@stadt-bahn.bsky.social
There's a move towards combined single/double deck EMUs for regional services in Europe. CAF for NS, Alstom & Siemens for everyone and Stadler for Cercanias. But e.g. SBB and ÖBB continue to order double deck EMUs. Perhaps something about the tradeoffs between single/double/combined deck EMUs?
January 20, 2026 at 7:13 PM
There's a move towards combined single/double deck EMUs for regional services in Europe. CAF for NS, Alstom & Siemens for everyone and Stadler for Cercanias. But e.g. SBB and ÖBB continue to order double deck EMUs. Perhaps something about the tradeoffs between single/double/combined deck EMUs?
With ETCS Hybrid Train Detection (formerly Level 3) trains are able to clear a block by sending their new position (and checking integrity) without trackside detection, but my understanding is that this not anywhere near deployment.
January 13, 2026 at 1:07 PM
With ETCS Hybrid Train Detection (formerly Level 3) trains are able to clear a block by sending their new position (and checking integrity) without trackside detection, but my understanding is that this not anywhere near deployment.
My understanding is that almost all (if not all) ETCS Level 2 still uses trackside mechanisms to track occupancy, so more Eurobalises only help that trains are able to move more accurately to the end of their allowed blocks, but they're not cleared any faster.
January 13, 2026 at 1:07 PM
My understanding is that almost all (if not all) ETCS Level 2 still uses trackside mechanisms to track occupancy, so more Eurobalises only help that trains are able to move more accurately to the end of their allowed blocks, but they're not cleared any faster.
Mixed formation has a bit lower seating but more standing capacity, is cheaper and allows for level entry with 760mm platforms.
The Swiss want to have seating for everyone, have 550 mm platforms (for which double deck is fine) and have the money ⇒ Double Deck it is.
The Swiss want to have seating for everyone, have 550 mm platforms (for which double deck is fine) and have the money ⇒ Double Deck it is.
November 7, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Mixed formation has a bit lower seating but more standing capacity, is cheaper and allows for level entry with 760mm platforms.
The Swiss want to have seating for everyone, have 550 mm platforms (for which double deck is fine) and have the money ⇒ Double Deck it is.
The Swiss want to have seating for everyone, have 550 mm platforms (for which double deck is fine) and have the money ⇒ Double Deck it is.
The secondary exit of the long-distance station is supposed to be right next to the bus station, so at least those transfers will be fine (as opposed to S-Bahn - Bus, S-Bahn - long-distance, Stadtbahn - Bus, Stadtbahn - S-Bahn, which are/will be not very good)
November 7, 2025 at 12:13 PM
The secondary exit of the long-distance station is supposed to be right next to the bus station, so at least those transfers will be fine (as opposed to S-Bahn - Bus, S-Bahn - long-distance, Stadtbahn - Bus, Stadtbahn - S-Bahn, which are/will be not very good)
If DB *really* cared, they could "just" try to get approval for the BR 408 and run trains themselves. They don't need the depot space, nor the trains. No reason to get involved with ES.
NS just cares little about high-speed international travel (just look at the absolute state of the HSL-Zuid).
NS just cares little about high-speed international travel (just look at the absolute state of the HSL-Zuid).
November 4, 2025 at 10:37 AM
If DB *really* cared, they could "just" try to get approval for the BR 408 and run trains themselves. They don't need the depot space, nor the trains. No reason to get involved with ES.
NS just cares little about high-speed international travel (just look at the absolute state of the HSL-Zuid).
NS just cares little about high-speed international travel (just look at the absolute state of the HSL-Zuid).
The routes to e.g. Denmark (with the Fehmarn-Belt-Tunnel opening soon-ish™), Italy, France, Poland, ... are much easier, closer, cheaper and more popular, easily integrating with the domestic network.
November 4, 2025 at 10:37 AM
The routes to e.g. Denmark (with the Fehmarn-Belt-Tunnel opening soon-ish™), Italy, France, Poland, ... are much easier, closer, cheaper and more popular, easily integrating with the domestic network.
To Brussels/Netherlands/Paris, DB already runs trains in cooperation with SNCB/NS/SNCF, so no reason to join ES there. In general, DB has scaled back it's far-reaching international ambitions quite a bit, focusing on domestic and international routes in cooperation with adjacent countries.
November 4, 2025 at 10:37 AM
To Brussels/Netherlands/Paris, DB already runs trains in cooperation with SNCB/NS/SNCF, so no reason to join ES there. In general, DB has scaled back it's far-reaching international ambitions quite a bit, focusing on domestic and international routes in cooperation with adjacent countries.
