[goedel]

An exciting recent development in Austria:

The ÖBB has recently decided that because the average age of it's high-speed passenger coaches is quite old and some are nearing retirement age to introduce a new type of train. Also because of the huge number of state-of-the-art Taurus locomotives the ÖBB already has it decided to use some of these with special brand new push pull coaches for 230 kmph service along the East-West rail axis. Apparently this was a pragmatic choice because dedicated lines for high speed ICE or TGV trains would need much more expensive infrastructure upgrades and the Taurus is a very capable locomotive already.

The new trains are being branded as 'Railjet' with a special livery, three possible designs for which have been tested 1:1 on locomotives, the new coaches are to be supplied by Siemens and will feature three classes of transport - Economy, Business and Premium. The initially ordered passenger sets will have a control cab with premium/business seats, a business coach, a business/bistro coach, three economy coaches and finally an economy coach for families with possibly a childrens cinema. The interiors will feature indirect lighting, central luggage racks, ergonomically designed seats with power points etc. and space for disabled passengers with train mounted wheelchair access equipment and also for guide dogs.

Before the service is introduced in 2008 the second hand ICE-T trainsets bought from the DB are being used to test the service it seems. The service is planned to operate internationally to Münich, Budapest and possibly Zürich because the 1016 and 1116 and 1216 locomotives are compatible with the German and Hungarian rail systems. I'm not sure about the Swiss? because they have a narrower pantograph system.

Here are some pictures of the new livery being tested on EC/IC trains, it seems the three test locomotives are being given 'Spirit of ...' names:

1016 035 "Spirit of Linz" mit dem ÖEC 162 "Transalpin" nach Basel SBB
Picture: http://www.mstsforum.info

1116 200 "Spirit of Vienna" mit dem OEC 162
Picture: http://www.mstsforum.info

1016 034 "Spirit of Salzburg"
Picture: http://www.railcolor.net

So far 23 coach sets (EUR 244 million) are ordered with an option on 40 more sets (EUR 424 million). The train length is 205 meters including Taurus and there will be a total of around 469 seats. A concept picture of the driving trailer / premium coach interior:

Pictures: http://www.oebb.at

Goedel

 

[goedel]

QUOTE (idd15 @ 20 Apr 2007, 14:59) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Very smart, and it suits the Taurus well. I think I shall have to get one as a holiday model when we visit Salzburg later this year!

PS Any good model shops in Salzburg for trains?
I don't think it will be available in the new liveries so soon, since they haven't picked which one to use yet!

I haven't been shopping in Salzburg and so can't recommend any specifcially, but there is a good list at:

http://www.1zu160.net/scripte/haendler/index.php

Click on 'Österreich' and then sort by the 'Land' column and there are about six shops in the Salzburg area. I'm not sure which scales they will stock since the aim of the website is N scale but normally anyone who sells N will always stock H0 too!

Goedel

 

[goedel]

QUOTE (goedel @ 19 Apr 2007, 17:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The new trains are being branded as 'Railjet' with a special livery, three possible designs for which have been tested 1:1 on locomotives, the new coaches are to be supplied by Siemens and will feature three classes of transport - Economy, Business and Premium. The initially ordered passenger sets will have a control cab with premium/business seats, a business coach, a business/bistro coach, three economy coaches and finally an economy coach for families with possibly a childrens cinema. The interiors will feature indirect lighting, central luggage racks, ergonomically designed seats with power points etc. and space for disabled passengers with train mounted wheelchair access equipment and also for guide dogs.
The Austrian public voted for their favourite design, and the winner is 'Spirit of Vienna'!
(This was my favourite.

)

1116 200 "Spirit of Vienna" mit dem OEC 162
Picture: http://www.mstsforum.info

I have found some PDFs about the new coaches from Siemens, they are of the 'Viaggio Comfort' type. I was curious how the whole train will look and so played around in PaintShopPro and made this! (the locomotive is backwards!) I had the idea of a double gold stripe for premium class...I wonder how the real train will look...

