American Reacts to POV Trucking in Eurotunnel between England & France in a MAN TGX
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- Опубликовано: 24 янв 2023
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You can use the tunnel in Euro Truck Simulator 2. And just like in this video it skips directly over to the other station when you depart. Same with ships.
The train goes between: Calais - Folkestone. The ships are going between: Calais or Dunkirk - Dover
@@zero76gaming17 correct, SCS have simplified it,
@@TheMcooper17 not really simplified but scale adjusted. If you want it better you need promods
@@matthijsweststrate5552 i know of promods, used it and the preumably now dated TSM
True
The most amazing thing about the tunnel was the fact that it was tunneled from both ends and that they met in the middle at exactly the correct point.
BTW, three of the TBMs (the ones from the English side) are still under the sea bed. Shortly before meeting the French TBMs they drove them at a steep downward angle underneath the tunnel level and buried them with concrete. The French TBMs were dismantled and brought out after breaking through to the English side.
All in all they used 6 TBMs on the English and 5 on the French side (the TBMs actually started from a shaft closer to the coast than the final tunnel portals are, one set of TBMs digging towards the sea and one towards land (the French reused one TBM for the land part of both main tunnels, that's why they only had 5 in total).
I went on a trip to France with my school when they had not long started building them, and saw the French side tunnel which was barely started.
I believe it is also the most dangerous tunnel in Europe, as a couple people died during production.
Not exactly, but near enough... within 10mm.
@@getthetruckoutofmyway1294 Do you mean most fatalities during construction?
The Euro Tunnel is just over 31 miles in length, and at its lowest point is 377 ft below sea level. Trains are limited to 99 mph (160 kph) through the tunnel, journey doesn’t take too long, it’s around 35-40 minutes
Well. 160 is the top speed, but not for the truck trains. They go a bit slower
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Tunnel
Only the Eurostar HST are allowed to 160.
But can't reach this speed between 120 shuttles...
@@matsv201 Around 140 km/h
that would roughly equate that a driver has ample time for the 45 min. break whilst transit
7:17 that is an electric logging device. Truck drivers can only drive 9 hours each 24h and this devices logs for every second if the driver is either driving, on a break or loading/unloading. It switches automatically to drive mode but driver has to manually select the applicable other modes because the device does not know what the driver is up to as soon as the engine is turned offf. Also, driver has to select manually starting country for his shift. This has changed because first part of his trip started in England and second shift started in France.
US has them too, though they have a much looser limit 14 on duty of which 11 can be driving. In both areas some truckers also keep old manual logs often too.
@@EwanMarshall We have analogue and digital. They are usually called Tachographs. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachograph
once known as the "tachograph" recording time and date and speed and distance travelled.
you can program that when you turn engine of it will go sleep mode automaticly.
olso the new ones automatically change the country so you do not have to do that ...
and when you go to ship or a train you have to but ship mode.....
that equal`s prake time.
olso when you travel in ship you can spend you`r night prake in ship or a train.
then it should last at least 11 hour`s.
includes an hour transition time.
sadly the electric logging device do not undrestand that and it will give you fals information when you have to have a preak...when you are have to move from the ship or train.
because if you are in the ship let`s say 9,5 hour`s and you have to move and you will drive let`s say 45 min and you finde place to stay for rest of the needed prake time (11)H
and you stay 1.5 hour`s and continnue your trip.
this device do not add this 1.5 hour prake to the earlier one :(
I think you get the picture :)
@@tapsafilmisland6892 you mean the new generation about to be/being implemented?
I remember watching the English and French workers meeting each other after finally cutting through. Truly an engineering marvel digging a tunnel under the sea.👌
I'd laugh if they missed each other, carried on & built 2 tunnels 😂
@@MrMartinoefthere are actually three tunnels that make up the channel tunnel including the service tunnel.
When he got off the train he was setting his tachograph (electronic driving log) to country of France.
He will also be resetting local time display as the Continent is an hour different from UK although the actual tachograph records all activities in UTC time and never change.
He has to put it in ferry position...
The tunnel runs from Folkestone in the UK to Calais in France . The train goes underneath the water . I crossed the Channel a million time with this train
u did not
Of course, he did. So did I. They give you snorkel to not drown too.
I've got so many spare at home, my shed is full of spare snorkels
A million? Really?
@@smith5385 *irony lessons needed* no, not really. A "million times" means so many times that you stop counting 😉
The most important thing to remember when using the Chunnel is that France and England drive on different sides of the road.
Not the trains
The "chunnel"😃 Never heard that one before
@@michaelcliffe562 It's a portmanteau of CHannel tUNNEL. It's been known as that before they built it.
