Nick_Burman Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Hello all, Watching cab ride films on YouTube, I noticed the large number of Transcéréales grain hoppers travelling on Eastern European rails - for instance in Hungary and in the Czech Republic. In the last case on the Prague - Decin it is almost impossible to to cross at least with one freight containing these wagons...in one case, hauled in a trainload behind an SBB Cargo e-lok! What the heck are these hoppers doing in Eastern Europe? Cheers NB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Carrying grain? There's been a substantial trade in agricultural produce from the former Eastern Bloc for a long while. I believe there are even block trains to some Belgian and Dutch ports on behalf of the big internationals like Cargills. About twenty years ago, I went to Lille Deliverance yard; in an isolated corner was a set of refrigerated vans, of a peculiar East European design which incorporated a generator vehicle with living accommodation for a pair of crew. According to the SNCF staff, it had arrived some time previously, fridges off (as were their contents..), and no sign of the crew, who had presumably hopped off as soon as they crossed the former Iron Curtain Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted January 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26, 2015 20 years ago there wasn't an iron curtain - hard to believe that it was so long ago I know. 25 years plus depending on whether we are looking at Germany or countries like Hungary who had a slightly earlier and more liberal approach to "tourism" in the West. Edited to add: As well as imports through Rotterdam or other West Coast port, we should not exclude the possibility of imports from Ukraine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 20 years ago there wasn't an iron curtain - hard to believe that it was so long ago I know. 25 years plus depending on whether we are looking at Germany or countries like Hungary who had a slightly earlier and more liberal approach to "tourism" in the West. Edited to add: As well as imports through Rotterdam or other West Coast port, we should not exclude the possibility of imports from Ukraine. I was thinking more of exports from the West Coast ports, originating in the former Eastern Bloc countries; many big Western farmers have set up subsidiaires there, taking advantage cheap land following de-collectivisation. It was curious, that 5-wagon 'fridge set, but the attendant (s?) had definitely scarpered somewhere en-route and left the contents to rot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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