 

[goedel]

railjet UPDATE

This week there was a presentation by Siemens and ÖBB to the media of a new painted coach bodyshell, and the uniforms of the stewards/stewardesses, and the seats for the three different classes. There have also been selection trials of gormet food for the restaurant which sounds rather fun. In short the publicity is being generated in advance of the first few completed coaches which will go 'on tour' around Austria and abroad to exhibitons no doubt!

Picture from: Eisenbahn Forum Österreich (who have nice pictures of the new blue liveries for EUFA Euro 2008 worn by an Re460 of the SBB and a Rh 1116 of the ÖBB.)

There is a press photoarchive here, from which I helpfully selected:

The bodyshell.
I have to say I think the colours really work, although it hard to tell what the finished train will look like in the correct context of the track and station, or racing across the Tyrol!

The stewardess uniforms.
Berets, crazy coloured scarves and thick red stripes! Goes well with the train I think, everything is part of the grand scheme.

The business class seats.
The standard class seats do look a bit drab in comparison but as long as they are comfortable I am sure passengers will not mind so much, and of course in the correct context of inside the train I am sure they fit into the design, if not the passengers could get headaches!

The Emperor's throne premium class seat.
Looks very, well, throne like - perfect for cushoning the egos and wallets of the premium passengers!

I look foward to the first half-train going on tour in a few months time...then all the elements can be combined and the asthetics and design can be examined in full. The technical capabilities and commercial viability of railjet are of course not yet tangible, but the beauty is certainly in the eye of this beholder!

Goedel

 

[goedel]

railjet UPDATE

Photo: Magic Chris

She's here!!

Today was the first test run of a half-railjet i.e. locomotive and four coaches including the driving coach!! All in the new super railjet livery, which looks almost like the one I extrapolated in my graphic above. The test run coaches aren't actually finished yet (like starship Enterprise which left space-dock before the tractor beam was installed?!) there is still some aerodynamic cowling to go on, e.g. around buffers on driving trailer, the information systems and toilets and various panels and bits and pieces to be added.

Photo: Magic Chris

Connecting the locomotive to the train really finishes the design off nicely.

There is a set of photographs hosted at the Eisenbahn Forum Österreich (EBFÖ) here as the coaches leave the Siemens/ÖBB factory for the first time and the test train is assembled...and it actually looks like it was originally envisaged...hooray!

Coming (at 230 kmph) to a station near you Vienna soon!

I think the fact there was lots of talk, and then the money *was* actually spent, and then the train *was* actually built is something to be pleased about. Although there are some questions about how viable the three different passenger classes on the train will be in practise, and whether fixed rakes will reduce flexibility if there is nothing between a seven coach railjet and a 14 coach double railjet, you can't fault ÖBB for being bold and ambitous! When everyone else in Europe is going for EMUs like the ICE 3 or TGV-like trains it is a pleasure to see a locomotive hauled train being seen as the future. Cynics might say that was the fault of ÖBB for ordering so many Taurus locomotives in the first place, but I think they will be well placed for the future with an armada of such strong and standardised all-rounder locomotives. (And will be putting all those ugly TRAXX locomotives to shame in the looks department for years to come!

)

I haven't been this excited since I read about ME-26 06's last purchase!

 

[goedel]

QUOTE (swisstrains @ 23 Apr 2008, 09:37) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There's an interesting video feature (in German) about the Railjet project and the ÖBB Euro 2008 locos here:
Bahn TV
Thanks for that link John, an interesting idea for a TV channel! The bit after the Railjet section about the EM 2008 locomotives was good as you could see how they put the stickers on, and then the next section about the new Salzachbrücke was very interesting, how they installed the first new bridge before cutting the old bridge in half lengthways to take one track away, then install the second new one and then remove the rest of the old bridge, and fit the third track in-between. Convoluted but it allowed the railway to operate at full capacity for the whole time during construction which is clever. The huge yellow rail crane lifting the bridge segments into place looked like an impressive piece of equipment (as did the nine Taurus locomotives used to test a static load of 800 tons!).