Wow...
Interesting facts but most people in europe know this since forever...
Uk drives on the wrong side and US uses imperial system...
The rest of the world got it right though... 🙂
@@christorn8499 Rougly 70 countries drive on the left, but go off I guess
I have done eurotunnel a number of times, with car and motorcycle. On those small vehicles you actually enter a fully enclosed train, where you get boxed in by fire safety doors in every 4-5 cars.
i was with the bus also and got enclosed, actually bus drivers had way harder time getting in those as far as i could remember
My late neighbour drove from Guildford to Brittany and back via the tunnel to celebrate her 90th with her family. She was far from the stereotypical elderly driver but I was still impressed.
The Euro tunnel is one of the most amazing engineering feats in human history. It's a train that goes from an Island to a continent under the frikkin' sea. Thats INSANE!
The 青函トンネル was the first.
And in sismic zone, not in easy Blue chalk 😏
Harder to tunnel in a soft substance than a hard substance
I’ll look into it more, it’s fascinating and very impressive 😎🎉
@@mattsmith5421 the blue chalk is hard enough to be stable, but soft enough to be bored easily, but mostly, it is homogeneous and water proof 👍
i would say this is insane... ---> ruclips.net/video/WMbSzFf_wTc/видео.html
Norwegian floating tunnel network :)
I'd also recommend Iwona Blecharczyk. She's a Polish truck driver and vlogger all over Europe.
That's a good recommendation
Awesome thank you 🙏
@@IWrocker Yeah, but I don't know which video you should pick. She uploads a lot and she is a basically a truck vlogger.
@@IWrocker
ruclips.net/video/OgSxodMV_Gg/видео.html
This one has English subtitles and it is one of the popular videos on the channel. It is the "First time driving with oversize width load" episode.
The device he was using is called a tachograph which is how we monitor our driving and working hours. It also records our breaks as well. Every driver in Europe that drives a truck newer then 2006 has to use a digital tachograph card which is held by the driver at all times and can be downloaded by the company to see what hours that particular driver has worked. It's almost like the tablet you use in America just as a little device fitted to all commercial vehicles.
You can set the retarder manually with different levels of braking. These levels can be of different strength from brand to brand. Also when you apply the retarder, your breaklights will also come on, warning drivers behind you, that you are breaking. Sorry if my english isn't perfect, greetings from austria.
I may add that both the retarder as well as engine braking which he mentioned are not the same as Jake Brakes or Jacobs Brakes. Although Engine Braking is close, as Jacobs Brakes use engine braking, but (and here I may be off slightly) valves etc. are controlled differently to increase the braking, which actually causes the very typical sound you get. If I remember right it is something about compression release, which increases braking, so you more or less turn the Diesel engine into a big air compressor.
Retarder can work on different principles. Electric retarders use electric coils between two steel plates rotating with the axle to create eddy currents and create heat, braking the vehicle.. Modern electric vehicles actually have a variation of this, using the actual motors for regenerative braking. On trucks you might most likely find hydraulic retarders, which look very much like a torque converter from an automatic transmission, only not driving anything and being static on one part.
By the way, not all retarders activate the brake lights. (although on newer vehicles they usually do). And there is a different between busses/coaches and trucks. while trucks usually have levers to activate the retarder, for busses in most cases it is activated by the brake pedal. doing most of the braking and only actvating the regular brakes to the end at low speeds or in case of a high brake action..
Advantage of retarders is that they have very little to no moving parts and can do up to 90 percent of the braking without wear.
brake, . duudeee
edit 2... brakelights and braking... 👍
(RUclips comments, free English editing (Scuze the typo's)
@@alexanderkupke920 Most lorries do have a seperate lever to activate the retarder and exhaustbrakes, they do have the option for automatic use. Actives gradually with braking. Lots of busses don't even have the option to turn it off, which makes it a hazard in the winter on slippery roads.
@@leifgunnartoth8070 First part is not correct!In the first 3 stages it's only exhaustbrake-from 4th stage retarder starts to engage.No seperate levers!
@@pe.bo.5038 Than explain me this, I've been in a truck where the retarder is used by the exhaust brake but only on the highest stage, As you mentioned.
But the retarder was also able to be controlled manually without ever touching the exhaust brake at all and while it was active, The exhaust brake did nothing.
And yes, They there were two separate controls for them, One for each.
Yet there are also trucks that use the exhaust brake when the retarder hits it's highest stage.
It depends on how it's set up. There are also trucks out there that don't have a retarder. It mainly depends on the options that the truck has.
