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    Conductor / Guard Dispatch in Europe

    Indeed, the guard unlocks the doors of locomotive hauled trains. However, unlike the UK, this is done at the moment the train comes to a stop. He doesn't have to check first that the platform is still there.
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    Conductor / Guard Dispatch in Europe

    This device (AVG-IOT) is not in use any more. The guard will now close all the doors and then give the 'right away' with his/her smartwatch.
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    Which tramways have you used?

    Belgium: Coast line, Gent, Antwerpen, Brussels, Charleroi, Thuin (heritage operation) Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam UK: Crich, Douglas Germany: Cologne, Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig Austria: Vienna, Innsbruck, Gmunden Czech Republic: Prague Hungary: Budapest Belarus: Minsk Estonia: Tallin...
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    Russia-Ukraine war: Poland

    Just a warning for railfans visiting Poland: a new law that was recently introduced forbids taking photographs of "strategic installations". This includes railway infrastructure and in some places, new signs have been placed...
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    Brexit matters

    The OP stated that the EU wanted to destroy the Dutch agriculture, and that is wrong - no 'nasty EU' here. As for local policy, each member state is responsible and can choose their plan of action. The Netherlands (and Flanders) made a choice that badly affected their farmers, a mistake not made...
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    Brexit matters

    All the EU asked was a reduction of greenhouse gasses. Each Member State could choose what they preferred. The Netherlands and the Flanders region in Belgium chose to focus on nitrogen without realizing that this would seriously affect their agriculture. The resulting political problems have...
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    Rhine Gorge locations and traffic

    I would recommend Kaub on the east bank and Oberwesel on the west bank.
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    Rail-less countries gaining their first length of railway

    Lesotho has a railway since 1905 and it is still in use: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Lesotho
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    Internal political future of the UK

    Indeed, having a common language is not the same as being the same people! 1670077237 Wallonie will not join France at all because most people only like France to go on holiday.
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    Attitudes towards safety (including lack of fencing, open doors while moving etc) in other countries.

    Indeed. SSICF rased the rolling stock by 'accident' years ago, but has always refused to reinstate them... Another rule they invented is a maximum speed of 80 km/h for heritage trains. Finding paths on busy mainlines becomes almost impossible.
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    New law, minimum service level must run on strike days

    In Belgium, it works like this: - when a conflict arises, unions and the railway sector come together. When no solution can be found, the unions can decide to strike and the have to announce the date well in advance. - SNCB and/or Infrabel will ask all staff that was scheduled to work on that...
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    Belgium - a country of charm and interest [not to mention alcoholic bevrages], which is often under-appreciated?

    Sorry to hear that. Belgium has always been a bit more "traditional" compared to the Netherlands and France, a remnant of the very powerfull position the Catholic church once had. I was born in 1969 and until the late eighties it was indeed difficult to be a rebel, especially in smaller towns...
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    EU Commission will publish a regulation forcing Portugal and Spain to adopt Standard Gauge

    The Liège - Visé (Dutch border) line does have ETCS L1 - see https://opendata.infrabel.be/explore/dataset/geo-etcs/colormap/?disjunctive.section_name&disjunctive.etcs_level&disjunctive.line_name_input. That was not the case when the trains were ordered (although Liège-Guillemins station was at...
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    Belgium's Mechelen Rail bypass

    This is not really a new line but just the construction of two additional tracks to increase the capacity of the station and to avoid conflicting movements from the new line 25N (the direct Mechelen - Airport link opened in 2012. The new junction for this line with the "old" line is now north of...
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    Belgian trains on left-hand-side tracks?

    Old signalling plans of the stations along these lines that clearly show the signals on the right of the track. Plenty of pictures available that show the German signals in Raeren, Malmedy and Sourbrodt on the right hand side without the "arrow" that normally would indicate the signal is on the...
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    Belgian trains on left-hand-side tracks?

    That is not correct. The former Vennbahn and its branches had right hand running until the line was singled in 1931. That's why German signalling remained in place until the end. Montzen - Aachen always had right hand running while Montzen - Tongeren was converted to left hand running between...
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    Brexit matters

    The same problem exists at Brussels. British immigration causes long queues of people, sometimes stretching half way through the station. Eurostars leave with delays up to 30' because of this. Oddly enough, there is not one single French official in sight ;)
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    Grain railway wagons for use to export from Ukraine

    In general, freight has to be transloaded at the border. Starting this week, trains transporting Ukranian grain will start to run between the Ukrain/Slovak border and the ports of Gent en Rotterdam.
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    Belgium: a royal Desiro

    I guess you haven't been in an AM75, after that the Desiro is heaven in my opinion. It's not the first time the class 08 is used to advertise expositions in Train World. No hidden republicans there!
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    Belgium: a royal Desiro

    Last week, an exposition opened at Train World (the Belgian national railway museum) about the royal trains. For the first time, visitors are allowed access to some of the royal coaches that were once used by Leopold II, Albert I and other kings. Documents and objects from the archives of the...

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