European night trains

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. Matthews, must wonder if the "circle trip" I took during June 1979 is still even possible.

Sleeper Euston to Ft. William, thence day train beyond to Mallaig. Ferry to Kyle (in sight of an Island where a world famous Scotch is stilled) , then to Inverness (at a Pub there, the bartender excused himself with "gotta get this Yank one of his beers"). Thence overnight Sleeper back to KC.

All on a Brit Rail Pass.

[george matthews]

I did the same trip in the 1970s. Though I had a Scotrail pass - still one of Britrail's several regional passes. I had had a trip to London for a job interview which returned me to Inverness on the sleeper. I then took the connecting train to Mallaig. I had just finished a postgraduate course in Edinburgh. The ferry trip from Mallaig to Kyle was very pleasant. In the past I have been to Mull - and Iona - and also to Skye. I stayed in a B&B in Dingwall. I think I went up to Wick and Thurso too. I hired a car once and drove from Thurso to the northwest corner. And also to John of Groats. In fact at one time or another I have travelled by train to most of Scotland, starting in 1944 when my mother and I went to Glasgow from London to stay with her mother in a rural village to escape the Flying Bombs (Cruise Missiles as we now call that sort of weapon).

[stevej]

G'day,
My only experience with European night trains was during my 2008 trek through Switzerland and Germany.
I travelled by DB Talgo nachtzug from Munich to Berlin.
The ride was a bit rough, being only single axles, the train found every set of points.
When booking to ride this train, to basically save time and accommodation expense, the DB clerk did ask me WHY ?
But, the train flew just like most DB trains and the journey was worth the experience.
The second night ride was from Frankfurt Sued to Hannover.
That was a normal 6 berth sleeper car.
Again, this train also flew and the windows did rattle when each passing train slammed by.
I did sleep reasonably well, and arrival into Hannover was just before sunrise.
This was impressive as the train was almost an hour late departing Frankfurt Sued.
DB Zug Leiter must have made a mistake and two times the station indicator signs changed as to which platform it would arrive into.
A goods train finally arriving on the designated platform, which eventually departed.
I presume that the fahrplan would have recovery time allocated.
But, with arrival into Hannover actually a few minutes early, it was an impressive run.
steve.

[David Benton]

Welcome to the Worldwide forum, Steve.
Be great if you could keep us up to date with rail news in Australia.

[stevej]

G'day David,
Thanks for the welcome.
The aussie modern day railway system does seem to change from time to time.
Privatization has seen some company names appear and then disappear.
My era was mostly the traditional state government networks which remained fairly constant.
Today, there are more paint schemes rattling along.
But, not a great deal occurs here where I reside.
When I discover any interesting developments, I will share such.
One recent media announcement detailed the "world's first solar powered train".
An old NSWSRA rail motor has had solar panels inserted into the roof.
I am not sure just how effective this development will be.
It will be interesting to keep an eye on any progress.
Steve.

[RRspatch]

Welcome to the Worldwide forum, Steve.
Be great if you could keep us up to date with rail news in Australia.

It's always refreshing to see railfans and railroaders from around the world take an interest in North American railroading. As a retired railroader and railfan I to take an interest in railroads around the world. To that end one of the forums I read is Railpage Australia which covers Australia and New Zealand quite well. Currently i'm in lurk mode (not registered) as I have enough trouble keeping up with RRnet, Trainorders and of course Facebook. I'm also not sure just how open they are to outsiders. They do have a small international section (a shadow of it's former self) where news about Amtrak and US freight railroads shows up now and then. If you're interested in looking in at railroading down under I do suggest you check it out.

[David Benton]

Thank you , RRspatch,your contributions to the WW forum are most welcome as well. The same goes for our other regular American contributors to the forum. Messrs Ex Con, Norman, Carter,and of course the late Philip Martin spring to mind. Apologies if I have forgotten anyone.I do like the way the love of trains seems to break down any boundaries.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Railway Gazette has an article regarding the seven car sets that OBB has ordered for their NightJet services:

https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction ... 08.article

Fair Use:

…Various types of sleeping accommodation will be provided to meet the needs of different user groups. Adopting an approach trialed unsuccessfully in the mid 20th century, ÖBB plans to provide tapered beds in all categories, providing more width at the head end and freeing up room for more circulating space at the foot. All compartments will be equipped with a charging socket and wireless charging, together with a magazine pocket for storing personal belongings.