The Channel Tunnel is an engineering marvel of the modern day, three parallel tunnels, each one dug from both ends at the same time. In the UK, it's often known as "The Chunnel". There are also passenger vehicle/mixed traffic trains, which you can take your personal car on, these are fully enclosed so you can get out and stretch your legs or use the loo.
The difference with cars and trucks is with a car you stay with it. With a truck you get out once parked, and are taken by a bus to the front where you sit in a rail carriage. Once you get there a bus returns you to your truck.
Three stories seemed to dominate the news in the UK in the early 1990s when I was growing up: "The Troubles", the divorce of Charles and Diana and the building of the Channel Tunnel with footage of the huge drill in operation.
Yes you can drive this route is Euro Truck Simulator 2 but it's very simplicified. When you play it you should visit Austria too. They recently reworked the whole country and it's absolutely georgious
Highly recommended. Went from Belgium to the UK with the Eurotunnel for a ‘no plans trip’. 7 days driving in the UK without booking any hotels. One of the best trips I made in a while and driving to France and get on the train was such an easy experience, I might do it again.
Yes, you can use the Eurotunnel in ETS 2 :)
In the next Promods version you can drive trough it 😁
That is so cool 🎉
Engine braking on an automatic truck (for example my Volvo FM9 with i-Shift) has a stalk on the steering column like the indicators/wipers do, and you can set it to automatic (engine brake automatically when you even very slightly touch the brake pedal), or there are different levels of engine brake (1, 2, 3...). So you can adjust it when going downhill etc.
The tunnel goes from folkstone in England over to France and the driver was setting his Tacograph witch is a digital log of your driving hours all truck and coach (bus) drivers have
There are passenger trains going from London to places like Paris or Amsterdam through this tunnel called the eurostar
@Iwrocker
what he is doing is setting the start land on his Digitacho, he most likely did the same thing but in reverse before the train set of from UK soil.
End land in UK
Start land in France
so your driver card always knows where your at and the "Behörden" like the German BAG (Bundesamt für Güterverkehr) do so too
sometimes you'll have to set the time as well, example: UTC +2 in Germany during the summer
I'm doing two trips per week, sometimes one using Eurotunnel both ways. M20 junction 11a at Folkestone to Calais France.
on the way back to the UK from France do you have any tips to avoid the ilegal migrants when you enter through Calais im a soon to be Trucker and that insight would be apreciated.
It’s a absolute nightmare especially when you drive a low running truck and enclosed car transporter like mine,
Those little posts as you turn in are famous for taking out diesel tanks and foot steps.
Once you have parked the truck a minibus comes to collect you and take you to a carriage that is always rammed and stinking,
There is also several train lines that run around Europe that lift up trailers and carry them unaccompanied through places like the alps and parts of Northern Europe do the same.
In fact Northern Europe has a train that runs straight onto a ferry and off the other side
The thing he's setting at 7:14 is the tachograph. It keeps track of driving/working/break times, speed, milage, location and certain newer models also country. When the police or inspection stops you they usually check this for violations of the maximum times. The newest model tachograph is even able to be downloaded remotely when you drive by.
The thing he's changing (*it's not, it's the country code but I'll still leave this here*) is the 'train/boat' mode. I never use it so I'm not too familiar with it but from what I know the location of the truck changes but it's stationary. To prevent counting hours while stationary and things looking confusing to police you can set it to this mode. You're allowed to stop your 9 hour daily break 2 times for 1 hour to drive on and off the train/boat. Rules get very confusing but this is as much as I know.
Yeah he was setting the country to F (which is france), in the tachograph. You are obligated to set the country after crossing a border. I don't drive my big truck across borders, but from what i recall about "train/boat" mode, it wouldn't work here, as it's used to "disrupt" your mandatory daily long break (for driving onto a ship or off a ship, to continue your break there).
@@TheKarlShow he disnt set it to F 🤣
He set the local time...
@@karl8805 he did indeed set it to F. Watch again.
@@denza1589 i did, he set local time...
I also know it was local time a) because i can read
Also b) the time jumped by 1 hour.
@@karl8805 technically we are both right depending on the device used. He set the local time as well as the country code as you can see him flipping through all of them until he got to F.
You should find a video for the cars travelling through the tunnel. The journey is kinda fun, it goes by quickly.
