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NGT6 1315

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Blog Entries posted by NGT6 1315

  1. NGT6 1315
    Actually, it is DB engine 110 457 with a strange overall grey livery, heading an AEG/Electrolux exhibition train which is currently on a tour through Germany. It was scheduled to visit Frankfurt Central Station on 25 and 26 October, and that's where I took this photo of her. Is it just me or does she look kind of camouflaged?
  2. 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!
  3. NGT6 1315

    Trains in spring

    By NGT6 1315,

    On my way back from the doctor I shot two quick photos just outside Bad Soden Station ...
     
     

     
    ...first of HLB (Hessische Landesbahn) DMU VT 205 or 648 405 working the 83562 service to Frankfurt-Höchst - travel time on this line is just 9 minutes. The 648 is an Alstom LINT 41 type unit.
     
     
     

     
    The S3 line has been equipped with class 423 EMUs this past weekend - meaning that the older 420s will largely be restricted to the S7, S8 and S9 lines until the current franchise for the suburban network ends. This here is 423 443, working the 6335 service to Darmstadt Central Station.
  4. 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.
  5. NGT6 1315
    This could be how I might describe the weather today - been fairly unstable with sun and rain chasing each other. In between, however, I snapped a pair of photos at Frankfurt Southern Station...
     
     
     

     
    ...one of 185 060 with a goods train, still in sunlight...
     
     
     

     
    ...and one of 143 019 at the head of RB 15220 from Aschaffenburg to Frankfurt Central Station.
     
     
    The clouds broke a few moments after the second photo .
  6. 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!
  7. NGT6 1315
    Afternoon all!
     
    I realise it's been a while since my last stock profile from our tram, so given that I'll be driving one later today, may I just post a few paragraphs about our NGT8 type trams.
     
    As I'm sure I pointed out on another occasion, the general pattern of designation for trams in Germany is not specific to any one city, so other tram systems may also have cars commonly designated NGT8 but completely unrelated to other vehicles. So, for what I hope will be clarification, I'll need to digress for a bit to begin with.
     
    The Leipzig NGT8 trams are, technically, an evolved derivative of a twelve-wheel, three-segment tram developed by Duewag and Siemens in the late 1980s, constituting the first generation of low floor trams to have been developed in what then was West Germany. First obtained by Kassel's KVG in 1990 and 1991 and followed by two additional batches in 1994, these original cars were outfitted with thyristor choppers and DC motors, yielding a slightly greater floor height than derivatives of this design obtained by other cities in the following years, which were usually equipped with asynchronous AC propulsion.
     
    The NGT6C trams as obtained for Kassel were also characterised by Frederich type independent single wheel running gears – abbreviated EEF for "Einzelachs-Einzelfahrwerk System Frederich – on the central body segment, and traditional bogies underneath the first and third segment. Other related trams such as those obtained by Bonn and Düsseldorf were outfitted with a pair of single axle running gears rather than independent wheels underneath the central segment. With most any city usually having specific requirements as to larger and smaller details, this family of trams could also be obtained for different gauges, or with other characteristics such as the independent cab doors on the batch of sixty MGT6D cars obtained by Halle from 1996 till 2001.
     
    The NGT8 cars for Leipzig were obtained from 1994 till 1998 and built by a consortium of Duewag, Waggonbau Bautzen, ABB and Siemens. Unlike the related types in other cities, they were equipped with two four-wheel bogies on the central body segment, as an all-bogie tram was judged to be best able to negotiate the Leipzig network. They are outfitted with asynchronous AC propulsion and outfitted for 70 passengers seated and 122 standing at an occupation of six persons per square metre.
     
    By current standards, they should be considered a mid-capacity type, also because as built, they were capable of neither multiple working nor trailer operation. However, in 2011, car 1101 was modified to serve for practical evaluation of trailer operation. To that end, it was outfitted with a non-stowable coupler on the rear end and a number of additional instruments to enable trailer operation. At the time, NB4 trailer 906 was set aside for being essentially permanently coupled to 1101.
     
