European Diesel Hauled Passenger Services

[burns20]

Where in Europe is best for travelling behind diesel loco hauled stock?

 

[87015]

Where in Europe is best for travelling behind diesel loco hauled stock?

Depends what you want as a priority really, there are loads of choices.

Just loud diesels?
Long distance IC services?
Guaranteed (or high chance) of fresh air stock rather than aircons?
Decent place(s) to stay/go/be?
Amount and variety of trains/locos/routes?

The most rateable diesels I'd say you can have these days are Czech 749s (and they are going) or former Yugoslavian GMs, but I've barely scratched the surface of what is available.

Youtube is pretty good for most places, both British and local cranks tend to have a bit of stuff on there, also railfaneurope.net has a good basic guide to fleets.

 

[gordonthemoron]

DB run diesel loco hauled EC trains between Munich & Zürich. Also diesel loco hauled regional trains between Munich & Füssen/Mühldorf. ALEX run diesel loco hauled services between Munich-Lindau/Oberstdorf & Regensburg/Nuremberg-Hof/Plzen.

Obb run diesel loco hauled services between Munich & Linz via Mühldorf

 

[burns20]

The following would be a gd start

Just loud diesels
Guaranteed (or high chance) of fresh air stock rather than aircons
Decent place(s) to stay/go/be
Amount and variety of trains/locos/routes

The most rateable diesels I'd say you can have these days are Czech 749s (and they are going) or former Yugoslavian GMs, but I've barely scratched the surface of what is available.

Where would these be I do like going to the Czech Republic and haven't seen much diesel haulage there

 

[gordonthemoron]

The ALEX trains don't have aircon (except for the double deck coach & possibly buffet), the single decker DB coaching stock does not have aircon, not sure about Obb

There are non-electrified lines in Czech republic west of Plzen, certainly the one to Fürth-im-Wald

 

[87015]

Where would these be I do like going to the Czech Republic and haven't seen much diesel haulage there

Your best bet is out of Ceske Bud if you can manage a trip there before the summer dated diagrams on the Novi Udoli line finish (September IIRC) as Ceske Bud currently only has 2 silenced 749s for three diagrams - last week 2 were loud. Weekend work out of Prague is also booked for the time being, but thats more hit and miss for loudness although you'll normally get one (three out last Saturday, but only one on Sunday) it'd be a matter of sitting and waiting for a loud one to drop.

I'd strongly recommend signing up for either europeanrailgen (erg) or cdgen on yahoo groups, both have Czech diagrams and reports in them.

PM me if you want any more detailed gen - I've only done one trip but happy to pass on what I know.

The strange thing is that the silenced 749s sound 'loud' on tickover but then don't make much noise under power, so a list of which ones are loud is essential!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKhUU25trpk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJCTC61KBBc

 

[burns20]

We'll be going at the end of November so far Copenhagen - Hamburg - Halle - Zwickau - Karlovy Vary

We usually go for ten days

 

[oattam09]

The Czech drivers seem to have only two power settings, max thrash or nothing!