On the MAN of that generation for RHD models (I assume on the LHD models it's the same) the stalk on the right of the steering column is for gear select (push forward to downshift and backwards for upshift. You can also choose between fully automated and semi automated which is handy when your running at 44T as automated suck when you have weight on. That stalk also controls the engine brake (up and down) and there are 3 levels choose from or you can press the button on the side to put it on full. Also it will down shift automatically (in an automated transmission) You can also have it automatically come on with the foot brake too. Not a bad truck to be honest. I drove a 2018 for 3 years and the only real problem I had with it was the gearbox (no such thing as a good automated transmission in my opinion but far from the worst one out there, also the dustbin lid (massive steering wheel) but it was a comfortable truck to drive. Also when you lift the bunk you can get an extra crap ton of legroom which is handy when you have big feet.
I've been on this in a coach, that was just as interesting!!
Although the carriages on the train were very different, the car and coach section is enclosed and you can get out of the vehicle!
I have quite a few friends that work for the tunnel. I live very close to it too. It’s around 35 minutes for the train to go underwater into Europe. Although we have lots of problems when France go on strike or decide they don’t like the English and we have queues for miles for weeks
The Eurotunnel opened in May 1994 and runs between England and France the tunnel covers a distance of 46 kilometers underwater. The tunnel has now been open for 29yrs
We use the Channel Tunnel once or twice a year, from Folkestone- Kent to Calais. It is very convenient when it works. The crossing takes 33 minutes, the waiting around for boarding and customs can be a different story though.
In Denmark the is Øresund Brigde which connects Copenhagen to Malmo-Sweden, we did it too on the train.
IWrocker Your videos are brilliant with all that enthusiasm. No matter which engine powered vehicle it is you always make the videos interesting. Thanks man! Best regards from Finland, Petri a public transport (bus) driver and a wannabe truck enthusiast.
The land covered by Euro Tunnel was open farm land at the back of Folkestone and was a great place to grow up next to and roam the farmer never asked us to leave great days.
7:18 he's changing the ELD device mode to record a break whilst he was on the train
ELD = "tachograph" a device that records a commercial truck drivers hours of service
I think it's called E-Log in the US.
@@rome0610 ELD = "Electronic Logging Device" / e-log. Their tachographs
@@Xantec Thanks for clarification!
I live across the road from the channel tunnel. Sounds like a jet when the fast one zips past.
Love the channel dude.
Because of the rock strata beneath the seabed the tunnel is actually a W shape rather than point to point, so the travel time is longer than you would think driving from Folkstone to Calais.
@Iwrocker
many trucks are equipped with ACC
Manual operation of the wear-free brake is usually set in the same stock that holds the gear-select/manual shifter if needed right hand side on the tree.
and more modern trucks will primarily bring down the speed if you (the driver) let go of the gas-pedal, utilizing the wear-free brake (Re- or Intader or Eddy current brakes; the latter of which has fallen out of favour as the power drain is an issue)
I've been across on my motorcycle. The Automobile/Motorcycle train is enclosed and 2 levels. It's pretty cool at both ends. It really just gets dark for 30 minutes. LOL
The mobile reception is so good in the tunnel. I FaceTimed my dad. 4g was showing full strength.
I've been through the euro tunnel on a coach before - the train cars for regular traffic are enclosed and you can get out and walk around. Water collects on the roof when it's raining and drips into the carriage if the train brakes/accelerates. Bit worrying when I noticed that when we were inside the tunnel 😅
During construction of the Euro Tunnel, when the two boring machines met in the middle, they couldn't back-out. So, the one from Britain aimed downwards and bored into the sediment below the tunnel. There it rests for eternity.
The tunnels is 20 years old now. The tunnel goes under the sea bed. It goes from Folkestone to Calais. The train that carries cars and coaches is enclosed and you can walk about and use the toilet.
Eurotunnel is actually two one track tunnels with a series of switches between the two and a third emergency vehicles/escape tunnel.
11 TBMs were used to bore this piece of engineering. Some of them are still there, buried in the seabed under the tunnel to let pass the ones going on the other way when they were dismantled.
Went in our car, the car train is enclosed double decker, we were up the top to Calais and down the bottom back to Folkestone. So much quicker than the ferry (which I did a few times as a child ).
It's worth knowing that you can do this in your own car too! The train is a bit different for cars, it's got sealed two-storey carriages where you can get out and use the bathroom on the journey. Awesome for UK/EU road trips
This video and your fascination for it focused and calmed me so much that I went into half a panic aftack when a spider appeared near my face. I'm still shaking and will probably sleep on the couch but your videos will help me calm down again. I hope you have a great day 😂✌🏻 I will subscribe now.
