It’s about accessibility. The lowered bits are on the height of the station platforms but are often too low to fit the bogies under. Therefore, you’ve got to raise the floor to accommodate them.
Either way it don't look good. That's one thing the UK & other countries that aren't crawling with this type of stock have, taste. Could do one thing instead of that, like raise or lower platforms to accommodate in-line 'low floor' trains, with accessibility ramps and so on. Like what they did for the class 777, main issue with that is the face (and the fact it's awkward for the guard to use his door now). Take the Talent 2. Not the worst, but the crook windows make it look more awkward than it already does, they tried to compensate with the livery, but at least it's not a Stadler Flirt. With an adjustment, you can still have that low floor and keep things neat, might mean the driver has to step up to the cab via the isle but whatever they have to do that externally anyway.
Well that's different, a bunch of mix-match stock is alright (the windows are the same size on each coach & in line), as much as we'd like to have matching. It looks like a freight train but it's probably safer & more legal to carry passengers... I mean look at that DSB Flirt, it's like they kept flip flopping on height & size! Plus the livery is too busy & off putting. You won't find that on an american made emu, though it's only a matter of time before they catch the Flirt virus. However they are infected by the ugly duckling Desiro. This livery kind of saves it, not treating the gaping panes as a feature. Same for the Bulgarian Railways, actually makes it look really good. Slovenian ain't bad either. And OBB, rather pretty, the white clearance around the headlights is a high tier rule that should be applied to every railways' units. Bottom line, the DB motif drags it down.
So you used a photo of the Desert Wind when Amtrak was still receiving new orders of Superliners while still utilizing their Heritage stock?
It was meant more tongue-in-cheek than anything, obviously an extreme example but having consists made up of slightly different designs which don't quite mesh together well isn't that uncommon from what I've seen even on current routes. Not to mention the double-deckers having the inter-carriage connection on the upper deck, accessibility be damned
British Steam, my #1. Bulleid's Rebuilt Merchant Navy Merchant Navy Class 35018 British India Line by PAUL JAMES SWAIN, on Flickr "Western" Diesel hydraulics are close to my heart: Class 310 EMU's have a friendly face and nice curves:
Have to disagree about the Westerns, but the 310 doesn't look too bad. The Merchant Navy looks beautiful.
To each his own, obviously Bossman's models of the Bulleid M/N Pacifics are so pretty and very well done
Here's another Swiss gem I came across, the ABe 8/12 'Allegra' of the Rhaetian Railway. A great mix of of functional detail over a stylish body.
I can't believe it hasn't been considered, at all. I might go for Arosa then. Also this other beaut, that looks like a van. The Ge 4/4 iii.
Last month I was in Scotland and North West England, and I had the privilege of seeing and riding Class 397s for the first time. What beautiful trains they are, very pretty on the outside, with a great livery, fast, and comfortable on the inside. They also seem to be the only modern British train where as far as I could see, the windows actually align with the seats. I really hope more operators use them, they are so much nicer than the 800 family. Here's a picture I took of 397008 at Carlisle on the 13th of July this year. Man I hope they come to TSW some day.
Have to agree, the rebuilt Merchant Navy's are beautiful. A lot nicer than the unrebuilt Bulleid Pacifics.
Overshot the runway and came to rest on the grass embankment at Southend airport. It wasn't the first time it occured nor the last.
I'll bat for a grinder, the Vossloh HSG-2. There aren't many if any railgrinders that I'd call attractive, they're built for function only, but this thing has a cool futuristic/cyberpunk vibe to it. I would want a loco based on that design for sure.
Yes the victorians knew how to design locomotives.. I know the GWR cities aren't Victorian but she would have been designed by people who lived during Victoria's reign
15 of my favourite UK locomotives for looks in no particular order: 1. LNER A4 2. LMS Princess Royal 3. GWR Castle Class 4. SR Bullied Pacifics (both light and heavy and in both rebuilt & un-rebuilt forms) 5. BR Standard 7 6. BR Class 55 7. BR Class 68 8. GNR Stirling Single 9. CR 123 10. CR 812 Class 11. LBSC Terrier (both forms) 12. Corris Railway Hughes Falcon 13. FR Double Fairlie 14. Quarry Hunslet 15. LNER A1
I think you're onto something... I see the Cyberpunk look too. If you wrapped it in neon and painted it silver it would look great.
Check it out, looked up cyberpunk train and found this thing, it's in Cyberpunk 2077. Think it's a robot loco or something.
Of all the DMUs that currently operate in California, I'd say NCTDs Sprinters look pretty damn good. Can't really say ybe same for the FLIRTS on the Arrow services, or the Nippon Sharyos on the SMART services.
Original livery BR Class 43 Intercity 125 HST, built Crewe BREL Works 1975–1982. From British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL). Very well designed and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Or the Intercity APT, from BREL and British Rail Research Division. A train ahead of its time. Most of the tilting technolgy of the APT is used in todays tilting high speed trains.
I will say, nothing suites the old BR livery quite like the Mk2D-F & Mk3 coaches. There's something about those simplified lines & smaller windows. Still looks so good, even in low res!
CC6500 Maurienne, I really like the livery, simple. Yes, the third rail was at 1.5Kv DC that’s a lot ! It was replaced by catenary at the same voltage.
