Nice image Bob!
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| Posted by Mike on August 28, 2006 | |
Cool shot, that is a beautiful country, but I have a question. Why are trains in the UK so short? I've never seen one longer than 30 cars, whereas in the US and Canada, consists often can reach 150+ cars. Why is that?
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In response to the above comment: Because our track layout is essentially late victorian, and virtually all land in the UK is owned by someone or other, its not like in the US where you can just put in a loop able to hold 150 cars. It's the same with the loading gauge. Most of the bridges are as old as the lines themselves and it would cost a heck of a lot of money to either raise every single bridge, or lower the trackbed. One of the problems of living on a small crowded island i guess.
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In addition, British (and indeed, Eiropean) freights have to fit in between regular passenger services at hourly or often greater frequencies, meaning frequent refuging in loops or sidings, which limits the length of trains which can be accomodated. Apart from Amtrak, most US roads have their railroads to themselves, and if it means splitting a train 2 or 3 times to get it clear of the main line, its no real problem. British freight companies are penalised financially if they delay passenger trains which enjoy absolute priority over the network. There have been attempts to run longer coal trains recently but the network's administrators, Network Rail, arenot happy because there's nowhere long enough to recess the train clear of the main line, should it be necessary. BA
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| Posted by Mike on August 31, 2006 | |
Wow, I didn't know that. Thanks guys.
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