Trinity Railway Express Review : The Texan commuter train
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ส.ค. 2024
- Hi everyone, welcome to this trip report onboard the commuter train Trinity Railway Express from Dallas to Fort Worth in Texas. 🇺🇸 Enjoy 🙃
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- TRIP INFORMATION -
Railway company: Trinity Railway Express
Train type : EMD F59PH + Bombardier BiLevel coaches
From : Dallas Union Station to Fort Worth Central Station
Duration : 57min
Price : 3$
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Bells are mostly a history thing in the US. They're used as a warning device for low speed movements at a station, around other stopped trains, or when departing. When the horn is pressed, the bell automatically comes on as well.
The horn sequences are reminiscent of the steam days when the engineer would be communicating with the conductor ALL that way at the back in the caboose. One short honk (stop/stopping), two short honks (starting to move from a stop), three short honks (reversing) and finally a two long honks, a short honk, and another long honk in a sequence is for a railroad crossing warning.
Sometimes, like in this video, the train did not blow its horn leaving the station. It all depends on the local procedure and quiet zones!
Love your videos man, keep it up!
Mandated by federal law the bells for movement in a station/terminal/depot. When the Great Western Railway sent the new King class locomotive King George V to the USA nearly a century ago for the centennial of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, America's first, the B&O gifted her a silver bell so she could run on US tracks. King George V still has this bell on her buffer beam at the British Railway Museum... I recall hearing her bell at Paddington Station in London when I was a child...
In Russia they still use the honk system to warn about starting / stopping. No mandatory whistles at RR crossings though.
Bells are easier to hear in the station by people. Without having you jump out of your skin. When a train is moving in the station, it plays it's bell. Helpful with all those grade level pedestrian crossings that you comment about.
Horns are better for longer distances. You can hear them a mile away. 2-3 miles when it isn't too city noisy. I live near Diridon Station in San Jose CA.
while trams themselves gong
Horns from even five miles away instantly calm the foreign adolescent in you as you trundle along your train track through bush past nightfall with some clumsy-sounding bear steadily stalking you trackside..the longest several minutes ensue, waiting to be properly chuffed by 🍸
"In America you can hear trains from miles away"
That's not even an exaggeration. I sometimes hear train horns from my home, and I live 5 miles away from the railroad.
because we have proper safety rules
Am in North Carolina and live near two grade crossings so I get the full blast of those damned horns twice for each train. MUCH TOO LOUD!
I live 2 miles from a track. Not only can you hear the horns, you can also hear loud diesel locomotive engines.
Most of our trains are huge powerful diesel freight trains up 2/3 a mile long. So yes you can hear them in the distance. I like the distant sounds of trains especially at night. Up close.... not so sure.
Same, except we have a river thats at least a mile or 2 wide, along with buildings a
Texas was beginning to ease its virus restriction when this trip was made.
TRE began in 1996 with former VIA Rail Budd RDCs acquired by Dallas and totally rebuilt. The F59 units and multilevel cars were Ft Worth's contribution to the line. They came from Toronto GO Transit, where the car design originated. The RDCs were sold couple years ago to a renewable energy company in Vermont but have not been used much.
Amtrak Texas Eagle runs primarily betw Chicago and San Antonio. Its Los Angeles segment is a coach and sleeping car coupled to the Sunset Limited, which originates in New Orleans, at San Antonio.
I take this train everyday and for the most part it is a really good ride. Most of their sets are 3 coaches and this is the only 2 coach configuration. The electrical outlets are only in the cars with the wood paneling. It is only short stretch of track but they do maintain it very well. When you stopped at the West Irving Station there is a small yard on the other side of the train that belongs to Herzog which is the company that actually operates the train and maintains the track for Dallas & Fort Worth. Since the Covid-19 has started and the cities have closed down, they have not been checking tickets. For the most part even when they do, the conductors really can't do much other than kicking you off the train. In Dallas they used to have a couple of fare enforcement officers which could write you a ticket, but since the Covid, I have not seen them. The fastest that I have clocked the speed was right around 70mph.
As far as the bells and horns, I don't know all of their meanings, but here's what I can tell you. The bell is used when the train is moving slowly in and out of stations, at crossings and through construction zones. It is sometimes hard to judge the distance when they blow the horn, but if you hear the bell you know they're close. I know 3 of the horn signals...