    Generally, the NGT8-NB4 pair proved to be suitable for revenue traffic, so at present, the remaining NB4 trailers – currently going through their second revision cycle – are being prepared for working with NGT8 motor cars as well. About twenty NGT8s are earmarked for being enabled for trailer operation, each NGT8-NB4 pair representing the rough capacity equivalent of a Tatra Großzug. That being said, practical experience demonstrated that NGT8s to be outfitted for trailer working need a couple of other improvements to remain sufficiently reliable while pulling additional weight.
     
    Technical characteristics
     
    Overall length – 27.77 m
    Width – 2.20 m
     
    Configuration – Bo'2'2'Bo'
    Service weight – 32 t
     
    Power rating – 380 kW/510 hp
     
    Regular acceleration and braking rate – 1.3 m/s2
    Emergency stop rate – 2.8 m/s2
     
    Minimum curve radius – 16 m
     
    Maximum speed – 70 kph certified, 50 kph revenue
     
     
     
    My personal impression of these trams is that due to their high power rating, they are extremely agile and responsive, though on the other hand, they tend to be tricky to handle in poor adhesion conditions. That is also why I tend to think of them as sports cars!
    Other than that, one criticism frequently heard is that "they don't do many things the way drivers want them to happen", which I do concur with in several instances at least. What I personally dislike most ist that the doors are quite slow to react to a closing command, and that the electro-hydraulic holding brake could release quicker once it has started to apply when – such as due to a signal changing to Clear – you want to power up again. I am told the NGT8s but will be modified with the same door controls as our NGT12s as soon as the trailer upgrade will be implemented. In other words, I would say they are not bad to drive, but have a couple of peculiarities they could have done without.
     


     
    Numerous NGT8s carry full body advertising for different products. Here, 1114 "Georg Agricola", which along with 1121 and 1138 can be booked as a "Party Tram", is stood at Knautkleeberg. Note that the LED daytime running lights were a refit.
     
     
     


     
    At present, four NGT8s – 1103, 1121, 1142 and 1143 – advertise for the new unified branding for the Leipzig transport and utilities companies. Here, 1121 "Franz Mehring" waits in the Mockau loop at the top end of Line 1.
     
     
     

     
    The only time I have actually got to drive the single NGT8-NB4 set – also known as NGT8B internally – thus far has been during our training. Here, this set – 1101 being named "Johann Sebastian Bach" – is seen in the holding area at Schkeuditz.
     
     
     

     
    The cab, I think, also very much reeks of typical, straightforward 1990s design. Note that as on the NGT12, the controller handle doubles as the primary deadman switch, and needs to be rotated 90 degrees clockwise. The pedal in the footwell is not a deadman pedal but the secondary bell trigger. The screen on the left of the control panel is the diagnostic terminal, while the ITCS terminal is set in the right hand part of the panel.
     
     
     
    Thanks for reading!
  8. NGT6 1315

    Work on the Platform

    By NGT6 1315,

    ...continued even yesterday at Frankfurt Central, with the following setup serving to supply material and equipment from the trackside...
     
     
     

     
    The loco was V180.05, also known as 203 161, owned by operator Schienen-Güter-Logistik (SGL) and hailing from the former GDR...
     
     
     

     
    ...as per the cabside indications. The locomotive belongs to the Deutsche Reichsbahn V 100 family of diesel-hydraulic locos – which closely resembles the West German V 100 family later known as classes 211, 212 and 213 and was indeed intended to serve the same roles – was built at the People-Owned Combine Locomotive and Electrical Engineering Works at Hennigsdorf in 1973 with the works number 13937. In Deutsche Reichsbahn service, the loco was known as 110 619 originally. It was retired from the DB AG fleet in 1996 and then began its career with a variety of private TOCs. In 2008 it ended up as Alstom property as the company had bought up large quantities of ex-DR V 100s to sell them on to interested parties, also offering various upgrade packages including things like new prime movers and indeed entirely new bodies.
     
    As per the inscriptions, the loco weighs in at 68 tonnes, has a unified Knorr brake with settings G and P plus direct brake valve, and braking weights of 56 tonnes on the "P" setting and 43 on the "G" setting. Its last revision was concluded at the former Stendal works – which is where Alstom are based now – on 31 August last year.
     
