Irish Railways Video Thread

Losty Dublin · 15-02-2016 04:27PM

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Well they weren't built to run cab first by GM. They were meant to be driven bonnet first but obviously that changed. The video shows the driver looking forward so were there controls on the front or someway of controlling the ones we see without taking your eyes off the line ?

They were actually made to travel in either direction, being made both to haul mid distance trains as well as being a yard shunter. America mainly went with nose first diesel engines primarily because steam crews were used to such a layout. The layout of the cab on a 121 allowed for a shunter driver to step from side to side easier as well as allowing two men in the cab at once, the normal practice in the US being to have two drivers in the cab.

The Chieftain · 18-02-2016 05:11AM

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Well they weren't built to run cab first by GM. They were meant to be driven bonnet first but obviously that changed. The video shows the driver looking forward so were there controls on the front or someway of controlling the ones we see without taking your eyes off the line ?

The 121s were US road switchers. The US practice was indeed to run nose first, as it was much, much safer for the engineers that way. There was, and still is, an astonishing rate of level crossing accidents in the US - if you are going to hit a US freight truck (lorry), then it is far better to do it nose first.

metrovick001 · 18-02-2016 01:12PM

Railroads run cab first predominantly in the US now.
That being said they have big noses and road vehicles usually come off second in collisions.

The Chieftain wrote: »

The 121s were US road switchers. The US practice was indeed to run nose first, as it was much, much safer for the engineers that way. There was, and still is, an astonishing rate of level crossing accidents in the US - if you are going to hit a US freight truck (lorry), then it is far better to do it nose first.

5rtytry56 · 18-02-2016 02:41PM

I posted this before but I'll post this vid again since it features a 121 heading a coal freight liner traversing the now closed Western Rail corridor through stations like Tuam. The other 121 vid no longer works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96uwolh_bRQ

MrMorooka · 18-02-2016 03:18PM

5rtytry56 wrote: »

The other 121 vid no longer works.

Was it this one ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PhdTDGdEwU

cml387 · 18-02-2016 10:21PM

The Chieftain wrote: »

The 121s were US road switchers. The US practice was indeed to run nose first, as it was much, much safer for the engineers that way. There was, and still is, an astonishing rate of level crossing accidents in the US - if you are going to hit a US freight truck (lorry), then it is far better to do it nose first.

I think it was mentioned here before that they used to run bonnet first but a driver failed to hear a detonator and killed a rail worker.

Eiretrains · 18-02-2016 11:40PM

cml387 wrote: »

I think it was mentioned here before that they used to run bonnet first but a driver failed to hear a detonator and killed a rail worker.

It was a PWD trolley on the main line at Sallins which the 121 Class locomotive struck while operating bonnet first - just to be clear, no one was killed or injured

Losty Dublin · 19-02-2016 04:30PM

As mentioned, issues in hearing a detonator led to the loco's running cab first in Ireland. This was because the cabs were both closed off and insulated and thus less prone to taking in noise from outside the train In the US the second man in can was able to act as a second pair of eyes and ears for signals and audio alarms in cab so it was less of an issue. The options around it were to cut out holes in the cabs or to remove all windows or to run with a second man or to run cab first; sanity prevailed and cab first it was.

Nonetheless there were some lines and circumstance where a 121 was allowed to run in subject to a second man being on board; if I have time over the next day or two I'll rustle them up and inform the masses

Incidentally this hubbub was one of the reasons why the next order of engines were specified as being twin cabbed. GM hadn't anything quite like that on their order books for the GL8 class that the 121 and 141's came from. They asked CIE for their views and Oliver Bulleid came up with the unique engine front for GM that is known as the Irish Cab.

Eiretrains · 21-02-2016 05:54PM

More beet action of a Baby GM theme.:cool:

Itssoeasy · 25-02-2016 12:08AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzdENsREscg

Just so much going on. It's just so wonderful.

postitnote · 25-02-2016 08:55AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA6_ve7LnRI

a short video of two old steam engines being transfered to their new home at the transport museum at cultra. pulled by r,p,s.i.sleive gullion 171. 4.6.0 "maeve""meadbh" and 4.4.0 "dunluce castle"and of course diesel 111 in feb.1993

I was lucky enough to be at Holywood station that day where the 4 Locos stopped for a while. The only time i've ever seen 800 on the line.

I got to climb up onto 111 and have a look inside the cab. Still the only cab of any working Loco i've ever been in.

I was a very happy 9 year old.:)

Itssoeasy · 25-02-2016 02:18PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niXxQDaMsnU

Another good video that is from 2005 but the videos shows an a class loco shunting coaches so I'm guessing it's 1985 and 2005 as it's twenty years. The last minute and a bit is a bit sad though.

MrMorooka · 25-02-2016 02:19PM

Really everyone reading this thread should just subscribe to that youtube user. It's criminal how few views he's getting.

Itssoeasy · 25-02-2016 02:51PM

MrMorooka wrote: »

Really everyone reading this thread should just subscribe to that youtube user. It's criminal how few views he's getting.

Here here.

