Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu
EU politics and sustainable transport, especially railways.
Brit who became German and lives in a village in France. When he's not escaping it on a train or a folding bicycle.
Teaches at College of Europe, still writes a blog, photographs with a drone.
Brit who became German and lives in a village in France. When he's not escaping it on a train or a folding bicycle.
Teaches at College of Europe, still writes a blog, photographs with a drone.
To be fair, should we possibly think someone with much greater resources and staff than you and I should check things before sounding off? 🤷♂️
November 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
To be fair, should we possibly think someone with much greater resources and staff than you and I should check things before sounding off? 🤷♂️
P.P.S. Panda 🐼 now approved by the EU Agency for Railways, so can begin service soon! eratv.era.europa.eu/Eratv/Home/V...
November 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
P.P.S. Panda 🐼 now approved by the EU Agency for Railways, so can begin service soon! eratv.era.europa.eu/Eratv/Home/V...
Right. Not least as these trains have the *very same* legacy signalling systems as existing trains (and ETCS as well).
November 10, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Right. Not least as these trains have the *very same* legacy signalling systems as existing trains (and ETCS as well).
Pre Gewessler
Do you know when WESTbahn ordered Panda?
Pre Gewessler and pre Hanke
The point here: he can't ONLY blast WESTbahn here!
Do you know when WESTbahn ordered Panda?
Pre Gewessler and pre Hanke
The point here: he can't ONLY blast WESTbahn here!
November 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Pre Gewessler
Do you know when WESTbahn ordered Panda?
Pre Gewessler and pre Hanke
The point here: he can't ONLY blast WESTbahn here!
Do you know when WESTbahn ordered Panda?
Pre Gewessler and pre Hanke
The point here: he can't ONLY blast WESTbahn here!
P.S. There is no significance to what looks like a noose (but is actually a thing to hold onto in the Wien U-Bahn) behind Hanke in the pic at the start of the thread. That is simply the first pic of the guy on Wikipedia! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_H...
Peter Hanke - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:19 PM
P.S. There is no significance to what looks like a noose (but is actually a thing to hold onto in the Wien U-Bahn) behind Hanke in the pic at the start of the thread. That is simply the first pic of the guy on Wikipedia! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_H...
It's a hand holder in the Wien U-Bahn
November 10, 2025 at 2:14 PM
It's a hand holder in the Wien U-Bahn
I don't either. But that's not quite the point 😀
November 10, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I don't either. But that's not quite the point 😀
Imagine how annoyed Hanke will be when he hears the company his government owns beat WESTbahn to it!
Or maybe not. The Bison runs only in Hungary for now. Out of sight, out of mind? 🤔
/ends
(Don't mention Norwegian buses here)
Or maybe not. The Bison runs only in Hungary for now. Out of sight, out of mind? 🤔
/ends
(Don't mention Norwegian buses here)
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Imagine how annoyed Hanke will be when he hears the company his government owns beat WESTbahn to it!
Or maybe not. The Bison runs only in Hungary for now. Out of sight, out of mind? 🤔
/ends
(Don't mention Norwegian buses here)
Or maybe not. The Bison runs only in Hungary for now. Out of sight, out of mind? 🤔
/ends
(Don't mention Norwegian buses here)
Who is the operator of the CRRC Bison 🦬?
Rail Cargo Hungaria
Who owns Rail Cargo Hungaria?
ÖBB-Holding AG
Who owns ÖBB?
THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT
Yeah. Where Hanke is a Minister
Rail Cargo Hungaria
Who owns Rail Cargo Hungaria?
ÖBB-Holding AG
Who owns ÖBB?
THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT
Yeah. Where Hanke is a Minister
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Who is the operator of the CRRC Bison 🦬?
Rail Cargo Hungaria
Who owns Rail Cargo Hungaria?
ÖBB-Holding AG
Who owns ÖBB?
THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT
Yeah. Where Hanke is a Minister
Rail Cargo Hungaria
Who owns Rail Cargo Hungaria?
ÖBB-Holding AG
Who owns ÖBB?
THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT
Yeah. Where Hanke is a Minister
CRRC Bison 🦬 are running already - I happened to see one the other day in Budapest hauling a freight train
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
CRRC Bison 🦬 are running already - I happened to see one the other day in Budapest hauling a freight train
Damn!
What will the same Peter Hanke say when he hears about the Chinese built CRRC Bison 🦬?
What will the same Peter Hanke say when he hears about the Chinese built CRRC Bison 🦬?
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Damn!
What will the same Peter Hanke say when he hears about the Chinese built CRRC Bison 🦬?
What will the same Peter Hanke say when he hears about the Chinese built CRRC Bison 🦬?
Translated:
"Peter Hanke also made no secret of his unease about these Chinese trains, which he claims cost only ‘30% of the price’ of trains manufactured in Europe."
"Peter Hanke also made no secret of his unease about these Chinese trains, which he claims cost only ‘30% of the price’ of trains manufactured in Europe."
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Translated:
"Peter Hanke also made no secret of his unease about these Chinese trains, which he claims cost only ‘30% of the price’ of trains manufactured in Europe."
"Peter Hanke also made no secret of his unease about these Chinese trains, which he claims cost only ‘30% of the price’ of trains manufactured in Europe."
Here's Hanke today, quoted by Le Monde, bemoaning private company WESTbahn's new Chinese built EMUs - called Panda 🐼 and built by CRRC - that are due to enter into service soon
www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...
www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...
L’arrivée de trains chinois sur les rails autrichiens, une première européenne qui fait polémique
Les quatre Panda commandés par la Westbahn, premiers trains de passagers longue distance du géant chinois CRRC à circuler en Europe, soulèvent un vent de panique dans le secteur, qui redoute la concur...
www.lemonde.fr
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Here's Hanke today, quoted by Le Monde, bemoaning private company WESTbahn's new Chinese built EMUs - called Panda 🐼 and built by CRRC - that are due to enter into service soon
www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...
www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...
I assume it’ll be post Fiat yes. Or what they use with Avelia Liberty in the USA
November 10, 2025 at 8:12 AM
I assume it’ll be post Fiat yes. Or what they use with Avelia Liberty in the USA
Pretty sure it’s going to be something Alstom not Siemens. But yes I‘m glad hydrogen was dropped.
November 10, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Pretty sure it’s going to be something Alstom not Siemens. But yes I‘m glad hydrogen was dropped.
Nürnberg - Wien is to be the last ICE line where the tilting ICEs will be used. The Bavarian lines only use it because Bavaria hasn’t invested properly in those lines. There’s not much future for tilting in Germany I think.
November 10, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Nürnberg - Wien is to be the last ICE line where the tilting ICEs will be used. The Bavarian lines only use it because Bavaria hasn’t invested properly in those lines. There’s not much future for tilting in Germany I think.
Everyone still calls the series that. Avelia Stream is a dull name 🙂
November 9, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Everyone still calls the series that. Avelia Stream is a dull name 🙂
None. These’ll be non tilting.
November 9, 2025 at 9:58 PM
None. These’ll be non tilting.