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NGT6 1315

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Blog Entries posted by NGT6 1315

  1. NGT6 1315
    Evening all ...
     
    So, here we are back in Leipzig, and there's an initial round of photos to show you already . Having caught my breath after arriving at our place, I then decided to try and make something good of the sunny weather we were having this afternoon, and caught the tram to head over to Heiterblick, hoping to catch one of the Leipzig-Cottbus regional express services on the open line.
     
     

     
    Heiterblick Station is located near a fairly large commercial area, but has only a small number of daily departures. Most of these are stopping services operated by private TOC Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn with class 650 "RegioShuttle" DMUs, such as this one on the MRB88298 service from Eilenburg Ost to Engelsdorf. Like many stations in eastern Germany, Heiterblick, located on the Leipzig-Eilenburg Railway, is in rather questionable shape, but actually has a rather unique kind of atmosphere - which I tried to capture in the following pair of images...
     
     
     
     

    Some electrical switching equipment, hidden within the shrubbery...
     
     
     
     

    ...and what appears to have been a passenger underpass in earlier times has now turned into a quintessential biotope .
     
     
     
     

     
    A few minutes later the clouds naturally closed up, just in time for this fuel train headed by a pair of ex-DR V100 type diesel-hydraulics now owned by private freight TOC hvle (Havelländische Eisenbahn AG) - the leading engine carrying the number V 160.3. In total, hvle have seven engines of this type, which have been refitted with new Caterpillar 3512 DI-TA prime movers at the Alstom plant in Stendal and thus have a power output of 1,305 kW/1,774 hp. Engine V 160.3 was originally built in 1972 at the VEB Lokomotivbau Elektrotechnische Werke "Hans Beimler" at Hennigsdorf, carrying the works number 13472 and initially being operated as 110 433 by the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
     
     
     
     

     
    And then the sky cleared up just in time for me to snap DB Regio engine 182 010 at the head of the RE 28132 service from Cottbus Central Station - later to return as RE 28133 B) . There currently is some permanent way work going on between Leipzig Central Station and Thekla Station, which is why the Cottbus-bound regionals begin and terminate at Thekla till 18 September.
     
     
     

     
    Interestingly, there is a neutral OHLE section east of Heiterblick, which you can see here to be pre-announced by an El 1v signal - this being the blue rhomboid with two white bars in it.
     
     

    Looking further down the line (for which the 200 mm zoom of my lens came in handy) you can then see the corresponding El 1 and El 2 signals - the first of these being the lower of the two blue rhomboids. El 1 orders the driver to cut power and open the circuit breaker, while El 2 allows him to close it and reapply power. The neutral section is very short - which is why the El 1 and El 2 signals are co-located on the same mast - and can be seen just below the road deck of the bridge.
     
     
     

     
    There also is construction work going on on the tram network these days, which is why an "E" line has been created to offer additional connections between Central Station and Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz. Here, Leoliner car 1317 "Connewitz" is working the "E" line and taking a break just outside the reversing loop at the western side of Central Station - with a Tatra T4D-M car on the 14 line waiting behind.
     
     
    Well, that's it for today! Let's see where I might head tomorrow...
  2. NGT6 1315
    An ICE set on its way from Frankfurt to Paris was involved in an accident near the town of Lambrecht in Rhineland-Palatinate which occurred around 10.15 am today. A refuse collection vehicle had come off a narrow road which ran parallel to the rail line and plunged onto the tracks. Fifteen persons were injured; the lorry was destroyed and the train heavily damaged.
     
    Spiegel Online photo strip
  3. NGT6 1315
    Well, I believe most of you will have heard about the floods which are currently sweeping the eastern parts of the German states of Brandenburg and Saxony, as well as adjacent areas in Poland and the Czech Republic. At least eleven people have been killed thus far and some 1,400 had to be evacuated from their homes in Germany alone. Transport in the area is, of course, affected as well, with the Elbe Valley Railway having been closed between 7 and 8 August. I also read about the Bombardier light rail assembly plant at Bautzen having been flooded, halting production for the time being.
     
    Photo strip on Spiegel Online
     
    My deepest sympathies go to the people of the region .
  4. NGT6 1315
    Afternoon all!
     
    I was just having the idea of duplicating my model showcase/review threads from the Overseas Modelling section to a new blog, which I believe might make them easier to find in the long run. I'm not sure yet what to do with possible future showcases - should I post them in Overseas first and then duplicate them in the blog later on, or only in the blog in the first place?
     
    I'd appreciate your opinions in this matter!
  5. NGT6 1315
    ...was where I went today. There really were not too many interesting things to be seen, considering it was Sunday. However, there are two items I would like to show you...
     
     

     
    There is a small B-coupled Deutz shunter stabled and fenced in at Riedstadt-Goddelau Station - I am not sure whom it once belonged to, though.
     
     
     

     
    At Frankfurt Airport I then snapped IC 2875 - which is a replacement service for ICE 577 - on its way from Hamburg-Altona to Stuttgart Central Station, powered by 101 126 and 101 009 in a front-and-back lashup and consisting of eleven coaches. This train first reverses direction at Frankfurt Central Station, and then again at the airport - which I should add actually has two separate stations. Suburban and regional services call at Regional Station, which is below ground and has three tracks, while ICE and IC services (including those along the Cologne - Rhine-Main HSL) call at Mainline Station, which is offset from Regional Station by perhaps 200 to 300 metres to the north and has four tracks. However, one pair of ICE services per day do call at Regional Station - these being ICE 609 from Kiel to Basle at 2:05 am and its opposite service ICE 608 at 3:46 am.
  6. NGT6 1315
    Afternoon all!
     
    Weather today was (and still is - though I have a feeling there may yet be some thunderstorms at night) glorious and thus just about perfect for a little spotting trip. Moreover, I did not have to venture far for that, as Whitsun is when there is a small but nice railfest at Königstein, which is a town of some 15,800 inhabitants just a couple of kilometres from where I live. Königstein is a neat little town and a renowned climatic spa, and located in a wonderful landscape at the foot of the Taunus Mountains. Railway-wise, it is connected to Frankfurt by way of the Königstein Railway (German article), a 15.9 kilometre non-electrified line which branches off from the Taunus Railway leading to and from Frankfurt Central Station at Höchst. The line was opened on 24 February 1902 and handles suburban passenger trains, operated by private TOC Hessische Landesbahn (Hessian State Railway) nowadays.
     
    The Königstein railfest first took place on the Whitsun weekend in 1980 and has been an annual event ever since, featuring steam-hauled specials between Königstein and Höchst and various kinds of entertainment around the station. The steam trains are provided by the Frankfurt Historic Railway (German site), using the association's engines 01 118 and 52 4867, which I think some of you may still know from my report about the 150th anniversary of Frankfurt's Harbour Railway from last summer .
     
    Not wanting to keep you waiting, I'll just proceed to the photos now!
     
    I initially drove to Schneidhain, which is part of Königstein, and walked through the fields until reaching the railway which runs in an almost 180° loop between Königstein Station and the Schneidhain stop.
     
     
     

     
    At a farm track crossing I then had my first encounter with 52 4867, running downhill with the tender in front, as both steamers did on these specials.
     
     
     

     
    I then changed position, walking towards Königstein proper and first snapped one of the HLB LINT 41 type DMUs operating on this line today - this one working the HLB84221 service to Frankfurt Central Station. I did not write down the number of this unit, but it could have been VT 207 or 648 407.
     
     
     

     
    This LINT, in turn, was heading up to Königstein in bright sunlight B) .
     
     
     

     
    And then 52 4867 returned from Höchst - the train consisting of three Bm type coaches and one four-wheel beer van. I cannot say whether this one had the "proper" load, though!
     
     
     

     
    Walking back to Schneidhain, I then snapped the previously spotted LINT while it was descending towards Frankfurt as service HLB84218, surrounded by the wonderfully vivid countryside . My plan was to check out Kelkheim Station next, but looking around there I found it was not really a suitable location for taking photos.
     
     
     

     
    However, I found that HLB DMU VT72 - also known as 629 072 and one of the few units of this type owned by a private TOC - was stabled at Kelkheim.
     
    Heading back to Königstein, I next wanted to capture 01 118 in the forests surrounding the town, if possible...
     
     
     

     
    ...and possible it was . After this I proceeded to Königstein Station proper.
     
     
     

     
    Diesel shunter 323 634 was just taking a break from shuttling visitors around the Königstein depot, which, though small, is one of HLB's bases of operation. The class 323 engines were small B-coupled shunters, also known as the "Köf" type - this being an acronym for "Kleinlokomotive mit Ölmotor und Flüssigkeitsgetriebe", which I think could be most easily translated as "diesel-hydraulic tractor". These diminutive engines have a top speed of 45 kph and were designed for local shunting and station pilot duties. They were built very low as - considering their low speed - they were meant to be piggybacked on flatcars in order to be transferred over longer distances. Previous batches of these engines were also known as the "Kö" type, these having a mechanical transmission instead of the hydraulic one, and were not initially fitted with pneumatic brakes.
     
     
     

     
    I believe this was VT 207 again, basking in the sunlight before returning to Frankfurt. Next to it, the steam special to Frankfurt was waiting, to be hauled by 52 4867 this time - the two steamers taking turns.
     
     
     

     
    In the meantime, 01 118 was shunting to the side for her well-earned break, having taken water on a siding behind the maintenance shed seen in the background before. She was built by the Krupp Works in 1934, carrying the works number 1415. She is coupled to a Borsig-built eight wheel 2'2' T34 tender carrying 34 cubic metres of water and 10 tonnes of coal and the works number 15117. The total price for the engine back in 1934 had been 208,597 Reichsmark. Marvellous machine...
     
