European Railroad Discussion > Engine change at Bad Bentheim (Germany)

Took Train IC 146 on 14.10.2016 from Berlin Hbf to Amsterdam CS,  Very enjoyable ride.  Attached pictures detail change from German to Dutch power at Bad Bentheim.  First picture shows DB power returning after being cutoff from train.  Second and third pictures show Dutch power closing in on carman matching the connection.

John

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These pictures show the carman between the buffers making the connections between engine and train.

John

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JOHN:
Hope you are having a great time in Europe.
Would not like to have to stand where that carman is standing.
One reason why US went to automatic couplers was to avoid such situations.
MARK (aka ALLEN on TO)
 

While I don't have a clue what their safety rules are I cannot imagine standing there under any circumstances; even something as simple as a rough joint and that guy could be toast. Obviously not a job for a "heavy" person.
 

"Their safety rules" are of course much stricter than those which are enforcable in the US, and I think you will find that the number of shunters injured in Germamny (or France or the UK) is a tiny fraction of the US figure. Remember, this is a loco backing onto a loaded passenger train with its doors open - much caution is needed anyhow. The side buffers have a vital function as well.

By "heavy" I presume you mean obese - just another reason why fatness is not to be encouraged!

More importantly, this perhaps just shows the massive difference in practice and experience between Western Europe and North America.

Most trains in Europe are:
1. Passenger
2. Semi permantly coupled or of mu formation
3. Use automatic couplers which often incorporate all electrical and air connections.

As a result this kind of loco change is now quite a rarity - hence the interesting photos!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/16 02:47 by spflow.

spflow Wrote:
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> As a result this kind of loco change is now quite
> a rarity - hence the interesting photos!

Also worth pointing out that many modern (and not so modern) electric loco types are multi voltage which don't require a change when the electrification system changes, as at the German / Dutch border.

Dutch locomotive seemed to work very well under German electrification.  Bad Bentheim at least several kilometers from the border.  More interesting question is the age of the passeger cars.  Car we were in had three compartments on forward end, two rows of seeting with tables in the middle, and a lounge/kitchen at the rear.  Front egress was locked and best means of egress was through the car next to engine.  Doors at rear of car were quite narrow.  Ride was much smother than on ICE and defintely more scenic.

John

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DocJohn Wrote:
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> Dutch locomotive seemed to work very well under
> German electrification.  Bad Bentheim at least
> several kilometers from the border. 
>
> John

As the Dutch loco is 1500v DC and DB electrification is 15kV AC I suggest the voltage change would have been at Bad Bentheim. At these locations there are complex multi voltage change facilities. If you were lineside as switches changed you would also notice the catenary being reconfigured.

My apologies.  DB engine went far up the track before the Dutch engine came down to the train. 

John

Railbaron Wrote:
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>...even something as simple as a rough
> joint ... .
>

There are 2 important things:
The Berner Raum is the space for the worker. Its measure are 200 cm high, 40 cm broad, 30 cm depth on each car and on both sides of the coupler.
The engine has to stop a short distance from the point (as pic 3) and than hit the train softly. The train brakes stay active and will released after coupling.

Remark: The engineer will press the buffers so the worker can adjust the coupler with no strength.

Erwin from Austria

Nice to see that the French design CCs are still running, took pictures of them twenty years ago, and they were dated already then!

Thomas Eckhardt
Hurricane UT

Krokodil Wrote:
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> Nice to see that the French design CCs are still
> running, took pictures of them twenty years ago,
> and they were dated already then!
>
> Thomas Eckhardt
> Hurricane UT

Class 1700 locomotives are Bo-Bo. Like SNCF Class BB7200s.

You can bet that the engine change did NOT take 40 minutes........such as the stupidity we see in Albany, NY

The Dutch locomotive engineer has to lower the pan and key down (safe out) the locomotive.  The engineer then hands the key to the shunter/brakemen/switcher who can only then unlock the high voltage cable to feed the 1500V= into the locomotive from the cars for hotel power.  Once properly connected the key can be removed and handed back to the driver to key the locomotive back up and raise the pan.  Note that other than a few interim assignments with commuter double decker cars until the new CAF & Stadler Sprinter trains show up, this is one of the last assignments for the 1700 class locomotives for NS.  Several of the 1600/1800 class (older series from the early 1980s) survive in private operator freight service.  Many 1700 class have been taken out of service and are in storage, which is too bad since they are barely 25 years old.  NS is now using 186 class Traxx for almost all of the few remaining locomotive hauled passenger services.  The 186 is dual voltage and can operate in Belgium (3000V=) and on the Dutch high speed line (25000 V~).

Unlike in the USA the cars are the ones that are multi-voltage, not the locomotives.  The cars can receive various voltages (AC and DC) for hotel power.  Note that the voltage of the catenary between Bad Bentheim and into the yard on the Dutch side is muti-voltage, so Dutch equipment can operate into Germany until here.