This is the locomotive on a special train we travelled on, from Kitzbuhel to Zell-am-Zee. It is the oldest operating electric locomotive in Austria, IIRC built in 1920. We had a great time riding the open platforms between the 4-wheeled coaches, a bumpy but exhilarating ride Photo was taken at a photo-stop en route.
Alan, I have travelled between Kitzbuhel and Zell am Zee many times but never in 4 wheel stock !!!! I can imagine how invigorating it must have been. Great shot....thanks. John.
How do they couple the cars? Does a man have to step in front of those big buffers to hook a loop over a hook or something, or is it automatic now?
Alan, nice pic! I do like vintage electrics Watash, manual couplings like these are still very common across Europe, most "loose car" freight traffic still is coupled with variations on these couplings, some heavy block freights have buckeyes, and EWS in the UK has started applying swinging head buckeyes (the head swings back to reveal a conventional hook) to most of it's new cars. In the UK almost all MU's have electrical autocouplers, and most passenger cars have drop head buckeyes for inside the rakes, though not all passenger loco's are buckeye fitted, however the use of "loose" loco's and coaches for passenger trains is fading fast in the UK. In the UK from what I've seen, the car that was being coupled to would be standing with the brake firmly applied, the loco would be brought up to it to compress the buffers and held on it's brake, then the shunter would duck under the buffers and connect the coupler and brakes with the buffers in compression (makes it easier to couple, the buffers take up some of the slack). Uncoupling can be accomplished without going between the cars by placing a pole over a buffer and under the coupling, then pushing down on the outer end of the pole.
Here is a shot of my friend John and I on the platforms between coaches and posing in front of the 1670