2 Short Blasts - The train is about to move forward
3 short blasts - The train is about to move in reverse
2 Long, 1 short, 1 Long - The train is approaching a crossing. The final long is supposed to start just as the train enters the crossing. Along the side of the tracks as small black and white signs with a "W" on them. This signifies when the engineer should start the crossing horn pattern. You can judge the speed of the train by the length of the various horns. The shorter the "long" horns are, the faster the train is going.
Segregating station facilities by Amtrak vs. commuter trains is such a US thing. It's crazy. I've never seen that in Europe, other than maybe having special first class lounges. Also that going a short distance, stopping, and then proceeding thing US trains do sometimes is a brake test.
I definitely agree with the Amtrak wonkiness in general, although I wonder if the issue he ran into is a temporary thing due to COVID.
D Austin Horowitz When I was traveling in the Los Angeles area during the end of March, they were not letting people into the station at all if they weren’t riding Amtrak or the metro.
@@DAustinHorowitz I remember going in the building without anybody saying anything,I guess its because of COVID-19 that they do that
See Penn Station, New York. Separate waiting and ticketing areas for Amtrak, NJ Transit and Long Island RR.
Centredoorplugs Thornton Penn’s layout is the end result of its design, having to retain as much usable space under Madison Square Garden. Will admit the times I’ve taken NJT from Penn, I’ve only waited in and boarded from the Amtrak concourse,
wow that's a short train! Usually commuter rail has at least 3 coaches and even that's short. Great video!
I'm from Dallas. It's normally 2 coaches but with the Virus going around I imagine they took one off since not many ppl are traveling/commuting. If I'm not mistaken they are expanding station platforms so that it can be expanded to 3.
@@hunteralford14 That's interesting. I'm on the west coast and most of the commuter rail here is usually 4 cars or more. I haven't seen any trains recently though so it is possible they are shorter.
Well all the TRE trains I've seen were 3 coaches and back then a few years ago TRE had 4 cars
Dude, there aren't enough passengers for even half a coach. Why waste energy hauling 3 coaches? Seriously, only 1 coach was needed.
@@amardave84 I agree but I think there's a few reasons: with more coaches, people can spread out more which is important right now and during normal times a lot of commuters take it (hence the name) and you get some pretty full trains. But yes, a lot of commuter railroads don't really need that much capacity, especially on a weekend, but I will say that it is nice to have.
Here's a complete overview of the entire trainset you were on:
122 is, of course, a GMD F59PH built in 1988. As TRE did not start until 1996, it could have not been originally for TRE. It originally ran in Toronto as GO Transit 528. It was retired from GO in 2009 and sold to TRE, to become the 122 it is today. All TRE F59PHs are actually Ex-GO Transit.
1059, despite its outer appearance, is NOT a Bombardier Coach, but rather a Hawker Siddeley Bi-Level car built in 1978 as GO Transit 2024, running there until being retired from GO in 1997 and transferred to TRE. The 1978-built cars were actually the very first Bi-Levels of their kind ever built. They were only known as the GO Transit Bi-Levels, as it wasn't until 1991 that Bombardier actually owned the design and began to sell them to other railroads. It's amazing how well these ancient beauties survive for so long.
1007 is a typical Bombardier Bi-Level Cab Car built in 2007. It has no ties with GO Transit, and was built new directly for TRE. There's not really much to say about 1007. It has virtually all the normal specifications for its time and type. Welded sides, slightly larger side windows, K5LA Horn (albeit restricted), and Transtronic E-Bell. Although I should note two things. The unit recently had the Reflector Strips on its front end replaced as the old ones had worn away with time (those ones hadn't been replaced at all since it was first built). Also, TRE is one of the few railroads using these Cab Cars to actually allow passengers to ride right behind the Engineer, and bears a "Railfan Seat", allowing you to view and film the journey from the Engineer's perspective. However, in recent times, TRE has blocked multiple of the view windows from these special seats, and 1007 is unfortunately a victim of this. Regardless, though, 1007 is actually still my personal favorite of the whole TRE Cab Car fleet (at least of the ones that are still active today).
Wait,1007 has a restricted K5LA? Which other horns are restricted K5LAs on the TRE(if there are any others)?
Yes, all of the TRE's motive power are 2nd hand
Thank you for your amazing and complete comment dude
Wait, the BiLevel design was originally from Hawker-Siddeley?
@@trainzguy2472 Right? I didn't even know they had built train cars! I only knew them to have made aircrafts.
