http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4734421.stm

Can anyone say what train is in the picture here? It bares a passing 
resemblance to a SWT 444, but with a pan and 10 windows per coach. :-S

Dave wrote:

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4734421.stm
>
> Can anyone say what train is in the picture here? It bares a passing
> resemblance to a SWT 444, but with a pan and 10 windows per coach. :-S


SNCB AM96.

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/be/electric/emu/AM96/Brussels/pix.html

--
Nick

In message , at 
15:29:42 on Sat, 6 Aug 2005, D7666  remarked:

>SNCB AM96.
>
>http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/be/electric/emu/AM96/Brussels/pix.html


What's the purpose of the ugly inflatable dinghy attached to the front?

There doesn't seem to be a door, so it's not a replacement for the 
"bellows" between carriages. Is it really a device to act as all-round 
buffers if one train runs into another?
-- 
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:


> What's the purpose of the ugly inflatable dinghy attached to the front?
> 
> There doesn't seem to be a door, so it's not a replacement for the 
> "bellows" between carriages. Is it really a device to act as all-round 
> buffers if one train runs into another?


Same as on any other through-gangwayed unit, to enable passengers to 
walk between units.

The entire cab folds away and creates a walkway as I have personally 
witnessed :-)

Ta,
-- 
Rob
http://www.uicstock.org.uk/
To reply, remove zudo

In message <2IlJe.1030172$JR4.94741@fe02.news.easynews.com>, at 10:50:38 
on Sun, 7 Aug 2005, The Doctor  remarked:

>> What's the purpose of the ugly inflatable dinghy attached to the front?
>>  There doesn't seem to be a door, so it's not a replacement for the 
>>"bellows" between carriages. Is it really a device to act as all-round 
>>buffers if one train runs into another?
>
>Same as on any other through-gangwayed unit, to enable passengers to 
>walk between units.
>
>The entire cab folds away and creates a walkway as I have personally 
>witnessed :-)


Crikey. The hole hardly looks big enough though. Do you have to step 
over the lower portion of the dinghy, or does that fold away too? From 
the pictures the step is about the same height as the bottom of the 
normal door's windows.
-- 
Roland Perry

On Sat, 6 Aug 2005 23:19:09 +0100, "Dave"  wrote:


>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4734421.stm
>
>Can anyone say what train is in the picture here? It bares a passing 
>resemblance to a SWT 444, but with a pan and 10 windows per coach. :-S 


A Belgian AM96 unit.  Bombardier-built, and *very* nice indeed.
Notably, the interior panels have more than a passing resemblance to
the Voyager's - standardisation at work, perhaps.

http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/be/electric/emu/AM96/Ghent/gent2002_5.jpg

There is also a hauled coach variant.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 11:57:50 +0100, Roland Perry 
wrote:


>Crikey. The hole hardly looks big enough though. Do you have to step 
>over the lower portion of the dinghy, or does that fold away too? From 
>the pictures the step is about the same height as the bottom of the 
>normal door's windows.


These units have internal steps (142-style) for low platforms.  The
floor of the unit is roughly at the height of the gangway.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

"Neil Williams"  skrev i en meddelelse 
news:42f5f2e8.2185192@news.tesco.net...

> On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 11:57:50 +0100, Roland Perry 
> wrote:
>
>>Crikey. The hole hardly looks big enough though. Do you have to step
>>over the lower portion of the dinghy, or does that fold away too? From
>>the pictures the step is about the same height as the bottom of the
>>normal door's windows.
>
> These units have internal steps (142-style) for low platforms.  The
> floor of the unit is roughly at the height of the gangway.
>
> Neil
>
> -- 
> Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
> When replying please use neil at the above domain
> 'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.


It is built on Danish design: 
http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/dk/diesel/dmu/MF-IC3/blue-grey/pix.html

On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 16:03:03 +0200, "Anders Rytter Bach"
 wrote:


>http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/dk/diesel/dmu/MF-IC3/blue-grey/pix.html 


Now those are good units - truly comfortable with what can best be
described as armchairs.

