NGT6 1315

Morning all... Getting light outside over what still is a snowy landscape. Will have to run a few errands later on, but I expect a calm weekend. Do enjoy your day, everyone!

I'm sure that if he had really been, he'd have framed Tony for it!

Now why did I just hum, "Tonight, Tonight"?

Roving across the snowy fields aboard the train:

Sadly, recklessness is also returning to the roads around here. Not that planning for longer travel times in wintry weather were an exceedingly difficult mental challenge, were it not?

Morning all... Forecast predicts even lower temperatures over the weekend, but apparently followed by a thaw. Which I guess means we'll again be ploughing through tonnes of slush on the roads. Deep joy! Other than that, nothing much to report at this time of day... Have a good one!

Those were the days, eh? 8)

Afternoon all! School day was fairly straightforward, though I once again noticed how seveners are so very different from fivers! I just made me a warm lunch and will now have to have some documents duplicated and authenticated at the city council. Not sure what I'll be fixing for dinner yet, so I guess the supermarket will have to inspire me.

Morning all... Too dark and too early both for anything of notice to be reported, so I'd just like to wish you all a good day – without any adverse effects of all this wintry weather.

This is certainly not something anyone could envy you for, Bob. The issue with my late grandparents' estate has not been resolved thus far either...

Forgot to mention that I posted a few rail photos from Strasbourg in here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/74/entry-10949-trains-alsaciennes-–-some-snapshots-from-strasbourg/ . It was bitingly cold during my walkabout there, I should add!

Well, chilli con carne and rice are on the cooker and I'm looking forward to dinner. This will then be rounded off with a sip of whiskey later tonight, for that's what small comforts are there for!

Well, numerous schools in this state are closed due to adverse weather – including mine. It's still snowing up here, but the snow sweepers are making progress, so that the main roads are fairly usable.

Mornin'... The freezing rain we had last night was followed by fresh snow, so I wonder whether any of my colleagues and pupils may be missing today. I was, in fact, also wondering whether school may even be cancelled in our district, but I guess I'll have to wait and see. Frankfurt's airport had been closed for traffic last night due to plane de-icing having turned into a futile endeavour, and all trams in both Frankfurt and Darmstadt had quit service due to OHLE and pantograph icing. Be safe, troops!

Whoa. Just looked outside the door and it looks like we're having severe icing on the street and pavement. I don't think there's an easy way of tackling this, so I'd better stay indoors tonight!

Afternoon all! We had gone on a short trip to Strasbourg from Thursday till Saturday this week, which, while not purely motivated by railfanning, did allow me to take a handful of tram and railway photos. As you will probably be aware of, Strasbourg, with a population of about 272,000 and a historic background far too extensive to be summed up with just a few words, is not only an important railway node in eastern France, but also represents a prime example of how trams may be successfully re-introduced to a city which had previously abandoned them. The current tram system, first opened in November 1994, comprises six lines, lettered A to F and serving the following relations: A: Hautepierre Maillon – Illkirch Lixenbuhl via Central Station and Homme de Fer B: Hoenheim Gare – Lingolsheim Tiergaertel via Homme de Fer C: Neuhof Rodolphe Reuss – Gare Centrale via Homme de Fer D: Aristide Briand – Rotonde via Central Station E: Robertsau Boecklin – Baggersee F: Place d'Islande – Elsau via Homme de Fer The station called Homme de Fer is located at the intersection of Rue de la Haute Montée, Rue du Vieux Marché aux Vins and Place Kléber and serves as a central interchange for four of the six lines. Lines A and D serve Strasbourg Central Station in an underground station, while the C line has a separate ground-level terminus at Central Station. The city's tram fleet consists of 53 ABB-built Eurotram type cars and 41 Alstom Citadis 403 type cars, both being low-floor, bidirectional designs. This photo shows Citadis type car 2021 waiting at the Gare Centrale terminus for the C line. diagrammed on the "42" turn – as evidenced by the small number in the top right of the destination sign. On the Eurotram cars, a separate illuminated turn number display is provided in the rear cab bulkhead. Here, we were walking up Rue de la Division Leclerc, with a Citadis on the A line headed for Illkirch Lixenbuhl running down the street from the Langstross/Grand'Rue station. And this was Eurotram car 1039 on the D line for Aristide Briand waiting at Langstross. These cars have two very large doors on each side of all free-floating passenger modules – each door comprising an entire window. However, while these doors provide good access and are very suitable for wheelchair users, they also are fairly slow to open and close, thereby increasing station dwell times. The bogies are located below the cabs and in each of the single-window modules. At Central Station, I then captured 11513, a Z 11500 type 25 kV AC EMU belonging to the "Z2" family which also comprises 1.5 kV DC only and AC/DC dual system units. These sets were built from 1982 till 1988 and consist of one motor car and driving trailer each, allowing multiples of up to four units. 11513 was standing by to work the 830112 service to Saverne, departing less than two minutes after I took this photo. The Alsatian Region branch of SNCF had been the first to introduce 200 kph regional express workings on its system. These are marketed as "TER 200" and are found on the Strasbourg-Basel line, powered by class BB 26000 "SYBIC" dual system locos. For these services, locos 26140 through 26153 were outfitted with push-pull controls and Faiveley AX type AC pantographs, which had been found to be better suited for the loco pushing trains at top speed. Here, 26152, having arrived with the 96222 service a few minutes prior, was preparing to shunt to the stabling area with its colourful rake of Corail coaches. The "R" suffix on the running number indicates these locos to be push-pull capable. Running late by about 20 minutes, 26162 was working the IC 91 service from Brussels to Basel. And finally, we rode out to the European Parliament... ...where I captured another Eurotram car on the E line:

Morning all... Stewart, I'm glad you're all right – I keep thinking that although you can live fairly normally with diabetes nowadays, I certainly do not envy anyone who is afflicted by it. It's quite cold again and snowing lightly, so I guess I should tread carefully when I head to the bakery in a few. Enjoy your day, everyone!

Afternoon all! We're now back from France, and I'd first like to express my condolences for both of you, Don and Bob. We're always here if you might need a sounding board...

Morning all... Cold outside, but like around Robert's, there wasn't any additional snow, it would seem. We'll be off to Strasbourg till Saturday for a short trip later this morning - I'll see to reporting in if I can, of course. Aside from the city itself certainly being of much interest, I'm particularly looking forward to catching a glimpse of the trams and trains, of course! I also firmly intend to try tarte flambée, which I hope will be particularly good in its region of origin. I agree that food items should be correctly labelled as to their ingredients - not just out of common decency, but also in light of allergies, or due to people adhering to a specific diet, be it out of choice or due to dietary laws. Be back later - or on Saturday at the latest!

There's been another furry visitor up here this morning: We had spread some handfuls of nuts inside the fence, which I'm sure the little guy or girl will have been particularly fond of. I couldn't quite see what exactly the squirrel was eating when I took this photo, though.

Albert and Trude are actually fairly tidy when it comes to that. They have a toilet in their enclosure and are very reliable in doing their "business" there. However, they do appear to tell us when they feel their toilet needs to be cleaned by peeing just outside the tub! We laid out the enclosure with PVC flooring, however, so it is fairly easily to mop it up after such mishaps.

Albert has been investigating something, judging by his expression and posture:

Morning all... Having been able to sleep a bit longer sure did feel good! It's been snowing again over night, so it was nice to look outside upon getting up. We'll be on a short trip to Strasbourg from tomorrow till Saturday, just in case I won't be reporting in during that time. Enjoy your day, everyone!

It's begun to snow earlier this afternoon, though I don't expect it to add up to much. However, it is nice to see the world covered with what looks like sugar powder! It's somewhat amazing that I don't appear to tire out so quickly after my school days as I used to do during the past several weeks. It is only now that I am beginning to slack off, though to be fair, my classes today were largely well-behaved. The seveners I had in the first two periods but seemed fairly tense, which was rather unusual in light of them usually having been fairly lively. I guess this may well have had to do with my having come with a revision unit for a maths exam they'll be writing on Friday!

Mornin'... Too early to think of anything particularly witty, so I'll just say, have a good day, everyone...