3 DOLLARS FOR AN HOUR ON A TRAIN??? Great value plus the train itself and the livery looks good
Honestly, that is an amazing fare!
@@samuelitooooo I would imagine a cab fare would be over $50 easily...
@@snarkylive Well, the DART and T one cent and a half cent sales taxes subsidize the TRE... But $3 is not a large fare for a train trip of an hour...
$5 for the day
If you get the opportunity i would recommend taking a ride on the South Shore Line down from Chicago to South Bend. It is one of the only places in the world where scheduled regular passenger trains run for a section of track on a suburban street level with the cars. Its especially cool when the Bi-level cars run down it. There are plenty of videos on TH-cam where you can see this.
"Everything is bigger in Texas" I agree with that
You could just as easily say "everything is bigger in America" IMO, though it's probably particularly accurate in Texas.
Ok what about the network
I was genuinely surprised by how small the train was, in Ontario we have the same coaches but the trains are 10 or 12 cars long, so a 2-car train looks ridiculous to me
@@OntarioTrafficMan That looks very strange, in Germany Trains have like 10 to 15 Cars
On the Long Island Rail Road in New York you'll find a few push-pull trains that are four cars long. But other than that the shortest commuter trains are 6 cars long and the longest are 12 which aren't hard to come by.
Through videos I've seen (because I haven't been there), Philadelphia does run three-car electric (single-deck) commuter trains though. Doesn't look as ridiculous because they're not push-pull trains but still
I dont understand why you wouldn't want passangers to walk trough a impressive station building but instead walk around it..
It probably has to do with the fact that the station houses private offices and the upstairs grand hall is now used as event space for a hotel close by.Its main income probably does not come from it being a waiting area. I also worry that it is a blanket response to keep homeless people out without referring to the problem directly.
Probaby only Amtrak uses the inside part.
COVID-19 restrictions presently...
Could be because it’s reserved for Amtrak only. They don’t want “other” people using it
There is nothing inside that station to "protect." The idiot security woman was just giving our presenter a hard time because she could. Really dumb, but at least we didn't really miss out on anything. It's not impressive inside at all, just a small, dark waiting room with some empty offices on either side. I don't know if the station ever had a "great hall" in the waiting room, but it's certainly not there now.
I'm excited that y'all are doing more US train trips! I have always found US trains a whole lot more comfortable than anything we have in the UK. I hope y'all stay safe and take the correct precautions!
The regular coach is a Gen I built in the 70s for Go Transit.
It's cool to see these BiLevel coaches in something other than GO's livery.
Im impressed! I didn't know that we can find portuguese words on these Bombardier coaches for the US trains. On toilets door it says "abrir", it means open! Uau! Congrats from Portugal!
Maybe they use the same words in the French-speaking Canada.. (Train-set formerly been in use by GO Transit)
"But aerodynamics for US trains aren't the priority".
Aerodynamic form is completely pointless unless you reach a certain speed, which these coaches aren't made for.
Agreed, if you look ar Acela trainsets and even higher speed Amtrak services, their trains definitely prioritize aerodynamics, traveling speeds up to 155/160 mph. On the TRE, they're simply trying to maximize space with as few train cars as possible (a pretty economical choice) which makes sense considering the ridership on these trains is not super high.
That is not true. Even on trains that only drive 100 km/h an aerodynamic shape will reduce the power that is needed to bring it to that speed. That's why in Europe even regional Trains have aerodynamic shapes.
@@Saui1299 Ok, but not significantly enough to make a difference. For example, there is no purpose to a spoiler on a passenger car other than a stylistic choice since the air splitting only truly maximizes efficiency at higher velocity. Besides, this is irrelevant with the TRE since such a speed is not met.
@@cosmo5164 a spoiler does a completly different job than an aerodynamic shape. The spoiler is their to push the car to the ground so that is doesnt lose grip and in worst case control. An aerodynamic shape puts the air arround the object. Did you ever drove a bicycle ? Than you will now what even a low speed like 25 Km/h can mean. Just put some headwind in your direction and you wont have a fun time. So it makes a difference or why do you think all modern trains (no matter the speed) use such shapes ?
@@Saui1299 You're obviously from Europe by the lack of knowledge about North American trains. We do things different here in the U.S. We don't need aerodynamics because our locomotives have anywhere from 2000-6400 HP. The fastest I've seen a Commuter Rail train go is probably 90MPH. Our High speed trains in the northeast have more aerodynamics due to running at speeds from 125MPH-150MPH
When i first came to the US i was surprised at how much people depend on cars sometimes even for journeys longer than six hours. They seem to have such comfortable rolling stock most of the time.
