Train Cab Ride NL / HSL / Amsterdam - Rotterdam - Eindhoven / TRAXX Intercity / March 2020

Welcome on board of the Intercity Direct and Intercity from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and from Rotterdam to Eindhoven. This video was recorded just before the coronavirus struck the Netherlands.

Amsterdam - Rotterdam:
At the start of the ride the doors of the train are closed a little late. This is why we depart with a minute delay from Amsterdam. Since the start of the 'new train schedule' from the end of 2019 there's a fault in the time table of the 1000-series from Amsterdam to Schiphol. The ride to Schiphol takes 13 minutes. But we only have 12 minutes on the train schedule to drive there. It can be can done in 12 minutes when you run over all junctions at local maximum speed. So this is what we do. The fault in the timetable is located between the point where we reach the high way A10 and Schiphol Airport. This is why you will see the minute delay disappear soon after departure, but it comes back when we arrive at Schiphol. When delayed there's no way to come back on schedule without a change in the timetable. This problem is already reported and we hope it will get fixed soon.

On entering the high speed line we must confirm the new ETCS-level 1. The train automatically changes to level 2 as soon as we reach the first stop marker board. Conventional tracks are powered by 1.5kV DC. The high speed line is powered by 25kV AC. Therefore we need to lower the pantographs, change the active pantograph, get through the grounded part of the powerlines and then set up the pantograph and activate power again before we can make speed up to 160km/h (maximum speed for the TRAXX and its carriages). The maximum speed on the high speed line itself is 300km/h. NS is getting new trains in the end of the year to run over the high speed line.

At the end of the high speed line all the steps above must be done all over again but the other way around. :) At our arrival in Rotterdam we meet again with the Thalys that we had to wait for at Schiphol Airport.

Rotterdam - Eindhoven:
At Rotterdam we change trains to the intercity to Eindhoven. This will be a ride like it should go. No delays and all according to schedule. At entering and leaving the high speed line between Lombardijen and Breda all the above steps must be followed again. Every time this happens we take the power of the train and set it to the new voltage level. On the TRAXX this means there's a lot of work to do for the driver.

After departure in Breda you will see the maximum speed is temporary set to 115km/h until Boxtel. This is a test to see if the vibration in the ground when running over a railway crossing will decrease with the 84t heavy locomotives. This test has failed by the way. As of the first of June 2020 the speed for the TRAXX locomotives will go back to normal.

After arrival in Eindhoven we shunt the train to a shunting track. From there it will be taken back to the platform in Eindhoven and to Rotterdam and The Hague.

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below.
Stay safe and have a good weekend y'all! Cheers.

Extra Ride Information:
1048: https://treinposities.nl/ritinfo/20200308/1048
1161: https://treinposities.nl/ritinfo/20200308/1161

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Видео Train Cab Ride NL / HSL / Amsterdam - Rotterdam - Eindhoven / TRAXX Intercity / March 2020 канала Machinist Stefan