Jon WorthI’m at #Innotrans all day. I’ll sporadically post in this thread.
First impression: CRRC (Chinese manufacturer) has the main advert at Messe Süd
And here it is! The most stupid rail vehicle currently produced. A hydrogen tram 🤬 Hyundai-Rotem #Innotrans
The Talgo electric locomotive for DB - series 105 - is here. They didn’t already build 19 of these I hope? 🤔 #Innotrans
Končar has a battery electric multiple unit here. That seems to charge only from a cable, not from an overhead wire in a terminus #Innotrans
And if you’re going “what’s wrong with a hydrogen tram?” you’re going to be dealt with totally scornfully. Put up a wire. That’s it. #Innotrans
As is a Stadler built new U-Bahn for Berlin - for the narrow profile lines. This is built super solidly, and is more roomy than existing designs. Impressive design. #Innotrans
There’s an Alstom Coradia Max EMU. Mix of single and double deck carriages. Inside it feels cramped - feels like they’re trying to cram in too many seats. #Innotrans
Warning Oslo. We’re going to be remotely controlling a tram in Oslo from Berlin. Fingers crossed the internet connection is solid. 🙂 #Innotrans
For the record: the tram is in a depot 🙂 #Innotrans
Now talking Western Balkans at #Innotrans
The DG of Macedonian Railways is here 🤯
This is the future Tirana central station. That’s not very central. And is meant to run in 2025. #Innotrans
If you’re a panellist at any event *don’t read your speech*. It’s a panel not a speech! #Innotrans
I assume they’re not going to allow questions here though… I have a few things to ask! 😂 #Innotrans
So this is the dude. Sinisa Ivanovski, DG of Macedonian Railways. I have questions… He’s the man presiding over phantom lines and phantom trains. #Innotrans
He’s being asked about ERTMS. He’s not got any trains to put modern signalling *in* 🤬 #Innotrans
This is Macedonia’s ETCS equipped line. No train has ever run on it since it was built in 2019. #Innotrans
This is just delusion. Macedonia has 7 operational trains, TOTAL, I was told in June. 3 multiple units, 4 freight locomotives. The problem is NOT operations first and foremost, but operations and maintenance. #Innotrans
I think I’m more depressed hearing these high level people from Balkan railways than I was when I was in the region in June on #CrossBorderRail #Innotrans
Albanian rail dude claims his new line is 80% complete. This is where the airport station is due to be. NO sign of building in June this year. He’s talking 💩 #Innotrans
It’s amazing this panel. It’s so off the scale delusional. I’ve heard some rubbish at panels over the years, but this is another level. #Innotrans
Here’s my blog post about Macedonia’s phantom rail lines https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/north-macedonias-phantom-rail-line-and-why-i-am-worried-theyre-repeating-the-error-at-the-other-end-of-the-country/ #Innotrans
And I’m sorry Enno Wiebe from Unife has clearly never travelled by train in the Balkans. ETCS is *irrelevant* if you have no trains. #Innotrans
And there was an announcement of a single daily Paris - Berlin direct train from December. Nice but 🤷♂️
An hourly train Paris-Frankfurt would be more useful.
And I’m done at #Innotrans for today. More tomorrow, and also from an event in the evening hosted by Trainline where I’m a speaker
Guillaume Rischard@jon can you tell Trainline that pre-checking the booking.com search checkbox on their website is bloody annoying?
@grischard that’s a comparably minor quibble to be fair. There are much deeper issues!