Double-Decker Trains

[Taunton]

It's ironic that in the UK the default rail loading gauge is less than mainland Europe, whereas the default road gauge is greater. Double deck UK buses go back to double deck tramcars, and take advantage of the height standards once used for those.

One of the quite significant reasons for the continued usage of such buses, once established, is their economy of storage space at the bus garage; replace a city double deckers by single deckers and you are looking for additional land for overnight garage accommodation.

is their economy of storage space at the bus garage; replace a city double deckers by single deckers and you are looking for additional land for overnight garage accommodation. The Austrians their own style too - on the Friday before last I travelled from St. Pölten to Wien Westbahnhof on a coaching set (propelled by a Vectron loco) which had a double decker at either end bookending several single deck vehicles!

When Sydney, Australia first introduced double-deck trains (now universal) they only built the trailers, of 4-car sets with single deck motor cars at each end, operated in 8-car formations, giving a bizarre up-down-up-down roofline along the train.

 

[Recessio]

My one experience of a double-decker train, The Hague--Leiden in the Netherlands, it seemed to have reasonable accessibility. A low floor entrance had a wide accessible pram/wheelchair/bike storage area, which then had stairs to the two floors. The wide entrance area also helped with circulation and boarding as it meant people only going one stop could just wait there rather than having to trek all the way from upstairs/downstairs to the door.

 

[MicroLithium]

My one experience of a double-decker train, The Hague--Leiden in the Netherlands, it seemed to have reasonable accessibility. A low floor entrance had a wide accessible pram/wheelchair/bike storage area, which then had stairs to the two floors. The wide entrance area also helped with circulation and boarding as it meant people only going one stop could just wait there rather than having to trek all the way from upstairs/downstairs to the door.

The problem with the VIRMS is luggage space-the overhead racks downstairs wouldn’t take a phone book. Upstairs there aren’t any, and there’s not loads of luggage racks either

 

[thesignalman]

My one experience of a double-decker train, The Hague--Leiden in the Netherlands, it seemed to have reasonable accessibility. A low floor entrance had a wide accessible pram/wheelchair/bike storage area, which then had stairs to the two floors. The wide entrance area also helped with circulation and boarding as it meant people only going one stop could just wait there rather than having to trek all the way from upstairs/downstairs to the door.

No such luxuries in Australia - nowhere for the old and weak to place luggage at boarding level all (at least, not in the part of the train I boarded) which resulted in some fiery language from another tourist who claimed she never took more than a holdall that would sit on her lap when travelling, demanding I took our suitcases upstairs.

J