Today’s Railways Europe 297 – November 2020

The November 2020 issue of Today’s Railways Europe has something of a Nordic flavour! As well as all the latest news and features from railways all across mainland Europe, this issue includes several articles relating to the railways of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The November 2020 issue also includes all our regular features including heritage news, light rail news, readers’ letters and much, much more!

Feature articles include:

• Total Passenger Fleet Replacement for Norway: With much of the Norwegian passenger fleet set to reach life expiry over the next decade, state-owned train leasing company Norske tog is formulating plans to standardise on just three train types. Peter Kloss reviews the strategy.
• 100 Years of the Bratsbergbanen: 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the official opening of the Bratsbergbanen in Norway’s southern Telemark county. Peter Kloss is our guide to this Norwegian cross-country route with a complex and unusual history.
• Freight in København: A guide to freight operations in and around the Danish capital. Finn Møller presents a general overview of freight operations on this important artery connecting Germany with Sweden, and describes the best locations to observe freight trains passing through the city. .
• Diesels in Jylland: Much of Jylland remains a bastion of diesel operation with classic loco and DMU types that have largely disappeared in the more densely populated east of Denmark. Jan Lundstrøm presents a portfolio of images depicting the diesel scene on the peninsula.
• The Globetrotting Y1 railcars: Delivered from 1979 to improve services on lightly-used routes in Sweden, the Class Y1 railcars lost much of their intended work early in their careers due to line closures. However, as Rory Wilson explains, many of these single-car units went on to find new homes as far afield as South America.

News stories include:

• German government proposes a revival of the TEE network
• First DSB Vectrons delivered in Denmark
• March 2021 launch for Greek Pendolinos
• Chinese-built `Bison’ battery-electric locomotive rolled out for Rail Cargo Hungaria
• Bucuresti metro Line M5 opens
• Stadler `Tango’ trams enter service in Kraków
• A tramway for Pisa?
• Vectrons enter service in Belgium
• CP plans major orders for new multiple units in Portugal
• New owners for Dutch electric locomotives
• French Pacific 231 K 8 bows out on `Flèche d’Or’
• Praha rail day draws the crowds