Hey, I had no idea you were in Dallas or I would have been happy to buy you a drink! Glad you got a chance to try the TRE. Sorry about the unfriendly staff at the Union Station but as you can imagine downtown Dallas has a homeless issue (and also, well, people are paranoid here) so a lot of buildings are difficult to access unless you have the right ticket or access. If it's any consolation, it's not that impressive inside!
Regarding the Trinity River, the Dallas Union Station is just a few hundred feet north of it. But you can't see it because it's mostly dried up. There are lots of scenic overviews and jogging/cycling trails down there. A nice, if largely unknown part of the city of Dallas.
its nice too see a person from Europe admire the big strong trains we have here as much as we admire their small speedy fast trains
My sister in law rides that yellow and white light rail you showed at the beginning every day. She loves it. Nice review of the Trinity! Thanks for sharing!
Legally, that speed is only 127 km/h (79mph) because of a weird rule resulting from some crashes in the 1940s stipulating that trains without cab signal indications or an automatic stopping device can't go any faster than 79 miles per hour. A few sections of track in Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona for Amtrak's Southwest Chief, as well as some track south of LA, allow for 90 mph with automatic train stop from the old Santa Fe Railway. Some stretches of track have cab signaling using diesel locomotives with railroad crossings, such as in Michigan and in Upstate New York along the Hudson River, allowing for 110 mph. Other than that, only the Northeast Corridor and the Keystone Corridor, both of which are electrified and have almost no railroad crossings, allow for speeds of 125 mph for conventional trains and 135 to 150 mph (240 km/h) for high-speed Acela trains. Everything else is, sadly, 79 mph or less.
The tracks for the TRE are among those that allow speeds up to 90; it's a rare situation (in the US, at least) where the commuter railway actually owns the tracks, so they keep things maintained to higher speed. My understanding is that the TRE and Amtrak are typically the only trains that use those tracks.
Fun fact: the station you departed from (Dallas Union Station) will soon be the terminus for the Texas Central high speed rail line from Houston.
Yeah if it actually happens.
Not quite. They are going to build a new station just to the south of the convention center, by Gilley's and South Side on Lamar, about 6 blocks south of Union Station. (Unless they have changed their plan).
@@williambishop2384 Yeah, Ceders will be the closest DART station, which is 2 stations south of EBJ Union Station (EBJ > Conventon Center > Cedars).
South of the convention center , it won’t go all the way to downtown, just like it won’t go all the way downtown in Houston.
Awesome vid! I'm originally from Dallas and always loved seeing the TRE livery! Hoping that a TEXRail video will be in the works
Yep, we Texans love the ol' Lone Star...You see it everywhere, barns, planes (commercial and private), cars, mailboxes and so on... I wonder why we here in Houston do not have a service to say, Galveston or something like this from San Antonio to Austin?
BTW, is Simply Railway affiliated with Simply Aviation? Similar names and shooting styles.
Hey, no we are not affiliated :)
You do the best Railroad reviews I’ve ever seen on the interwebs !
With all those exposed bolts on the carriages I wouldn't have expected the ride to be less than "riveting!"
No
Only on five or so. Those are really old ones
“It almost feels like an intercity train.”
Well, that’s pretty much what it is. It’s only 34 miles long. It goes between two cities, Ft Worth and Dallas, but they’re located next to each other in the same metro area.
The TRE is excellent for going to events at the American Airlines Center, as one of the stops is Victory Station. They always have one last train after a game or concert.
It's very common to cross tracks like that in the US. If you sit in the two seats in the mid level on the cab car you can see out the front. Also there's plugs at the table seats, and the ones that UTA have there's USB. These train cars are very comfortable for commuter rail, and you never find First class on them. Are trains are big and have very loud horns that are made to sound good like instruments. Since we have so many level crossings we have about 900-1000 deaths with Train/Car/Pedestrian collisions every year. If you are expecting to have your ticket checked on commuter rail in the us it won't happen i ride similar trains all the time and my ticket has only been checked 2. In the US trains do have there problems but they are a great experience and they're getting more ridership! :)
PS the livery is good but i think that UTA Frontrunners is the best.
