Austria’s Most Comfortable Regional Train - ÖBB REX 41 with Czech Rolling Stock (Prague-Vienna)

[@clemensaigner4370]

You can see from the clearance profile that the railway line was originally built with 2 tracks. It was only later reduced to one track.

[@wuwu9755]

I drove with this Service yesterday from Wien to Gmünd 😂 it is sooo cool.

[@doc7austin]

the czech railways rolling stock is super comfortable

[@milandolejsi1841]

I am afraid it is not exact to say the train changes number on the Czech-Austrian border. The REX 41 is a line number in Austria. In Czechia the line is R 17. Apart from that the train runs all the route from Prague to Vienna with number 321. In ÖBB Scotty they also call it "REX 41 (Zug-Nr. 321)".

[@jessaravena5139]

Another fine, fascinating video Doc. I love seeing the snow covered country whizz past from the comfort of that modern loco. I wonder if these OBB trains have Provodniks? I love knowing there’s Provodniks on a train. I love the name too. It’s just so very cool. I certainly wouldn’t want to miss steaming, piping hot boiling water from the titan of a firm but understanding Provodnik. Anthony from Australia.

[@doc7austin]

yes; there is always an ÖBB conductor aboard this train between ceske velenice and vienna.

[@jessaravena5139]

@@doc7austin Thanks Doc and have a wonderful evening.

[@doc7austin]

sure thing

[@pascalnemecek1502]

Sehr schöne vidéo 👍📽️🤩🤩🤩

[@kolejnakolej.1437]

Interesting video. Good work.

[@doc7austin]

thank you

[@philipkudrna5643]

You mention in the video that the Czech Republic and Austria have some of the best railway systems. This is, of course, due to the fact that both countries were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy that needed to connect its regions efficiently. Unfortunately, most if the many regionsl branch lines on the Austrian side have been dismantled after WWII snd even in the 80ies and 90ies, as individual motorisation with cars was increasing and demand diminishing and the operation of many small regional lines in the Waldviertel - a „dead end corner“ of Austria after WWII - was no longer deemed economically viable. In many villages you still find a „Bahnstraße“ (Railroad Street) that reminds of the fact that the settlement once had its own railroad connection…

[@nagymarosznik]

In CZ we still live with these regional tracks because of communism. Btw, in 2021 are many regional tracks closed because there were no passengers...

[@samtrak1204]

I'm impressed by Czech trains.

[@polishstick0609]

Bruh. Even first class on regional trains looks better than the first class on most of PKP InterCity's stock, even if it runs on EIC routes, exception might be ED250 pendolinos that run only on EIP routes (aka to major cities only)

[@doc7austin]

@polishstick0609 and yes - the best: it is empty

[@samtrak1204]

@@doc7austin The train was emoty?

[@polishstick0609]

@@doc7austin that part feels ridiciluous. Ever thought about how many cars can be put away by encouraging people to use trains instead? When they can use them, but they think that they "must" use their own cars?

[@philipkudrna5643]

As can be seen, the track layout from Gmünd to Sigmundsherberg is very curvy, as the line has to make it‘s way through the hilly terrain of the granite plateau of the Bohemian Mass - and because when the track was buildt, focus was less a speedy connection between Vienna and Prague, but rather connecting all settlements in the region, which is why the track almost unnecessarily meanders around, which drastically increases travel time as the distance is longer and speed is limited. There are no plans to change this in the next 20 years. (OeBB‘s track construction plan until 2040 do not contain any improvements on this line except for a small section if double track north if Limberg-Maissau).

[@schabigerlump]

Silva Emptica

[@alph5230]

They are good because it's a Czech train, it's just stretched a bit into Austria, it usually only runs to Tábor from Prague

[@ringo7561]

I don't see how they can call those couchette seating first class. What if six people are in there? You would feel cramped. Plus if you're in the middle or on the end, it's not a window seat. First class to me is 1 × 2 layouts as in Railjet or ICE trains. And yes, i took one of those first class couchettes from Germany to Prague and i had people in there with me and I felt cramped. Sorry about the rant, and great video as always Doc.

[@doc7austin]

oki; usually, the first class compartment is a bit longer (more foot space) than second class compartments; i think this car is virtually never really 100% full.

[@dsdonovan]

"Unappealing" is a polite description of the Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof...

[@doc7austin]

i dont why ÖBB let this train station rot that much.

[@philipkudrna5643]

It is currently undergoing refurbishment and looks better than the last 30 years. But it‘s true that the new „design“ of the whole office building is also if questionable aesthetics. But the train station itself has improved significantly in comparison to what it looked two years ago.

Fun fact about REX41 is that there is some trains that are hauled by Hungarian locomotives

[@philipkudrna5643]

Yes, they do this to compensate for the km made by Austrian Locomotives in Hungary.