Ok so the tunnel runs from Folkestone to Calais and has a crossing time of 35 minutes. The trains run 24hours a day upto every 30mins, there are two terminals on each side, one for freight (hgv's) and one for cars and vans and use three types of carrage. You saw in the vid the type used for trucks but they also have two enclosed carrages, one being a twin deck for cars, vans and 4x4 ect upto about 6 feet high and one with a single deck for vehicles over that hight. There are actually three tunnels running parallel to each other, two larger ones with one doing the UK to France and the other doing France to the UK so you never have trains going in different directions in the same tunnel and a third smaller service/emergency tunnel inbetween the two rail tunnels.
In europe all heavy trucks have a 'Tacograph' unit in the cab. This is a 'spy' in the cab and records how much time you are driving, resting and other work (loading/unloading, paperwork). That is what the driver touched after the thumbs up!
Interesting to see the newer freight wagons in use. The original ones were more enclosed. Assuming the system is the same as when It opened, the truck drivers will be picked up by a bus and transferred to a coach/carriage next to the (usually) leading loco. The drivers were fed and watered while the train transited under the channel.
That coach is normal guage whilst all of the other wagons are wide enough to get the trucks on, so there is a large gap between the side and the platform. This necessitated an interesting gangplank and handrail affair that slides out of the body to allow the drivers to cross the gap.
One of the boring machines used to be on display on the hillside next to the A20 and visitor centre in Folkestone, which gave a good idea as to how massive they are.
Jake brakes are not allowed in Europe due to the noise level. We have retarders, generally with different settings that you as the driver control. Also different types of retarders, as I believe the word "retarder" simply refers to any type of auxiliary braking system. But Im no mechanic so I wouldn't be able to explain the differences!
Engine retarders come in two basic forms(the most common ones, there may be more) - Exhaust brake and Jake brake, they both accomplish the same task just slightly differently. The Jake brake is more effective but is more complicated and requires more maintenance and is louder(why they are not allowed in Europe). Both are activated by the driver and usually have three levels of "retarding", the "braking" takes place whenever the driver lifts his foot off the throttle.
The "Chunnel" was opened in 1994, after 8 years of work. Length is 50,5 km or 31,4 miles. Greatest depth is 75 m or 246 feet. Max speed for passenger trains (of which there are 2 per hour in either direction) is 160 km/h or 100 mph. Trains for trucks are even more frequent and are slower.
There are three tubes, two for rails and one for maintenance and safety. Cars can use the Chunnel by taking the train.
If you're interested in Eurotrucking, I'd suggest checking Martijn Kuipers channel. Dutch truckdriver with a series checking some special trucks. It's in Dutch but I believe it has English subtitles available
the ''Klein Kromhof'' video would be a good one for a bit of LZV in action (and that thing has an open pipe). Other video i really liked was with ''Lastdrager II'' with the custom Scania T660 torpedo
The carriages used to be closed until there was a fire, then the design was changed to these open style. The Tunnel is actually some 32 miles long. It takes about 30 minutes.
All around Kent and East Sussex there are big road signs reminding drivers to drive on the left ( in various languages). In Northern France there are the same telling us to drive on the right .
The Eurotunnel is Folkestone to Calais... It goes under the sea and follows a certain seam of rock meaning the depth underground gets higher and lower to keep with that type of rock.
The thing he is programming before he pulls off above the windscreen is called a tachometer. Truck and Coach (not local bus) drivers in the UK have to by law take regular breaks and cannot drive for more than a certain amount of hours in the day/week. If you don't set the tachometer you can also get in a lot of trouble.
The crossing takes around 44 minutes. I used to make daily runs from West London to Belgium through the Channel tunnel, swap trailers and return.
Yeah!"Water under bridge"-Isn't it!---Sorry mate...could not help it!!!
I was a regular in the late 90's for Dentressangle's (now XPO...sadly) i believe there's no food provisions for lorryists these days as part of the 'Chunnel experience'...dreadful development if so.?
@@earlgrey691 Sadly you're correct.
It has now Christened "Le Stinky express" of late
@@Beksization I often wondered what would've happened if i opted to stay in the truck cabin hidden on the bunk behind the interior curtains during the crossing ? i couldn't handle a crossing with the foodless,sardine canned option.The horror.
@@earlgrey691 Not a problem old chap. We get pushed into mini van bus and taken to the front or back of the train.. Luckily the journey is only a 45min crossing.
It's the over zealous French customs officials I'm most worried about.
The last time I drove anything resembling a truck was a few years ago. They were auto with a manual shift option. The exhaust brake was controlled by a stalk switch on the column. Most big trucks are electronically sophisticated nowadays, and everything is push-button or automatic.
The little truck I drove had the following 'driver safety' features:
Proximity sensors
Reversing camera
Front traffic sensor with sensors that calculate speed, distance, and time to warn if you're too close to safely brake.