There is no reason for DB to join Eurostar. As Jon has investigated, there are few good stations for a London-bound train to board in Germany, with most popular stops lacking the space to build a secure area, so the chance to save a train change compared to changing to ES in Brussels/Paris is slim.
November 4, 2025 at 10:37 AM
There is no reason for DB to join Eurostar. As Jon has investigated, there are few good stations for a London-bound train to board in Germany, with most popular stops lacking the space to build a secure area, so the chance to save a train change compared to changing to ES in Brussels/Paris is slim.
The share of the UK was sold to a Canadian Pension Fund and an American Investor, I don't think Europe would be too miffed.
Of course there's no guarantee the UK would be able to buy back its shares, but it's certainly imaginable. The best chance, as so often, is in the past with covid.
Of course there's no guarantee the UK would be able to buy back its shares, but it's certainly imaginable. The best chance, as so often, is in the past with covid.
November 3, 2025 at 11:02 PM
The share of the UK was sold to a Canadian Pension Fund and an American Investor, I don't think Europe would be too miffed.
Of course there's no guarantee the UK would be able to buy back its shares, but it's certainly imaginable. The best chance, as so often, is in the past with covid.
Of course there's no guarantee the UK would be able to buy back its shares, but it's certainly imaginable. The best chance, as so often, is in the past with covid.
What about 🇬🇧 buying (back) its stake of Eurostar and using that to excert more influence? Would even fit with the Great British Railways push
November 3, 2025 at 8:03 AM
What about 🇬🇧 buying (back) its stake of Eurostar and using that to excert more influence? Would even fit with the Great British Railways push
Guess it's because S4 and S6/S60 have single track sections and splitting of the trains, while S5 has dedicated double tracks till Bietigheim-Bissingen, the most boring S-Bahn line.
It can best absorb the additional chaos when extended to the Gäubahn (and, perhaps, extended to Horb).
It can best absorb the additional chaos when extended to the Gäubahn (and, perhaps, extended to Horb).
October 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Guess it's because S4 and S6/S60 have single track sections and splitting of the trains, while S5 has dedicated double tracks till Bietigheim-Bissingen, the most boring S-Bahn line.
It can best absorb the additional chaos when extended to the Gäubahn (and, perhaps, extended to Horb).
It can best absorb the additional chaos when extended to the Gäubahn (and, perhaps, extended to Horb).
I guess the 10 minutes to Vaihingen and the need to *heavily* upgrade it to turn around 16 TPH were factors.
Can highly recommend "Der Tunnel", available in the University Library, for the history of the S-Bahn.
Can highly recommend "Der Tunnel", available in the University Library, for the history of the S-Bahn.
October 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
I guess the 10 minutes to Vaihingen and the need to *heavily* upgrade it to turn around 16 TPH were factors.
Can highly recommend "Der Tunnel", available in the University Library, for the history of the S-Bahn.
Can highly recommend "Der Tunnel", available in the University Library, for the history of the S-Bahn.
First Stadtmitte was supposed to have 4 tracks and most trains terminating there, with a parallel Stadtbahntunnel, but by adding Feuersee and continuing on to Schwabstraße it was dropped. There was discussion about dropping the turning loop but the missmatch in the number of branches was too large.
October 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
First Stadtmitte was supposed to have 4 tracks and most trains terminating there, with a parallel Stadtbahntunnel, but by adding Feuersee and continuing on to Schwabstraße it was dropped. There was discussion about dropping the turning loop but the missmatch in the number of branches was too large.
They're really impressive, completely low-floor at 76 cm (with space under every seat) and only tiny, barely noticeable ramps.
I don't think there is another (German) train like it.
I don't think there is another (German) train like it.
September 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
They're really impressive, completely low-floor at 76 cm (with space under every seat) and only tiny, barely noticeable ramps.
I don't think there is another (German) train like it.
I don't think there is another (German) train like it.
For example: Rural regional rail with one cars for ~1000 riders a day good, fast metro questionable. On/near-street tram expansion/new builds good, Stadtbahn tunnels bad. 10 kph tram through pedestrian zones good, under → bad. Medium-Speed HSR good, 350 kph HSR probably mixed.
August 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM
For example: Rural regional rail with one cars for ~1000 riders a day good, fast metro questionable. On/near-street tram expansion/new builds good, Stadtbahn tunnels bad. 10 kph tram through pedestrian zones good, under → bad. Medium-Speed HSR good, 350 kph HSR probably mixed.
