EURAIL TRAINSPOTTING QUESTION

First things first, "Eurail" isn't a train, it's a piece of paper that has a rail pass printed on it:) Most all trains in Europe are electric. These days steam trains are only used on special tourist-excursion trains, not on regular inter city routes. If you want exact technical details on the equipment being used a google/wikipedia search can get you those details, with pictures. For schedules for most all western Europe, check the German Rail page at:

http://www.bahn.de

or the Swiss Rail site at:

http://rail.ch

This site can give some details as well:

http://www.seat61.com/

Well... I've taken almost all of those legs (no Lisbon).

On any of the open long-run rides the train is powered by diesel that runs a generator that powers the electric motor that pulls the train. On almost all of those rides there are choices between Regional, National and International High Speed trains.

Assuming mid-speed choices unless noted, here are some travel times I'm familiar with: (Note that it sounds like you'd benefit from buying Rick Steve's Rail Planning map).

London-Paris: 2-3 hours, 0-1 stops.
Paris-Madrid: 12-18 hours, 0-2 stops (overnight possible).
Madrid-Barcelona: 2-4 hours, 0-2 stops.
Barcelona-Milan: 4-7 hours, 1-3 stops.
Milan-Rome: 3-9 hours, 0-3 stops.
Rome-Venice: 3-5 hours, 0-1 stops.
Venice-Innsbruck: 5-7 hours, 0-2 stops.
Innsbruck-Munich: 2 hours, 0-1 stop.
Munich-Berlin: 5-6 hours, 0-1 stops.
Berlin-Copenhagen: 9-14 hours, 1-4 stops.
Copenhagen-Amsterdam: 9-16 hours, 0-4 stops, overnight possible. (Not sure if faster option.)
Amsterdam-London: 4-6 hours, 0-1 stops.

If you go to tgv-europe.com, bahn.de, raileurope.com or similar sites you can get actual train model information used on each route, pictures of them, technical specs, etc...

None of the routes she listed uses diesel locomotives. All are 100% electric with overhead catenary lines.

How recently were the OEC issues resolved? As of late 2008 there were gaps in coverage of the catenary lines on several of those legs, and according to DB 40% of rail miles done internationally are still covered by diesel electric hybrids designated ICE-TD (November 2008). Phase changeover to the class 120 cars was delayed by financial problems with DB Fernverkehr, opting instead to delay rollout until the class 406 equipment is ready to roll on all legs.

Now, both TrenItalia and DB were running only diesel-electric / OEC hybrid capable engines by mid 2008, but big stretches of overhead still remained to be built well into last year. (Edit -- clarify -- these were dual diesel-electric/electric units -- run on diesel, or overhead catenary lines).

OK, Lauren, are you sorry you asked now? :)

You guys are so terrific, I'm speechless! This is more than wonderful And amazingly speedy to boot. Jim-your travel times list is exactly what I need and saves me a whole lot of time and internet frustration. And the discussion of the different train types is invaluable. I can't thank you, all of you, enough.

One of my characters is obsessed with trains but I haven't done any European rail travel for many years and won't be able to get there any time soon. If you guys want to bat around such questions ad nauseum, I'm more than happy. Do any of you happen to know if any of these trains need any fuel on board to run?

Oops. Please excuse my overuse of the word "any" in my last post!

Also, thanks for all the links. Haven't had a chance to check them out yet but look forward, especially to the pictures and diagrams.

Your character doesn't by chance live in Minot, ND, and go by the name of...Tim, does he? Where is Tim in this discussion, anyway? :)

Update -- Michael may be much closer to accurate than I gave him credit. The DB since 2006 has accelerated their plan to completely eliminate dependency on diesel-electric trains. In 2009 they still used dual powered diesel-electric/overhead-electric on 90% of routes, but showed utilization rates of overhead electric exceeding 95% on major routes.

