Portal:Trains/Did you know/March 2006

March, 2006

• ...that circus trains have proven well-suited for transportation of heavy livestock such as elephants, despite several tragic accidents over the years?

Proastiakos train in Athens Central Railway Station

• ...that Proastiakos, the suburban railway system of Athens, Greece, is expected to be extended to Patras by 2010?

Manila metropolitan railway map

• ...that the Manila Light Rail Transit System in the Philippines is the first metro system in Southeast Asia, predating even the Singapore MRT by some three years?

2-8-8-8-2 locomotive "Matt H. Shay"

• ...that with all six cylinders operating at full pressure the Erie Railroad's 2-8-8-8-2 "Triplex" locomotives could produce more tractive effort than any other steam locomotive, but only for a short time due to their undersized boilers?

Lidingöbanan leaving Kottla station

• ...that Lidingöbanan provides light rail public transportation between Ropsten and Gåshaga brygga, on the southern half of Lidingö island, in Sweden?

A steam locomotive superheater

• ...that some superheater-equipped steam locomotives were also equipped with "front-end throttles" to counteract the delay between moving the engine's throttle and steam flowing into the locomotive's cylinders?

Original Papatoetoe station building

• ...that the station building at New Zealand's Papatoetoe Train Station has been moved from its original location and preserved as a historic landmark?

A CSX slug

• ...that many of the slugs used by CSX are almost indistinguishable externally from normal diesel locomotives?
• ...that after importing ST43 class diesel locomotives from Romania to Poland, the Soviet Union required imports of the subsequent PKP class ST44 through the 1980s to originate from Soviet factories?

The facade of Fenchurch Street railway station

• ...that unlike London's other railroad termini, Fenchurch Street railway station does not have a direct link to the London Underground?

Ferrocentral route map

• ...that most of the passenger trains operated by Ferrocentral in northern Argentina are operated in the late night and early morning hours as the rail lines are used for transporting cargo during the daytime?

Thomas George Shaugnessy

• ...that in recognition of his stewardship of the Canadian Pacific Railway and its contributions to the war effort during the Great War, Thomas George Shaughnessy was elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1916, becoming Baron Shaughnessy?

Sydney Monorail at Liverpool and Pitt Streets

• ...that the Sydney Monorail, operated by Connex, opened in July 1988 during the Australian Bicentenary celebrations?
• ...that due to merger stipulations, Pere Marquette 1225 remained painted for Pere Marquette Railroad after the railroad's acquisition by Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1947?

The tracks at Cardiff Central station

• ...that Cardiff Central station, the largest station in Wales, is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, though the exterior signage still reads Great Western Railway, the name of the company who built it?

A Baldwin Class 10-12-D in Michigan in 1921 after the end of the war.

• ...that United States War Department Light Railways were used during World War I for the supply of ammunition and stores, the transport of troops and the evacuation of the wounded?

DB class 420 in Munich

• ...that some DB Class 420 electric multiple units are being rebuilt in Stuttgart as part of the ET 420 Plus project, adding air conditioning and passenger information displays?

Santa Fe locomotive number 3000

• ...that only two classes of 2-10-10-2 steam locomotive, the Santa Fe's 3000 class and Virginian's AE class, were built for North American railroads?
• ...that late in World War II, Soviet forces set fire to Poland's Gdańsk Główny station building, almost completely destroying it?

A string of flatcars carrying tanks under tarps

• ...that flatcars are used for loads that are too large or cumbersome to load in enclosed cars such as boxcars and they are also often used to transport containers or trailers in intermodal shipping?

EMD DDA40X

• ...that the EMD DDA40X is the longest and most powerful diesel-electric locomotive ever built?

A Thalys train at Aachen Hauptbahnhof

• ...that plans to extend Thalys service to Frankfurt had to be abandoned because of insufficient power the Thalys trainsets generate when operating under the 15 kV electrification system used in Germany?

An overhead view of the Weyauwega derailment March 5, 1996

• ...that the fireballs from the initial fire in the Weyauwega derailment exploded up to 300 feet (90 m) high and were visible for nearly 13 miles (21 km)?
• ...that on January 15, 1953, a PRR GG1 pulling the Federal Express crashed into the baggage room at Washington Union Station, but was able to be repaired and returned to service?

The Royal Albert Bridge

• ...that the two center spans of Great Western Railway's Royal Albert Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, were raised into position by building up the central piers three feet (1 m) at a time?
• ...that beginning in late 2002, the railroad simulation game Trainz has included an external application called Paintshed that allows users to recolor locomotive and rolling stock computer models for use within the simulation?

Train detection magnets

• ...that some automatic train protection systems are designed to stop a train if the train's engineer does not acknowledge certain signal indications that direct the train to slow or stop?