     
     
     

     
    In the shed, one of the HLB's VT2E type (class 609) DMUs was taking a break. The "TSB" inscription is a reference to the Taunus Railway which is the name of the rail line known as Lines 3746 and 9374 respectively, used by the DB's suburban line S5 up till Friedrichsdorf, and by the HLB operated regional line 15 from Friedrichsdorf onwards till Brandoberndorf.
     
     
     

     
    Next, VT 207 was leaving Königstein and heading to Frankfurt as service HLB84237.
     
     
     

     
    On the left side of her tender, 01 118 carries a commemorative inscription retained from her 75th anniversary in 2009.
     
     
     

     
    Braking weights and brake overhaul inscriptions on the tender.
     
     
     

     
    And the fireman's side of her cab. "S 36.20" designates her as being an express engine ("Schnellzuglokomotive") with three powered wheelsets out of a total of six and an axle load of 20 tonnes.
     
     
    I next wanted to take one more snapshot of 52 4867 on her return to Königstein, and thus made way for the fields outside Schneidhain once again, snapping three historic fire trucks on display near the station...
     
     
     

     
    While I do not know their designations, this here was built by Magirus-Deutz - the original Magirus company having been founded by volunteer fire chief Conrad Dietrich Magirus in 1866 and dedicated to producing firefighting equipment and vehicles. In 1936 the company was merged with the Humboldt-Deutz Motor Works.
     
     
     

     
    This turntable ladder was a Magirus-Deutz vehicle as well...
     
     
     

     
    ...while this here was a Mercedes-built pumper. If any of you should happen to be fond of models of old fire engines, Brekina have an extensive range of H0 scale historic cars, lorries and utility vehicles.
     
     
     

     
    Back in the fields I finally snapped 52 4867 battling the hills on her way to Königstein. This engine was one of an estimated total of more than 7,000 units of her kind, having been built at the former Orenstein & Koppel works in Potsdam in 1943 with the works number 13931. In 1953 she entered service with the Austrian Federal Railways as 152.4867 and was subsequently sold to the Graz-Köflach Railway in 1970, and finally returned to Germany in late 1980.
     
     
    Well, this was it - hope you enjoyed this report!
     
     
  7. NGT6 1315
    ...could be said to be the tagline for the following pair of photos I snapped this afternoon ...
     
     
     

     
    Last time I snapped one of these it had been cold and snowy, and as I currently do not have any knowledge about when the new class 440 EMUs will finally enter service around Würzburg - thereby eliminating the need for DB Regio to continue the lease on the MRCE 185s - I thought a picture of one of these in bright sunlight would be nice. This here is 185 557 with RE 4612 from Würzburg to Frankfurt Central Station, just departing Frankfurt Southern Station.
     
    As I had merely meant to have a brief stopover at that station I was not aware of anything special supposed to come along - but then I did spot something special, slowly entering the station from the east. Cue me darting over to Platform 9 through the underpass, which is normally used only for a couple of peak hour regional services...
     
     
     

     
    ...and snapping engine 212 240 while entering the sidings to the south of the station. This engine is now owned by EfW Verkehrsgesellschaft which is a small private TOC headquartered in Frechen, west of Cologne. The company has an interesting fleet of former Bundesbahn and Reichsbahn diesels, including seven V 60 type C-coupled shunters, six V 100 type light mainline engines, two V 200.1 type and one ex-Reichsbahn class 232 heavy mainline engines. EfW appear to make sure that their engines all come in historic colours of their respective former owners, and 212 240 - originally put in service as V 100 2240 on 13 January 1965 with works number 1000287 - is no exception. There currently is some permanent way work going on west of Southern Station, and 212 240 appeared to be helping out there, coming in with a rather long rake of ballast hoppers.
     
     
     
  8. NGT6 1315
    Hello again .
     
     
    As I had no obligations today and the weather, after a bit of initial doubt, did turn out to be quite stable I packed my camera and went on a small tour through the countryside northeast of Frankfurt, which is called the Wetterau and has the city of Friedberg (which speakers of English would have to pronounce like "freedberg") with about 28,000 inhabitants as its primary centre. There are three non-electrified railway lines in this area, two of which I eventually rode - these being the Nidder Valley Railway (German Wikipedia) and Lahn-Kinzig Railway (German Wikipedia). In addition, Friedberg is the terminus of the non-electrified Horloff Valley Railway (German Wikipedia), the Friedberg-Friedrichsdorf Railway (German Wikipedia) and the electrified Friedberg-Hanau Railway (German Wikipedia) which could be said to serve as a bypass for the Main-Weser Railway (German Wikipedia) as far as goods traffic is concerned.
     
    Having ridden to Frankfurt on the S-Bahn, I then caught the RE 15024 service to Glauburg-Stockheim at Central Station. Trains to Stockheim first use the Main-Weser Railway up till Bad Vilbel where the Nidder Valley Railway branches off - offering quite a few possible photo spots along the way, which but are mostly best reached by bike or car. However, I didn't trust the weather enough to take my bike with me, else I might have strayed a little further from the line. The full trip from Frankfurt Central Station to Stockheim takes some 66 minutes and covers some 31 kilometres.
     
     
     

     
    Upon reaching Stockheim I first positioned myself to capture the RE 15037 return service to Frankfurt, which is seen here in the shape of engine 218 498 and a rake of four bi-level coaches. The Lahn-Kinzig Railway splits off to the right behind the bushes, and this was where I took the following photo...
     
     
     

     
    The stopping services on the Lahn-Kinzig Railway are provided by private operator Hessische Landesbahn (HLB), using Stadler GTW 2/6 or class 646 DMUs. The HLB in its current shape was created by merging the motive power pools of the Frankfurt-Königsteiner Eisenbahn, Butzbach-Licher Eisenbahn and Kassel-Naumburger Eisenbahn into a fully-owned subsidiary called HLB Hessenbahn, and splitting off the infrastructure and maintenance section into a 85% subsidiary called HLB Basis, with the remaining 15% being in municipal ownership. The company also includes HLB Hessenbus as another fully-owned subsisiary for bus operations.
     
    Seen in this photo is DMU 509 108, registered as 95 80 0946 408-1+95 80 0646 408-4+95 80 0946 908-0 D-HEB in the German NVR and working the HLB83959 service to Gelnhausen. The GTW 2/6 consists of two unpowered passenger/cab modules and a diesel-electric power module with two powered wheelsets inserted in between, and, strictly speaking, only this power module is actually called class 646 - the passenger modules being designated as class 946. However, the entire vehicle is commonly referred to as class 646.
     
     
     

     
    I wonder what this chap on the adjacent meadow may have thought, seeing me there with the camera .
     
    I then returned to the station and took a small set of photos - maybe one of you is thinking about building a contemporary German branch line in the countryside and could use these as references?
     
     
     

     
    This thing looks like it once was a motor draisine for permanent way work.
     
     
     

     
    The blue and grey building is the "Sf" signal box, which is a mechanical Willmann type and was opened in 1906. Note the semaphore signals which are actuated by wire pulleys.
     
     
     

     
    Looking over the other side of the station area where there is a number of stabling sidings which are still in use for holding coaching stock over night.
     
     
     

     
    The station was originally named "Stockheim (Oberhessen)"; however, as Stockheim is now part of the municipality of Glauburg, the station is now called Glauburg-Stockheim and abbreviated "FSTM" in the DB's National Station and Facility Register, or DS100. Interestingly, the station building houses both a small restaurant as well as a rather large model railway layout, called Modellbahnhof Stockheim.
     
     
     

     
    Then, DMU 628 697 caught me a little by surprise as it pulled up to Platform 1 as an empty stock service...
     
     
     

     
    ...and then shunted out again and into a siding. There is a fuel station a few hundred metres down the line, so perhaps the 628 came from there.
     
     
     

     
    After that I captured HLB DMU 509 106 (646 406) in front of the semaphores as it pulled into the station, working the HLB83962 service to Gießen. I then boarded this train and rode on to Nidda...
     
     
     

     
    ...which is located about ten kilometres north of Stockheim and where there is another HLB hub - the lines from Friedberg to Nidda and Gießen to Gelnhausen meeting there. In the centre, DMU VT 127 (646 427) is waiting to depart for Gelnhausen as service HLB83961. I then proceeded to catch the unit to the left in order to continue to Friedberg on the HLB83817 service. Although it is more or less in the middle of nowhere, Nidda Station (abbreviated as FND in the DS100 register) is in good shape and remarkably tidy.
     
    Having arrived at Friedberg I had a layover of some thirty minutes. While waiting for the RE 4109 service from Kassel to Frankfurt, I was caught by surprise by the following service:
     
     
     

     
    This was engine 203 307 of DB Netzinstandhaltung - the DB's permanent way maintenance branch - heading north with a Plasser & Theurer tamper in tow. In my opinion, Friedberg Station (abbreviated FFG) is only moderately suitable for spotting, however. There was a goods train with a set of car carriers and two 155s at the head (the second being dead in tow, though) coming in from the Friedberg-Hanau Railway (which is the line branching off to the left in the background), followed by a class 294 shunter travelling light, but there were too many OHLE and signal masts between the platforms and the goods sidings for me to take a good photo of either of them.
     
     
     

     
    And to round it all off, 110 434 came in at the head of the RB 15325 stopping service from Gießen, terminating on Platform 1 and returning as RB 15328. The driver was too quick for me in switching off the three whites, though! Those stopping services between Friedberg and Gießen - covering a distance of not even 32 kilometres - do feel somewhat lowly for a 110, to be honest.
     
