Blue train rant

[Fidel Naidoo]

A bit of a rant .......

I drive northwards on the N1 out of Cape Town for several kilometres each morning, and on Wednesday, I saw the Blue train going in the same direction as me.

What a beautiful sight !! Royal blue color, tinted windows, ivory roof... really a classy looking rolling stock set. I wasn't surprised, because I've seen this before, but my disappointment at catching up to the motive power, and seeing that it is 2 14E's in bright orange was enormous.

I understand that it means that no loco change has to happen on the way. But, if you're paying the $$ that these passengers pay, why would you want the trip to be over quicker?, I'm sure many of them would like a photo of the locomotives up front, and that orange just spoils it......

Anyone know why they don't use blue 6E's or paint the (ugly) 14E's blue?

[Rob Jamieson]

I agree. The train looked much smarter when the locos were also blue. I can't understand why they just don't paint the 14E's blue.

[arnocronje]

What a pity! Look on the website www.sa-transport.co.za. Search for photos under the E Class loco's. There is a photo of what you saw which was taken in 2004. It looks dreadfull. Wonder if one can contact them in some way.

[Fidel Naidoo]

Ok, I can put the rant away.

I saw the Blue train this morning again, pulled by 2 BLUE 14E's. They're still ugly, but the train as a whole looks 500% better.

Way to go, Transnet and Prasa.

[Rob Jamieson]

The blue 14E's are a vast improvement, but their colour is not exactly the same as the train itself. I still think the 14E's are very ungainly looking locomotives, but understand the logic of using a dual voltage locomotive on this train. Still think the 6E1's painted in blue were more pleasing to the eye. Maybe one of the new 19E's dual voltage locos would maybe look better hauling this train.

[John Ashworth]

I still think the 14E's are very ungainly looking locomotives...

I know what you mean, but I quite like them. I think they have a very sturdy business-like look about them.

[Fidel Naidoo]

Rob,

Nothing in the world looks better than 6E1's.

John..... From the side, at distance, they look OK to me. When you're a bit closer, you see the corrugated body which looks a bit cheap to me :- but the real dealbreaker is the front view - it looks too much like some kind of EMU.

[Steve Appleton]

I think we should all hold our criticisms until we see the new Chinese locos! Will they be works of art or what? BTW, I like the 14E. I think it has a touch of European about it, decidely Swiss, but not a Swiss watch though. That said, I love the 4, 5, 6 and 18E locos. They look seriously rugged, iconically South African and instantly recognisable.

[Fidel Naidoo]

OK.......

That didn't last long. You guys do know that a 14E burnt out on Wednesday outside Beaufort West? The driver uncoupled the blue train, so that sustained no damage.

Haha, it would be ironic if the investigation turns up that the blue paint was in some way the culprit......

[Steve Appleton]

That said, I saw a couple of newly painted 18E's in PRASA light blue and with PRASA logos on Saturday (or was it Friday), one at Capital Park and one at Koedoespoort. Looked smart with no dirt on them. I took pics and will post them later.

[Fidel Naidoo]

Steve, please post.

I don't know PRASA light blue. Only purple.