     

     
    Bogie details - note the primary suspension laid out with rubber blocks.
     
     
     
     

     
    The first wagon was a Res type eight wheel bogie flat owned by the Czech railways...
     
     
     

     
    ...and hired to the Leonhard Weiss company, which is a railway construction enterprise.
     
    The other wagon, carrying a telescopic handler (which you could see in the first photo)...
     
     
     

     
    ...was a Laadkss type flatbed one.
  9. NGT6 1315
    Morning all!
     
    Having just learned that at least one class 423 suburban EMU from Munich has been temporarily hired to Frankfurt I was just thinking how I would be looking forward to riding on that one. And here's why:
     

    from the cab of a 1st batch 423 with original GTO inverters whose squeal is quite unique . 
    However, the 423s sound quite differently from the 2nd batch onwards:
     
    Am I weird?
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. NGT6 1315
    A'noon everyone…
     
    It's been several months since I last got to drive the particular tram which I intend to illustrate in today's post, but now that I did do so during yesterday's shift, I was thinking it might be of interest to you.
     
    With a procurement programme for a new low floor tram – derived from the Solaris Tramino design and per its intended configuration with ten wheelsets designated NGT10 – having been launched last year and a phase-out of our Tatras thus being scheduled to occur in the next couple of years, another modernisation programme first conceived about six years ago focuses on enabling at least part of the NGT8 fleet to be more effectively used on highly frequented lines. These cars had been procured in the mid-1990s when inner-German migration after unification had led to a declining population of Leipzig as a whole, and thus to dwindling ridership numbers. With the city's population and public transport ridership but having markedly increased during the past few years, the NGT8s have since proven to be rather too small for several lines which they need to be booked on, and to have too few doors.
     
    This programme therefore proposes to upgrade at least more than half of our 56 NGT8s for operating with the NB4 trailers. In 2011, 1101 "Johann Sebastian Bach" was therefore rebuilt to serve as a demonstrator and to gather operational experience.
     
    On the whole, this rebuild was eventually deemed worthwhile for further implementation, to which end – according to my information – all NGT8s had been provided with strengthened articulation joints during their last round of revisions so as to facilitate the completion of the trailer upgrade at a later date. Several weeks ago, 1148 "Christian Fürchtegott Gellert" was thus booked as the next NGT8 to receive this upgrade, and has made its first (very short) test ride with trailer 931 on 13 July.
     
    I should also mention that several NB4 trailers to have had new revisions have also been upgraded to be compatible with the NGT8s, so 1101 has inevitably been needed for their post-revision acceptance tests.
     
    In revenue service, 1101 is currently coupled to trailer 917, and with few exceptions usually booked onto Turn 1163. The set is often referred to as the "Secret Weapon" or, occasionally, the "Sacred Cow", just to explain the title for this post!
     
     
     

     
    Here, 1101-917 is seen in the evening sunlight at the Markkleeberg Ost loop. I was delighted to note it has since been outfitted with revised door controls – expected to be provided on all NGT8s – which make the doors much faster to respond and add a closing alarm.
     
     
     


     
    A look at 917 at the aft end, having travelled north to Schkeuditz.
     
     
     

     
    And a look at the NB4 interior. Note the seating bays in the bogie areas. As on our trams proper, there is a shunting control stand at the aft end of each trailer, hidden by a lockable fold-up panel.
     
     
     

     
    While the breakdown towing couplers provided on both ends of all NGT8s are generally folded in and stowed behind the front and rear fairings, the trailer coupler can no longer be so stowed, and like on the Tatras needs to be centred with a retention bar if not used. It's common practice for couplers to be protected with these weatherproof hoods.
     
     
     


     
    In the cab, a second loudspeaker is provided for the emergency intercom from the trailer…
     
     
     

     
    …while the control desk was amended with a pair of buttons for handling calls from this intercom device, and a lighted acknowledgment button for trailer system malfunctions which is seen – slightly out of focus – at the very left edge of the instrument panel.
     