    Alright, then - this was it for this time! Hope you enjoyed this series, and do feel free to comment or ask questions if you like!
  9. NGT6 1315
    Well, I believe many of you might know the Danish class EG 3100 goods engines, which basically are a Co'Co' variant of the German class 152 with additional 25 kV capability. These are now being repainted in the red DB Schenker livery - EG 3111 having been the first such engine to be spotted like that. There's a pair of photos of it on railcolor.net: Click and click.
  10. NGT6 1315
    Well, here I am, back from a brief vacation over the Easter weekend . As my girlfriend's uncle had his 60th birthday yesterday we had assembled at Kaub on the east bank of the Rhine - which of course is a major transit artery both on the water as well as on rails.
     
    As some of you will probably know, two major rail lines have been built along both banks of the Rhine. The West Rhine Railway ("Linke Rheinstrecke") serves to connect Cologne and Mainz, passing Bonn and Koblenz along the way, while the East Rhine Railway ("Rechte Rheinstrecke") connects Cologne and Wiesbaden. The lines have a length of 181 and 179 kilometres respectively, and are fully electrified. River crossings exist at Niederlahnstein and Neuwied. The West Rhine Railway handles long distance passenger services as well as regional and goods traffic, while the East Rhine Railway is dominated by regional and goods traffic. Naturally, both lines are favourite spots for railfans, both due to the variety of motive power and the outstanding natural beauty of the region .
     
    Anyway - I naturally shot a number of rail photos, which I would like to share with you!
     
    In order to unwind after arriving at Kaub on Friday I headed for the station and spent some two hours snapping away, and while the amount of traffic was not that big - probably owing as much to the holidays as to the weekend as such - there were a few nice bits of prey, if you will .
     
     

     
    First up was 185 294 which I believe was heading the FR 52925 service from Koblenz-Lützel to the Mannheim marshalling yard. However, I should like to caution you that I am not completely sure whether the service number references for the goods trains in this report are correct.
     
     
     

     
    Then came 152 113, at the head of what probably was the TEC 43246 road-rail service from Verona to Cologne's Eifeltor marshalling yard...
     
     
     

     
    ...and 143 198 heading the RB 15530 regional from Wiesbaden Central Station to Koblenz Central Station. As you can see, the weather was quite unsteady that day.
     
     
     

     
    Then came 185 574, owned by MRCE Dispolok and hired to Railservice Alexander Neubauer (RAN), a small independent goods operator from Karlsruhe. This was the first of three trains that day where the driver greeted me with his horn .
     
     
     

     
    A few minutes later the signals in both directions were showing clear, and it soon became apparent that whatever would come up would be a close call to photograph. This here was 185 202 with a rake of tankers...
     
     

     
    ...immediately followed by 155 168 coming the other way with another set of tankers. This might have been the CSQ 47563 service from Antwerp Noord to the BASF chemical plant at Ludwigshafen - if it was, it would have been delayed by about thirty minutes, which does happen frequently enough with international goods trains.
     
     
     

     
    The clouds then finally broke and allowed a satisfying amount of illumination for me to capture 145 063 with what I would assume to be the FE 45206 service from Gremberg to Woippy...
     
     
     

     
    ...but decided to close up again for Crossrail's 185 578 - actually owned by CBRail - on what looks like the DGS 40183 service from Muizen to Brindisi. However, this service would normally operate on the West Rhine Railway, but it can, of course, have been detoured for some reason or other.
     
     
     

     
    There was still quite a bit of sun on the hills in the background, but not on 189 996 (ES 64 F4-096) which is currently hired to TX Logistik. Again, the driver blew his horn in what I hope was a greeting .
     
     

     
    There also was something for the "old school" fans, namely 140 037 on what may have been the FR 52325 service from Gremberg to the Bischofsheim marshalling yard in Mainz.
     
     
     

     
    And then there was a streak of luck in the shape of 103 235 travelling light . This was actually the first time I ever snapped a 103, and, fittingly, her driver greeted me with the whistle.
     
     
    I then called it a day after this photo and headed back to our apartment. The next day, however, a trip to Koblenz was on the agenda, and there, too, I took some time for spotting around Central Station.
     
     

     
    These here were 218 137 and 151, stabled to the northern end of the station with a breakdown assistance van behind them.
     
     
     

     
    Next, IC 335 arrived from Luxembourg with 181 214. The engine stayed behind, though, and was replaced by a 101 for the remainder of the trip to Norddeich. Here, she was shunting out from platform 8 and was then stabled behind the breakdown assistance van. 181 214 has been named "Mosel" and is one of four of her class to carry a name - the others being 181 211 "Lorraine", 181 212 "Luxembourg" and 181 213 "Saar".
     
     

     
    After that 145 059 caught me just a little bit by surprise .
     
     
     

     
    Later, IC 336 came in from Emden and changed direction for the remainder of the trip to Luxembourg. Having been hauled by a 101 up till this point, it was taken over by 181 222 at Koblenz as this class is fitted for the French and Luxembourgian 25 kV overhead system.
     
     

     
    The last photo I took at Koblenz Central Station was this one of transregio EMU 460 010, moving in for the MRB 84141 service to Mainz Central Station. The stopping services from Cologne to Koblenz and Koblenz to Mainz on the West Rhine Railway have been taken over by this operator in December 2008. The 460 is a Siemens Desiro Mainline type unit consisting of two powered end cars and an unpowered trailer in the middle, and having a top speed of 160 kph. Similar units have since been ordered by the Belgian and Russian state railways.
     
     
    Before the big birthday dinner on Sunday night, then, I briefly went out for another round of photos . Weather was very much April-like with intermittent showers, wind and only a few patches of sunlight.
     
     

     
    152 045 was heading south during a shower...
     
     
     

     
    ...after which I changed position and captured 143 923 on the RE 15431 regional to Frankfurt Central Station...
     
     
     

     
    ...followed by 155 084 on a tanker service.
     
     
    Well - and that is it for this time!
  11. NGT6 1315
    Well, having formatted the remainder of my photos I would now like to show you the second round of images from Saturday's light rail excursion . The previous part ended at Oberursel-Hohemark, this being the northern terminus of the U3 line. Next, though, our schedule called for us to return to Heddernheim once again, there to reverse direction and head to Ginnheim, which is the northern terminus of the U1 line.
     
     

     
    While waiting for our departure at Hohemark I took a detail shot of the "IBIS" terminal, this being the onboard device for a computer-controlled train monitoring and dispatching system frequently used on light rail and tram systems in Germany. This system can automate signalling and routing to a certain degree, except in special situations when human intervention is required. Part of this system are optical beacons installed on both the car roofs and along the track which serve to allow trains to be located, and indeed transmit certain types of information back to the train.
     
     

     
    This is how the driver's panel looks on the U3 type. The crank to the left is the reverser, with the power and brake lever next to it. The three dials in the upper part of the panel are a battery voltage indicator, speedometer, and an arresting brake application and release indicator. A dead man's pedal is located to the left in the footwell.
     
     

     
    These signals are usually known as the "F" type over here and are solely used on light rail or tram systems - or, to put it differently, all rail systems governed by the BOStrab (Tramway Construction and Operating Rules) rather than the EBO (Railway Construction and Operating Rules). Both are showing a F0 aspect here, meaning "danger". F1 would be a vertical bar and mean "proceed straight", F2 a bar slanted to the right and meaning "proceed right", F3 a bar slanted to the left and thus meaning the opposite; F4 is a single round light meaning "expect danger"; F5 looks like a white triangle put on its tip and is a permissive signal allowing a train to proceed while observing right of way rules; and F7 are three small while lights arranged in a triangle put on its tip and known as a backup signal, which is shown in case of a signal failure.
     
     

     
    Crossing Hohemarkstraße again...
     
     

     
    ...and disappointing some passengers who mistook us for a scheduled service again.
     
     

     
    Approaching the centre of Oberursel, a pair of U5 type cars was heading up to Hohemark...
     
     

     
    ...and yet another level crossing which would take us to the other side of Frankfurter Landstraße at the edge of the city.
     
     
     

     
    Speeding through the rain between Oberursel and Frankfurt. The road to the left goes to the borough of Kalbach.
     
     

     
    The down platform at Wiesenau is being rebuilt at this time.
     
     

     
    The level crossing at Hessestraße, just north of the Heddernheim depot. This is one of the crossings actually guarded by barriers.
     
     
    Having arrived on platform 3 at Heddernheim again we now had to split the train for the next leg to Ginnheim - the reason for this being that we would change to the tram network at Ginnheim, and only single cars are permitted on this branch of the tram network, which is served by line 16 nowadays. The second car would follow us about ten minutes later.
     
     

     
    Turning left through the junction at Heddernheim...
     
     

     
    ...we then passed through the underground station at Nordwestzentrum and sped on along Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße. Seen in front is the stabling area at Römerstadt where a number of trains for the U1 line are stored overnight.
     
     

     
    Niddapark is a station more or less in the middle of nowhere, but still suitable for a photo stop .
     
     
     

     
    The same station, seen from the train. The signal was showing a Hp 3 aspect (which does not exist in German railway signalling, I should add) allowing us to proceed at 20 kph.
     
     

     
    Descending the ramp into the terminus at Ginnheim. Unlike scheduled services on the U1 line we would then be routed over to the tram part of the station.
     
     

     
    And there we were, right behind a R type tram...
     
     

     
    ...but unable to couple up as the R type does not have any regular couplers .
     
     

     
    Travelling along Ginnheimer Landstraße, with the next line 16 service coming the other way in the distance.
     
     

     
    At Markuskrankenhaus (St. Marcus Hospital) a couple of passengers mistook us for a scheduled service once again. I wonder how the could have, though - not that much similarity between the R and S type trams which normally operate here and our U3 type car!
     
     

     
    On the bridge over the A66 motorway. The high rise building in the distance to the right is a student house, if I am not mistaken.
     
     

     
    A couple of confused spectators at Frauenfriedenskirche...
     
     

     
    ...and another R type tram on line 16 as we were travelling along Sophienstraße.
     
