The toughest place to be a train driver

[PaxVobiscum]

Apologies if this has been posted before (I did search...)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16928711

It takes both skill and courage to control huge locomotives laden with mineral ore as they wind up and down the Andes mountains - making Peru possibly the toughest country in the world to be a train driver.

The Ferrocarril Central Andino (FCCA) travels from sea level to the mines at Cerro de Pasco, one of the highest cities in any country, at 14,200ft (4,330m) above sea level.

The rear wagons of the 200m-long train are often out of the driver's sight as the route zig-zags, and its weight when fully laden with trucks and cargo can approach 2,500 tons.

 

[LexyBoy]

Iceland would be a pretty tough place to be a train driver too

In the penultimate photo, is that another line coming off above where the train is? It does look insanely steep if so!

 

[PaxVobiscum]

...In the penultimate photo, is that another line coming off above where the train is? It does look insanely steep if so!

I was hoping that was a road! But now that I look I think you might be right. (Sorry can't find a larger version of this).

 

[LouJ]

This railway is as spectacular as they get! Expect some incredible action especially on the zig-zags. Did this line in steam days and it was unforgettable.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

India's also a hard place with like 50 people becoming pancakes per day over there.

 

[scotsman]

India's also a hard place with like 50 people becoming pancakes per day over there.

Tactful.

 

[90019]

India's also a hard place with like 50 people becoming pancakes per day over there.

It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

 

[MK Tom]

Is this line standard gauge?

 

[Crossover]

I'm watching it

Can't help but think saying the view is a bit restricted because of the small windows is a bit rich coming from a Pendolino driver

 

[Nym]

Nice to see the BBC Foley department up to their usual tricks. Dubbed that passing 390s scene over with HST noise...

 

[sprite]

I'm watching it

Can't help but think saying the view is a bit restricted because of the small windows is a bit rich coming from a Pendolino driver

I still wouldn't know. Opted to not go hope on the first thing I saw to London, or to goto Penzance.

One thing I have noticed sofar is that they too have different reflective stripes on the front of protective clothing to the back so the direction being faced can be ID'ed easily. Over here we have a V shape on the front (iirc) and vertical on the back, they have horizontal on the back, vertical on the front. The strips on their gear look alot smaller though.

 

[sonic2009]

That C39 is a beast!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
New Idea for Virgins First Class Meal.

That dish Simon was eating.

 

[dvboy]

I assume Simon can understand Spanish, but he never speaks it. Either that or they both have earpieces and a translator off-camera.

edit: Tell a lie, he just has spoken Spanish when giving instructions while reversing.

 

[martin2345uk]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't understand Spanish... either an earpiece or offscreen interpreter. Bloody interesting programme!!

Edit- he was shown learning basic phrases at the start of the programme

 

[Crossover]

Seems like over there the driver is the driver, fitter and just about everything else going!

Coupling up a train must be pretty unusual for Simon. Likewise, for the guys in Peru, it must be odd seeing one of our trains...that tilts like a plane hock:

 

[sonic2009]

I feel for that Man + His Family in La Oraya

 

[GodAtum]

Is 3,900 horsepower a lot for a train?

 

[Crossover]

I feel for that Man + His Family in La Oraya

Yeah

Is 3,900 horsepower a lot for a train?

It's a fair bit yeah. A 66 is about 3,000bhp and a 70 has about 3,700bhp, for comparison

 

[Wiggler]

How regularly do UK drivers have a break ?

 

[Crossover]

Any clag fans out there, that shot there was somewhat quite impressive! Not sure if it was actually burning oil, though!

 

[156441]

Totally clagtastic!!

 

[GodAtum]

It's slightly different from last serie where they went to transfer ideas and practices to the places they visited.

 

[CC 72100]

Really good program though, has been a good series in general too.

Simon did a good job in my view with understanding the Spanish instructions. The Peruvians seemed very keen on treating their train "Como si fuera una mujer" - As if it were a woman!

 

[Harbon 1]

I thought it would have been a nice touch to invite them back over to see what simon's train was like

 

[317666]

It was an interesting program I thought, certainly takes a lot of skill on that line.

 

[shinkansen1966]

Nice to see the BBC Foley department up to their usual tricks. Dubbed that passing 390s scene over with HST noise...

LOL.

Bit like the excellent continuity shots in the recent Michael Portillo railways programme.

 

[mbonwick]

Any clag fans out there, that shot there was somewhat quite impressive! Not sure if it was actually burning oil, though!

I think it was just down to the fuel mixture being too rich for the thinner air at such high altitudes. I'm sure you've seen Jeremy Clarkson's explanation for that in the Top Gear Bolivia Special....

 

[Harbon 1]

Nice to see the BBC Foley department up to their usual tricks. Dubbed that passing 390s scene over with HST noise...

I face-palmed at this point....

 

[chris89]

Watched it this morning as i sky plused it.

Was very intresting, also i hope Simon is able to do what he mentioned at the end of the programe as well.

I feel for that Man + His Family in La Oraya

I also did as well.

Chris

 

[Nym]

I face-palmed at this point....

Oh good, I'm not the only sad T*** as someone put it that notices...