I'm curious about pronouncing the names of German freight wagons. While I realize that these designations are acronyms, can they be pronounced at all and, if not, how do Germans refer to them? A few examples: Shimmns, Sggmrss, and Zacns (all present on the Rhein-Ruhr Osten route).
What we really need is a Anglo/German speaker to do a YouTube series on how to pronounce some of the more obscure German names/terms for TSW. I'd be a subscriber straight off the bat.
They aren't names! They are the UIC codes which describe the characteristics of the wagon, and each letter means something- for example, a Habbiins is very different from a Habins. A guide: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UIC_classification_of_goods_wagons Example: Habbiins. H = special covered car (i.e. any covered wagon not a standard boxcar (G)). a = 4 axles bb = load length > 14 meters ii = high-strength sliding walls n = maximum load on class C route > 28 t s = Vmax 100 km/h
However, it seems that in Germany, at least in the trade, that's how they're referred to: Very different from the US, where it's always something like "50-foot hi-cube"
I love driving the German trains, I'd love to know what that shouty PZB lady is saying to me at times.
What does the train influencing equate too? isn’t there something else when you’re running lab and get too close (red light “g” (I think it is comes up))?
Exactly that, essentially. Train influencing is a direct translation of Zugbeeinflussung. The origin of that is that the safety system can influence train behaviour, which is what PZB - Punktuelle Zugbeeinflussung (discrete train influencing - discrete because it only occurs at the magnets as opposed to continuously) refers to. The auditory Zugbeeinflussung in the cab is just to let you know that you operated a PZB lever/button.
The red G under LZB stands for Gebremsen, braking, and is simply a warning that the system will apply the brakes shortly
The G is used to now when apply the brakes too. It indicate the you are "near" the correct braking line + tollerance. So if you run under LZB is stupid to start braking fron 3 or 4 kms, just wait until the G appears and than apply the brakes.
Yes, should have mentioned that- on trains equipped with LZB but not AFB (of which the only one currently in the game is the 425), LZB serves as a guide to tell the driver what to do, as opposed to what amounts to an automated remote-control system.
Not entirely correct. "Gebremsen" is not a word at all. Just to have it said And the lit G does not mean "you need to brake now". The G can also lit up when you have not to brake at all. It only means that you are driving <30kph below the normal braking curve. It will start to blink when you are driving >5kph above the normal braking curve and below the emergency braking curve. And you get a service braking when you are above the emergency braking curve then until you fall under the normal braking curve again. You can use the G as a "i need to brake somehow somewhere" indicator but it is not meant to be.
I am not a German, but a native german speaker. I don't think we pronounce these "words" at all. Actually these are codes. For example a Zacns for me is a "Kesselwagen".
Thank you! That's very helpful. Now I understand it a bit better; the G comes on when you are close enough to an upcoming speed reduction that the system is calculating a braking curve and it's within 30 km/h of what you are presently doing, but the curve hasn't yet intersected your present speed (at which point the "bug" will start to move and, if running AFB, the train will apply brakes.)
Exactly what i said with the word "near". However if you brake when you see the G marker, you can just slow down with the electric/dynamic brake too, exemple from 230kmh to 200kmh. It si just an "last chance".
Yes, its "punktförmige" but the meaning in this case is basically the same as "punktuelle"... both means "at a certain point".
Thanks for Kesselwagen! I'm hoping you can also provide other common names for German freight cars such as Roos, Habbiins, Schimms, Laaers, and so on. I suppose this is one of those "immersion" issues for me: I'd like to be able to look at a Zacns and think Kesselwagen in the same way that I look at its American equivalent and think tanker. I appreciate your help.
I recommend going to the wikipedia article of the type of freight car in english and switching the language to german, or like I did, searched the freight wagon types in the german wikipedia and used the browser's translator List from wikipedia in both German and English The "UIC Class" indicates the first letter they belong to, so Habbiins is type H (Gedeckte Güterwagen). Interestingly enough it seems like they don't have a term for the autorack cars, and is just classified as a flat car.
The "Kesselwagen" is sometimes also called "Tankwagen", so german and english is pretty close there. You're welcome. Tanker is quite similar to "Tankwagen". Some people also call a "Kesselwagen" a "Tankwagen". But "Tankwagen" is more commonly used for a a lorry/truck pulling a tank on the streets. FD1003 already posted a good screenshot. I recommend you the following website from our national cargo railway, which can be switched between german and english: https://www.railcargo.com/de/leistungen/wagenladungen/equipment/gueterwagen You may find the word "Waggon" there, which in Austria is used more often than "Wagen". To answer your question: Roos: Flachwagen Habbiins: Schiebewandwagen Shimmns: That's what I would call a "Stahlwagen". That is also written in the manual available at the Railcargo website. It's used for steel coils. See them pretty often in my hometown, since whe have a big steelwork here. Laaers: "Autotransportwagen" or as I would say "Autotransporter".
In most cases, that German reading course I took . . . well, let's just say a long time ago taught pronunciation quite well. I really appreciate the suggestions regarding websites that can be easily switched between German and English wagon names.