Jon Worth

DB Regio in Bayern is trialling its "Ideenzug" with passengers - it’s to test some smart new interiors for regional trains. More here 👇
https://railcolornews.com/2023/07/24/de-ideenzug-regio-double-deck-coach-now-in-regular-service/

But the picture in the article so completely sums up all that's wrong with rail in Bayern!

Jul 25, 2023 at 7:58amWeb
Show thread🌺 Cat PöñíçkøvāJul 25, 2023
@jon semaphore mechanical style signal is not necessarily indicative of the signaling being ancient, that can be paired with modern line signaling
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@pony It is ancient. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnstrecke_M%C3%BCnchen%E2%80%93Simbach#Stellwerke_und_Sicherungstechnik
Bahnstrecke München–Simbach – Wikipedia

Show thread🌺 Cat PöñíçkøvāJul 25, 2023
@jon but there's PZB? this would just be slow (which arguably matters a lot on a single track line, but) and more labor intensive
Show threadSchleifleistenbruchJul 25, 2023
@pony @jon but electronic signalboxes are much safer, especially if there is a failure of a component.
Without knowing the station itself, I assume that there is no automatic system to check whether a track is clear or occupied (Gleisfreimeldeanlage).
Show threadMartin HoffmannJul 25, 2023
@pony @jon PZB was developed in the 1920s specifically to be able to retrofit existing signals without any additional requirements. The wayside equipment is literally just an inductor, a switch, and a bunch of wires.
Show thread🐈‍⬛ sur rails 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Jul 25, 2023
@pony @jon At least the signal box is outdated. Yes, I like old railway technology too, but a functioning infrastructure should not be confused with a museum.
Show threadMarc HaberJul 25, 2023
@jon You cannot address everything at once. And politics think that its more important to have a second Stammstrecke in Munich.
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@Zugschlus Well this one - at least on the München-Mühldorf section - is a EU Trans European Network route. So there's EU cash for the renovation…
Show threadAndi BarthJul 25, 2023
@jon @Zugschlus But only if the bavarian government would set some priority on it. I hope that there is electrification at least in time for the next tender 2035 (or so)
Show threadMarc HaberJul 25, 2023
@jon CSU is probably still looking for ways to redirect those funds to street building.
Show threadSchleifleistenbruchJul 25, 2023
@jon you forgot the 30 km/h speed restriction 🤭
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@Schleifleistenbruch Ah true. That resulted in me being delayed when I was there in May.
Show threadAlonJul 25, 2023
@jon Sounds like when Americans talk about innovation and bringing the future and then when you look at what they're talking about it's a line that runs a few times per day, at worse-than-1950s speeds, but with wifi and USB chargers.
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@Alon Right. It's pretty much that indeed. The signal box on the line dates from 1907.
Show thread🇺🇦🇪🇺 cweickhmannJul 25, 2023
@jon Wait? That Diesel locomotive isn't H2-ready? 🤭
Show threadIsaJul 25, 2023
@jon Where ➡️ Langsamfahrstelle (Marode Infrastruktur)?
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@f2k1de Yes I could also have added that! Didn't think of that at the time... :-)
Show threadDeutscher Bahnkunden-VerbandJul 25, 2023
@jon Es ist völlig intransparent, was von den vielen, guten Ideen umgesetzt wird und was aus welchen Gründen nicht. Es scheint uns, dass das eine reine PR-Maßnahme für gute Berichterstattung ist.
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@bahnkundenv Ja! 💯 Ich sah dieses Wagen auf der Innotrans-Messe. Ganz nett und schick. Aber wenn das für eine geringere Kapazität sorgt, dann... bin ich nicht sicher ob es sich lohnt.
Show threadSven LakemeierJul 25, 2023
@jon I want to debate the "smart" part if the amount of seats per car would be a lot lower than before. The armchairs upstairs or the first class one person "offices" downstairs are great show offerings, but far from any use because of the low density.
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@sven Right. *If* you could simply lengthen trains (which you - mostly - cannot) then OK. But capacity matters, and this concept neglects it.
Show threadAlarith UhdeJul 26, 2023

@jon Capacity is not the only concern, though. With that argument, we should remove all furniture except for a few reserved seats and stand. This won't convince people to switch to trains.

I'm actually quite happy that DB is experimenting with different layouts and think about how people may use the space and time on trains. The ideas in Ideenzug are still quite moderate, no playgrounds, public offices or whatever you could think of 😉

We won't get great trains only by focusing on efficiency.

Show threadJon WorthJul 26, 2023
@alarith It's not all wrong. But most of it won't happen, and indeed should not happen, as some of the ideas are gimmicky.
Show threadNow @ zug.network!Jul 25, 2023
@jon But this is “Bahnland Bayern” 😂
Show threadJeDi  Jul 25, 2023
@jon I miss a comment about the 30 km/h speed restriction…
Show threadJon WorthJul 25, 2023
@JeDi Yes, you're not the first person to point that out! I had forgotten that when making the graphic in a rush this morning!
Show threadCrazy PonyJul 25, 2023

@jon

I am always happy to see a Diesel train on a single track line in Bavaria.

Because it tells me this line has not yet closed, forcing people to take the Bus (if there is one at all) or get an expensive Taxi

Ich freue mmer wenn ich auf einer eingleisigen Strecke in Bayern einen Dieselzu sehe, vorzugsweise von innen.

Denn es zeigt mir daß die Strecke noch nicht stillgelegt wurde, daß ich nicht den (langsamen unkomfortablen) Bus nehmen muß, oder ein teures Taxi wenns auch keinen Bus gibt

Show threadmacke_47Jul 30, 2023
@jon Why is the Bavarian DB rail network so less electrified?
Show threadJon WorthJul 30, 2023
@macke_47 Lack of investment, essentially. And a Land government that does not really care.
Show threadmacke_47Jul 30, 2023
@jon OK, car country Bavaria #weCantSurviveInOurVillages without cars. But why all this senseless political voodoo?