killer and spray trains have also been designed, along with the removal of dust and rubbish in Metro and underground systems world wide,

Switzerland and Italy have lead the way in these specialist type trains and the British in Metro cleaning systems.

Modelling. Part-One.

Closest to the Subject.

For many people today the world of modelling allows one to get close to the subject of their interest, wither it be aircraft, space, submarines or missiles. Most of us will see real trains everyday, with shipping and vehicles at easy access to photograph or film.

But the model allows us that chance to have a closer look at the detailing that has gone into the engineering of a machine. Scale, what is the best?

I think it is easier for younger folk to work with the smaller scales, because they are fiddly. Larger scales such as 1:48/35/32 and 25 are perhaps the best for adults and us who are getting a bit older. Detailing of these kits are much easier, especially if ones hands shake.

There is such a variety of model making kits now available from plastic, to metal and of course some can create from just matchsticks.

High Speed Trains. Part-Two.

The Future for Every Nation?

It would seem to be the most popular idea today that every nation should have their own version of the well known and established high speed trains, but is this really possible? 

Larger countries have the space and the need for this type of travel, because their remain many people with a fear of flying that demand ground speed and comforts.

But some countries do not have the ability or the present need for such systems and perhaps never will have either? The Channel Tunnel between Great Britain has demanded that the European network be extended into HS2, thus connection Scotland and Wales with European cities. Similar projects have worked for Denmark and Sweden, but at this time both Turkey and Ireland, Iceland and Finland are exempt from being connected.

Many nations have done their own things and are perhaps behind in speed, rather than length of track age and perhaps see no need for anything further at the moment. 

Freight perhaps will benefit from high speed, over the vast inland areas of Africa, Asia, Australia and the American continents, but they will not be replacing cargo shipping.

Freezers. Part-One.

Advancement for Humanity.

The ability to freeze goods has given the world a great advantage, perhaps one of the biggest in human history. 

Today we have freezers on aircraft, shipping, fishing trawlers, factories and trucks both road and rail cars. Meanwhile various types of goods from meats to flowers can now cross thousands of miles and arrive fresh the same day.

Prior to the invention of the refrigerator ice and cool boxes were it and food could not really be moved very far or kept very long. Flowers really had to be picked fresh and many other things eaten with in at least 24 hours.

Easter Weekend Attractions.

Steam fairs to Vintage displays.

Many people around the globe this weekend are going to perhaps attend some kind of event, which has been laid on for the Easter holidays. From vintage trains, specials, fairs, displays, regattas and so the lists can go on and on.

I wonder what we are going out to see may be the best of that has survived time or the rare, the one offs. What ever it is, I hope you have a good time and enjoy riding, filming, photographing or just watching.

Tomorrows classics today are already being marked out for the collectors clubs and collections and their are still many types of machines that await restoration or to be purchased. But what was not able to be saved and what has been lost, perhaps due to lack of part?

The reason for these biog posts are to encourage anyone out their to do something, even if it is just maintaining your lawnmower, and any other machine. But it is also to come up with new ideas or adaptions of older one. 

Many Thanks and a Happy Easter.

Railways.

Trains.

In the recent months we have seen three major train accidents in France, Spain and Switzerland. Speed was one of the key factors, but there was also human failure and bad track maintenance involved. We have asked the question before is speed essential, people today do seem to want to get from A to Z quickly?

Railways since they were created have become an essential life line for all the nations around the world who have them. Locomotives, wither steam, diesel or electric do not matter as long as they work. But it is still human error and negligence over speed issues and will to repair tracks that are and will continue to lead to failure, leading to accidents and deaths sadly.

High Speed Rail.

From Bullet Train to ?

Most modern countries around the world today have developed their own version of a high speed concept train. France TGV, Germany, ICE and Japan the 'bullet and newer versions of it.

The UK plans to build a high speed dedicated network from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, with much controversy. 

The question to be asked, are these projects viable for everyone? Is speed essential and what about the movement of freight? 

Meanwhile many countries will have to continue with their current express trains.

'Take the Train.'

Railways.

I wonder how many people today still use the train to travel long distances. Back in the 1950's it was really the hey day od travel in the U.S. Rail travel was going from A to B or Z in style. But today modern trains are fast and design of style has been lost.

