NGT6 1315

Moaning owl. Once more unto the breach, et cetera... Seems to have rained a bit in the early hours. Not a lot else I can scratch up from my semi-asleep cerebrum, I'm afraid!

Why get one when you can get two for twice the price? 🤣 So, here's the story. Following their withdrawal from ÖBB service in 2009 and long-term storage until retirement in 2016, sixteen of the eighteen 1014s built were acquired by a logistics company called Zeller Transporttechnik in 2018. ZTT returned six locos to revenue service until the company went into administration by late 2019. I understand a debt restructuring agreement was finalised last year but as of now, the 1014s are out of service anew. Interestingly, Tanzania intends to build an electrified standard gauge passenger railway and is looking to obtaining a number of these locos for this purpose! Though under the It's My Railway rule, I would work from the assumption that ZTT had continued independent railway operations, and am planning to mod these two locos to resemble those they actually did operate. This includes 1014.011 with Rail Cargo Austria lettering. Interestingly, ZTT largely kept the 1014s in their ÖBB era appearance, and were even permitted to retain the old style logo, called "Pflatsch". However, any of ÖBB's more recent trademarks - including the Rail Cargo Austria lettering on 1014.011 - did have to be removed, although the locomotive kept the basic livery which differed from that of the rest.

Moaning awl. Feels like I'm typing this in my sleep! Train departs at 0533, so alas...

I'll just leave this here as a hint towards a bit of a modding project I've got on the agenda, the, er, material for which will likely be delivered later this week… 😎

HB to Stewart! (Not Hanseatic City of Bremen, that is to say. 😆 )

Moaning awl from aboard ICE 1656. Too frellin' early, 'tis!

Yeah, I liked that film, too! I also liked Cloud Atlas and thought that while it did take a few liberties with the story, it was a very sound adaptation of the novel with its uniquely interwoven chapters - which remains one of my favourite books as well.

Moaning awl! A calm Sunday seems to have commenced and next week will again take place in Gotha, continuing my qualification course. I'll still need to work out agreements with some of our tutors re tests I wasn't able to take last time due to my having been sidelined following the accident in February, but those I've been in touch with already have been understanding. Be safe and sound and enjoy whatever you're up to!

Moaning awl. Not a terribly restful night followed by red alert headache when getting up. I do blame the unsteady weather as a contributing factor at least! I hope the rest of us is doing well, or improving if that should not have been the case. Later!

More outfitting: …on a subject from a totally different era!

Moaning awl. Up since 0430 and feeling like a migraine might be due, based on some indigestion I had and general grumpiness. Swell. Thoughts to everyone needing them. 🤗

Outfitting! 😎 That's a Class 95 like we had up front for our excursion on the Rübelandbahn last year. In fact, my plan is to renumber the model as 95 027 to match this specific loco.

Moaning awl. Well, it's still before noon, so… 😂 Got up quite early again but managed to nap on the sofa for a bit. Some additional garden supplies will need to be procured later, but that's about it for the day. Currently standing by for DHL to drop something off related to miniature replicas of vehicles running on parallel steel elements. Congrats and commies as appropriate. Stay safe and sound...

Cheers all. Got up before 0500 following a visit by I.N. Somnia, so not nearly up to snuff today. Will try posting a bit more after dinner...

Moaning awl. I seem to have slept better(ish) at least! Easter was spent calmly, with a visit to SiL and family on Monday. The season for asparagus (white being the more common variety here, as you may know) has started as well, so that's what we had for dinner yesterday! A trip to the home supply shop for some gardening items will be made later this morning. Aside from that, I dunno yet, really! Stay safe, my friends. 😉

Moaning awl. The notorious I.N. Somnia keeps paying visits and throwing everything into disarray. This is becoming a right nuisance! This is looking to be a coolish Easter. Aside from a few requirements which popped up yesterday, we made all food purchases early on. I expect the supermarket to be fairly busy today, so I'll definitely prefer the in-grab-pay-out approach! Thoughts and commiserations where appropriate. Stay safe… 🙃

Moaning owl. Far too early but here I am... Doesn't look like we could do a barbecue this weekend after all, considering the weather report. Next week is predicted to be fairly nice, though, with temperatures approaching 20°C! Which of course means antihistamines will once again be called for. In fact, they have been for several weeks now... Will try to be back later when I'm firing on all cylinders, hopefully.

Moaning awl. Fairly balmy and a bit breezy currently, with rain predicted for the afternoon. Been awake since 4ish and up since 5ish as I couldn't get my mind back to rest. Oh well. Can't think of anything meaningful or poignant right now, so maybe I'll give it another try later. Stay safe, everyone…

Moaning awl. April sure makes itself felt. It was very windy for most of yesterday and now it's wet! I seem to have slept relatively well, which is something that hasn't always been a given in recent weeks. Here's hoping that the next couple of days may provide at least some degree of an outlook to a calmer posting, to which end we're running multiple approaches in parallel. Of course, the news from Ukraine don't exactly lend themselves to promoting peace of mind either! Be safe and enjoy whatever you got planned…

Moaning awl. Chilly but sunny! Forecast predicts rising temperatures and rain for the coming days, so I decided to have the summer tyres put on one week early - also because I know I have the time! Feeling tense with everything going on in the world currently, so, please, be safe, everyone…

It's turned quite chilly here indeed. There's even the faintest bit of snow in the air right now!

Moaning awl. The Long Night is Over, it seems! Still in a difficult state of mind re work in particular. I might be better able to go into detail later as Annika will need to be off to the kindergarten soon, but for the moment: We're currently working on finding a solution for reducing my driving obligations, though this may require a bit of time to implement and might, I suspect, be possible only in stages. Which is what I myself absolutely want but still, it's a frellin' nuisance I rather could do without. Be safe, everyone...

Well, you do need some bread to put spam on, do you not?

Moaning awl. Dull outside but dry at least. I'll be off to the GP within the hour as a prescription I got from a specialist (who's now on vacation till the end of the month) specified a dosage which isn't currently on sale, so my GP may have to issue a correction. @Grizz, be well soon! That sounds like you're positively feeling rotten for sure... Later…

The 155s (or 250 during the DDR era) were, in fact, nicknamed "Containers" or "Tin Loaves"!