Train Cab Ride NL / Zaanstraat Noord - Amsterdam Centraal / Shunting / Jan 2021

Hi everyone! Welcome to a brand new bonus video! No, we're not gonna do this every two weeks, but since we are still in a lockdown / night time curfew situation in The Netherlands I thought you might like this one.

0:38 - Getting permission to depart
3:12 - Switching junction
7:13 - Changing cabin
9:50 - Off we go!
12:13 - Another green light
14:28 - Singelgrachtbrug
15:31 - Amsterdam Centraal

Today we're going to shunt a VIRM double decker from the workshop Zaanstraat to Amsterdam Central Station via the north side of the station. You might think: why so much work and not take the train directly to the station. Well, this is because we cannot reach platform 1, 2 and 4 from the South side of of the Zaanstraat.

This is my last shunting job after a night shift. I got from Amsterdam Central Station to the workshop by taxi and there I made the train ready for a new day with passengers. After I was finished I started the recorder.

First of all we ask for permission to depart from track 28 to track 92 at the north side of the Zaanstraat. My train was planned a little later, but there are no other trains planned before our train. That's why I call up early. This causes that the shunter at location wasn't ready switching all the junctions in the right position. I let the train dispatcher know I can so this myself. After this we get permission to depart.

Just after departure we have to stop to switch over that one junction the train dispatcher was talking about. The rest of the junctions are already in the correct position. At the end of the shunting yard you see a white light at ground level. This is a signal that gives permission for shunting. It can also show other colors. In this case it just means I'm free to pass with a shunting train (after permission). From that point on all junctions are fully operated by the train dispatcher.

After arrival on the end tracks at Zaanstraat Noord we must switch cabin to continue our journey to Amsterdam Central Station. The picture isn't the best (made it with my old phone). But it gives you a good view on where we are.

After I made the train ready for departure we make a call to the train dispatcher to tell him we are ready for the ride. We're still a little early, so he has to look if our arrival platform is not still occupied. After a minute we loose the red light and are allowed to drive. Then, after a very short ride we arrive at Amsterdam Central Station. There I made the train ready for the next driver that took this train in the Haarlem direction. I went home after this job. I hope you have enjoyed this sort bonus video!

Stay safe everyone! Cheers! :D

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