Max speed in the US is almost always 79 MPH
I am a Dallas resident and was in fact on that very train today. Whilst I will admit rail infrastructure in the United States is lacking to say the very least, the TRE is extremely comfortable and relaxing. It's the best way to travel between the 2 cities. Also the DART is expanding with a Silver Line route linking Plano to DFW airport. Not quite so sure what is so insafe about crossing over the tracks in the station. Glad you enjoyed your trip, and absolutely love your videos.
I love Amtrak. Every summer. I ride from ROCHESTER ny to Fort Lauderdale Florida
At 9:38 and 11:38 that F59PH sounded its AMAZING K5LA horn! K5LA's are always the best sounding train horn.😀🚂🚃🚃
I used to ride from the Airport station to the station near Northeast Mall. A little shuttle would drop me off at the Sears parking lot.
The two tracks that you see there at Union Station where the TRE train was parked is also used by local BNSF freight trains, which is why the rails look as good as they do. I've seen several pass through that station while waiting for a train.
These trains are very similar to the GO Train in Toronto, Canada. GO Trains however are much longer (10 cars on average, sometimes 6). The EMD F59PH locomotives have been replaced by the MPI MPXpress series and the Bombardier Bi-Level cars have been upgraded.
Unfortunately when I went to DFW on Memorial Day weekend I didn't realize that the train service was shut down that Sunday. Bummer because I really wanted to ride it. Particularly with the high gas prices.
Oh well, at least I live 4 hours away and can take another trip over there
Thibauld, welcome to Texas! I hope you enjoyed your visit.
The older carriages have the rivets. GO Transit in Toronto pioneered these double-deckers, and the driving cars are more aerodynamic now, but I don't think they use them in the USA.
The more aerodynamic cab-cars are in use on the Seattle commuter system, but to my knowledge that's the only place in the US that uses them.
The bell on American trains is too warn passengers and ground crew that a train is moving and thus it would be wise to avoid it. It is also used to warn them at a station that and express is not stopping.
The reason TRE cab cars are not streamlined is so other cars can be added during rush hour and also so passengers can move from one to another if cars are too crowded to get a seat. This is virtually universally common in North America, unlike with most European or East Asian trains.
The bombardier coaches with four windows on the lower level are newer. We used to have them here in DC but now we have gallery cars on the Virginia Railway Express with MP36 locos.
You should have tried the Dart Commuter rail lines... the system paid for itself the first year it was built
Whenever the COVID restrictions ease up, come up to NY! We have a plethora of trains you would probably enjoy reviewing at some point, both commuter and intercity.
I will for sure
Sadly they are overrun with vagrants
Oh man I wanna see this 🤣 (I live in NY)
@@samuelitooooo Well, I live in NY too, and I'm not sure they will EVER "ease up . . . . "
Whyyyyy have I never heard of this? Oh wait.. I'm in Houston... we have next to nothing as far as rail. Thanks for sharing! Time to head to DFW!
Up here in Toronto Canada we use the same coaches but a newer cab car and a streamlined locomotive, known as GO Transit, and most of our consists are 10-12 coaches. Bells are used as an alternative for a whistle, while in a station for speeds under 15 MPH.
Come to Indonesia. We have same hobby about train. I will guide you here if you want. 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
You sure do live that TRE paint scheme!
Hey! Its DFW the place where i grew up. Even though I was born in Queens NY but but raised in the metroplex.
nice vid and that has to be the best k5la horn i ever heard
Wow. Was amazed at the quality. Also was really weird only seeing 2 coaches!
I think we can see your English getting better ever since you moved to the US :D
Thanks for going to Texas I live in Lewisville Texas
As kfed427 said, the bells are a low speed warning device. Horns are required at all crossings at-grade with roads unless the crossing is properly signaled with gates. The horns are meant to be heard from within a car, so if you're a driver crossing tracks at-grade without signals/gates you'll know a train is coming toward you. Just from what I know in Alabama, I'm sure it's the same in the rest of the US, cities/towns can enact "quiet zones" where trains aren't allowed to blow horns at RR/street crossings, usually to make nighttime in residential and hotel areas more appealing or to remove a "nuisance".
I remember growing up in my hometown in North Alabama, I could always hear a nightly freight train crossing the river into downtown (5-10 miles away). It was kinda my signal to go to sleep as a child and you could time your watch by it.
J'adore ton channel TH-cam. I can't wait to go back to my second motherland: la France.
Welp the ex-amt f-40s are gone, i remember them well as a kid in Montreal
Took a double take seeing DART: that’s the Dublin metro service as well and thought, errr how?
