Hold on tight, we’re accelerating! Forests and fields begin to pass by outside more quickly. Smaller cities now break up the scenery more often. Despite the increased speed, it’s becoming increasingly quieter in your cabin. The Rail Nation journey continues.
Era 3:
Around 1945 – 1970
The scenery is brightening up again. Change is taking place. It also affects the engine, since the old steam engines are now replaced by modern diesel engines. This evolution is also clearly reflected in our engine house. Modern skylights allow the engines to shine in a bright light.
The German football world champions of 1954 travel home on a train with a DB series VT 08 diesel engine.
Europe comes closer together in 1957 and a range of new railway services are called into being, chief among them the Trans-Europe Express. Many business and leisure travellers can now travel across Europe in exclusive first-class trains.
The ALCO RS-3 also conquers a whole continent, the Americas to be precise. In 1950, the engines of the American Locomotive Company link Canada, the US, Mexico and Brazil.
And while the first man sets foot on the moon in 1969, French engineers begin development of an aerodynamic experimental train that, with the name TGV, is to considerably affect railway traffic in the future.
Era 4:
Around 1970 – 1990
As technological progress gathers increasing pace, engines are also affected. Powerful diesel engines can be found next to state-of-the-art diesel-electric engines. The engine house grows in every direction to make room for the countless array of vehicles.
Attention, turn ahead! Yet, instead of being pulled off the seats while the luggage flies through the cabin, everything remains safely in place. The landscape outside the window seems slightly skewed.
One of the first engines to use tilt technology is the UAC Turbotrain from 1968. The aerodynamic engine keeps its high pace even in turns and transports passengers in the USA and Canada to their destination at lightning speed.
With its amazing 6,000 HP, the GE AC6000CW from 1995 is one of the most powerful single-unit diesel engines in the world. It is still in use on tracks all around the world.
The EMD JT42CWR is better known to Rail Nation players as the Poseidon. Between 1998 and 2016, an impressive 651 engines of this kind are built and shipped all across Europe. This engine is also still used today.
Quick and steady, our engine travels on the tracks of history. Next stop: the world of today!