     

     
    In a sense we had now visited Bockenheimer Warte on all three levels: light rail routes C and D and the tram line . The TV tower at Ginnheim is visible in the distance. The old university campus is located to the right rear of this position, and the university library is to the right.
     
     

     
    Proceeding along Adalbertstraße...
     
     

     
    ...and turning right into Schloßstraße in order to head back to Industriehof. This here is another connecting line used only for empty stock movements. The branch to the left is meant for the tram, as there is a reversing loop at Western Station, which in turn is located beyond the housing blocks to the left. This loop is used only in case of disruptions, though, but used to be a regular terminus until not too long ago. The points here have been set to the diverging branch as a default, which meant that we had to manually reset them.
     
     

     
    After waiting here at Kurfürstenplatz for several minutes the second car from our train showed up and proceeded to couple up again. The skyscraper to the right is the Trade Fair Tower ("Messeturm"), informally known as the "Pencil." We then set off again, crossing Breitenbachbrücke and approaching Industriehof.
     
     

     
    We've seen this junction at Industriehof before - but now we were using it as normal U6 and U7 trains would have back when they were operating out of the Gutleut depot near Central Station, whenever they had to travel to and from their lines.
     
     

     
    Last time we'd been here we were going to Hausen on the right, but now we would continue straight ahead along Friedrich-Wilhelm-von-Steuben-Straße. This branch is normally served by the U6 line.
     
     

     
    Some construction work is going on here at this time.
     
     

     
    Speeding along Ludwig-Landmann-Straße...
     
     

     
    ...we then split the train again at Friedhof Westhausen as we were planning to position them side by side in the turnback area at Heerstraße in the borough of Praunheim. This area is located beyond the actual terminus of the U6 line and no longer used in regular service.
     
     

     
    Side by side, and having fun with the rollsigns again .
     
     

     
    And the same pair of cars from the other end.
     
     

     
    Our trip now drew to its end. We now crossed Heerstraße - the road going left to right - and returned to the station in order to couple up again. The storm we had recently took down the roof from the housing block to the right, explaining the scaffolding around it.
     
     

     
    Diving back into the tunnel at Industriehof.
     
     

     
    Our last photo stop was at Habsburgerallee...
     
     

     
    ...and this last shot was taken after emerging from the tunnel between Eissporthalle and Johanna-Tesch-Platz, close to the Volksbank Stadium.
     
     
    Well, then - I hope you enjoyed this report as much as I did the actual excursion!
  12. NGT6 1315
    Hello all!
     
    As promised, here is the first load of images from the excursion I've been on this past Saturday . The event took place to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the LRV types on the light rail network - or underground, if you will - in Frankfurt. A rather extensive Wikipedia article in German can be found here: Click. The event was organized by Frankfurt's Historic Tram Association (Click) where some of my friends are members - and therefore the excursion was as much a gathering of friends as a very interesting and delightful event for rail enthusiasts.
     
    To give a very brief summary of the history of Frankfurt's light rail network: Back in the 1960s and in keeping with widespread beliefs of the time, plans were made to convert the majority of the original tram network to light rail operation, with this evolved network being meant to have its own right of way wherever possible, so as to avoid interference with road traffic. Long term plans called for all trunk lines within the city to be operated in tunnels, which but proved to be so costly that several stretches - especially along the U1 through U3 lines as well as the U5 - have remained stuck in what were meant to be interim levels of construction for decades.
     
    There are five types of LRVs currently operated on the network: The Siemens-Düwag U2 type, also used in Calgary, Edmonton and San Diego; the U3 type (article in German only) which is the one having its anniversary this year; the U4 type (German only); the U5 type (German only) from Bombardier, which is the most recent generation; and the Ptb type (German only) originally designed to be capable of operating both as tram and underground and thus meant to pave the way for the transition from one system to another. The entire network is operated by the VGF (Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt; Frankfurt Transport Authority) which evolved from the city's Department of Public Services in 1996.
     
    Our trip was scheduled to begin at 10 o'clock at the Schäfflestraße station, just outside the VGF's East depot in the borough of Seckbach, which was opened only in 2003 and serves the light rail lines U4, U5, U6 and U7 as well as tram lines 12 and 14. All in all, about 39 guests went on this excursion. Our train for the trip consisted of cars 457 and 476.
     
     

     
    There is a turnback siding at Schäfflestraße which was where we were permitted to board. The tracks to the left are the line to Enkheim, originally operated only by the U7 line since 1992. In December 2008, then, the U4 line which previously terminated at Seckbacher Landstraße was extended to Enkheim as well, actually passing through the East depot. Depending on the time of day, every second or third train on the U4 line continues past Seckbacher Landstraße.
     
    All following images showing this perspective were made through the open cab door.
     
     
    The first leg of the trip took us to Hausen, which is normally served by the U7 line.
     
     
     

     
    The first photo stop was at Eissporthalle, where the city's ice hockey stadium is located. This here is called the "C" route, the first section of which - between Industriehof in the west and Zoo in the east - was opened in October 1986. The extension to Enkheim followed in 1992, and the one from Zoo to Eastern Station in 1999.
     
     
     

     
    Having crossed the city and turned onto the Hausen branch at Industriehof, we were now waiting at Große Nelkenstraße. The platforms at this stop are located to both sides of the intersection. On the opposite track, a U7 service bound for Enkheim is picking up passengers.
     
     
     

     
     
    After a brief layover at Hausen our schedule called for us returning to Bockenheimer Warte, which we did. This here is Industriehof again, with the tunnel being visible in front of the train. The junction here dates back to the time when trains for the U6 and U7 lines were stored at the Gutleut depot near Central Station, a few kilometres away. To reach the "C" route, they actually had to travel a good part of what is now tram line 16, branching off at the intersection of Adalbertstraße and Schloßstraße and continuing across Breitenbachbrücke. Needless to say, this solution was less than ideal, which was one of the reasons why the East depot was eventually built. We would later travel this service route between Schloßstraße and Industriehof as well.
     
     
     

     
    An effect shot of sorts inside the tunnel.
     
     

     
    Bockenheimer Warte - the location of the old university campus which is to be abandoned over the next few years - is served by lines U4, U6 and U7. However, U4 and U6/U7 are operating on different routes, which but are connected by a service tunnel not used for regular passenger services. We would now use this connecting tunnel to change from the "C" route to the "D" route.
     
     

     
    Inside the connecting tunnel...
     
     
     

     
    ...and back on regular tracks at the "D" route part of Bockenheimer Warte Station. Next, we continued into the turnback area, which is located behind where I was looking in this photo.
     
     

     
    This is the turnback facility or "Wendeanlage" for the U4 line. The train on the left is a scheduled U4 service, also consisting of U3 type cars. These cars are used exclusively on the U4 line, so having them operate on the remainder of the network was what made this excursion special. You'll be seeing a couple of full external views of these cars soon .
     
     
     
    The next leg would take us along the regular path for the U4 line up till Konstablerwache Station.
     
     

     
    Needless to say, there were passengers at many of the stations we passed that day who confused us with scheduled services, in spite of us having displayed "Sonderwagen" ("Special") on the rollsigns! This here is Konstablerwache, by the way.
     
     
     

     
    However, we now continued on what is called the "B" route, usually served by the U5 line and operating more or less like a tram for a good portion of the line. Here, we are egressing the tunnel at the intersection of Eschenheimer Anlage, Scheffelstraße and Eckenheimer Landstraße, also called the "Scheffeleck," while a U5 service to Central Station is heading the other way.
     
     

     
    Back to the light of day...
     
     

     
    ...and on our way north. Actually, trains for the U4 line did need to use this route at the beginning and the end of their shifts while they were stabled at the Eckenheim depot - before the days of the new East depot.
     
     

     
    Under German regulations, light rail systems such as the one in Frankfurt are considered to be trams, and thus subject to such requirements as the cars having to be fitted with brake lights, direction indicators and electromagnetic rail brakes, plus both bell and horn.
     
     
     

     
    Another line U5 service heading down to Central Station. This line is operated with Ptb type cars in maximums of two cars per train as regulations do not allow for trains longer than 75 metres to be operating on shared right of way, with one Ptb car being 28.7 metres long.
     
     
     

     
    The large pillared building to the left is the Frankfurt branch of the German National Library.
     
     
     

     
    At this place, Eckenheimer Landstraße intersects Adickesallee and Nibelungenallee. We were now about to pass the Central Cemetery and the New Jewish Cemetery, both of which are located to the right of the line.
     
     

     
    ...this here being the Hauptfriedhof stop at the Central Cemetery.
     
     
     

     
    We were now approaching the intersection of Eckenheimer Landstraße and Marbachweg. Here, the U5 line branches off to the right while we were to continue ahead to the old Eckenheim depot.
     
     

     
    However, we first made a photo stop. This is how the U3 type LRV looks. Twenty-seven of these were delivered from 1980 onwards, with an additional order having been planned with the intention of equipping the future U6 and U7 lines. However, budgetary constraints prevented this order from ever being made. The U3 type has three bogies with two wheelsets each, with the two outer bogies being powered by one 174 kW motor each. The overall length is 25.68 metres, with the length being 2.65 metres. The type has chopper controls, allowing for smooth acceleration and braking without any notches.
     
     

     
    We now had to wait for the traffic to clear and the signal showing a proceed aspect as we were about to reach the Eckenheim depot at Schwabstraße.
     
     

     
    We first entered a turnback outside the actual depot and played a bit with the rollsign .
     
     
     

     
    And this is our train standing in the shed at the old Eckenheim depot, which was formerly used for trams and later for storing trains for the U4 and U5 lines. Today it serves mostly as a stabling area for retired LRVs and a small number of trains for the U5 line.
     
     
     

     
    Several retired cars were stored in another part of the shed.
     
