Specially for Fabrizio! Whilst we were up at the Barrow in Furness show with Rock Springs, we checked out the other layouts there. They were all excellent & I took photo's of most, this was a layout entitled "Europ", and I think it captures things fairly well. This was the station area, with a loco hauled express train coming to a stand, a freight is in the loop, and a two car MU set is in the far platform. Just after that, a push pull set (in pull mode)arrives in the only empty platform.
Those pics may be for Fabrizio, but I enjoyed it as well I love Italy, and have caught a few of their trains during holidays, but would love to go again and see a lot more. Excellent layout, and good representation of the distinctive Italian catenary.
This was unfortunately the only other decent pic I got of it I think these loco's are rather stylish...
Hello Martin,hello Alan! I have appreciate the photos of excellent italian layout! It's great! Also I thing that the italian catenary it's very reproduced. The locomotive that visible in the final photo is a FS class E 412 multi-current; it's composed of 20 unit but they are giving many problems. Martin your has been indeed one surprised very appreciate!
Hi! I'm Italian, so my knowledge on italian railways is good. As regards Martyn's photos, on the 1st track (the one next to the depot) you can see a couple of Aln 668 of the 1200 series (they're assigned to the engine facility of Treviso, where I live). On the 2nd track is a regional train with an E646 with some MDVC coaches for regional trains. On the 3rd track is an intercity train with an E652 (Tigre) plus some X-type coaches. On the 4th track is an E646 plus other common freight cars. REMEMBER: Italian trains are left-hand runing, and electrica locomotives use the 2nd pantograph on, not the first! This is for security, because if something happens to the rear pantograph, the forward one will not receive any damage! Bye! Giancarlo De Marco Was modelling Italian railways now a NYC-fan. P.s.: sorry for my english
Hi there Giancarlo, and welcome to Trainboard! Thanks for the extra info on the models in the pictures, very useful. I was interested by the comment about using the rear pantograph, that's a very good & logical (railway-like) reason for using them like that, thanks for the information. Possibly that would not be such an obvious thing to modellers from the UK though, as very few UK electric loco's have two pantograph's! Hope you find lots of NYC info on here, (I know there are a bunch of NYC fans on here!) but don't forget to let us know what's going on with the Italian railways as well... All the best (oh, and I think your English is great! )
Giancarlo, a warm welcome to Trainboard Thanks for the details. Regarding pantographs, where two are fitted, it is usually the rear one which is used as you say. When electric locomotives are double-headed, and they both have two pantographs, the front locomotive uses the front pantograph, and the second one uses the rear pantograph. I believe this is because the pantograph can cause disturbance in the wire, which can cause the pantograph on the second locomotive to bounce and arc. Someone will correct me if I am wrong. I think a double set of TGV's do the same, for the same reason. In Belgium and France, I have seen locomotives starting a heavy train use both pantographs, as this reduces the current needed to pass through each one. The front one is usually dropped when the train is underway, and the current decreases. Another occasion where the front pantograph will be used, is if the locomotive is dual-voltage, and the front pantograph is the one for the system the locomotive is travelling on. There is more to electric traction than some folks think
On Amtrak on the corridor they sometimes use both pantagraphs during freezing rain or snow. The first one acts as a sort of ice breaker. Normally the rear one is used.
