Jon WorthAs 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
How many different silly GadgetBahn ideas does SNCF have? Here’s another one - at the CAF stand #Innotrans
Hitachi has some train with even more confusing windows than a Stadler RS1. @wrzlbrnft isn’t going to be a fan! #Innotrans
A Talgo DSB 1st class coach. Can seat 22 passengers. Weighs 17t, unladen. So this would have an axel load too high for a French high speed line (it’s not intended for France, but some Talgo trains are) #innotrans
Softronic. Building trains in Craiova, Romania, based on a 1960s Swedish ASEA design. And now selling them… to Green Cargo in Sweden. 🙂 #innotrans
I took the S-Bahn and am from now on at a Trainline event about ticketing - but outside the main Messe #innotrans
Prof. Paolo Beria presenting research into competition in rail at Trainline event. It’s *very* big city bias so far. #innotrans
Ha. Paris-Bruxelles is the most suitable for competition according to Prof. Paolo Beria. That’s not wrong 😂 #innotrans
The model is full of holes however. There is no understanding of operational constraints here. #innotrans
Now a panel of rail execs. There’s a Eurostar dude complaining DB never ran to London and that Eurostar wants to run more trains. Buy more trains then, damn it! Don’t whine. #innotrans
There’s plenty of capacity on Eurostar’s Paris-Brussels route as I explain here https://jonworth.eu/make-international-rail-cheaper-capacity-on-a-route-is-the-crucial-issue/ #innotrans
The dude from Italo says high speed international competition is impossible. Sure it is if you, Italo, buy trains designed only for Italy 🤷♂️ #innotrans
Apicultor 🐝@jon Italo were the sole buyers of Alstom's AGV, which was not a commercial success but went on to inform future designs including the Avelia Horizon.
What's the issue with them? Signalling? Can have other STMs retrofitted if need be.
@apicultor his mentality I think? They’ve not got enough of them to justify retrofitting other systems I think.
@jon Sure, start small then add features as you succeed, but if he wants to compete then he's going to need to invest, be it upfront or later.
Would be thrilled to have an alternative to SNCF in some places.
@apicultor totally. It’s possible. But you need the right mindset.