    If this indicator lights up permanently, one of three malfunctions will have occurred – trailer battery charger failure, non-releasing trailer brake, or (in the cold months) a trailer heating failure. The battery charger failure essentially is a "Red Alert" kind of event where all you can do is going CAPE and attempt to reach the nearest stabling area or depot as the trailer brakes will eventually go into undervolt and apply – requiring manual pumping action to release.
     

    As for driving these "NGT8B" sets as they're generally referred to in our working timetables, the trailer's additional weight is, of course, impossible to not notice. Acceleration is reduced rather significantly, especially uphill, and depending on how well any given trailer is adjusted, you will notice a more or less gentle jolt from behind when braking. I would therefore tend to rate these sets as "okay" to handle but not stellar.
     

    Well, so much for the moment. Thanks for reading!
  13. NGT6 1315
    Evening all!
     
    I took the following two photos this afternoon, which I could imagine those of you with an interest in Continental railways might like to see...
     
     
     
     
     

     
    With VIAS having taken over regional passenger workings from Frankfurt to Koblenz and Neuwied via Wiesbaden, today was the first weekday where they had to prove themselves under full load, so to speak. This here was set 304, a class 427 three-segment FLIRT working the VIA25015 service to Frankfurt Central which I captured at Höchst. The destination display says, "Welcome!"
     
     
     
     
     

     
    Likewise, Hessische Landesbahn were in the same situation. This here was a formation of 427 043 and a class 429 five-segment set whose number escapes me at present, standing by to work the joint HLB24966/24968 service to Marburg and Siegen, with the train being split at Gießen and the two sets then departing in opposite directions for the remainder of their trips.
     
    Although I do miss the looks of the buffers on the VIAS and HLB sets – which the Swiss FLIRTs have, as well as the small number of DB AG sets operating in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – they do look sharp, I must say. Interestingly, HLB chose to have their FLIRTs equipped with rear view mirrors – which, if nothing has changed without my knowing about it, but may only be used while trains are not moving under current German railway laws and thus may only be folded out at stations – just like the SBB sets, while VIAS preferred external cameras, which you can spot just at the edge of the blue and green trim stripes above the windows.
  14. 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.
  15. NGT6 1315
    Morning all!
     
    Long time no see on here but now, the engineering works campaign going on this summer yielded a traffic pattern sufficiently out of the usual to merit a blog post. I should also mention I gladly volunteered for this specific service and have been booked on corresponding shifts several times, so I may also amend this post with additional photos!
     
    The engineering project I was referring to concerns track renewal and water piping renewal at Lindenauer Markt and on Kuhturmstraße, scheduled to last from 27 June (meaning they're through the first day already) till and including 10 July. As a result, the western branches to Böhlitz-Ehrenberg and Miltitz of what ordinarily are Lines 7 and 15 plus Line 8's western branch to Grünau-Nord – the line sharing this part of its route with Line 15 – are, effectively, cut off from the rest of the network during this period.
     
    However, our network is still structured such to permit a replacement shuttle service merging said branches of Lines 7 and 15, on the strength of the old Leutzsch Depot still being in existence and workable. This depot had lost its role for regular revenue service in 2001 but as it was never disconnected from the network, has still proven useful for periods of engineering works on several occasions since that time – most importantly during the extensive refurbishment of Angerbrücke Depot which took place from 2003 till 11 June, 2005. During that period, Lines 3, 7, 8, 13 (now integrated with Line 3) and 15 had been supplied by Leutzsch.
     
    For greater clarity, I should like to link this track plan, courtesy of Christian Stade at gleisplanweb.eu and provided under CC-BY-NC-SA licence: Click. This means that, utilising the route through Odermannstraße – which is the small stretch between Demmeringstraße and Lützner Straße, but not highlighted as such in the track plan – we can provide a shuttle service on these two key routes in the west of the city.
     
    The traffic pattern is designed such that a temporary stop has been deployed at the intersection of Odermannstraße and Lützner Straße to allow short connecting walks to the rail replacement bus service to Angerbrücke, where said service connects to the remainder of Lines 7 and 15 on the other side of the engineering section.
     