Around the world train travel continues at very different paces from country to country. Diesels rule more so than steam and electric, because they are cheaper to buy and build. Many nations do not have a commuter service and rely on a regular train probably only one a day.

Railways and trains will continue to be around for a long time yet, because for many developing nations they are a life line in communications.

The Paris Metro. Part-One.

A different system.

The French do things differently from everyone else, that is why they are noted for their style and taste. This also applies to the Paris Metro system, which has always been much more of a tramway, than a train network. 

Over the last thirty years it has moved away in some aspects from a track based system to that of rubberized wheels, making it unique in that sense.


The network is large for a capital city, it has gradually been modernized, but the old style has been kept and enhanced where needs be.

Doclands light railway. Part-Two.

The East-London DLR.

With the first phase of the DLR completed, it was decided to extend it to the city of London. This was done by digging a tunnel from just before the Tower Gateway station to the Bank, so the first tunnel was constructed on the system.

A second line was then proposed from island gardens to Mudchute Lane, eventually connecting with Stratford. Initially this would cause problems for the Popular depot, but as the building proceeded it improved. The rolling stock was tram like, it was both clean and efficient and a breath of fresh air to London.

Today the system has a loop line at Popular connecting Stratford to Bank and has been extended under the River Thames first to Greenwich and then on to Lewisham in south-London. Another branch takes the line further east to the Beckton loop and another new depot. This line gives a connection to London City airport.

The line now extends through a second Thames tunnel to Woolwich, deep into SE-London. The system also has introduced new stock, were you can walk the whole length of any train. It is not known if there will be any further extension in the future, but there is enough there for it to grow, if needs be.

Is speed essential?

The world seems to be getting faster by the day, with technology and travel. Is it time for us to continue in this way or should we just slow down with travelling from A to B? 

With the worlds economic crises and the desire by many for a more friendly environment, is it time to return to some of the slower modes of 19/20th Century travel. The days of steam trains, gondola's, airships, sail ships, even the horse and coach. Perhaps we could employ bio-fuels and more solar panelling to the machines that we already so rely upon?

Enviromentally friendly.

Can we create viable environmentally friendly transport?

Are the days of the steam train over, just because they were driven by coal. Is there a future for them and the turf burners?

Or is the future to be gas. Many countries are considering hydrogen powered vehicles, but what we already have could be developed to be more cleaner and efficient?

Electric Trains.

Where are we going in the future?

What does the future hold for the electric train? Is it here to stay and will it just get faster and faster? France has its TVG, while Germany has ICE and the rest of Europe has a mixture of other high-speed stock. Today these trains are very comfortable to travel in, that is because of improved track work and the hydraulic systems employed.

But were do we go from know? Will these fast trains be replaced by the mono-rail of science-fiction or levitation trains, that do not even need rails to run on. 

The environmental issues will probably dictate the future use over long distances?

Road-Rail Vehicles.

Today the most famous road-rail vehicle is the German Mercedes-Benz Unimog truck. It is capable of several great feats, one it has a 70% gradient ability and the other on the rails it can pull or shunt up to 1300 tones.

Other vehicles that can do similar feats are the Atlas road-rail truck. Many vehicles have been adapted to do this type of work and the history of them, began with the advent of the invention of the petrol engined car. It was first the military who devised in Germany, Austria, Poland and Russia the need to build armoured trains. Some parts of these trains had armoured cars and even for a time tanks/MBT were facilitated to be used in the same manner.

Russian phased out its last armoured trains in 1992, but the use of road-rail vehicles remains.

IOW Railways.

Isle of wight railways.

Over the years the Isle of Wight  has become the retirement home for London Underground (LUL) ex-tube cars, as they are re-classified. 

Currently they have had a repaint job to fit the Jurassic Park theme, but are they really pulling in the tourist crowds? 

Many people believe that perhaps the re-introduction of steam trains would be a big money spinner, as they are on the Isle of Man, Welsh Mountain's and many other places across the UK. 

Or is it a fitting re-use for these underground cars to be kept going here as they are?

New Year 2012/13.

New Year 2012/13.

I wonder what new innovations in the world of machines will be revealed to us this year? 

Perhaps if the price of oil and other fuels continues to increase, we may have to turn back to steam trains, trucks, engines and airships? 

Is there still a viable future for such machines again? 

Hopefully engineers will be using alternative energy sources to power their new ideas and concepts.