@@philipkudrna5643 exactly

[@doc7austin]

Are those Hungarian Taurus locomotives certified to run into the Czech Republic ?

@@doc7austin I think they do those turns that go only to Gmünd

[@philipkudrna5643]

Yes, as you mentioned in your video, many trains from Vienna only go to Sigmundsherberg, some terminate at Gmünd, so they will most likely only do these relations. However, since they are basically identical machines that would probably be certified to run on the Slovakian network, which technically is identical to the southern czech network, they could maybe do it. But it wizld not make any sense, as they are „paying back“ mileage to Austria and it would be counterproductive for them to create additional mileage in Czechia!

[@dragoner3211]

''Austria’s Most Comfortable Regional Train'' Uses Czech Railway train with Czech coaches...

[@doc7austin]

yes, but that regional train runs over 2 hours through Austria.

[@philipkudrna5643]

And if I understand it correctly, the bow CD cars are actually original Austrian rolling stock (which you can tell by the orange walls and the blue seat padding). So the cars are actually Austrian after all (?) at least as their origin is concerned?

[@jmsmilfajt]

@@philipkudrna5643ČD has many different cars and only these compartment cars are ex-ÖBB and even these are retrofitted with USB and power plugs, displays and refurbished with ČD corporate design seat covers. Other cars are mostly from ex-DDR Bautzen factory and Siemens. Their new non-traction sets (Interjet, etc.), are from Siemens. So only the comparment cars are former Austrian ones.

[@Tinovr6]

Just admit it, you always rent the entire train if you film. ;)

[@doc7austin]

yes; it is true; it is - though - very expensive to clear out the entire train of passengers

[@hans-jorg-io1is]

I really think that is not true. It might be the REX Lindau - Bregenz - St. Margrethen - Romanshorn (Switzerland 🇨🇭) with first class too by the SBB CFF FFS 🇨🇭😂👍

[@nagymarosznik]

not all good things come from Switzerland

[@hans-jorg-io1is]

@@nagymarosznik But many 😂😂😂👍💯

[@nagymarosznik]

@@hans-jorg-io1is that's true, but i'am proud czech so i'm very glad to see this propaganda that we are good country 🇨🇿😂

[@hans-jorg-io1is]

@@nagymarosznik I really like the Czech Republic and the people there. And I really like your railways and Skoda too. By the way Skoda produced very good trains for SBB ! You may not know but they made a lot of trains for the "S Bahn Zürich" same quality like Stadler . Bei proud of Skoda. 💘💘💘💯👍👍

[@nagymarosznik]

@@hans-jorg-io1is Unfortunately, Skoda has never delivered public transport vehicles to Switzerland, and it mostly only has a good reputation in the former Eastern Bloc. But I like Škoda, new RegioPanter is the best from our factory. You may be in the Prague or in South Czechia or Moravia. That's our best region with highest quality of life, if we compared this regions to Österreich republic, we are not that far behind!

[@jensnacke8334]

Eigentlich ist es ein Schnellzug

[@jessaravena5139]

Wow! That’s awesome!

[@doc7austin]

REX = Regional Express, oder ?

[@avmz111]

@@doc7austin But only in Austria. In CZ it is a Rychlik (with first class).

[@doc7austin]

@avmz111 yes; outside of austria it is a czech fast train.

[@jmsmilfajt]

Rychlik is not what Germans typically mean by a Schnellzug. It is a type of a REX train which covers long distances but is typically used just for a part of the journey. For more efficient travelling between larger cities there are Intercity, Eurocity and Supercity categories of trains usually equipped with a dining car or a bistro car.

[@jfmezei]

Video is no good. No sleeping car for you to deploy your trademarked glowing egg lamp and no dining car ! Still have mental images of a breakfast you had in dining car of a PKP overnight train because it looked so good ! BTW, at start of video, prior to locomotive arriving, were the passenger cars powered by cable from station? totally dark? running on minimal battery? Why did locomotive lower it pantograph after it coupled with the passenger cars? it is safety measure to allow crew to connect power cables to passente cars? Would have expected a button in cabin would have made it safe for them to connect those cables without fear of power flowing.

[@TamasKiss-bv9hz]

❤🤍💚💯💯💯❤🤍❤

[@doc7austin]

haha; thanks

[@philipkudrna5643]

As you can see throughout the video, there were once 2 tracks from Vienna all way up to Gmünd, but the second track was dismantled after WWII and the line virtually ended in Gmünd at the iron curtain except for some few trains (like the famous Vindobona from Vienna to Berlin). The line from Gmünd to Sigmundsherber was only electrified in the 1990ies after the fall if the iron curtain, but the OeBB haven‘t felt tge need to restore the second track, which would be technically possible.

[@doc7austin]

i recall that a train connects sigmundsherberg and gmünd only once every 2 hours in each direction; hence, having only a single-track might be sifficient

[@philipkudrna5643]

@@doc7austin Exactly!