     
     

     
    Next we were about to cross over to the "A" route, using a connecting line through Marbachweg, to the right of where I was looking here.
     
     
     

     
    This connecting line through Marbachweg is mostly single-tracked. You could tell the motorists coming the other way were not expecting to see a rail vehicle here!
     
     

     
    We were now on the "A" route and heading north for Heddernheim...
     
     

     
    ...along Eschersheimer Landstraße.
     
     

     
    Just beyond Weißer Stein and before Heddernheim the line crosses over the Main-Weser Railway and then drops back down to the station and LRV depot. We would now continue to Bad Homburg-Gonzenheim on what is the U2 line in scheduled traffic.
     
     

     
    The depot serving the U1 through U3 lines is located to both sides of the line between Dillenburger Straße and An der Sandelmühle. The signal shows a Hp 2 aspect, allowing us to proceed with 40 kph.
     
     
     

     
    The junction in front is where the U1 and U3 lines for Ginnheim and Oberursel branch off, while the U2 line continues ahead.
     
     
     

     
    The next photo stop was at Sandelmühle...
     
     
     

     
    ...after which a scheduled service came the other way.
     
     
     

     
    Another stop was made at Riedwiese/Mertonviertel. Not too far from here a new borough called Riedberg is currently under construction, and two new light rail lines are planned to begin operation in this area in December 2010.
     
     

     
    The route then continues along the A661 motorway, with the next stop being Kalbach.
     
     

     
    This here was Bonames Mitte...
     
     

     
    ...and this is the terminus at Gonzenheim on the outskirts of Bad Homburg. The routes now operated by lines U2 and U3 were formerly something similar to what would be called an interurban railway in North America, having been operated with trams with body extensions around the doors on the right side as the cars would have been too narrow for the tunnel into the centre of Frankfurt otherwise. The line to Bad Homburg originally terminated at the city's railway station, but was cut back to Gonzenheim in 1971 after trams had begun to fall out of favour with the powers-that-be in the 1960s. Back when it was operated as a tram it was called the number 25 line, which in turn was augmented by line 23 between Bonames and Neu-Isenburg, the latter being a city to the south of Frankfurt.
     
     

     
    Preparing to head back to Heddernheim...
     
     

     
    ...and crossing back over to the right hand track after leaving the station.
     
     
     

     
    Going through Ober-Eschbach...
     
     
     

     
    ...and Nieder-Eschbach where there is a turnback for U2 booster services for peak traffic.
     
     
     

     
    En route to Heddernheim...
     
     
     

     
    ...now visible in the background...
     
     
     

     
    ...and entering the depot/station area.
     
     
     

     
    We now reversed direction on platform 3 and prepared for our next leg to Oberursel.
     
     
     

     
    This junction here is where the U1 line splits off to Ginnheim on the left, with the U3 line continuing ahead. The junction has recently been rebuilt in anticipation of the new lines U8 and U9 which are planned to enter service in December 2010, operating between Southern Station and Riedberg and Ginnheim and Gonzenheim respectively.
     
     
     

     
    I wonder what the passengers were thinking about us railfans! This here was Niederursel.
     
     
     

     
    The line to Oberursel was known as line 24 back in the tram days. Here, we were calling at Weißkirchen-Ost, on the outskirts of Oberursel.
     
     
     

     
    The line to Oberursel also saw loco-hauled goods traffic up until the 1980s, with the former goods yard just beyond Oberursel Railway Station still giving an idea of those times. Today, this area is used as a turnback for U3 booster services.
     
     
     

     
    Looking ahead to the station. We then headed to the Bommersheim stabling area where lunch was waiting for us .
     
     
     

     
    No stairs anywhere, guys! Lunch was served from the boot of the car of one of the tram association's members.
     
     
     

     
    Engine 2020, now stabled inside the Bommersheim shed, was one of those which handled goods traffic on this line. Next to it, a bunch of disused bogie frames are stored.
     
     

     
    The stabling area is under CCTV surveillance and fenced, which reduces the risk of vandalism for those trains which are stabled there for use on the U3 line. These here are several of the new U5 type LRVs.
     
     
     

     
    We were now about to head up to Hohemark, which is the northern terminus of the U3 line, near the edge of the city.
     
     
     

     
    The old goods yard is located ahead, but we were turning left to head through the centre of Oberursel.
     
     

     
    The U3 line can be operated only with two-car trains at this time as the platforms at the stops within Oberursel were originally built shorter than those in Frankfurt. However, they are currently being rebuilt to allow three-car trains.
     
     
     

     
    Portstraße is located dead ahead...
     
     
     

     
    ...and this is Lahnstraße. In the background you can see the Rolls-Royce aviation engine plant on the grounds of what once was the Oberursel Motor Works back around World War I.
     
     

     
    Head-on view of our train at Glöcknerwiese, taken from the pedestrian crossing.
     
     
     

     
    Approaching Kupferhammer, which is the last stop before the single-tracked section.
     
     

     
    Here we had to wait for the next down service to clear the single-tracked section...
     
     
     

     
    ...which it eventually did.
     
     
     

     
    Switching to the other side of Hohemarkstraße...
     
     
     

     
    ...and there we were. Back in the tram days there used to be a reversing loop beyond the location of what is the Hohemark terminus today.
     
     
     

     
    Impression of some 28 years of development standing side by side - our pair of U3 cars to the left and a pair of U5 cars to the right. Hohemark is a good starting point for hiking or cycling up to the Feldberg, by the way!
     
     
    Well - this concludes the first part of this report. The second part will cover the three remaining legs - back to Heddernheim, then on to Ginnheim and Heerstraße, and back to Schäfflestraße where our excursion started .
  13. NGT6 1315
    ...was when I took the following three images:
     
     

     
    First, NGT8 car 1150 "Carl Gustav Carus" was travelling up Lützowstraße on its way to Gohlis-Nord. In the background the Church of Peace can be seen.
     
     
     

     
    I then proceeded to the reversing loop of the 8 line at Paunsdorf-Nord - however, I found it to be not very well suited for taking photos as the overhead masts were in the way. But this Tatra "Großzug" on the 3 line with car 2186 at the head was still worth a picture.
     
     
     

     
    And finally, the Sellerhausen Cemetery served as the background for Leoliner car 1320 "Stötteritz" working the 7 line on Riesaer Straße.
     
    The Paunsdorf tram depot is also located along the way I travelled that day. A large number of now-retired Tatra T6A2 trams is stabled there - these were actually more modern than the T4D cars, but were never procured in sufficient numbers to justify keeping them in service.
  14. NGT6 1315
    ...as per Simon and Garfunkel's song .
     
    Well, we paid a visit to Leipzig's zoo today - so only one rail-related photo for today:
     
     

     
    NGT8 car 1152 "Dr. Tröndlin" - named after Dr Carl Bruno Tröndlin, a 19th century Lord Mayor of Leipzig - with full body advertisement for "Röstfein" coffee stopping in front of the zoo on Pfaffendorfer Straße while working the 12 line to Johannisplatz. The zoo is located to the left, and the steeple of St. Michael's Church, which is located at Nordplatz and dedicated to the Archangel Michael, can be seen in the background.
  15. NGT6 1315
    We've been having tonnes of snow in Leipzig over night - which is why, once again, I packed my things and headed out to snap some photos . The primary plan for today was to head up the 4 line to Gohlis, Landsberger Straße. Unsurprisingly, many trams and trains I encountered today had icicles hanging from their frames and fronts!
     
     

     
    However, I first headed for line 16 where NGT12 car 1216 "Kiev" was ploughing through the snow at Eutritzscher Zentrum.
     
     
     

     
    This impressive building on the southeast corner of the city centre and between Augustusplatz and Roßplatz was actually constructed in the 1950s and houses the so-called Ring-Café. In front of it, NGT8 car 1137 "Otto Mencke" with full body advertising for the Petersbogen Casino is on its way on line 8 to Paunsdorf-Nord.
     
     
     

     
    Also at Roßplatz, Leoliner 1303 "Plagwitz" was working the 2 line to Lausen. The building in the background - which some of you might recognize from my last trip report in the summer of 2009 - was part of a factory belonging to the People-Owned Furniture Combine of the GDR.
     
     
     

     
    And now I finally headed up the 4 line to Landsberger Straße and into a quintessential desert of snow. The General Olbricht barracks of the Bundeswehr are located to the west of the reversing loop and thus behind where I was standing here. The tram is NGT8 car 1108 "Adam Friedrich Oeser".
     
     

     
    I then dropped off at the Coppiplatz S-Bahn station and captured 143 354 battling the snow on its way to Miltitzer Allee on the S1 line.
     
     
     

     
    And on my way back to the city - I needed to have lunch, after all - I made one last photo stop at Stallbaumstraße and snapped Tatra car 2143 with a NB4 low floor trailer heading up to Landsberger Straße.
     
    The Leipzig tram network is built to the somewhat unusual track gauge of 1,458 mm or 4 ft 9.4 in and fed with 600 V DC, by the way.
  16. NGT6 1315
    Well, today we were having beautiful weather again, and I made good use of it . So, without much preamble - here's what I got:
     
     

     
    While stopping by at Central Station I first captured 101 058 while she was shunting in to collect her InterCity.
     
     
     

     
    I then rode out to Miltitz at the western end of tram lines 8 and 15. While there, I snapped NGT12 car 1214 "Lyon" taking a break on the outer track of the reversing loop before heading back to Meusdorf on line 15.
     
     
     

     
    On my way back into the city centre I stopped by at Parkallee where Leoliner car 1312 "Großzschocher" came along on line 8.
     
     
     

     
    I took another break at Lindenauer Markt where I first captured NGT12 car 1217 "Travnik" on line 15...
     