Internal and external cameras linked to a central office
The big jiggers have a lot more though.
The retarder/engine brake is located on one of the stalks beside the steering wheel. Usually they have a setting of 1,2 or 3, least to most effective. Some trucks you can leave this set at your required braking and it will automatically cut in every time you use the brake pedal, other trucks you flick it on and off as you want to use it.
It's a railway tunnel built under the English channel sea to France. There's a documentary on the construction of the euro tunnel. It goes from Dover to France. It takes 30 minutes.
8:46 The retarder and engine brake function function sort of the same as they would in a manually shifted truck, there's a stalk on some trucks or a button on the stalk to engage different retarder strengths. A type of bus we used to have here (A Volvo B10m(g) type) used to have a single-strength retarder and engine brake. The first was activated by a button labelled with a big R on it on the dashboard, and the engine brake (if I recall correctly one working on increasing exhaust pressure, causing backpressure in the exhaust system) was engaged by a floor pedal (about where in a consumer car in the Netherlands and most of Europe the clutch pedal would be).
In an automatic, it's the situation that determines the right strength of the retarder, on some trucks indicated by having a blue outlined part on the RPM gauge or tachometer. Not only does this part mean the retarder is providing a good combination of slowing the vehicle down versus speed, but it also is kept cool the best.
Some retarders can exist out of multiple systems as well: some provide only a hydraulic system that probably uses some kind of oil packing causing drag and pushing the packing together to create less opportunity for the oil to move easily upon increasing the retarder, but there can also be systems that utilize eddy-current types of braking by a magnet assembly moving towards a (possibly aluminium, but I'm not sure) disc which due to the magnets inducing an eddy current in it, will cause drag, and then there are combinations that can work by having some kind of speed governor (possibly a very old style of doing things, but I heard it from a bus driver who frequently drove mountain routes, so maybe it's still used but not as common on buses or trucks not designed specifically for mountain route use).
Engine brakes can also work in multiple ways, some work on the exhaust, some might have a gearbox that you can influence by selecting a particular gear in case that might be more beneficial for the type of situation you are in and use the engine dragging the speed down as well.
I used to use this route when on a tight schedule, the crossing would take 45 minutes which is just right for a legal break. My truck was an ultra low Volvo tractor unit which front valance was lower than the metal curb on the train, very tricky.
I like the Brunswick (German Braunschweig. my hometown in Germany) Lion on the wheel. This Lion is becoming on the Logo parts with the MAN after MAN has overtaken the Büssing Truck Company in the beginning of the 70's.
Using Eurotunnel is fun. There are four basic types of carriage. Skeleton like the one in this video for trucks only. Truck drivers are transferred to a passenger only carriage for the journey under the English Channel. There are single deck sealed carriages and double deck sealed carriages. Single deck carriages carry coaches, buses, RVs and cars with caravans. Double deck carriages carry cars (also with low height trailers) and motorcyles. Fire safety is rigorously enforced on board all trains. No smoking anywhere. Even camera flashes are banned as the fire detection systems pick them up as explosions. The best part for me is the convenience. I can drive along the motorway (interstate/highway), come off at a dedicated exit point, and, if everything is running smoothly, be on the motorway of another country about 75 minutes later. For comparison, the journey by ferry takes a total of around 2.5 hrs.
Folkestone (leave motorway from London) - goo.gl/maps/MW9LzSyJFVYzjsou9
Coquelles (enter autoroute heading for Paris) - goo.gl/maps/sWGB4pBkSTLgoQAt7
It's 10 years ago since I drove my last truck . It was a DAF with an automatic gearbox . You can shift gears manual , but you don't have a clutch pedal . My DAF had a Jake-break , but no retarder .
I work in logistics and at one point worked for P&O Ferries terminal here in Rotterdam with vessels going to England. I always liked that my dad used to work there, but as a sales manager for passengers and then me later on, but on the freight department. On your remark of signs, markings etc. I like to play Cities Skylines with mods and assets and one of the features is to create your whole road network and sort of 'paint' it with all kind of decals, signage, markings etc. To many to many that might sound boring, but in the end end, loads of (mainly) guys, love spending time doing that. Same with truck driving sims ;)
I took the tunel several times. But with a car. Yes it goes under water. Strange feeling 😁
As a foot passenger, the best are the direct London to Paris / Brussels / Amsterdam trains that do Paris in 2 hrs 15, Brussels in 1 hr 50, and Amsterdam in around 4 hours. Top speed inside the tunnel is 100 mph but 186 mph on the surface. I have done it over 70 times.