I would also add that this differs based on where you look. On the e.g. Bundes-level, they're generally pro-NBS (and don't care too much about U-Bahns). On the local levels, you get much more of the "small-scale", NIMBY-style push-back for larger projects, especially when it feels pro-car to them.
August 26, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I would also add that this differs based on where you look. On the e.g. Bundes-level, they're generally pro-NBS (and don't care too much about U-Bahns). On the local levels, you get much more of the "small-scale", NIMBY-style push-back for larger projects, especially when it feels pro-car to them.
Depends on the Train(line) IMHO. If there's little demand, with trains only being 50m or less or the line begins to resemble a weird metro, e.g. the Schönbuchbahn, then driver-only trains can be a good choice.
August 20, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Depends on the Train(line) IMHO. If there's little demand, with trains only being 50m or less or the line begins to resemble a weird metro, e.g. the Schönbuchbahn, then driver-only trains can be a good choice.
Although many regions also have much higher quotas, some with 100%.
August 20, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Although many regions also have much higher quotas, some with 100%.
They don't, for example some networks in Bavaria (www.pro-bahn.de/oberbayern/u..., p.3) only have 25% of trains accompanied by a second crew or between 2016 and 2018 only 25% of train kms in most regional Trains in Baden-Württemberg: www.nvbw.de/fileadmin/us....
www.nvbw.de
August 20, 2025 at 8:31 PM
They don't, for example some networks in Bavaria (www.pro-bahn.de/oberbayern/u..., p.3) only have 25% of trains accompanied by a second crew or between 2016 and 2018 only 25% of train kms in most regional Trains in Baden-Württemberg: www.nvbw.de/fileadmin/us....
Thus there are only a small number of lines left for double deckers. Thus they're more expensive and risky choice.
I think the bad bus-rail integration for non-urban services in England is a major factor. Busses (usually) don't run parallel to rail lines in Germany, they feed them.
I think the bad bus-rail integration for non-urban services in England is a major factor. Busses (usually) don't run parallel to rail lines in Germany, they feed them.
August 5, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Thus there are only a small number of lines left for double deckers. Thus they're more expensive and risky choice.
I think the bad bus-rail integration for non-urban services in England is a major factor. Busses (usually) don't run parallel to rail lines in Germany, they feed them.
I think the bad bus-rail integration for non-urban services in England is a major factor. Busses (usually) don't run parallel to rail lines in Germany, they feed them.
I can only talk for Germany: With to PoP in busy urban areas bendy busses have a great boarding time advantage, thus double deckers are rare. For regional services, frequency scales with demand until roughly 4 busses per hour. Then 15 m buses like the Setra 418 LE business are used.
August 5, 2025 at 10:17 PM
I can only talk for Germany: With to PoP in busy urban areas bendy busses have a great boarding time advantage, thus double deckers are rare. For regional services, frequency scales with demand until roughly 4 busses per hour. Then 15 m buses like the Setra 418 LE business are used.
Rome really struggles building near the center, as they find a valuable one-of-a-kind historical artifact nearly every meter. Thus opening the more outlying parts first makes sense, as it is *much* less uncertain when it might open. But Romes rail network in general is a vibe.
August 3, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Rome really struggles building near the center, as they find a valuable one-of-a-kind historical artifact nearly every meter. Thus opening the more outlying parts first makes sense, as it is *much* less uncertain when it might open. But Romes rail network in general is a vibe.
Compared to e.g. Ulm, there's only a single line and it's quite slow (with uncomfortable seats). The busses are quite frequent, but also quite slow, delayed and crowded. Hopefully this will improve with further expansion of the tramway but I wasn't impressed with the transit.
August 1, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Compared to e.g. Ulm, there's only a single line and it's quite slow (with uncomfortable seats). The busses are quite frequent, but also quite slow, delayed and crowded. Hopefully this will improve with further expansion of the tramway but I wasn't impressed with the transit.
Widely deployed in new trains in germany, but increases average dwelling times (part of a serious reliability decrease in the Stuttgart S-Bahn). Together with other dwelling time increases in in modern EMUs, timetables with little padding and frequent stops have to be replaced/are more unreliable.
August 1, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Widely deployed in new trains in germany, but increases average dwelling times (part of a serious reliability decrease in the Stuttgart S-Bahn). Together with other dwelling time increases in in modern EMUs, timetables with little padding and frequent stops have to be replaced/are more unreliable.