[NO] Norske tog orders new long distance trains from Stadler.

[30907]

The ones ordered are for the Trondheim-Bodø trains, making it possible to retire the Di4s. Not sure if four trains are enough to also use them on other lines.

Four sets is generous for Trondheim-Bodø, but not enough for two Oslo-Bodø daily as there is no spare.
You could manage a 4-day cycle running Oslo - (night) -Trondheim - (day) - Bodø - (night) - Trondheim and vv, giving a whole day at O and T for maintenance, but that would break down as soon as a set had to be taken out of traffic. A 3-day cycle involving a day train Trondheim-Oslo-Trondheim would involve a tight turnround in Oslo if the 4th set was stopped, so might be better.
Mind you, if I were a business traveller from Trondheim I might turn my nose up at a train that had come overnight from the north. It will be interesting to see whether the through workings every happen.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Four sets is generous for Trondheim-Bodø

Small fleet syndrome. You need a minimum of 2 for running the service, if you only have one spare that leaves you very tight when a set is stopped for overhaul.

They currently have bus transfers in place on the day trains due to lack of motive power.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Japan has a number of EMUs on Sleeper Services.

China also has sleeper EMUs.

 

[andersj]

Apparently the base order consists of five different configurations:
- 8 car units with seats only
- 8 car units with seats only, but one coach is for luggage and bikes
- Shorter units with seats only to enhance capacity
- 8 car units with seats and sleeping cabins for day and night travel
- 8 car units with seats and sleeping cabins for day and night travel, but one coach is swapped with a diesel engine coach for the Bodø services.

There is no official confirmation of this yet, but it seams reasonable that not all units will have sleeping cabins.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

PLEASE tell me the NSB/VY 73s are safe.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

PLEASE tell me the NSB/VY 73s are safe.

Safety issues? Not heard of any after the initial grounding when a train derailed after an axel broke.

In terms of life span ultimately they will be replaced, they are 23 years old now - the plan is to standardised all Norwegian long distance stock on the new Stadler order, same fleet but different formations/layout.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Safety issues? Not heard of any after the initial grounding when a train derailed after an axel broke.

In terms of life span ultimately they will be replaced, they are 23 years old now - the plan is to standardised all Norwegian long distance stock on the new Stadler order, same fleet but different formations/layout.

No I mean safe in terms of are they being replaced, as I very much like them Was devastated when they forced us off at Halden due to driver shortages so most of Oslo Gothenburg was a coach

 

[JonasB]

Yes, the plan is to retire the 73s. If they will be scrapped or sold remains to be seen.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Railway commentator Jon Worth (who spent a chunk of last summer crossing - or trying to cross - every EU border by train) has written an piece about the specifics of the order for these new trains. It's on his website here: https://jonworth.eu/stadlers-new-day-night-trains-for-norway-i-have-some-questions/

In the end all of this leaves me wondering: if Stadler and Norske Tog can manage to do all of this, why is no-one else attempting something like this? Although the questions about capacity and traction mean perhaps the end product might not end up being quite as good as this press fanfare makes us think.

 

[Richard Scott]

No I mean safe in terms of are they being replaced, as I very much like them Was devastated when they forced us off at Halden due to driver shortages so most of Oslo Gothenburg was a coach

When I went on Sunday whole service was an inappropriate 74 so lucky if you had a 73 part way.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

When I went on Sunday whole service was an inappropriate 74 so lucky if you had a 73 part way.

Oh dear goodness. Yes the VY 73 is one of the nicest trains I’ve ever had the pleasure of travelling on.

 

[Austriantrain]

Railway commentator Jon Worth (who spent a chunk of last summer crossing - or trying to cross - every EU border by train) has written an piece about the specifics of the order for these new trains. It's on his website here: https://jonworth.eu/stadlers-new-day-night-trains-for-norway-i-have-some-questions/

Many things are possible, but 542 passengers on an 8-coach-trains with sleeping compartments sound unlikely. I guess the number of 542 is for day-only sets, not for the day/night version.

 

[JonasB]

When I went on Sunday whole service was an inappropriate 74 so lucky if you had a 73 part way.

The 73s were replaced by 74s in december last year.

 

[Richard Scott]

The 73s were replaced by 74s in december last year.

Not a good move!