I did this journey 2 weeks ago with a low ride truck and trailer . Now that was tricky. The device above his head is a tacho, electronic equivalent of a US logbook. Engine brake is on a stalk usually 3 stage
Having done this trip many times.... Yes it is tight. You drive onto the train. Leave your cab and get taken to a seating carriage. At the other end you get taken back to your truck and continue your drive. Due to the tachograph, the electronic device he was playing with, rules (4 1/2 hours drive, 45 min break, 4 1/2 hour drive daily) you have enough time for a statutory 45 minute break. The exhaust brake (jake brake) works as it would in a manual truck, yes you have either manual control or auto operation. All trucks in Europe are speed limited to 56 mph/91 kph.
Fun to watch someone from the other side of the pond look at the way we do it. I've been over to US and although different, I do find it interesting how other countries do things. The Euro tunnel is an amazing thing, to be in another country in 40 minutes.
Something I do like watching that's US related, is those train videos - the space that surrounds you is enormous and beautiful at times. Over here (UK) we've got a massively compacted version - high density cities and then 2 hours drive and we struggle to see another car! Keep the rubber side down ya'll 👍
you enter the Eurotunnel before Dover near Folkstone you as a car passenger stay in your vehicle and you experience a slight downhill slope and roughly 35 minutes later you get the reverse experience, before popping out after the Port of Calais onto the A16 road, BUT as a HGV driver you do not stay in your cab but peroidically spaced passenger carriages for HGV Drivers, remember in France there is a HGV movement ban during the weekends that used to run from 12 noon Saturday until midnight Sunday, unless you are carrying perishable foodsuffs, i know this as i used to unload spainish lettuces/potatoes by the lorry load on Sundays
The Uk Terminal is in Folkestone (Cheriton) where I live, the tunnel is 10-30 meters under the sea bed. The rail track undulates up n down due to hard Chalk n Clay in the seabed, around 30 miles from platform to platform… The trains are 1/2 mile long !! The travel duration is approx 30-35 mins ! what is great is, I can returning from our French Holiday home is order Chinese / Indian/ Turkish takeaway mid channel for delivery ( wifi is good down there) ready for when I return home… I live 2 miles from Eurotunnel, my old school mates helped with the construction back in the late 80’s & many still work there to this day on the trains or ‘trackside’…..
a few answers to your questions,
1. Eurotunnel does indeed go underwater, and its basically a train, and it takes approx. 30 min.. That connects Folkestone (close to Dover) and Calais ... Drivers usually prefer the Ferry though.
2. this is an MAN truck, and pretty much all Modern European Semi's sound amazing, 12/13 liter inline 6 turbo charged (and Scania of course has a V8) and they rev low and have plenty of torque.
3. At 7:16 , that's a Tachograph, It records drive/work/rest/sleep times of the drivers, because in Eu you can't just drive 24/7
4. Most long haul Semi's are "automatic" so drivers don't need to waste time shifting gears, because in Europe "long haul" doesn't really exist.. as mentioned above Drivers can drive max of 9 hours in a 24h period (there is also 10 h allowed but its a special rule i won't bore you with them because its part of a bigger rule about driving/resting periods)
5. The Retarder is pretty simple to operate, You can actually see him operate it at 8:11 .... but in general there is a Stock that is mostly located on the right side of the steering wheel, and you just set how aggressive the retardation is and you are good to go. they are really effective. Also a retarder is not technically engine braking, because it actually uses a device that is connected to the transmission and is hydraulically operated, so oil pressure stops the truck.. and as i said its insanely powerful it feels like actual breaking and it doesn't stress the engine or the transmission.. if it fails you can continue without it no problems.
Done that many times, still amazes me every time.
The red screen he used when he was in france is called a tachograph which logs all of your activites eg Other work etc...
great video been on the shuttle many times used to work for a french truck company norbert dentrassagle which was bought out by xpo logistics some years ago,and the shuttle leaves from folkstone to sangate, and there is a documentary on youtube about the construction of the tunnell
I never seem to see ND trucks anymore. Are they still around?
@@PedroConejo1939 They were bought by XPO a few years ago.
@@medler2110 Ta. It's taken the OP to make me realise I hadn't seen one for a while and it's taken your reply to make me read the OP properly. D'oh!
What's missing from the video is that the drivers don't stay in their trucks, once the truck is on the train and secured with wheel chocks a bus collects them and brings them to a passenger car at one end of the train where they stay for the journey through the tunnel (which takes about 35 minutes from train departure to train arrival; the whole crossing with checkin, customs, passport control, loading etc. takes about 1.5 hours).
God knows how those truck drivers cope with the Tunnel trains- it's nerve warcking in a car!!