     
     

     
    ...and this Leoliner double unit working the 7 line to Sommerfeld with car 1309 "Böhlitz-Ehrenberg" at the head.
     
     
     

     
    On my way to Miltitz I had the impression of the Sportforum stop offering a good photo spot, and so I disembarked here again and snapped NGT12 car 1209 "Hamburg" while it was emerging from the underpass.
     
     
     

     
    Just a small impression of traditional architecture and modern transport .
     
     
     

     
    Tram line 14 is still working only the route from Central Station West Side to the Angerbrücke tram depot and normally operated with single Tatra T4D-M motor cars. Here, car 2114 is pausing before reversing through the loop to the left of where I was standing.
     
     
     

     
    Then I rode out to Plagwitz Station on the S1 S-Bahn line. The station is just as decrepit as Leutzsch, but reeking of atmosphere for some reason. You can almost imagine hearing conversations from times long past... Seen here is engine 143 879, working the S 9546 service to Miltitzer Allee.
     
     
     

     
    I narrowly missed the bus I was planning to catch in order to return to the nearest tram line and had to wait another fifteen minutes. However, I then heard a heavy diesel motor rumbling in the station, which caught my attention and made me head back. And lo and behold - there was 29005, a Class 66 engine owned by rolling stock leasing company Beacon Rail and hired to freight operator HHPI. The engine has been given the name of "Ted Gaffney" and carries the NVR number 92 80 1 266 029-8 D-BRLL. Needless to say, this encounter rounded off the day for me, as I had never managed to snap a Shed before! B)
  17. NGT6 1315
    Well, you guessed right - another small round of photos from Leipzig . The duty rosters were still a bit out of the ordinary today - few NGT12 sets were out, except for lines 7 and 15, line 12 was still served by single Leoliners and line 16 by NGT8 sets and at least two or three Tatra sets. I have no idea whether there might be any serious issues with the NGT12, though.
     
     

     
    Having ridden down to Connewitz Kreuz I first snapped NGT8 car 1118 "Friedrich List" on line 9 to Markkleeberg West...
     
     
     
     

     
    ...and then changed for line 11 to head down to the Dölitz tram depot, or "Straßenbahnhof", as the LVB call it. Line 11 operates between Schkeuditz and Markkleebrg Ost and is augmented by line 11E which works only the section between Wahren and the Dölitz tram depot. At Dölitz, the 11E reverses through the depot. This here is Tatra T4D-M motor car 2147 and another such unit, having just arrived as a 11E service. Not all T4D cars have been given the full refurbishment package, though. The rear one is one of these and is lacking the air conditioning unit. These partial refurbishments carry vehicle numbers in the 2000 range, whereas the fully refurbished ones have numbers in the 2100 range.
     
     
     

     
    And finally one of the Tatra services on line 16, seen here in the shape of motor car 2125 and a NB4 trailer on their way to Lößnig at Eutritzscher Markt.
  18. NGT6 1315
    Well, this morning saw us grab our suitcases and head off for our end of year vacation to Leipzig . We had a good dinner already, and now I am well and thoroughly tired.
     
    There's hardly any snow left in Leipzig - though where there are some patches left on the cobblestone streets it can be dicey to be walking on it! And it is quite windy tonight.
     
    Immediately after arriving at Leipzig Central Station with ICE 1597 I proceeded to snap one of the 182-hauled RE services which operate between Leipzig and Cottbus at this time:
     

     
    And as luck would have it, 182 004 with the Porsche livery was out that day B) . It is seen here arriving with RE 28178 which consists o three Bimz type coaches and two "y" type ones, including a Wittenberge type driving trailer. However, I was now told the 182s are merely filling a gap until a new batch of EMUs (class 442, I think it was) will be certified.
     
     
    Later then I rode out on tram line 16 again, travelling out to the Trade Fair Centre in the north of the city, where I then snapped NGT12 car 1215 "Addis Abeba" working the 1641 service, or "Kurs", as it is usually called in German:
     

     
     
    I shall add any new photos of interest on here as they are created - so to speak .
  19. NGT6 1315
    ...I am still waiting for my package from the ?–BB Advertising Centre with the limited series class 1116 engine in the "Fire Brigades" special livery in it. But of course I cannot know how exactly they handle their shipments. Will keep you updated as to when it arrives!
     
    As an aside, my next purchase has been set in stone as well, but I won't reveal what it will be just yet .
     
    Other than that, nothing special to report as of yet. But some Earl Grey tea does help getting started!
     
    On the railway side: An item which may be of interest to fans of the German railways could be a recent report on Drehscheibe Online stating that additional DBS engines may be hired to DB Regio for at least until the end of the year. This could involve eighteen class 145 and thirteen class 185 engines, and would follow the recent decision to hand all 182s over to Regio as well. The latter, of course, would mean that DB Regio would get hold of the fastest engines in the entire DB inventory - the 182 having a top speed of 230 kph, 10 kph faster than the 101. However, aside from the Nuremberg-Munich RE line, which is operated with refurbished former IC rakes, there is no place where they might get even close to that speed - conventional DB regional stock having a maximum speed of 160 kph.
     
    Also, the last thirteen class 423 S-Bahn units meant for Frankfurt are supposed to be delivered by December at last. They have been sitting at the Bombardier plant in Hennigsdorf for the better part of three years .
  20. NGT6 1315
    Since Monday a major situation has been going on on the suburban network around Frankfurt. Late on Sunday one or several unidentified persons broke into a house next to Niederh?¶chstadt Station, which is located to the northwest of Frankfurt. Now, that house, which was the original station building and has had the first and second floor converted into apartments many years ago, also houses the signalling equipment for the entire lines 3615 (Frankfurt R?¶delheim-Kronberg) as well as 3640 (Frankfurt H?¶chst-Bad Soden) and 3641 (Niederh?¶chstadt-Bad Soden). The burglars, however, perhaps not finding what they had hoped for inside the house, thought it to be a good idea to vandalize the plumbing, resulting in the entire signalling control room being flooded and the equipment being damaged beyond repair. As a result regular services on the branches to Kronberg and Bad Soden have been suspended for the time being, with backup shuttle services being provided from R?¶delheim to Niederh?¶chstadt as well as Niederh?¶chstadt to Bad Soden. Traffic on the branch to Kronberg is being replaced by buses as Niederh?¶chstadt cannot handle more than the shuttles to Bad Soden and R?¶delheim with the signalling out of order.
     
    As the weather was fairly good yesterday I decided to head out and check how these backup services were being handled. Following up are several images I took on that little excursion.
     
    Traffic at Niederh?¶chstadt is being shared between the two tracks. Track 2 handles the shuttle to Bad Soden, operated with a class 420 double unit, while track 1 is used by the service to R?¶delheim, operated with a class 423 triple unit.
     
     

     
    I first caught the S 7332 shuttle to Bad Soden, which is where I took this picture. The train requires some ten minutes for the trip, with a turnaround time of five minutes at both ends. As the trackside train protection circuits are permanently armed due to fail-safe requirements, home signals - though being disabled - may be passed only with the "Befehl" or order switch depressed, resulting in a speed limit not greater than 40 kph at these locations.
     
     
     

     
    A look at the eastern end of the platform in Bad Soden. As you can see, the signals are unlit. The right-hand track is the branch to Frankfurt H?¶chst, which was actually operated with class 420 EMUs as part of the S3 line in the past. Nowadays it is operated by private TOC HLB with DMUs, however.
     
     

     
    Having returned to Niederh?¶chstadt I then caught the Bad Soden shuttle on returning from its next trip as service S 7335. The level crossing I was waiting at was closed for road traffic as the damaged signalling equipment also includes the crossing safety and CCTV camera circuits.
     
     

     
    Just a little over five minutes later the Bad Soden shuttle returned as service S 7336. This train was composed of units 420 295 and 337.
     
     
    I then headed down to R?¶delheim on the other shuttle, which would run its entire trip to R?¶delheim on the left-hand track. Turnaround time in R?¶delheim was just three minutes, which is why this shuttle has two drivers on board - one at each end - in order to allow instant returns. On the trip back up I disembarked at the Eschborn S??d stop, which basically serves only the commercial area located in its surroundings.
     
     
     

     
    At Eschborn S??d I waited for the shuttle to return. It uses the same track in both directions as, obviously, the points cannot be set. The leading unit is 423 401.
     
     
    I then returned to Niederh?¶chstadt on the next up trip and took my car down to Eschborn Station in order to take one last image of the R?¶delheim shuttle.
     
     

     
    Note that it is not possible to select every programmed station as a destination on the 423's passenger information system, which is why the R?¶delheim shuttle ran with "Sonderfahrt" (special) on its destination boards.
     
    All in all, however, I did have the impression that the DB was earnestly doing its best to reduce the inevitable inconvenience going along with this sort of situation.
  21. NGT6 1315

    Railway simulations

    By NGT6 1315,

    I don't know how many of you enjoy railway simulation games, but I for one recently rediscovered Zusi which is a simulator primarily focused on German, Austrian and Swiss railways. I admit that, compared with games from large brands such as EA (or whatever they are called nowadays), it is somewhat lacking as far as visuals are concerned - the current 2.4 version does not support textures, which but will be added in version 3 which is currently under development.
     
    Just to give you a brief impression of how Zusi looks and feels:
     

     
    RE 25473 from Marburg to Frankfurt Central Station, hauled by a class 111 electric, approaching Gie??en in the 2006 timetable period.
     
     
    However, the upside to this sim is that it is quite realistic where engine handling is concerned, and does a very good job at creating the image of busy everyday rail traffic where one delayed train can have all sorts of repercussions. Unlike Microsoft's Train Simulator it also offers fully functional train protection systems and other niceties such as complex traffic scenarios with literally dozens of AI-controlled trains all vying for the road and the possibility of being routed to unscheduled tracks at large stations. Zusi 3 will offer even more such functionality, from what I've been reading in the developer's pre-release notes.
     
