Bikes and Trains

[chrisjo]

This will be an occasional series inspired by railways and trains that I've encountered while watching cycle racing on the television. Note that the forum-width images are a links to the full size images on postimages.org. If you want to know how to do this, send me a PM.

First up: La Rotunde du Chambéry, as seen during stage 10 of the 2021 Tour de France on July 6th, won by the ultimate comeback-kid Mark Cavendish, his 33rd TdF stage victory:



Google satellite view:



Chambéry is located in the foothills of the Alps in Eastern France. The roundhouse was built between 1906 and 1910 using ironwork construction methods developed by Gustave Eiffel (e.g. Eiffel Tower). It has an internal diameter of 108m, and is still in use, with 36 electrified tracks accommodating up to 72 engines. It has been a scheduled national monument since 1984.

Here's a cracking video-tour:

[Super]

Wow, that place is huge and all indoors.

[FlyingKipper]

Too cool. Anyone going to add to their layout ?

[Super]

LOL...that would be some huge Layout to accommodate the Tomy/Thomas Trains. I wonder if one could could use several sets of the Trackmaster Thomas Shed/Round House to completely enclose the building within a Layout though. Only problem I see is that the Trackmaster sheds is backwards where the doors would need to be on the outside of the circle not the inside. Now thats a custom building I would like to see.

[chrisjo]

Now thats a custom building I would like to see.

Sounds like a challenge, I wonder if I have enough bits......

[Super]

Oh boy...excited to see what you can come up with Dr Chris  :)

[FlyingKipper]

Does the motorized series have enough engines to fill it up - 72? Sir Topham Hatt would be quite the rail baron!

How did they handle the smoke back in the day? Shunt engines in and out or was it always electrified?

[chrisjo]

This year's livery for the official Giro d'Italia train, first outing on the Giro today on the 5th stage from Catania to Messina (Sicily).

[chrisjo]

The EMU is an ETR104 'POP train' no.115 operated by Trenitalia / Ferrovie and delivered to their Palermo depot in March 2022. The leader of the race wears a pink (rosa) jersey and the whole route is traditionally decked out with pink bunting, balloons, flares, etc. In 2020 someone even managed a wisp or two of pink steam:

[Super]

Love that little Pop Steamer and you won't miss that Italian coming with that color. Thanks Dr Chris

[PerkyHydrAan]

That pink steam remembers me of the scene from back to the future...

[AOF04]

Loved watching the racing this morning, and the train was beautiful. Perfect timing

[Super]

You were there live AOF?

[chrisjo]

Spotted during today's stage of the Tour de France (won by Wout van Aert in full-on super-human-beast-mode) - this little 'Autorail' at Lumbres, south of Calais, on Le Chemin de Fer Touristique de la Vallée de l’Aa.



https://www.cftva62.com/autorails-picass...-et-x3853/

Further investigation reveals a most interesting class of rail-bus, the SNCF X3800.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNCF_Class_X_3800

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSWiZDQB2PI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNqGg4r_GHc&t=1s

[AOF04]

You were there live AOF?

New Zealand, Middle of the night, Starts around 10-11pm and goes through to 3-4am.
If I get the chance I will watch the first hour or so, But as I get up at 5.30am for work, I need some sleep.