    Furthermore, trams change back and forth between Lines 7 and 15 accordingly. Eastbound services coming from Miltitz as Line 15 run as "E" services on the stretch from Lindenau, Bushof (which is our principal bus depot) to Odermannstraße and hand off passengers to the bus service at the bus depot, while eastbound services coming from Böhlitz change to Line 15 at Odermannstraße and hand off citybound passengers there.
     

     
    As mentioned in my photo post about the farewell charter for NGT6 prototype 1302, Leutzsch Depot is located on Rathenaustraße in a quiet residential area highlighted by numerous Gründerzeit mansions dating to the late 19th and early 20th century. This would be the depot approach immediately outside the premises, with this area regularly served by Line 67 quarter buses, which reverse through the depot area. The stop seen here also is the final stop served by trams returning to this depot before entering the Home Loop around the old admin building, seen half-hidden by trees to the left.
     
    The points belonging to Leutzsch Depot are all manually set, requiring drivers to pay attention in order to prevent false routings. This is especially true if you should intend to sortie the depot out of tracks 10, 11, 13, 15 and 16, in which case you would enter the Home Loop clockwise and would have to watch how Point 233 – located roughly parallel to where the dark BMW is parked – is set. If it were set to Left, you would, essentially, commence wrong line operation!
     

     
    The Home Loop consists of an inner and outer loop, with only the outer loop being designated for operation at this time.
     

     
    The outbound end of the Home Loop and the tracks going out of the old open stabling area – designated tracks 1 through 7 – which but has had the OHLE removed and is now used only for storing retired Tatra cars.
     
     
     

     
    Looking at Point 233 from the facing end to illustrate the risk for embarrassment involved!
     
     
     

     
    The admin building is, theoretically, still workable, with one floor currently being leased to Deutsche Bahn.
     
     
     

     
    To begin my shift, I then had a pleasant walk of no more than 15 minutes along Rathenaustraße and up to the Rathaus Leutzsch stop where I would then book on.
     

     
    Intersection with Blüthnerstraße and Pfingstweide.
     

     
    In daytime, outbound services to Miltitz have a programmed dwell time of four minutes at Lützner/Merseburger Straße to allow the rail replacement buses – which terminate at Lindenau, Bushof – sufficient time to keep ahead and drop off connecting passengers…
     
     
     

     
    …and inbound services destined to cross over to Line 7 also have four minutes of dwell time at Lindenau, Bushof, where inbound rail replacement buses start their turns.
     
     
     

     
    The pair of 1347 "Zweinaundorf" and 1332 "Leutzsch" at Böhlitz-Ehrenberg – the borough where this terminus is located actually being historically called Gundorf…
     

     
    …and at Miltitz.
     
     
     

     
    The second shift half was conducted on 1338 "Lindenthal" and 1316 "Eutritzsch", with these two cars currently testing a revised door control programming and therefore needing to remain coupled.
     
     
     
    In between, my break took place at the Lindenau bus depot, which I had never been to before.
     

     
    L-IK 280, formerly Car 208, is a Hungarian-built Ikarus 280 type bendy bus from our historic inventory.
     
     
     

     
    12277/L-PW 452 is a Göppel go4city 12E all-electric bus currently being evaluated on Line 89, which due to its routing right through the largely pedestrianised city centre has been the first stomping ground for hybrid buses in Leipzig. Such buses are, obviously, well suited for pollution-sensitive areas where ridership numbers but do not make tram lines viable.
     
    This bus utilises a roof-mounted pantograph for opportunity charging en route, with a corresponding charging station being installed at Connewitz, Kreuz at the southern end of Line 89.
     
     
     

     
    L-NV 1760 is an IFA W 50 L based wrecker also based at Lindenau.
     
     
     

     
    it's also interesting to note that the Lindenau bus depot has, in fact, been a hybrid bus and tram depot originally and also comprised the main repair works up until the opening of Heiterblick in 1927. Buses have been stationed here since 1928.
     

     
    The remaining tracks have been disconnected from the Lützner Straße route since 2008.
     