    Zusi itself is basically developed by one man only, while add-ons are being created by a rather lively and well connected community of adherents. However, due to the complexity of the editors - which are included with the sim - and the amount of research usually required for creating a realistic and detailed scenario the output of new scenarios tends to be rather slow - which but is not meant to be criticism at all. As of now 25 real world routes are included with the sim, and a couple of others, in various stages of development, can be downloaded.
     
    Aside from Zusi I also have World of Subways Volume 1, BVE 4 and openBVE installed at this time. I may post a couple of images from these sims as well as time allows.
  22. NGT6 1315
    Morning all (which it is, however early!) …
     
    This here's intended to be just a very brief follow-up to my earlier post, The Secret Weapon of the Urban Rail Special Forces.
     
    As indicated there, the majority of our NGT8s is scheduled to be upgraded as 1101 "Johann Sebastian Bach" has been, with 33 out of the 56 units specifically being planned for the trailer mod. Of these, 31 are slated to be in revenue service with trailers at any time, and two forming an operational reserve.
     
    As a matter of fact, a few other NGT8s have already completed their refit or are currently undergoing it. Specifically, 1148 and 1149 have been upgraded this summer, with 1145, 1147 and 1150 currently being in the shops.
     
    And as it is, during my shift on Line 12 yesterday, I was treated to getting a taste of…
     


     
    …1149 "Friederike Caroline Neuber", advertising for the Leipzig Zoo…
     


     
    …and carrying the new trailer coupler at the aft end.
     

    Compared to 1101, the newly refitted NGT8Bs (as the trailer-capable units are referred to in our working timetables) have had a couple of alterations made to their cab instruments…
     


     
    Here, note the three trailer fault indicator lamps which have now been relocated to the upper left cab panel, having been installed in the most inconvenient location of the rear shunting control stand on 111 originally.
     

    have
     
    Likewise, the indicator lamps on the left instrument plane have been partially reassigned, with separate indicators for the motor car and trailer holding brakes now existing.
     
     
     


     
    Also note the emergency intercom buttons having been installed on the left armrest panel.
     
     
     

     
    Meanwhile, 1140 "Dr Carl Friedrich Goerdeler" has not yet been fully refitted but does have the revised door controls already.
     

    Will now hit the sack, I think. Thanks for looking!
  23. NGT6 1315

    1002: Odyssey Two

    By NGT6 1315,

    Cheers again!
     
    As I promised this morning, I was able to snap a few photos of NGT10 1002 presently on display at the Exhibition Centre – with us also taking the opportunity of actually visiting the House and Garden Fair also as we wanted to collect some ideas for our garden as well.
     
    So, this…
     


     

     

     

     

    …is what the NGT10 looks like sans test mule camouflage.
     
    The asymmetric design principle is something of a Solaris trademark, as some of you might already be aware of if you are familiar with the contemporary public transport scene. The NGT10 in particular was custom designed by IFS Design UG, who coincidentally had also provided the exterior styling for our earlier NGT12, or the Flexity Berlin series for the Berlin tram system, for example.
     
    With Solaris being a Polish producer, 54.5% of all components are actually provided by German suppliers, and 9.4% by Czech and 5.4% by Austrian producers. 29% are originally Polish.
     


     
    Like the NGT6, NGT8 and NGT12, the NGT10 again has daytime running lights. Much of the external and interior lighting is, in fact, provided by LED assemblies.
     
     
     

     
    This is the Jacobs bogie underneath the central articulation joint…
     
     
     

     
    …while the motor bogies are traditional in design as it was determined that regular bogies are the better choice for our network's parameters.
     


     
    This photo is intended to again highlight the LED signalling stripes (green when unlocked, red when being locked, and off while the vehicle is moving or if the door has been deactivated – as it has been in this instance) running top to bottom on each door blade.
     
     
     

     

     

    I expect this promotional lettering will appear at least on part of the NGT10s once they enter revenue service!
     
     
     


     
    The monitoring camera above Door 6.
     
     
     

     
    And a better look at the instrument panel in its entirety, which with so many interested colleagues I wasn't quite able to get on Friday! The device in the rightmost part of the panel is the Trapeze ITT onboard ITCS unit, also operated by way of a touch screen. Left to to right, the buttons below are, top row: turn signals; hazard lights; headlight flasher/high beam; manual point control (left, straight [only used for Consecutive Point arrays] and right); and, bottom row: door release, door locking, central door opening; forced door closing; hard button for opening Door 1 individually.
     
    The curved handle below the rightmost section again contains our usual array of bell trigger (facing the driver's seat), auxiliary deadman switch, track brake and sanding triggers.
     


     
    There also is a suitably large interior viewing mirror next to the exterior camera screen. Both will, as we were told on Friday, be relocated a bit further to the front and to the window pillar respectively to gain some additional headroom when standing.
     
     
     
    With an overall length of 37.63 m and width of 2.3 m, the duration power output will be 680 kW as on the (slightly larger and heavier) NGT12, most likely making the NGT10 a tad more agile still as like on the former, eight wheelsets are powered. Short-time peak power output will even be 920 kW. It will accommodate 220 passengers as a standard load, 75 of which seated.
     

    Thanks for reading, once again!
  24. NGT6 1315
    Cheers once again!
     
    Today, I should like to entertain you with a bit of a photo strip from a short trip to Berlin we made on Friday and Saturday – the occasion being a slightly different sort of excursion on the city's underground.
     
    Specifically, BVG offer excursions on open flatcars equipped with passenger chairs, intended to illustrate the enormity of the planning and engineering work which an underground system as large as this embodies. And in my impression, that goal is well and truly achieved. I suppose one might argue that "all you will see are long, dark tunnels", but from my experience, I can assure you that it does make a major difference to be seeing all the myriads of technical installations of various types, as well as the route profile and physical structures, which you usually aren't really able to from aboard a train.
     
    These "Cabrio" tours can be booked through BVG at http://www.bvg.de/de/Service/Berlin-erleben/Detailansicht?newsid=262 , which page appears to be available in German only, though. Do keep in mind that there seems to be a large demand for these tours, which will often be sold out months in advance. Also, you should be aware of them usually taking place at night, for the understandable reason of not interfering with the densely timetabled daytime revenue services.
     

     
    Prior to our underground excursion, we visited a couple of locations around the city, also diverting to Alexanderplatz in order for me to capture a few glimpses of tram operations. Here, F8E 8003 was just a few minutes from terminating at Hackescher Markt on Line M6.
     
     
     

     
    In turn, F8E 8006 had just begun its next round at Hackescher Markt, working Line M4 to Zingster Straße in Hohenschönhausen.
     
     
     

     
    The Bombardier Flexity Berlin trams exist in single- and double-ended versions, as well as lengths of five and seven segments, designated F6E, F6Z, F8E and F8Z internally. Here, F8E 8028 is calling at Landsberger Allee/Petersburger Straße, working Line M5 to Zingster Straße.
     
     
     

     
    While waiting for a M10 service to Warschauer Straße, F6Z 4027 was travelling outward to Central Station.
     
     
     
    Our underground excursion began at Deutsche Oper Station on Line U2. The itinerary for these tours has changed a bit over the years, with the current one being as follows:
     
    Deutsche Oper (Obi) – Deutsche Oper East Turnback – Richard-Wagner-Platz (Rw) via small/large profile connecting tunnel – Wilmersdorfer Straße (Wd) – Adenauerplatz (Ad) – Konstanzer Straße (Kn) – Fehrbelliner Platz (Fpu) – Blissestraße (Bli) – Berliner Straße (Beu) – Berliner Straße West Turnback – U7/U9 connecting tunnel – Güntzelstraße (Gt) – Spichernstraße (Snu) – Kurfürstendamm (Kfu) – Zoologischer Garten (Zu) – Hansaplatz (Ha) – Turmstraße – Birkenstraße (Bi) – Westhafen (WF) – Amrumer Straße (Am) – Leopoldplatz (Lpu) – Leopoldplatz Turnback – U9/U6 connecting tunnel – Seestraße (Se) for a 15-minute break – U9/U6 connecting tunnel – Nauener Platz (Np) – U9/U8 connecting tunnel – Osloer Straße (Ofu) – Pankstraße (Pk) – Gesundbrunnen (Gb) – Voltastraße (Vo) – Bernauer Straße (B) – Rosenthaler Platz (Ro) – Weinmeisterstraße (W) – Alexanderplatz (Ap) – Jannowitzbrücke (Jb) – Heinrich-Heine-Straße (He) – Moritzplatz (Mr) – Kottbusser Tor (Kbu) – Schönleinstraße (Sl) – U8/U7 connecting tunnel – Südstern (Sü) – Gneisenaustraße (Gs) – Mehringdamm (Me) – Möckernbrücke (Mu) – Yorckstraße (Y) – Kleistpark (Kt) – Eisenacher Straße (Ei) – Bayerischer Platz (Bpu) – Berliner Straße (Beu) – Blissestraße (Bli) – Fehrbelliner Platz (Fpu) – Konstanzer Straße (Kn) – Adenauerplatz (Ad) – Wilmersdorfer Straße (Wd) – Bismarckstraße (Bmu) – Richard-Wagner-Platz (Rw) – Richard-Wagner-Platz North Turnback – large/small profile connecting tunnel – Deutsche Oper (Obi)
     
    All abbreviations are BVG operational facility codes, as also represented in this track plan: http://www.gleisplanweb.eu/Maps/Berlin2.pdf . Note that numerous stations have multiple levels if served by different lines, so these codes will also disambiguate between such crossing stations.
     
