Right then.

jon@gruene.social

@Infoseepage then sorry you’re off. There’s nothing about their trains that stops fast acceleration. (This stuff is my job)

infoseepage@mastodon.social

@jon This was the train to from Belgrade Center to Nis. Maybe it's not ultimately the equipment that is limiting, but the need to keep a low speed due to the crossings and frequent stops. Train took over 6 hours to make the journey. A car could do it in 2.5 hours.

jon@gruene.social

@Infoseepage the track is absolutely knackered. I’ve taken that line. The train shown is Swiss designed, Polish built, max 4 years old and can do 160km/h.

infoseepage@mastodon.social

@jon I think they do have a direct service, but it still takes in excess of 5 hours, so it is just a slow, slow service. On the day I was taking it, it left later and arrived later, basically following along behind the non-express service.

infoseepage@mastodon.social

@jon I downloaded a Serbian railway map from the official operator before I left for my visit and a fair number of the branch lines are listed as freight only and a some of the main passenger lines are currently closed and being rebuilt. Not sure how long that has been the case. Had to take the bus across the border, because the train doesn't run down from Nis to Vranje and across the border atm.

jon@gruene.social

@Infoseepage at least since pre Covid it’s been like this. Years since there was a Skopje - Niš passenger train. For two decades maintenance has been terrible. Now the only option is close, rebuild and re-open.

ajinkyapdahale@mstdn.social

@vermeer @jon yes, the cows part. But also the half completed towers part.

Trains are fairly good here, even with the regular delays and a host of issues due to cost constraints. Hopefully the going stays in a positive direction.

I think the electrification is well over 95%, but then our main source of electricity is coal. Leaves possibility for other sources, of course.