The biggest innovation will be the provision of so-called MiniSuites in the couchette cars, as well as the classic compartments aimed at family and group use. These suites are intended to meet a growing demand for greater privacy among solo travelers, with lockable ‘sleeping capsules’ stacked in pairs each side of a common access ladder. Sliding doors in the partition behind the ladder can be opened to connect a pair of capsules on one level if required. A separate luggage locker for each capsule will be provided in the gangway adjacent to the compartment.
.

It certainly appears that OBB's "Hohes Kommando" is pitching the product to the Econosnooze trade. That "communal ladder" sure looks a "turn off".

Mr. Morris, I guess you're "in"; but count me out from that!!!!

Of interest is that all berths are fixed. Even for the Hamburg-Vienna line, I guess that is not too much of an issue.

Note that the Deluxe Bedrooms only have adjoining "facilities" instead of "your very own". They do have a shower.

Even for the Deluxe (single occupancy),I think I still need to be more "adventuresome" than I find myself nowadays.

[David Benton]

Would suit me fine. Seem to be borrowing concepts from the tiny home/ small spaces movement.
I am wondering from the module numbering shown , Are they getting circa 86 berths in a car ?
That would help the economics. that would require 22 sets of 4, say 6 foot wide each , that's 132 feet per car , obviously unachievable. The numbering must be per set of cars.

[CarterB]

".Mr. Morris, I guess you're "in"; but count me out from that!!!!

Mr. Norman, yes I think it's a good design for economy sleeping. Fine with me for travelling alone. If with family would opt for the deluxe bedrooms.

Carter Morris

[Gilbert B Norman]

Quite the Xmas present from The Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/busi ... stria.html

Fair Use:

On a recent morning, as Venice awakened to crisp November sunshine, a group of travelers appeared on the steps of Santa Lucia Station. They stood in awe of the Grand Canal just opposite, rummaging for sunglasses in their bags.

There were couples, like Natalia Goia, 28, and Maximiliano Amestoy, 33, from Uruguay. On a tour of Europe, they had left rainy Vienna the night before, slept in a compartment with reclining seats, and were up and ready to explore Venice before most visitors had even finished their breakfasts.

“We had lots of sleep,” Ms. Goia said, sitting on the steps of the modernist railway terminal, visibly pleased with the 11-hour journey that had led them through the Austrian Alps. They swapped a night in a pricey hotel in Venice for the cheapest fare on the train, she said

The Orient Express or Blue Train, it is not. All told, The Times is affirming my previously expressed thought that it appears they are pitching the product to the Econosnooze crowd.

Now what I know will "shock" Mr. Morris is that I actually have given some thought to an NJ joyride, if I "go over again" (ORD-MUC is a "very attractive" $2344 at the moment). The joyride would originate in Munich (after having gone to the Airport to store my bag and live out of a Tote Bag for the joyride) spend most of the day in Munich (haven't been in the "Stadtmitte" since '60), then board Nightjet to Rome (haven't been there also since '60). Spend day in Rome and then "reverse route" (wouldn't do it on Amtrak, but 4hr arrival to flight home should be safe). For exclusive occupancy of a room, the RT is €379 - definitely doable since the hotel in Salzburg at which I've stayed, is €320/ni.

But the flipside; I'm not much on the roughing it nowadays. The thought of "homeless in Munich" as well as Rome, is not too exciting. On an earlier '90 trip, I was "homeless in Berlin" for 12hrs; uh, "not my thing" even back then.

[CarterB]

Mr. Norman, you should find the single occupancy of the schlafwagen bedroom acceptable. Not sure if that particular train OBB MUC-ROM has the deluxe with bathroom in room or not.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. Morris, a DBB Schlaffwagon Bedroom (walk the hall to the potty and a "Kaltes Wasser" shower) was "OK" Berlin to Aachen back in '90 when I was 48yo.

Can't promise same with a 79yo, even if last week the doctor's parting comment to me was "I have patients that need me; you're not one of 'em".

[David Benton]

Mr Norman , I think you mean you were 48 yo in 1990?

[ExCon90]

Mr. Norman, you should find the single occupancy of the schlafwagen bedroom acceptable. Not sure if that particular train OBB MUC-ROM has the deluxe with bathroom in room or not.

Just got around to reading the Railway Gazette link--the term "en suite" normally just means that the facilities are in a separate adjoining space but not shared with a next-door neighbor. In any case certainly better than having to put on a bathrobe and slippers just to answer nature's call in the middle of the night.