    Anyway, so much for the moment. Circumstances permitting, I might, as mentioned further up, provide some additional photos of the "Western Shuttle" after my next shifts there. Thanks for reading!
  16. NGT6 1315
    Morning all!
     
    Only just had the time to prepare the following handful of images for posting, even though I took them around noon on Wednesday. They were all made at Frankfurt's Southern Station.
     
     
     

     
    The first snapshot of the day was 294 872 running light, most likely being headed for the intermodal yard at Eastern Station.
     
     
     

     
    A short time later, 185 266 came along with a mixed assortment of wagons up back...
     
     
     

     
    ...followed by this motor draisine with one flatcar each in front and up back.
     
     
     

     
    Then, 155 158 came in from Forsthaus Junction, most likely headed for the Spessart.
     
     
     

     
    And then there was 120 141 at the head of the EN 452 sleeper service from Moscow's Belorussky Terminal, which was composed of one Polish coach in the current PKP IC livery and RZD international coaches, matching the Central European loading gauge and fitted for changing bogies on the Polish-Belarusian border.
  17. NGT6 1315
    Morning all!
     
    I was thinking that I might just as well utilise this blog for also posting trip reports centred on other tram systems aside from my usual front line dispatches, as I felt this approach might be well suited for allowing a comparative view of technical specifics and operational parameters in other cities.
     
    So, may I just start with a photo strip from my recent visit to Frankfurt, where I was also able to try out my new camera which had arrived just the day before we left for our trip!
     
    With roughly 717,000 residents, public transport in Frankfurt must by definition be extensive, and aside from the suburban railway lines (and, by extension, all other regional railway lines touching the city) is mainly based on the light rail lines – for simplicity referred to as underground – on a route length of 65 km as of 2016, and the tram system of roughly the same length. Tram and light rail do have several connecting points and share the main technical parameters except for platform heights and car width.
     

     
    Travelling east on Bruchfeldstraße, S Type tram 222 was working Line 15 from Haardtwaldplatz in Niederrad to Southern Station. These trams are related to our NGT12, also being Bombardier Flexity Classic derivatives.
     
     
     

     
    228 is one of several S Types advertising for the Phantasialand theme park, and is seen here working Line 21 for the Stadium. The S Type trams were procured from 2003 till 2007, providing a 420 kW power output and offering space for 115 seated and 64 + 6 standing passengers.
     

     
    I also took a bit of time for a somewhat more professional look at other technical aspects such as signalling. Point control is, I understand, performed through RF transmission, with two types of point signals existing. This here is the newer variant with just one signal chamber, with the usual "arrowhead" symbols formed by independent line sections. This signal for Point 3803 W 21 can show Straight and Right, with point lock indicated by the base line (at the open end of the arrowhead) lighting up.
     
    By contrast, our point signalling practice in Leipzig is based on the idea that points can be set left or right only, and point lock being indicated by an X symbol (properly referred to as W 0) in the chamber atop those with the arrowhead symbols, which in turn are referred to as W 12 for Right and Locked and W 13 for Left and Locked. Also, here in Leipzig, we only utilise the W 12 and W 13 aspects with base lines, but not the variants without base line which are designated W 2 and W 3 for Right and Left respectively.
     

     
    The older type of point signal used in Frankfurt does look similar to our point signals, with the above exceptions. I noticed points take noticeably longer to set, thereby also yielding a span of at least one second for the point signal to change aspects after point setting. I understand this is deliberate to ensure drivers paying proper attention to point setting.
     
     
     

     
    At Stresemannallee/Gartenstraße, 251, advertising for the city friendship of Frankfurt and Tel Aviv, is waiting for the route while working Line 12 from Rheinlandstraße in Schwanheim to Hugo-Junkers-Straße in Fechenheim.
     
     
     

     
    R Type tram 025 on Line 15 for Southern Station passes 238 on Line 16 for Ginnheim.
     
     
     

     
    231 advertises for Huawei mobile devices and is seen here working Line 17 from Neu-Isenburg to the Rebstock Spa.
     
