SRT launches service of new Chinese-made trains on Bkk-Chiang Mai route

[CLW]

It is a sad fact for the railway industry in other countries, the Chinese railway industry copies and sells cheaper.
And nowadays reasonable quality.
 

And as far as I know the second set of MRT and BTS trains are also Chinese made.
And not bad...
Even in Europe Siemens and Bombardier are struggling with Chinese competitors

[ourmanflint]

more importantly can they go faster than 11mph?

 

[Artisi]

9 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

Enjoy the nostalgia of the old Thai Railway soon because modernization is here. 

 

 

You  jest.

[ClutchClark]

35 minutes ago, Artisi said:

You  jest.

 

Sorry but I am missing your humor. 

 

 

[Artisi]

32 minutes ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Sorry but I am missing your humor. 

 

 

Modernisation, give it a year or expiry of the warranty period and with the usual high level of Thai maintenance and it will be back to old Thai Railway standards again.

[ClutchClark]

4 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Modernisation, give it a year or expiry of the warranty period and with the usual high level of Thai maintenance and it will be back to old Thai Railway standards again.

 

Is it really so bad over there? 

 

I will have to tske your word for it but the railcars I have traveled in were 20-30 years old and still in decent repair and operational. 

 

Some of the tracks were in need of service but were still usable at lower speeds but such repairs are quite costly and to be found in similar condition in any 3rd world country.

 

The ticket costs are so dirt cheap that I thought the level of service provided was quite good for the price. 

[CLW]

 
Is it really so bad over there? 
 
I will have to tske your word for it but the railcars I have traveled in were 20-30 years old and still in decent repair and operational. 
 
Some of the tracks were in need of service but were still usable at lower speeds but such repairs are quite costly and to be found in similar condition in any 3rd world country.
 
The ticket costs are so dirt cheap that I thought the level of service provided was quite good for the price. 

I partly agree, given the age of the current rolling stock they are in quite good shape.

But looking at the maintenance disaster of the airport rail link cars, nothing good to be expected...

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, ClutchClark said:

 

Is it really so bad over there? 

 

I will have to tske your word for it but the railcars I have traveled in were 20-30 years old and still in decent repair and operational. 

 

Some of the tracks were in need of service but were still usable at lower speeds but such repairs are quite costly and to be found in similar condition in any 3rd world country.

 

The ticket costs are so dirt cheap that I thought the level of service provided was quite good for the price. 

Don't get me wrong, the system works - sort-of, everything is in reasonable repair but slow and always late and yes, fares are cheap - but modernisation - not this week and not too sure about next week either.

[Artisi]

5 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Don't get me wrong, the system works - sort-of, everything is in reasonable repair but slow and always late and yes, fares are cheap - but modernisation - not this week and not too sure about next week either.

There are 3 things in Thailand that seem to be up-to-date, I guess you could say modern that work well, well for me anyway: Postal service, banks and not forgetting the good old tax department.

[JAG]

11 hours ago, harrry said:

At the moment the route miles from Bangkok to Chiangmai is much further than the road.  There will be daylight travel and if if it is through the mountains in daylight (or especially with the sun coming up) in the mountains  you are in for a treat.

  (It is worth a special train trip from chiangmai to Lampung to see this. Only a few baht to..

 

It is one of the great joys of travel in Thailand, looking out of the open window from your lower bunk as the overnight sleeper from Bangkok clatters down the banks out of the mountains to Chiang Mai on a warm morning.

 

"If you've 'eard the East a-callin', you won't never 'eed naught else." No! you won't 'eed nothin' else But them spicy garlic smells, An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells; On the road to Mandalay... (well, Chiang Mai but never mind)!

[nong38]

Chaing Mai to Uttaradit by rail is very scenic unfortunately most of the trains go through in the dark so you miss the best bits, best bet is the 0850 departure from CM.

[cyberfarang]

These new rolling stock will barely make any difference to the passengers because for the fact that the infrastructure is not there for faster more efficient trains, meaning the journey times will be the same.

[Happy Grumpy]

11 hours ago, ricklev said:

Has anyone taken the new train yet?

 

" State Railway of Thailand on Friday launched the first new train service"

 

Probably not mate. 

[Loeilad]

12 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

All of the Bkk to Chiang Mai rails from about half way up the journey were totally reconstructed with new materials about 2 to 3 years ago.

......and are they up to standard for these trains? New rails mean nothing if not properly installed for the vehicles you want to run on them.

[bendejo]

I would hazard a guess that they are actually refurbished old cars.

In Buenos Aires there a subway cars that are from Japan and did not come over as new, there are still notices in Japanese on the doors.

 

 

[CLW]

I would hazard a guess that they are actually refurbished old cars.

In Buenos Aires there a subway cars that are from Japan and did not come over as new, there are still notices in Japanese on the doors.

 

 

Quite unlikely. China uses different gauge than Thailand (1435mm vs 1m).

The current rolling stock is made by Daewoo Heavy industries and could be a second hand import from Japan.

But not sure...

[ratcatcher]

22 minutes ago, CLW said:

Quite unlikely. China uses different gauge than Thailand (1435mm vs 1m).

The current rolling stock is made by Daewoo Heavy industries and could be a second hand import from Japan.

But not sure...

Most of the 1st & 2nd class sleeper cars on the Thai long distance expresses were made by Daewoo (S.Korea) and imported. As you said, second hand refurbished.

[mcfish]

i wonder if second class sleeper will have curtains? Trains in china or anywhere else in Asia dont use curtains

[ratcatcher]

35 minutes ago, mcfish said:

i wonder if second class sleeper will have curtains? Trains in china or anywhere else in Asia dont use curtains

2nd class sleeper cars have had curtains for passenger privacy for years. What they do not have is spitoons.

 

[nong38]

2 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

2nd class sleeper cars have had curtains for passenger privacy for years. What they do not have is spitoons.

 

Handsome man!

[DaveE13]

1 minute ago, nong38 said:

Handsome man!

OOH!!  Like the Pose.

[ratcatcher]

3 minutes ago, nong38 said:

Handsome man!

Glad you like him, I googled and there he was.