DART is Dallas Area Rapid Transit... The city and many of her suburbs have joined forces with a one cent sales tax to create a regional transit service, bus and train. The TRE is the Trinity River Express which is a joint operation with Fort Worth's T transit service using the former Rock Island Railroad line between the two cities.
The classic joke is, if DART is Dallas Area Rapid Transit, then what would Fort Worth’s service be called? 😜
Typical Dallas-Fort Worth rivalry there.
The raised platforms on the Union Station platforms are for level boarding for wheel chair passengers. The shorter raised platform is used by the middle (c) sections of Dart’s SLRV (super light rail vehicles) and the taller platforms (mini-highs) were used by TRE’s RDCs. The TRE still owns one RDC for historic and special occasions, so the mini-highs still exist on every TRE station platform. The raised platforms have nothing to do with Amtrak.
Union Station is set up as follows from east to west:
Platform, light rail track 1 and 2, platform, TRE track 3 and 4, platform, Amtrak track 5, and UP+BNSF+DGNO track 6 and 7. Additional, southeast of Union Station on Houston Street is the Dallas streetcar to Oak Cliff.
From around 1840 onward, a bell was standard issue on steam locomotives traversing the American countryside. The bell was meant to alert people and animals of an approaching train.
Railroads govern the use of bells on locomotives and mandate when they should be rung, as at crossings, quiet zones, or meeting points, including freight yards and passenger stations. Locomotive bells’ chief function is to warn pedestrians, crew, or others nearby with a bright ding that a train is moving or will be soon. The train’s horn is tasked similarly, though it is louder and carries farther distances than the bell - and is most often sounded when the train is at speed. Bells continue to be used on virtually all trains, including steam and diesel locomotives, though most have converted to automatically ring, rather than relying on an individual to manually toll. And most train operators in the USA have the bells turned on automatically when the horn is sounded.
Good to know the cars were manufactured in Canada.
The use of horns & bells is part of the universal code of operating rules for R R personnel in passenger service!!
I recommend the Washington DC to Chicago Capitol Limited. Journey time of 18 hours overnight. Westbound 4:05pm-8:45am. Eastbound 6:40pm-1:05pm. $210 RT Coach Class. $620 RT Roomette. The Capitol Limited has a beautiful route through the countryside of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania!
Dante Raphael sad
Quite strange to see a commuter train with only two coaches lol, here in Southern California with Metrolink, it's usually four to six cars long depending on the line and time of day. Metrolink also has newer cab cars that are tapered slightly to allow some aerodynamics, but that's about it. Hopefully you'll review them someday!
Love your vids, keep up the good work! 👍
Steven Montoya in Toronto, the Lakeshore line uses 12 bi-level coaches
@@bman8tor During rush hour the TRE gets more coaches... During the less busy part of the day coaches are removed for cleaning and maintenance...
Lived in america all my life, never seen that faucet design before!
That K5LA is awesome
You should have stayed on and got off at T&P Station. You would have loved the architecture and the lobby.
The conductor didn't check your ticket because it's a proof-of-purchase (honor) system. Instead they do random inspections at different times of the day. Big fines if you don't have a ticket!
You should start filming metro rides since you can’t really go anywhere
Well,he does that all he want
Tbh the u.s railway system is getti g improvements just depends where you are. The northeast is defidently more dependant on trains and also usually has the more modern and better equipment but recently the u.s cities and regions have been investing in more rail and its good to see
Re the platform ramp, it's not just for Amtrak. As in the rest of the world, platform height regulations in the US tend to differ between jurisdictions - meaning platforms can range anywhere from 'at-grade' (dirt-level) to 48", even within a single jurisdiction, especially in older cities. So although rolling stock manufacturers try their best to navigate that maze stations serviced by different types of trains (inter-state, commuter rail, light rail, freight), will need to accommodate different carriage-floor or boxcar-floor heights - hence the presence of built ramps, movable ramps, and Amtrak conductors' ubiquitous footstools. All part of the 'rich tapestry'...
Thanks for your video series. Great viewing.
You picked a helluva commuter rail line as a first US system to try. It's minor. Try NJTransit (New Jersey), SEPTA (Philadelphia), Long Island Railroad/MetroNorth (NYC), MetroLink (Los Angeles), Metra (Chicago), MBTA (Boston).
Not just minor, it's insignificant considering the size of the area.
