Keith Fender
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DB Class 111 electrics locos losing passenger work in southern Germany
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MAJOR changes to operating contracts in southern Germany on June 9 mean Go-Ahead’s German subsidiary is now operating multiple routes from Stuttgart, replacing DB Regio push-pull trains. Abellio also took over routes in the area on the same day, and more routes will switch from DB in December. For the German national operator, the changes…
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Berlin’s new S-Bahn trains on test runs
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THE first new EMU for the Berlin S Bahn system in more than 20 years was presented to the media in test runs at the Siemens test centre at Wildenrath in April. A consortium of Siemens and Stadler is building 106 new EMUs (382 coaches in total) for the Berlin S-Bahn network. Eighty-five four-car Class…
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New Stadler diesel locos for Bolivia taking shape
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STADLER is building three metre-gauge, six-axle diesel locos for Bolivian freight operator FCA. The loco’s design – known as the ‘South America Light’ – is based on the earlier Euro Light model (supplied to DRS as the Class 68). The three locos will be moved by sea this summer to the Chilean end of the…
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A railway in BARBADOS AGAIN
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The tiny independent nation of Barbados has an operating railway once more after a gap of more than 80 years. Keith Fender and Glen Beadon look at the Caribbean island’s troubled railway history and the development of the latest venture. BARBADOS’ first female Prime Minister, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, opened a rebuilt railway on the…
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Boston’s historic high-speed line cars to be replaced?
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THE long-term future of Boston’s Mattapan to Ashmont high-speed line Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) tramcars is in doubt. They were built in 1945/46 and are the oldest passenger vehicles in continuous regular public transport service in the USA. Boston area transport authority MBTA is now consulting on possible replacements for the vehicles, which are almost…
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Italian Caimano to lose passenger work
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ITALIAN Railways (Trenitalia) has been slowly withdrawing its Class 656 Bo-Bo-Bo locos for several years. The 4,200kW 3kV DC locos were officially nicknamed ‘Caimano’ (after caiman or alligators), and 461 were built between 1975 and 1989. Around half were later converted to freight-only Class 655. These are also now being replaced by more modern locos.…
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Steam heat returns (briefly) to main line in Spain
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STEAM-heated mainline trains are now almost extinct across Europe but for a few days in late-January a charter train in Spain re-created the old atmosphere. UK rail holiday operator PTG Tours celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first rail tour by running the train in Spain. It was operated by open access operator ALSA Rail,…
