Parliamentary trains

[TimberWolf]

I notice Berlin, which some regard as having the best rail system in the world, has been in the news regarding public dissent to privatisation. Not sure what the current status is, but what a loss that would be if the UK were an example of the result.
Rail privatisation

Or maybe the Germans can do privatisation better? If EU trains do go private, will we be able to afford to use rail to holiday in the south of France/Spain rather than by air as the EU directives also propose?

[Freamon]

Can't be arsed to check a map, but I can think of one reason why a full service might not want to stop at a station, assuming full means the train was full and not the platform of eager customers. Trains are quite efficient unless they stop often. Slowing down and speeding up takes a lot of energy and also uses up rail capacity. They should build railway stops on little hills, which would help with acceleration and deceleration times and efficiency.

On some parts of the tube, they have actually done this - the stations are slightly elevated compared with the rest of the line. Works well on the tube as all trains stop at all stations.

[doodab]

On some parts of the tube, they have actually done this - the stations are slightly elevated compared with the rest of the line. Works well on the tube as all trains stop at all stations.

Some of the U Bahn stops in Munich are like that as well.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

You have obviously never got on a train in a communist country.

I have. In East Berlin as it happens. It was excellent and very cheap.

I notice Berlin, which some regard as having the best rail system in the world, has been in the news regarding public dissent to privatisation. Not sure what the current status is, but what a loss that would be if the UK were an example of the result.
Rail privatisation

Or maybe the Germans can do privatisation better? If EU trains do go private, will we be able to afford to use rail to holiday in the south of France/Spain rather than by air as the EU directives also propose?

Quite a few European train systems are a partnership between private and public, including IIRC parts of the German system. There are loads of reasons why our railways are a total shed in comparison - some of them are to do with a totally stupid and idealogical privatisation, but not all.