Hats off to those guys!!
it reminded me when we went to a school trip to the uk and when the bus was driwing to the train everyone took out phones and when I asked why one of the kids was like "we will be taking photos of fish" as they tought it was glass tunell :D
I think you'll definitely enjoy Euro Truck Simulator 2, I love it, and also play American Truck Simulator to know how it feels to drive a big rig in the US :)
The immersion is awesome, when I drive on French highways I really feel like driving home, devs got every little detail right, and playing the game really feels like travelling!
Well I drive a lot in the the offline and the online mod TMP, and for me, it's one of the best simulators in the world and the devs are always innovating and they listen to the community players of Euro Truck suggests and asks if it's possible, and more and more the simulator is becoming like the real thing...
The tunnel itself goes through a chalk layer deep below the sea bed , the chalk layer undulates and the builders had to follow that so that's why the tunnel varies its depth below sea level .
Of course, there's actually 3 tunnels!
2 large diameter tunnels for the main passenger and vehicle trains, plus a 3rd smaller tunnel in between the others for services and emergencies. There's fire doors connecting the middle tunnel with the main tunnels every so often!
The English terminal for the Eurotunnel is in Folkestone, you go to dover if you're taking a ferry.
Yes those MAN diesel engines are nice sounding. And I too am fascinated with road markings and signs whenever I watch videos from outside my own country.
It goes from Folkestone to Calais. The device he clicked on is a tachograph. It registers your speed and your time. You har to keep up with your breakes and sleep. Every 4.5 hours and you have to stop for 45 minutes. You can drive for max 9 hours per day and have to have a minimum of 11 hours break over night. This is the simple version. You will be fined as will the employer if not adhered to.
Funfact: Those freight Euroshuttles could go faster than they do but they are timed to allow the truck drivers to take their mandatory 45 minute minimum break. Drivers park the truck and are taken by a minibus to a restaurant coach where a free meal and coffee is served.
I used this service for some years with my own trucks and I was one of the first 100 accounts so we helped with the early practice runs. They shipped us for free but we took the risk of being delayed.
Great days, great people and a great piece of engineering.
Most useful infrastructure built over 30 years ago. I was one of the first users as until it opened I had to use the cross Channel ferries twice a week each way which was terrible in winter weather..
I used to drive underneath the ocean through the Elb Tunnel to get to my place of work.
If you are in London and want to take the train to France, you get on at Kings Cross. Yes it goes beneath the ocean.
In Europe the retarder isn't technically a Jake brake. It's a butterfly valve in the exhaust that closes, either manually or automatically. Also the fuel feed is cut off so the engine resistance slows the vehicle.
I use Eurotunnel to commute between the Netherlands where I live and the UK where my HQ is. It’s great, fast and frequent. Personal vehicles go into are slightly different car as we stay in the train, in our cars. We can get out to walk around and use the onboard facilities but that’s it. The freight drivers, leave the vehicle and go to a buffet car for the duration of the journey.
The tunnel doesn't go any further than the station at Calais. The electronic thing above his head is his Tachograph, it's a device which records the driving time and speeds of the driver/truck. As for the retarters all trucks are different some are auto, some are manual some are both.
That thing above his head was the tachograph.....that thing register everything you do with the truck....driving, resting...etc
The unit above the steering wheel, is a digital tacograph, used to log driving time, speed, rests, other work etc.
The Eurotunnel is definitively the quickest way to cross the channel, but there are still many ferries crossing as well and they are generally a lot cheaper to use.
I used both with my car and the tunnel is on average twice as expensive but saves you one to one and a half hour.
The idea of travelling under a 150ft deep sea is quite amazing, but there is still enough solid rock between you and the sea bottom.
Look for a RUclipsr called Planes, Trains, Everything. He has a video showing a bus journey from London to Paris. The bus actually drives onto the train but into a fully enclosed car. Driving on and off the train looks really impressive, at least to someone who has never driven a bus.
The Eurotunnel is where the Eurostar passed through, I think there’s a separate tunnel for this specific train as it’s not as fast as Eurostar
The green line road-marking is to thew "nothing to declare" customs lane.
Probably the best UK trucking videos on RUclips are 'Luke C in an HGV'. I think you would enjoy them as they show the real "joys" of UK trucking.
The device he was setting at the top of the cab is his Tacograph, it’s what records the hours he works in the truck. It’s all to do with the restrictions on working hours here in Europe
I've been several times on Euro tunnel train with my car and the train only goes at 60 Kph ! The journey takes about 30 minutes.
You can stay in your car during the ride. The price for a vice/versa is about 250 euro