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Alex Terrell · August 30th 04, 10:11 AM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.railway

(Neil Williams) wrote in message ...
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:13:30 +0100, Charlie Pearce
wrote:

Ooh, ooh, Germany!

And, in my experience, the loading gauge is too small for them, making
them cramped and uncomfortable. The seat pitch is also too tight,
mainly due to the fact that builders seem to think that 2x the
capacity of a single-decker coach is something to aim at.

Are you thinking of the ones around Freiburg? I think they're the same
as in Switzerland, and are OK for medium distance routes, where they
don't get over crowded. I would guess the capacity to be 1.5*. They're
certainly not suitable for dense urban networks - like CrossRail.

In a country where the generally low platforms mean that extending
platforms is pretty cheap and easy, and there is an abundance of
serviceable older hauled stock, they seem a nonsense.

Which is why you don't see too many of them. I think on the Freiburg -
Titisee route long trains are difficult because of the curves and
gradient.

Neil