Train System

[gizgiz]

The MTR (merged) is a great system. True, the map has gotten rather colourful after the merger, but I get 0.1 off every trip CWB to ADM , which I do every often with a Student Octopus. Used to be 2.4HKD per trip, it's now 2.3 Lol.

Anyways, I find that the merger was a sad one, since the two companies will never be able to run interchangeable trains between the two old systems unless they do a complete rail and train remodelling.

The former KCR track runs with 1435mm standard guage and a higher electrification wire. The former MTR rail runs a stupid 1432mm guage. 3mm. Ugh.



The first two trains from left are the EMUs for the former KCR lines (East Rail, West Rail, Ma On Shan), and you can easily see the higher pantographs. The third (M-stock: 8 cars) and fourth (K-stock: 8 cars) EMUs run on the MTR metro lines, with the fourth one only available (currently) on the Kwun Tong (green) line. The fifth big grey one is a high-speed commuter EMU for the Tung Chung Line (8 cars). The blue stock (8/10 cars) runs the Airport Express (some Bombardier model...) fitted with some real seats, and the last one is a modified M-stock running in 6-car config for the Disneyland Resort Line.

And for those of you who have yet to discover what a really packed metro system looks like, here's two videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_OB7w6bJoY

This one outlines a typical day at the Admiralty interchange station, which is one of three stations on HK Island which allows people to switch trains to Kowloon - Admiralty being the busiest of all three. The trains are also time-coordinated, so when one line leaves, one line arrives, taking the transit pax with it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlfD8oMMqVA

This one shows Central station (sorta like the metro version of Waterloo in London, Grand Central in New York, Union in Toronto, etc...), which historicially was two different stations, in a full crowd-control situation: the hoisting of a No. 8 Typhoon Signal, (equivalent to a Hurricane Warning, up from Watch). Enjoy.

[nwadeltaboy]

Chicago being a HUGE exception.  Union Station is a masterpiece of construction.  And the history contained within is astounding

great architecture, love the fact that no security is required

only disadvantage is the amount of hobos that wander the place

[CornField]

Chicago being a HUGE exception.  Union Station is a masterpiece of construction.  And the history contained within is astounding

great architecture, love the fact that no security is required

only disadvantage is the amount of hobos that wander the place

Not really too many inside...  The Chicago police do a good job of getting rid of them.  :illegalsmiliebeatingsomeonesheadin:

[iranair777]

 :illegalsmiliebeatingsomeonesheadin:

[blumage]

Kwun Tong (green) line

So that was the name!!of the green line
I saw the videos and never saw central so crowded, but i have to say hkg ppol are very educated, where i live ppol would have started to swear and push.
I remember one time when there was a typhoon signal number ....sumthing they closed the bridges to the airports so the only way was to travel by train!!

[quatzalcoatl]

Deutsche Bahn (German Railways)= Never on time, freaking expensive, just had a loooooong ennerving strike, the trains are dirty as hell, it is controlled by politics and by a manager called Hartmut Mehdorn, which means that it's a madhouse

Well, at least they don't crash too frequently

well now, the german trains arent that bad at all. the ones that run from berlin are always clean, mostly on time, and when they are late, then only bout 10 mins and they always catch up on the way (strikes excluded). ok, i grant you that hassle with the strikes is awfull, but it isnt entirely the companies fault, but moreover that of the personal stupidity of mehdorn and the trade union leaders . the suburban transport in berlin is also quite good and compared to that of ireland (wich at the moment consists at 95% of busses) its brilliant. for all that great talk of the high level of sophistication of the irish transport, you gotta remember that they only started last year to make major investments (the first for half a century) and they are still stuck in the talks and havent actually done anything except for ordering those new dmus and some coaches. and lets not forget one thing before complaining about high prices: rail companies never make profit with ticket revenues, they are only able to sustain such low prices, because they get funding from the state. so i never really complain bout high prices for transport and considering the alternatives (car), they are usually the better choice.

greets, quatzalcoatl

[rodendack]

our passenger train system is bankrupt and awful, only poor people use them, air traffic is now massive but interurban buses and car ownership take most of the pie

luxury trains are great and our metro is one of the best subways on the world, public transport is awful, but it is improving on a long term plan

[DekoCwb]

in Brazil we dont have interstate train sytem, we got only city trains(subway) or cargo trains, the biggest transportation way in Brazil is bus or airplane.