Freight train from China arrives at Barking
Discussion
This afternoon saw a freight train complete its 18 day journey from Yiwu, a Chinese province of Zhejiang, after trundling 7500 miles through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France to deliver its load that included items such as clothes, fabrics, bags, and suitcases to Barking.
The route is being touted as a credible alternative to sea voyages despite the small matter of different rail gauges along the way.
I'd buy a ticket for that!
Reuters link
The route is being touted as a credible alternative to sea voyages despite the small matter of different rail gauges along the way.
I'd buy a ticket for that!
Reuters link
ttest place in East London...I was there, the 92 was pushed by a 66 as that's not the exact line that the trains will end up (that yard is for loading/unloading cars. The actual line is the bit of track behind it which might have overhead lines I wasn't really looking for the 92's.
From a boring logistics point of view it's always good to have another method of getting the "cheap Chinese tat" over here especially with the upheaval in sea shipping.
From a boring logistics point of view it's always good to have another method of getting the "cheap Chinese tat" over here especially with the upheaval in sea shipping.
HoHoHo said:
Not really the same train though, it's simply containers on different trains which happens all over Europe and the rest of the world everyday.
As has been said, it's a shame the gauge changes and it's not the same train, would make for a great journey
Although it isn't the journey being completed all on the same rolling stock without having to change gauges etc, its still pretty cool that there is a continuous line now which can get the containers all the way from China to the UK, which previously didn't occur, it is now a direct route. As it is all the same containers going the journey together, for the most part, I would say yes, it is the same train, if we use the term train to define the collection of containers being delivered, and not the rolling stock and locomotives.As has been said, it's a shame the gauge changes and it's not the same train, would make for a great journey
Oakey said:
So is there no way to have a train be able to automatically switch gauges? It's what, 1 1/4" on either side? Has it ever been tried?
wiki said:
United Kingdom[edit]
John Fowler mentions in 1886 at attempt by the GWR to develop a "telescopical" axle.[46]
Trams ran between Leeds (1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge) and Bradford (4 ft (1,219 mm) gauge) following a successful trial in 1906 using Bradford tram car number 124. The system was later patented by – GB 8959 of 1906. This system was improved again in patent GB 19655 of 1909 by introducing a locking system acting on the wheel and axle rather than just the wheel rim. This provided a more effective grip where the wheel was free to move along the axle
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_gauge Japan also has some under trial. John Fowler mentions in 1886 at attempt by the GWR to develop a "telescopical" axle.[46]
Trams ran between Leeds (1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge) and Bradford (4 ft (1,219 mm) gauge) following a successful trial in 1906 using Bradford tram car number 124. The system was later patented by – GB 8959 of 1906. This system was improved again in patent GB 19655 of 1909 by introducing a locking system acting on the wheel and axle rather than just the wheel rim. This provided a more effective grip where the wheel was free to move along the axle
FunkyChucker said:
Only the containers made the full journey, none of the train did.
Due to track gauge differences in the former USSR, the containers were transhipped at Dostyk on the China-Kazakhstan border and at Brest on the Belarus-Poland border. Additionally, they were transhipped again at Duisburg to wagons that are approved for use in the Channel Tunnel.
Good how the Chinese adopted the same gauge as found in Europe and UKDue to track gauge differences in the former USSR, the containers were transhipped at Dostyk on the China-Kazakhstan border and at Brest on the Belarus-Poland border. Additionally, they were transhipped again at Duisburg to wagons that are approved for use in the Channel Tunnel.
Perhaps they might consider a parallel track of standard gauge running through Russia, to join up the end of their section, to the start of the European section.
I wouldn't put any thing past the capabilities of teh Chinese.
When they say they will do some thing, we generally see it being done.
Watch this space, as they are currently building all sorts of rail lines around various other countries.
R1
Oakey said:
So is there no way to have a train be able to automatically switch gauges? It's what, 1 1/4" on either side? Has it ever been tried?
Yes, used on the Polish borders with Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus.https://youtu.be/-pHExOfYkYg?t=6m56s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUW_2000
Shakermaker said:
As it is all the same containers going the journey together, for the most part, I would say yes, it is the same train, if we use the term train to define the collection of containers being delivered, and not the rolling stock and locomotives.
Nah!So if there are a load of containers sitting on the ground, that is a train, is it?
So regardless of the fact that there is no engine, no locomotive, no motive power, no waggons, no carriages, no rolling stock, that there collection of containers is a train?
Blimey, do you have fairies at the bottom of your garden?
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