 

[JonasB]

Not a good move!

Not at all. Two of the largest cities in Scandinavia are now connected with what basically is a regional train. SJ showed interest in Gothenburg-Oslo a couple of years ago, but the pandemic stopped the plan.

 

[Richard Scott]

Not at all. Two of the largest cities in Scandinavia are now connected with what basically is a regional train. SJ showed interest in Gothenburg-Oslo a couple of years ago, but the pandemic stopped the plan.

I know now getting off topic but a 74 if a wholly inappropriate train for this length of journey. Was not a particularly comfortable or pleasant experience.

 

[JonasB]

I know now getting off topic but a 74 if a wholly inappropriate train for this length of journey. Was not a particularly comfortable or pleasant experience.

I agree, it is not the way to run those trains. I really hope SJ will start running trains between Oslo and Gothenburg soon.

 

[USRailFan]

Presumably subsequent batches of the '100 train' order will not be in this configuration - the dual capability would be a bit excessive for exclusively day services. I guess the priority is to get rid of the life-expired sleeper stock and the troublesome Cl 73 EMUs first.

I think the 73s will remain for a while, the most precarious to replace is the Type 7 stock which is in really poor condition

 

[andersj]

The contract was signed today.

Stadler press release: Contract signature: Stadler is to supply new long-distance trains to Norway

Bussnang, 8 March 2023
The Norwegian state-owned railway company Norske tog and Stadler signed a contract for the manufacture and delivery of 17 FLIRT Nordic Express trains today. The contract includes an option for up to 83 additional trains. The new FLIRT Nordic Express are intended for long-distance services throughout Norway from 2026.

 

[JonasB]

The Norwegian parliament has voted to increase the order of new long distance trains from 18 to 22. The four more trains will be bimodal and used on the Røros line.

"The Storting (parliament) decided to ask the government as quickly as possible to put forward a proposal to give Norske tog leeway to be able to order new long-distance trains to the Røros Line. The order is linked to the procurement Norske tog is carrying out for several of the other long-distance train routes."

Representantforslag om å anskaffe nye togsett til Rørosbanen

Stortinget vedtok å be regjeringen så raskt som mulig fremme forslag om å gi Norske tog handlingsrom til å kunne bestille nye fjerntog til Rørosbanen. Bestillingen knyttes til anskaffelsen Norske tog gjennomfører for flere av de andre fjerntogstrekningene. Videre bes regjeringen sikre universell...

www.stortinget.no

 

[StephenHunter]

The Norwegian parliament has voted to increase the order of new long distance trains from 18 to 22. The four more trains will be bimodal and used on the Røros line.

Parliament votes on that sort of thing?

 

[Struner]

Parliament votes on that sort of thing?

different country perhaps?

 

[StephenHunter]

different country perhaps?

Well, we don't get a line-item vote on budget stuff in the UK.

 

[JonasB]

I'm not an expert on how it works in Norway, but this was a proposal from four MPs to buy four more trains and the parliament voted yes. And the vote was unanimous.

 

[duesselmartin]

if government pays for it maybe the financing needs voting on?

 

[Gloster]

I would guess that as Norse Tog is the purchaser and as it is a state-owned company, although run on commercial lines, combined with (as I understand) the trains being add-ones to the contract for a secondary line, there is an element of state support in this and it needs to be authorised.

 

[nwales58]

The UK is very unusual in that our budgets are theatre shows preceded by secrecy.

In most european countries budgets are developed in committees. Where coalitions are involved it seems the higher level spending compromises and tax measures are thrashed out in public which looks strange to british eyes. Then the whole thing is published, voted on and so on.

In smaller countries the national parliament does more detail than Westminster, but you see that in our devolved administrations too.

Autumn is the season for all this as budgets usually are for the calendar year and need to have finished in parliament by the end of December. Unlike the UK.

 

[JonasB]

I would guess that as Norse Tog is the purchaser and as it is a state-owned company, although run on commercial lines, combined with (as I understand) the trains being add-ones to the contract for a secondary line, there is an element of state support in this and it needs to be authorised.

Norske tog is a state owned company, but it's not operated on a commercial basis. It's a so called "category 2-company" whose job is to own trains for the operators that have a contract with Jernbanedirektoratet to run trains in Norway.