Such a positive review, i just subscribed to you😃. Keep up the good work!
Locomotive 62 (of that Amtrak Train near your Dallas Departure) is currently serving on the Amtrak "Downeaster" between Boston, MA and Portland, ME
Interesting :)
$3 to Fort Worth is the reduced fare rate. Normal rate is $12(day pass) since the cities are in two different fare zones.
Even at $12 the fare is a bargain, as the other alternative of hailing a cab will cost you well over $50...
Perfect video as always Thibault 😉👏🏻.
Cool video. But I don’t understand why you say it’s not safe to cross the tracks at the crossing? As long as you stop, look and listen, and use the crossing point, isn’t that fine? 🧐
As noted in America by federal law, train movements at stations and depots require the ringing of the bell... Through freight traffic bypass the station's platforms... All passenger trains stop at this station...
The Bombardier Bi-Level coaches do have some power outlets, but they’re only at the seats that have a mini table.
Hi greetings from Austin, TX train bells are an old tradition used as low teck warning system take care and we thoroughly enjoy your videos Image result for why do us trains have bells
“Bells are most commonly used whenever a train is approaching a railroad crossing, grade crossing, or level crossing, as well as approaching a station, or moving at slow speeds”
Bells also warn anyone around that the train is moving, or about to move.
Awesome report!
To answer your question on window size, part of it is the much higher build standards for intercity passenger cars here in the US. This is because here, it has always been customary that freight and passenger share the same trackage. FYI, a loaded freight car is 286,000 pounds. Take that, multiply by 120 or so and multiply by 50 mph. Now That's how you move freight! Clearly the passenger cars need to have a high tensile strength to absorb impacts.
that French loco is more the exception now. we dont use Janney couplers. delner couplers on the newer units and AAR couplings wich have been around on coches since the 1950's.. Mainland Europe has several other types of automatic coupler too
The second coach is actually built by UTDC and is a lot older, built sometime in the 80s or 90s. The cab coach is built by bombardier sometime between 1996-2010. The locomotive is late 80s
Actually, 1059 is even older than that. It was built in 1978. And that was before UTDC owned the design. The original two Bi-Level Orders, from 1978 and 1983, were built by Hawker Siddeley. UTDC built them from 1987 to 1990. Bombardier took over in 1991.
1007 was built in 2007. Note the just barely larger side windows. That implies it was built between 2003 and 2013.
I really have been enjoying your videos; you illustrate a very interesting variety of trips. A bit of info for you: Most likely the speed on this trip was limited to 79mph. This is a standard for a certain level of signaling and construction as mandated by federal regulations. Some areas (like former ATSF in Kansas/CO) are able to meet standards for the next level of speed which I believe is 90 mph. Recently, Amtrak and some states (MI and IL) have upgraded signalling and crossing protection to allow trains up to 110mph. Trains on the Northeast Corridor are able to run somewhat faster as the signaling, curves, and crossings are such that they allow the higher speeds. (Someone with more official knowledge may shed more accurate light on this; I am just an amateur train fan. Keep up the great work May I suggest a trip for you? Sleeper on the CZ through Colorado for the scenery. Also magical is a trip on Amtrak's Empire Builder to Essex, MT and the trackside Izaak Walton Inn on the edge of Glacier National Park. The equipment on both trains is basic Superliner equipment, but the scenery is exceptional.
If you ever wanted to see a commuter train run without an engineer. Come to Atlanta Georgia USA. I believe Atlanta is the only major city in the USA that has full size commuter trains run by computers and no drivers. There is a person in the front car of the train who operates the doors and could operate the train if something mechanical happens, but for the most part of the operation of the train is up to the computer at the main office. MARTA ( Metropolitian Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority ) is the name of the system.
Yes the last platform in Dallas Union Station is Mainly for Amtrak trains Sometimes though TRe uses the tthe track you were looking next to the Track your train was on usually just during Rush hours times Sincerly Charles Christopher Barr ( I used to live in Dallas took both Amtrak & TRe Train there )
I live in Dallas! Quite different from Europe, huh. It seems odd that the tracks are in such good shape if they are not electrified, but that's just the US for you
Most of DART's other lines are electric using Japanese designed light rail trains... However the TRE is a joint operation with Fort Worth's T using a diesel push pull with Bombardier coaches...