A very British look inside, as well - the BR design panel, I'm told,
had an input, and one of the units is named after a prominent member
of said panel, with a Voyager-esque plaque inside about him.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 14:37:47 GMT, Neil Williams wrote in
, seen in uk.railway:

> On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 16:03:03 +0200, "Anders Rytter Bach"
>  wrote:
> 
> >http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/dk/diesel/dmu/MF-IC3/blue-grey/pix.html 
> 
> Now those are good units - truly comfortable with what can best be
> described as armchairs.


Lots of piccies of the Belgian versions at
<http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/be/electric/emu/AM96/pix.html>
including interior and cab pics at
<http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/be/electric/emu/AM96/cab%2Binterior/pix.html>

Note the photo showing the non-window-aligned seats. ;-)

<http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/be/electric/emu/AM96/cab%2Binterior/kortrijk2002_7.jpg>
shows the gangway between units when the cab has been "folded away".

Still think we should have a variant of these units for the UK...

-- 
Ross, Lincoln, UK

We're *not* afraid
http://www.werenotafraid.com

Ross wrote:

<snip>

>
> Still think we should have a variant of these units for the UK...
>


Too true, its up there with the Swiss EuroCity rolling stock.

Just a shame they have very few (if any now) loco-hauled coaches on the
Koln to Brussels route.

On 7 Aug 2005 08:51:30 -0700, "0.7ohm Drop Shunt"
 wrote:


>Just a shame they have very few (if any now) loco-hauled coaches on the
>Koln to Brussels route.


Indeed, though the ICEs are a worthy replacement.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

Neil Williams wrote:

> On 7 Aug 2005 08:51:30 -0700, "0.7ohm Drop Shunt"
>  wrote:
>
> >Just a shame they have very few (if any now) loco-hauled coaches on the
> >Koln to Brussels route.
>
> Indeed, though the ICEs are a worthy replacement.
>


True, they are. The Thalys units are fine, but didn't have the luggage
capacity for the numerous backpackers compared with the previous
trains.

Plus, I'm not a fan of Global Pricing, and the few available FIP
tickets per train that were provided.

Thanks for the info about the ICE's on the route, I may have to change
my plans for my next jaunt through Europe.

Anders Rytter Bach wrote:


> It is built on Danish design:



Surely it is a standard Adtranz (now Bombardier) design option
inherited from one of its constituent companies that happened to be
first used in Denmark.


ISTR it was considered at one time for UK in what later turned out to
be Turbostar / Electrostar - but there was a reason it was found to be
unsuitable. I'm sure I read this somewhere in a past magazine but don't
reacall what it was nor where I can find it right now.


--
Nick

On 7 Aug 2005 17:41:53 -0700, "D7666"  wrote:


>ISTR it was considered at one time for UK in what later turned out to
>be Turbostar / Electrostar - but there was a reason it was found to be
>unsuitable. I'm sure I read this somewhere in a past magazine but don't
>reacall what it was nor where I can find it right now.


I wouldn't be surprised if the loading gauge was a bit small - the cab
in the European variants looks quite small and with restricted
visibility.

Then again, there was a lot of initial misinformation about through
gangways that resulted in silliness like those Alstom retracting ones
that never quite worked, while every gangwayed unit since has had a
sensible "normal" gangway.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

Neil Williams wrote:


> I wouldn't be surprised if the loading gauge was a bit small - the cab
> in the European variants looks quite small and with restricted
> visibility.



It was something gauge related I am sure but it escapes me - might have
been the gauge too small to allow enough metal to meet collison
requirements around an adequate doorway but I am guessing.

Or it may have been that they could not provide for two train crew in
the central  driving position. I am not sure what the rule is on that
one now but think UK still has to cover for near enough side by side
two dirvers if necessary ?


--
Nick