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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #15 on: June 29, 2019, 22:58:29 » |
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Thanks, Stuving. As usual we would probably not of heard about this latest incident on the foreign railway network had you not alerted us to it.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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stuving
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« Reply #16 on: July 02, 2019, 13:12:40 » |
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Last night there was even an overnight TGV▸ : Paris to Grenoble, 11 hours late. It spent the night at Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (so it does have a use!), and even then couldn't use the direct route. While that's due to reopen today, the Chambéry-Grenoble line (and other minor ones) will take several days to clear.
All due to trees felled by last night's storm, which was apparently quite spectacular - there was even a near-shipwreck on Lake Annecy. So most people have been have been understanding of SNCF▸ 's problems, with the obvious exception of the passengers involved.
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stuving
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« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2019, 15:35:10 » |
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And it's getting worse ... the main line from Lyon to Turin, via the Fréjus tunnel, has been closed for "several weeks" by a mud slide (near les Sordieres). Does it really look such a huge heap as that? It wasn't even big enough to cross the railway and invade the autoroute right next to it. This is originally an SNCF▸ image:  |
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eightonedee
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« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2019, 15:54:14 » |
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Does it really look such a huge heap as that? ....but it might be because of what's still about to slide down the hill/mountainside above the track that they will need to stabilise first! |
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stuving
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« Reply #19 on: July 03, 2019, 19:48:23 » |
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Does it really look such a huge heap as that? ....but it might be because of what's still about to slide down the hill/mountainside above the track that they will need to stabilise first! I think you're right - having just seen some overhead footage, there's a fence further up the slope that's holding back a lot more of that ... stuff ... so what's on the track is just the overflow. And it has now oozed onto the near carriageway of the road (A43). And there's more rain forecast for the Alps; not on the same scale but it only needs to top up the lubrication. This of course is the main rail link between France and Italy: three TGVs▸ , a limited TER service, but a lot of freight (per day each way). |
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stuving
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« Reply #20 on: July 04, 2019, 15:48:50 » |
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This of course is the main rail link between France and Italy: three TGVs▸ , a limited TER service, but a lot of freight (per day each way).
Coincidentally, one of the other France-Italy lines was in the news today: Nice-Tende. French trains used to run onward to Turin but no longer do, but Italian ones still run from Ventimiglia into France to join the line and then through to Turin. I imagine displaced TGVs will use the coast line, which might also take goods traffic, though it involves flogging along the full length of the Riviera. But the gradients, loops, and wiggles of the line to Tende ( Train des Merveilles) would put off any heavy train. The trouble with the line is the usual one - most of the year it has only a handful of passengers. Fares only cover about 7% of costs, and both the region and their audit body think the subsidy has to be reduced. Currently it's the usual SNCF▸ approach of no closures, but more trains will be buses. That's all happening across France, but this is PACA* - and the region has been having a long bout of arm-wrestling with SNCF over the cost and performance of their services. They threatened an open competition, but in the end found a legal process that let them requisition SNCF in some way rather than negotiating a contract. I've no idea how that works, but after three years they have a new agreement. Politically PACA is a mixture of extremes - left-wing strongholds in Marseille and Toulon, but right (very in parts) elsewhere. Its transport policy is a mix too, and used to include 1€ bus tickets across the region (but only if you asked for one). In passing, I note that Nice airport is to be multimodalised, with on-site buses (which used to stop on the road outside), trams, and trains at a station moved from St Augustin. *Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur |
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« Last Edit: July 04, 2019, 16:55:48 by stuving »
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stuving
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« Reply #21 on: July 08, 2019, 20:16:24 » |
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Well, it missed the peak off-to-holiday traffic, but it still happened. A two-hour loss of power outside Bordeaux-St-Jean, stopping all trains in and out. One train was within walking distance along the track, as a lot of the passengers confirmed, though there were 15 TGVs▸ stopped in all. However, I suspect most of those still had power, just nowhere to go. The reason was a bit odd: some issue on the pantograph of a train in the depot led to the power locally being switched off. I have no information as to why it was off for so long over all the running lines. Meanwhile... (actually last Thursday) 30 km away at Libourne, the press thought they'd found a juicy little story: a driver had hit his limit of hours and abandoned his goods train in the station - and it was carrying armoured vehicles for the Bastille Day parade which needed to be guarded at all times! More than that, it was operated by a private company, which is a new idea in France. But later on SNCF▸ sheepishly admitted it was theirs, but claimed the line was OK to use as a goods loop, and the train arrived by the promised time even if it took four hours to get another driver there. I guess Frét SNCF now have to apply to SNCF Réseau for one-off paths in the same way as other operators. Incidentally, on Frét SCNF's landing page it says: 24/7 tracking
Our sales teams are ready to help you meet your challenges, both locally and internationally. We’re present throughout France, and our offices are open 24/7, so we can track your shipments in real time. |
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stuving
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« Reply #23 on: August 31, 2020, 12:17:24 » |
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Well, this year they were a few days late, but it's traditional, so it has to happen (like the Tour de France). From The Local: French rail network disrupted until 'Tuesday at earliest' after power outage strands thousands
31 August 2020 09:24 CEST+02:00
French rail operator SNCF▸ says that trains will not be back to normal until Tuesday morning at the earliest after a power failure saw thousands of passengers having to spend the night on stranded trains.