My apologies if I spoke to bluntly in my somewhat behind-the-times knowledge of rail power --

Thanks for the update Jim. Diesel passenger locomotive are indeed used in a lot of rural areas of Europe. But the routes Lauren listed are some of the most heavily traveled corridors in Europe. In my travels not once have I spotted diesel equipment pulling a train between major cities. I'm a bit of a low-key trainspotter myself; although I've never gone so far as logging locomotive numbers, or car liveries:)

The only non-electrified segment on the routes you mention would be Hamburg-Copenhagen (or more precisely Lübeck-Puttgarden and Rødby Færge - Ringsted) on the Berlin-Copenhagen journey. The Berlin-Copenhagen express is an extension of the Hamburg-Copenhagen EC-train which makes a ferry crossing of the Baltic Sea between Puttgarden and Rødby. The train itself is shunted onto the ferry. The line is not electrified between Lübeck (Germany) and Ringsted (Denmark). The direct Berlin-Copenhagen trains are run with German ICE TD DMUs (Diesel Mulitple Units). A bridge is planned for completion in 2018 between Puttgarden and Rødby, and the line will be electrified when the bridge opens.

This is all fabulous. Really.

If anyone's up for educating me about their experiences, here are some additional oddball questions:

• Longest stretch one could stay on the same train (for route I mentioned, or similar, overnight or other)? Number of stops?

• Are there cafe cars? With what kind of food?

• Hazards/problems that can occur with electric trains?

• Titles and functions of train staff? Ticket takers? Conductor/Operator?

• Are upcoming stations announced by PA speakers? In person? Both? Are announcements canned or live?

• Smoking allowed? If not, do people smoke between cars?

• Are exit doors within the cars or outside space between cars?

• Is luggage generally put in overhead racks or set of racks at end of car?

• Differences in comfort, cleaniliness, friendliness (including seating, restrooms, amenities) on the different trains or in different countries?

In the name of realistic fiction, I thank all of you in advance for anything you care to share!

Karen - Tim has a lot of company globally! This (fictive) trainspotter happens to be a 15-year-old Londoner.

You know, if you'll pay for my trip, I'd be happy to be your guide and take you on all those rides.... ;)~

Depending on where in Europe some of these answers vary -- also, the trains have changed a lot in the last few years, almost every country has done major 'modernizing efforts'... that said... I'll try to tackle some of these:

Longest stretch one could stay on the same train (for route I mentioned, or similar, overnight or other)? Number of stops? WOW. Not sure -- but I think there are some sleepers that go from London to places like Madrid and Vienna -- go to Seat61.com to research this one.

• Are there cafe cars? With what kind of food? Yes. Some are fast food, some are high quality sit-down restaurants. Food will be typical to the nation operating the train.

• Hazards/problems that can occur with electric trains? Power outages. I once sat on a track an hour outside Milan for 9 hours because flooding had toppled the posts that hold the overhead power lines -- and our train was not dual power. TrenItalia eventually was able to move us a couple miles and offload us to busses.

• Titles and functions of train staff? Ticket takers? Conductor/Operator? Varies by country. The 'conductor' is the all-powerful, multi-function person on most trains.

• Are upcoming stations announced by PA speakers? In person? Both? Are announcements canned or live? Speakers, mostly canned, often very hard to understand...

To be continued...

• Smoking allowed? If not, do people smoke between cars? Varies widely. As of 2003/2004 most trains in most countries still allowed smoking but provided no-smoking cars. Currently some countries no longer allow smoking at all on their trains -- Italy I beleive is in this group. Older trains had 'space between cars', but many of the newer, more modern, trains don't really have a 'between the cars'.

• Are exit doors within the cars or outside space between cars? Varies. Some of the older regional trains are exit between the cars, but this is rare. Most, even fairly old cars, are exit at each end of the car, on both sides of the track.

• Is luggage generally put in overhead racks or set of racks at end of car? Varies again. If the train has compartments (groupings of 6 or 8 seats facing, with a door) then luggage is mostly overhead -- if it is gallery style seating, there is storage overhead, but also often a space at/near the end of the car.

• Differences in comfort, cleaniliness, friendliness (including seating, restrooms, amenities) on the different trains or in different countries? Enormous variety... Many trains in Germany/Switzerland are freakishly clean, stainless steel bathrooms, touchless faucets -- very sleek and modern.... and then there's the local train connecting the towns of the Cinque Terre in Italy... with a bathroom in such a state that sitting closer to the front of the train with the windows open is recommended... (as of 2000, at least... others can say if that has changed)

Spend some time looking at pictures of the trains -- seating configurations, sleeper berths, etc... the best place I know of to link to lots of interior pictures is Seat61.com -- fantastic website.