Not sure what the first ramp is for, but the second one just after it is for passengers who can’t climb stairs to board the light rail. The operator comes out, opens the door and ramp, and assists if necessary
Your reviews are the best ❤️😎
8:38 I agree. Knuckle couplers are much more sturdy than the chain link couplers (or the old link-and-pin couplers used in America prior to 1890) and you won't have to worry about losing a hand! At least some trains in the UK use knuckle couplers
14:54 I like the old interurban car on display
Yep, she is a beauty on display in downtown Fort Worth...
At 2:05 we read: "Here we cross the tracks like that. It's not really safe but we are in [the] United States, it's a different world."
Kevin's comment: This is the light rail, or tram service. In Europe, people cross tram lines like that all the time.
Terrific Trip you had! Terrific catches!
I remember like 2 or 3 years ago I was in Dallas coming from a flight and I rode on the yellow train twice already. I miss Dallas, especially Whataburger.
Ahah I tried Whataburger, it was dope af
@@SimplyRailway Did you like it?
@@CarringtonMorgan3342 Of course! it was awesome
@@SimplyRailway What meal did you get from Whataburger? I always get the Chicken sandwich and it makes me full every time. There are Whataburgers all across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Texas has the most because it's headquarters is somewhere in Texas.
The engineer is required to use a certain code (Of long and short whistles) depending on where the train is, and what it’s doing. To move forward blow two short horns I believe, and a crossing is usually long long short long.
Ah yes the Beautiful K5LA Horn the best horn in existence (sounds way better on the F59PH And PHI, makes the engine itself sound like something you don't want to e
Mess with lol) :D great video
Great video :)
Simply Railway, the bells and horns signify the different regions of America. I don’t have a video but I can tell you that on commuter/passenger trains, the East will have a stronger bell tone while the South and Midwest have a smaller bell tone and the West will have a heavy bell tone. All freight trains carry a strong and long bell tone but again it depends on the region. The horns are also stronger in the Midwest and South while the East has high pitches with strong horn combos, the West sees a high pitched yell rather than a scream. Also most commuter trains use the F59PH (rye one you got on your trip), F59PHI (the F59PH’s faster equivalent), and the MP39-C which is a bit faster than the F59PHI.
They use those rail cars on Metrolink (Los Angeles area) too, although they're converting to Hyundai Rotem cars that are supposed to be safer. Passenger traffic has been way down since the pandemic, resulting in service cutbacks. Hopefully things will pick up again next year.
The steps at 3:06 i think are in case someone can't make the step up the the TRE. I'm pretty sure those tracks are a second set for the TRE and the ones to your right there are the AMTRAK ones.
Try the CalTrain (San Francisco-San Jose-Gilroy), the upper deck of the older trains (not the baby bullet ones, which is similar to the TRE) is pretty unique to me at least.
11:23 you'd be surprised at the speed of that train, its more like 55mph (88km/h) than 90mph.
Strangely enough, F59PH's are equipped for 100mph+ operation, but most US trackage is quite old and rickety, preventing them doing so.
Aerodynamics aren't really a priority in the USA, unless you look at an F or E unit from the 50's and 40's. Those were for freight and passenger service back in the day. They are gorgeous locomotives.
Shame the TRE wasn’t held for AMTRAK’s “Texas Eagle” 🙁. Here in the UK 🇬🇧, local trains 🚞 are often held for late-running long distance Inter-City trains 🚄 so that passengers make their onward connections. Especially more so in rural locations.
The Texas Eagle stops in Dallas for 10 minutes or so. The TRE train could be 10 miles closer to Fort Worth by the time the Texas Eagle starts towards Fort Worth, 34 miles away. Since the Texas Eagle does not stop until Fort Worth and the TRE train will make 6 or 7 stops, there is a good chance it will catch up. There are passing sidings along the route where the Eagle will be able to pass the TRE train. But to expect the TRE train to wait 10 minutes for the Eagle is ridiculous. First, the TRE left on time, who knows how early or late the Eagle is 24 hours (if on time) after leaving Chicago.
Thats's a short train. I've never seen a 2 car commuter train. Go Transit in Toronto usually runs 12/10 or 6 car trains. This coach and engine were originally owned by Go Transit as Coach 2024 and engine 528. Obviously the seats were redone and the color scheme was changed as Go Transit uses a Green and White Color scheme and inside the walls are light gray instead of the wood pattern seen. Also Go Transit does not use tables in their trains.
Probably that's because of the pandemic, which has really dropped passenger traffic. Why tow four or more train cars when two cars is more than enough?