The power failure in south west France affected thousands of passengers who were travelling back to Paris and the north of the country ready to go back to work on Monday.
The power failure happened between Dax and Bordeaux on Sunday afternoon, leaving several trains from Dax, Biarritz and Hendaye stuck on the lines unable to move. Many passengers were stranded for up to 20 hours and some were forced to sleep on trains after local hotels ran out of space.
In all around 2,500 passengers were affected, said SNCF.
The company added that the problem is not yet resolved and has also had major knock-on effects on the rail network, saying that they do not expect a return to normal until Tuesday morning at the earliest. There is talk of 60 km of OLE▸ needing to be repaired. |
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Hal
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« Reply #24 on: August 31, 2020, 15:23:51 » |
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Le Monde quotes the SNCF▸ as saying passengers affected by this breakdown will receive "compensation amounting to 300%" (of their ticket price presumably). SNCF will also cover consequential costs such as hotels and taxis.
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stuving
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« Reply #25 on: August 31, 2020, 20:16:37 » |
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There is talk of 60 km of OLE▸ needing to be repaired.
SNCF▸ are saying (though this is subject to detailed investigation) that a catenary fault at Orthez damaged a pantograph, which in turn went on to damage 60 km of catenary (mainly at track switches). For that, it must have still been collecting current OK. After stopping at Morcenx, the train did restart and got 50 km further to Ychoux, before its complete failure. Apparently, two following trains also suffered some of this mutual damage effect. |
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Electric train
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« Reply #26 on: September 01, 2020, 07:10:33 » |
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There is talk of 60 km of OLE▸ needing to be repaired.
SNCF▸ are saying (though this is subject to detailed investigation) that a catenary fault at Orthez damaged a pantograph, which in turn went on to damage 60 km of catenary (mainly at track switches). For that, it must have still been collecting current OK. After stopping at Morcenx, the train did restart and got 50 km further to Ychoux, before its complete failure. Apparently, two following trains also suffered some of this mutual damage effect. 's have 2 Pans wonder if it was the leading or trailing Pan that was damaged? At the speeds of TGV's the dynamic forces at the pantograph it does not take much to cause damage to the OLE and over a large area. |
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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JontyMort
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« Reply #27 on: September 01, 2020, 21:24:43 » |
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There is talk of 60 km of OLE▸ needing to be repaired.
SNCF▸ are saying (though this is subject to detailed investigation) that a catenary fault at Orthez damaged a pantograph, which in turn went on to damage 60 km of catenary (mainly at track switches). For that, it must have still been collecting current OK. After stopping at Morcenx, the train did restart and got 50 km further to Ychoux, before its complete failure. Apparently, two following trains also suffered some of this mutual damage effect. 's have 2 Pans wonder if it was the leading or trailing Pan that was damaged? At the speeds of TGV's the dynamic forces at the pantograph it does not take much to cause damage to the OLE and over a large area. Though, of course, this wasn’t on a high-speed line, so the fact that it was a TGV may not be relevant. |
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stuving
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« Reply #28 on: September 01, 2020, 23:39:15 » |
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There is talk of 60 km of OLE▸ needing to be repaired.
SNCF▸ are saying (though this is subject to detailed investigation) that a catenary fault at Orthez damaged a pantograph, which in turn went on to damage 60 km of catenary (mainly at track switches). For that, it must have still been collecting current OK. After stopping at Morcenx, the train did restart and got 50 km further to Ychoux, before its complete failure. Apparently, two following trains also suffered some of this mutual damage effect. 's have 2 Pans wonder if it was the leading or trailing Pan that was damaged? At the speeds of TGV's the dynamic forces at the pantograph it does not take much to cause damage to the OLE and over a large area. Though, of course, this wasn’t on a high-speed line, so the fact that it was a TGV may not be relevant. True - and not only that; this is DC▸ territory so it's not even 25kV. AFAIK▸ TGVs only raise one pan under 25kV, though I vaguely recall they prefer the rear one when running single. Of course TGVs often run in pairs, and will be subject to rules about inter-pan spacing varying with speed (which I failed to find on line). It's not clear whether this train was one or two units. On 1500V DC each unit would raise both pans - the power link along the roof only being available at 25kV. |
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stuving
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« Reply #29 on: September 03, 2020, 12:57:10 » |
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Just a small clarification, based on a more through report of Monday's press conference: TGV▸ 8538 did contain two units, should have left Hendaye at 11:46 and was due into Paris at 16:21. The passengers were moved to another train during the night (presumably at Ychoux), which left Bordeaux (where it does not normally call) for Paris at 10:00, and would have arrived ca. 12:10. It does not pass through Orthez, so why did SNCF▸ infra mention OLE▸ damage there? They were actually saying they did not know which train first damaged the OLE - maybe 8538, maybe an earlier one, which then led to further trains sufferinge damage. |
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