    As the itinerary will also show, the various connecting tunnels are among the tour's attractions as these tunnels aren't normally used for revenue services. Furthermore, I should like to point out that the small profile (U1, U2, U3 and U4) and the large profile lines (U5, U55, U6, U7, U8 and U9) are technically incompatible due to different loading gauges, conductor rail design and traction current polarity, thus effectively constituting two separate networks.
     

     
    Hard hats were obligatory, and in addition, RF audio guide sets with earphones were provided for the purpose of a live audio commentary from our tour guide. I cannot really tell the precise locations of any of the following tunnel photos, though!
     
     
     

     

     
    Tunnel clearances do differ widely across the network, also owing to various sections having been built with different methods. As underground services continue for 24 hours through Friday and Saturday nights, we also needed to pull out into passing loops and turnbacks occasionally in order to allow timetabled services past.
     

     
    Numerous underground sets are stabled in turnbacks en route through the night, and while there are guarded by security staff for protection against vandalism. Which does occur even in tunnels, madly dangerous as this is!
     
     
     

     
    While no general passengers are present here in this view of Konstanzer Straße, we were greeted by cheering revellers while passing other stations as the night progressed!
     

     

     
     
     

     

     

     

     
    As I said, watching the enormous complexity of engineering and technology involved across the network, as well as considering the architectural differences between stations built in specific eras, was, to my mind, seriously intriguing.
     
     
     

     
    During our break at Seestraße, I captured our locomotive. 4052 and 4053 are a pair of dual mode electric and battery-powered SA97 type locomotives, built by Schalker Eisenhütte in 1997. Normally used for PW work in both networks and thus built to the small profile loading gauge for compatibility, these locomotives are rated at 440 kW and for 40 kph, measure 13.8 by 2.28 by 3.17 m, weigh 36 tonnes and have height-adjustable couplers in order to also be able to provide breakdown assistance on either network.
     

     
    With a centre cab with dual control stands, the SA97 locomotives are well-suited for their purposes, and capable of reversing quickly.
     

     
    Shoegear is provided for both networks, as the small profile lines use top-contact conductor rails, while the large profile lines have bottom-contact rails.
     
     
     

     
    4157 is one of six SP82 type control cars, which are used for facilitating bidirectional operation of PW formations. They are, however, not driving trailers in the traditional sense as there is no control cabling on PW stock. The operator aboard the control car thus needs to relay commands to the locomotive's driver by radio.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     
     
    Having returned to Deutsche Oper, our tour ended at 12.30 am, after which we could easily return to our hovel using night-time services. I can happily recommend these tours to anyone!
     
    Thanks for reading!
  25. NGT6 1315
    Cheers, everyone!
     
    I had to wait far longer than I would have preferred, but this Friday, I finally did get instructed on our new NGT10 trams. Type rating for our staff had been significantly slowed due to the flu outbreak in late winter but is now being caught up on.
     
    The procedure consists of one day of theory, one day of individual driving instruction, and one shift of passenger service with a trainer in attendance. I'll now have to accomplish only the last step and would then be rated for solo driving.
     
    Driving instruction is currently carried out in a morning and afternoon shift Mondays till Fridays. The unit currently used primarily for training is 1001, which was absent from Leipzig between 26 October last year and 22 March for amendments and paintwork renewal.
     
    Training shifts explicitly double as testing and evaluation sessions, with instructors and trainees explicitly invited to collect information and observations. This means that newly delivered NGT10s generally are booked for training shifts for a crtain period before release into revenue service.
     
    As it is, 1001 currently is generally the first unit to receive software updates for evaluation prior to distribution to the other units. At present, 1001 through 1012 are in Leipzig. 1011 saw its first revenue shifts this week, while 1012 is currently being prepared for shakedown turns.
     
     
     

     
    Our route first took us to Schkeuditz, pulling over off Central Station West to allow the Line 11 service behind us past.
     
    En route to Schkeuditz, I made an emergency stop for practice. I had been informed that the NGT10 has even better performance here than the NGT12, which is excellent already. Taking a pedestrian crossing outside Stahmeln as the mark, on a slight downhill gradient out of 50 kph, the stopping distance was roughly half the unit's length, my estimate being about 19 metres. Which of course means that, as always with emergency stops, one should be prepared for possible injuries aboard.
     
    As a new detail which is being planned to be duplicated on our older low floor units, hazard lights automatically activate upon an emergency stop.
     
     
     

     
    Taking a break in Schkeuditz.
     

     
    I was quite fond of the driver seat, easily as comfortable as on current top-range cars. Numerous adjustment options exist for backrest, lumbar support and cushioning, with actuation being partially electric and partially pneumatic. The seat as a whole is pneumatically suspended with automatic weight adjustment, and also provides heating and ventilation. There also is an "easy access" key which has the seat travel to a position allowing easy-ish cab ingress and egress, as - which does merit mention - cab space use is, shall we say, efficient.
     
    One feature not yet active is the memory adjustment function, where one optimal and up to two additional adjustment profiles can be saved to the staff pass, which, once active, will allow the seat to set itself automatically after driver changes.
     
     
     

     
    As I mentioned earlier, many vehicle functions are now operated through touchscreens, of which there are two on the control panel.
     
    This is the standard interface for the centre screen, providing speed, OHLE and battery circuit tension information, as well as wipers, windscreen heating and defogging, pantograph actuation, microphone control for internal, external and radio communication. Furthermore, the "disk/padlock" softkey allows a total period of ten minutes (five ahead and five beyond activation) of CCTV image recording to be saved to a protected event storage for later readout. This, of course, can be useful in the event of violence or other incidents aboard, with general CCTV memory duration being 168 hours as per current privacy regulations.
     
    The icon immediately to the right of the pantograph softkey indicates holding brakes to be applied. The speed indicator also provides information as to when recuperated power can be fed back into the OHLE grid during braking, and when you are driving economically, utilising coasting and downhill sections effectively, for example.
     
    With unlocked doors, it is also possible to open and close individual doors by tapping the appropriate softkeys in the lowermost row.
     

     
    The left screen provides diagnostic information as well as cab and passenger air conditioning and lighting control. Interior and exterior lighting can be automatically activated by ambient light sensors. The general rule is that functions which are selected or activated are indicated by coloured accents on the relevant softkeys, such as the "auto" labels and light beams on the automatic lighting keys.
     
    Error messages would appear in the table to the upper left table…
     

     
    …and can be read and acknowledged by tapping, following which they are moved into this temporary storage, which can then be called up on the "wrench" tab. It is recommended to clear this table occasionally using the "trash" key. The "document folder" key would call up the permanent error history with all faults to have ever been recorded by the unit.
     
    Not all errors really are genuine, some resulting from factors such as peripheral signal latency. This, I understand, is still being worked on, and probably expected during practical evaluation periods such as this.
     
     
     

     
    It is also possible to call up an energy consumption tab.
     
     
     

     
    CCTV camera images can be viewed also. By default, these are displayed whenever stopped with unlocked doors, though this setting can be deactivated.
     
    It is possible to display quad images and individual camera images. Changing between single and quad images requires tapping the image display; changing between any quad view or individual images is done by swiping left or right from the outer screen limits. In other words, operation is not at all unlike that of tablets or other mobile computing devices.
     

     
    The ITCS terminal, door and point control buttons as well as turn signal buttons are on the rightmost panel section.
     
     
     

     
    The left lateral panel comprises the activation lock, pantograph control and emergency lighting buttons, as well as selectors for holding brake emergency release.
     
    The selector behind the "R!" lid activates an emergency operating mode for route clearing in the event of various major malfunctions. In this mode, only core operating functions are maintained, and driving controls are restricted to one fixed power and brake force setting and a maximum speed of 20 kph.
     

     
    The controller handle is identical to that of the NGT12. The microphone, as I may have mentioned before, allows free speaking into the cab space without the need to bend down.
     
     
     

     
    The NGT10 also is our first unit to be equipped with outboard cameras rather than a traditional rear view mirror. While calling at stops, downward-facing cameras above Doors 1 and 6 are displayed in the right half of the camera display. It is also possible to activate the Door 1 camera for 30-second periods while driving for judging lateral distance in narrow locations.
     
     
     

     
    During our walkaround, I also practised unstowing the towing coupler. Due to space constraints, an Albert coupler head was the only viable option…
     

     
    …which means that for towing by units other than another NGT10, an adapter for Scharfenberg couplers is required. Ordinarily, these are carried by inspector and breakdown assistance vehicles, but 1001 carries one aboard for the duration of its training assignment, too.
     
     
     

     
    Motor bogie.
     
     
     

     
    The rear control stand provides basic controls. The power controller is spring-loaded in order to provide a deadman safety function, and has "B" (Braking) as the neutral position.
     
     
     

     
    We also visited Lausen…
     
     
     

     
    …and Deutscher Platz, which loop once provided passenger access to the old Exhibition Centre during the regular Leipzig Spring and Autumn Exhibitions.
     
     
     
    My general impression of the NGT10 has been decidedly positive. With a length of 37.63 metres, width of 2.3 metres and weight of 55.16 tonnes, it is slightly smaller and lighter than the NGT12, while being rated at the same 680 kW/912 hp traction power and having eight powered wheelsets, too. This yields fairly responsive and agile driving characteristics, and in addition, it handles run-down track and poor adhesion conditions rather well. That impression is shared by a plurality of drivers already rated on the type.
     
    One interesting detail I hadn't noticed while riding NGT10s as a passenger: The driving controls utilise virtual power and brake force notches, which are closely and smoothly spaced, but once you know they exist and are driving the type you can, in fact, notice this gentle stepping. However, they do not diminish ease and smoothness of handling, in my opinion. While much tweaking, testing and fixing is still ongoing due to the NGT10 being an all-new design, I for one am optimistic at present that the effort will be worth it.
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