5rtytry56 · 25-02-2016 02:56PM

MrMorooka wrote: »

Really everyone reading this thread should just subscribe to that youtube user. It's criminal how few views he's getting.

YouTube does not count ALL views:

As part of the "RELUCTANT" algorithm a viewer needs to watch the whole video to the END, amongst other faftor YouTube employs in its view count software

Eiretrains · 18-03-2016 04:01PM

Rare film footage of a GNR(I) VS Class locomotive running to Cork - St Patrick's Day 54 years ago:

Regarding 1990s era videos, this playlists list similar scenes from that era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPtPbkXB4No&list=PLFB61F7D68CC79776

ClovenHoof · 19-03-2016 06:44PM

Not a very good video from the IRRS. Dreadful camera work even by back then standards. Some stabilising software on the upload would not have went amiss.

I prefer videos where you can see what's in the yards, social and other interests. The Portarlington bog train one was phenomenal.

5rtytry56 · 19-03-2016 10:10PM

5rtytry56 wrote: »

YouTube does not count ALL views:

As part of the "RELUCTANT" algorithm a viewer needs to watch the whole video to the END, amongst other faftor YouTube employs in its view count software

ummm. I meant "amongst other factors YouTube employs in its view count software"
There's a new pocket camcorder just released by RICOH. Gonna check it out.

Eiretrains · 26-03-2016 11:04PM

Locomotive 084 on a ballast discharge at Grange.:cool:

Itssoeasy · 07-04-2016 08:13PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZWtwETn9D0

Itssoeasy · 15-04-2016 01:34PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX4eJcpFlsM

class 201 no 201 brand new in cork station.

jca · 16-04-2016 04:38AM

It's a pity we can't hear the loco running. I came across an Australian video on youtube where guys were filming scrapped steam locos and one of their crossley engined locos passed by slowly on light throttle, do you think I can find it again? Nope!! It's driving me nuts to find it..

Eiretrains · 16-04-2016 07:54PM

jca wrote: »

It's a pity we can't hear the loco running. I came across an Australian video on youtube where guys were filming scrapped steam locos and one of their crossley engined locos passed by slowly on light throttle, do you think I can find it again? Nope!! It's driving me nuts to find it..

JCA check this and the other related videos, which show the Australian Crossleys hard at work, the sound of the horn is such a throwback to the Irish versions.

Eiretrains · 16-04-2016 07:58PM

Colour film of B121 Classes and Sulzer locomotives working hard on the erstwhile Mallow-Waterford line in 1967, recorded by the late Tony Price.:cool:

jca · 16-04-2016 09:20PM

Eiretrains wrote: »

JCA check this and the other related videos, which show the Australian Crossleys hard at work, the sound of the horn is such a throwback to the Irish versions.

There's a lovely sound off them, completely different to the GM engine. When were our ones re-engined? I got many spins in the cab of the locos from about 1974 to 78. Would any of the Crossley engines have been in existence at that time? I remember asking the driver what the "r" meant and he cynically said you could turn the ****er off and know she'll start again.

tabbey · 16-04-2016 09:42PM

jca wrote: »

There's a lovely sound off them, completely different to the GM engine. When were our ones re-engined? I got many spins in the cab of the locos from about 1974 to 78. Would any of the Crossley engines have been in existence at that time? I remember asking the driver what the "r" meant and he cynically said you could turn the ****er off and know she'll start again.

The A class were re-engined 1968 - 71, and the C class 1969 - 72.
The letter R stood for rebuilt or re-engined. Some of the A class, 56 and 27 at least, also had their traction engines rewound, to allow the engine run at it's 1,650 hp potential.

Looking at the video, I was amazed to see an A class with Crossley engine running without clouds of smoke. Shortly before the last A class was rebuilt, some children were on the footbridge at Bray level crossing. When the smoky A class came into view, they became excited - It's the steam train - they said.

yachtsman · 16-04-2016 09:59PM

Alas the Aussie does not sound a bit like an original A class. The metro vic had a sound I have never heard since.

tabbey · 16-04-2016 10:47PM

yachtsman wrote: »

Alas the Aussie does not sound a bit like an original A class. The metro vic had a sound I have never heard since.

It is difficult to remember sounds after 45 years, but I think it sounds reasonably close to the A class.

It is possible that the Western Australian version was in better condition.
CIE just gave up on the Crossley engine, while WAGR endeavoured to solve the problem. They may have got it right eventually.

The CIE locos sounded worse because the vibration caused extra rattles and tinny noises.

tabbey · 16-04-2016 10:50PM

There is also a video somewhere of the Crossley engined Co-Bo on British Rail. I am not sure if it has the sound.

jca · 16-04-2016 11:41PM

tabbey wrote: »

There is also a video somewhere of the Crossley engined Co-Bo on British Rail. I am not sure if it has the sound.

Co-Bo features in Thomas the tank engine and I think it sounds very like the Crossley. As bad as our A class were, those Co-Bo were dreadful yokes altogether, they literally fell apart, Windows falling out, diesel and water pipes fracturing etc. Fair play to the aussies for sticking with them but overall I think cie made the best decision in getting them re-engined.

Irish Railways Video Thread

Comments