Portal:Trains/Did you know/February 2006

...that Bombardier BiLevel Coaches have two pairs of doors on each side of the car which allow the entire coach to be emptied in 90 seconds and some coaches have electrical outlets for laptop computers and other devices?

Route map of Shosholoza Meyl

...that South Africa's Shosholoza Meyl intercity passenger trains run on the Cape gauge (1067 mm) Spoornet main-line track?

A German semaphore signal indicating "proceed"

...that the most common German railway signalling system is the H/V (Hauptsignal/Vorsignal) system which consists of home signals and distant signals?

3rd Generation ICE at Frankfurt am Main

...that Germany's InterCity Express (ICE) trains share the same tracks as other InterCity trains and that unlike the French TGV network, which is centered around Paris, the ICE network has multiple nodes?
...that the 1993 merger of four smaller labour unions to form the Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union created the first all-encompassing transport union in Australia?
...that the Best Friend of Charleston is widely acclaimed as the first locomotive to be built entirely within the United States and that it was also involved in the first locomotive boiler explosion in the US?

A Pendolino on VR in Finland

...that Pendolinos were selected for VR's high-speed rail service in Finland because they could be used on the existing rail lines and their numerous curves?

HÉV carriages near Szentendre

...that the four lines of the HÉV suburban railways in and around Budapest, Hungary, are not connected, and they start from different termini?

Pennsylvania Railroad number 520 at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in 1993

...that visitors to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania can inspect a 62-ton locomotive from underneath and view restoration activities via closed-circuit television?

Ravenglass ans Eskdale Railway in 1981

...that the 15 inch gauge Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway originally opened in 1875 as a 3-foot gauge line?
...that the Tube map designed by Harry Beck in 1931 was only tentatively introduced to the public in a small pamphlet by the London Underground?

Las Vegas Monorail arriving at the Sahara station

...that for tax purposes, the Las Vegas Monorail is registered as a charity, which is allowed under Nevada state law since the Monorail provides a public service?
...that the "Wheels A-Rolling" pageant at the Chicago Railroad Fair included a reenactment of the Golden Spike ceremony originally held at Promontory, Utah?

Map of Israel Railways' network

...that Israel Railways is Israel's government-owned national railway company and it is responsible for all inter-city and suburban railway passenger and freight traffic in the country?
...that New Zealand's Taieri Gorge Railway passes over 16 bridges and ten tunnels in its namesake Taieri Gorge?

Eastern Railway Station in Budapest

...that at 93 metres (295 ft) long with 80 metre (263 ft) long platforms, Keleti pályaudvar also known as Eastern Railway Station is the largest railway station in Budapest, Hungary?
...that Clearing Yard, owned by Belt Railway of Chicago and located on the boundary between Chicago and Bedford Park, just south of Chicago Midway International Airport, is one of the largest hump classification facilities in the United States?
...that Bombardier Transportation's HHP-8 model of electric locomotive is expected to replace the EMD AEM7 locomotives currently in use on Acela Express trains on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor?
...that Grand Central Railway has received provisional approval to operate a new passenger train service from London to Sunderland and hopes to inaugurate the service in 2007?
...that even though it is not currently used for railway travel, Chelfham Viaduct is the largest narrow gauge railway structure in England?

Control handle and valve for a Westinghouse Air Brake

...that by 1905, over 2,000,000 freight, passenger, mail, baggage and express railroad cars and 89,000 locomotives in the United States were equipped with the Westinghouse Automatic Brake system of air brakes?

The interior of a KLIA Transit train

...that Kuala Lumpur's KLIA Transit service to Kuala Lumpur International Airport shares the same tracks as the KLIA Ekspres but makes three more passenger stops between the airport and KL Sentral stations?

3801 after restoration

...that the restored New South Wales Government Railways steam locomotive number 3801 is the only steam locomotive to visit every mainland state and territory in Australia?

A Xochimilco Light Rail train at Estadio Azteca station

...that the Xochimilco Light Rail system in Mexico began in the 1980s using PCC cars which have since been replaced with more modern articulated cars that can carry up to 374 passengers each?
...that collecting back issues of Model Railroader and similar magazines is a popular sub-hobby among model railroad enthusiasts?

A wooden trestle crossing a body of water

...that one of the longest trestle spans created was for railroad traffic crossing the Great Salt Lake on the Lucin Cutoff in Utah?