Re: BBC NEWS | England | London | Stranded passengers leave trains


"Jack Taylor" <Jack@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FUmZh.913$o42.623@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Other than FGW and Scotrail, for the sleepers, no-one uses diesel
locomotives any more, other than the freight operators. They have their
own businesses to run and their own contracts to fulfill. Some of the
passenger train operating companies hire in standby locos to rescue the
odd failure in traffic - but are you seriously suggesting that they should
all have a fleet of diesels standing idly by, manned by crews reading the
paper and drinking tea day after day, to cover for that very rare occasion
when a major power outage or other failure stops the network? Even
Eurostar are about to dispense with their fleet of three class 37s and two
class 73s and start hiring in a couple of Thunderbird locos from GBRf
because it is more cost effective.
It would not be unreasonable, IMO, for a fleet of thunderbird locos to be
provided around the country rather like they are on West Coast to clear any
failed train that is stopping the job. The cost of these locos can be split
between all of the TOCs and FOCs operating on that route as well as NR as
everyone wins.
For there to be no way to rescue a failed train for 5hrs is just silly.
Maybe they should have dumped a freight in a siding and taken it's loco?
It's happened before.


.

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