     
     

     
    The very first of its kind: R Type tram 001 on Line 21 for Mönchhofstraße. These cars were quite innovative when they were first procured in 1993, with a second batch having followed in 1997. Offering a 100% low floor configuration on the strength of independent wheel running gears with eight 50 kW hub motors on the outer running gears, the R Type suffered from poor reliability for many years and required extensive readjustments to obtain acceptable operational stability. These trams were built by Siemens/Duewag, thus having many similarities to our NGT8s in interior appearance and cab design specifically.
     

     
    R Type car 014 was working Line 16 that day. Twenty-six of the R Types have been refurbished by this time, with this refurbishment mainly comprising a new passenger information system and interior styling similar to that of the S Types.
     

     
    S Type 222 was on Line 15 to Haardtwaldplatz. These cars are MU capable, which is usually made use of for Line 20 specials to the Stadium for football matches and other major events there.
     

     
    208 is sitting at the platform at the Neu-Isenburg loop. The tram line terminates at the city limits, though suggestions and encouragements for extending it into Neu-Isenburg proper keep reappearing.
     

     
    The Neu-Isenburg route passes through the forest in the south of Frankfurt. Here, 232 is calling at the Oberschweinstiege stop.
     

     
    The "Cider Express" or "Ebbelwei-Express" in German is a tourist and city tour line worked with suitably refurbished K Type motor cars and k type trailers, originally built from 1949 till 1955 and representing the last four-wheel tram stock procured for Frankfurt. One set is seen here on Diesterwegplatz right outside Southern Station.
     
     
     

     
    At Southern Station, Line 15 reverses in a stub on Hedderichstraße. Here, 227 is moving out of that stub for its next trip to Haardtwaldplatz.
     

     
    R Type 035 is travelling along Brückenstraße on a Line 14 service for Louisa Station.
     
     
     

     
    This is the Haardtwaldplatz loop at the western end of Line 15, with 011 sitting at the arrival point.
     
    On Sunday, I then dedicated some time to revisiting the light rail lines. Having ridden up to Ginnheim on Line 16…
     

     
    …where the pair of U5-50 cars 831/832 was standing by for a trip on Line U1 to Southern Station. This pair of LRVs advertises for the TuS Makkabi sports association.
     
     
     

     
    The "A Route" lines U1, U2, U3, U8 and U9 are supplied by Heddernheim Depot, where numerous LRVs were stabled on this quiet morning. The formation in the middle between the two U5 Type sets is a mixed formation of U4 and U5 Type stock, with these types having been given cross-type compatibility. The U4 car seen here at the head of that formation is 529, with the cab A/C rooftop pods being easily visible.
     
     
     

     
    This pair of U5-25 stock on Line U2 was headed by 630. The U5 Stock cars were ordered in two-cab and back to back single-cab versions, designated U5-25 and U5-50 respectively. These LRVs are Bombardier Flexity Swift derivatives, and therefore distantly related to our NGT12s and Frankfurt's S Type.
     

     
    Two U5 Stock sets passing each other, with 810 leading on the inbound U3 service and 621 trailing on the outbound U1 service.
     
     
     

     
    814 is in the lead on this U8 service travelling inbound from Riedberg.
     

     
    Riedberg is a borough almost entirely developed from scratch, and located in the north of Frankfurt. In addition to Line U8 travelling along the A Route trunk, Line U9 is set up to work the tangential Ginnheim – Nieder-Eschbach relation, and usually booked with single U4 or U5 type cars.
     
     
     

     
    And to round off this photo strip, 819 leads this U8 service for Southern Station, with the reversing stub for U8 services being located further in the background beyond the platforms.
  18. NGT6 1315
    On a totally different note: railcolor.net now has a section dedicated to a pair of new electric Co'Co' configured locomotive types from Romania. These were designed by a company called Softronic, as a collaborative effort with well-known loco builder Electroputere and other partners. Mechanically, they are based on the 060 EA type locos - now known as class 40 after a couple of refits - of old, but feature either synchronous or asynchronous three-phase AC motors and other modern technology. They are known by the names of "Phoenix" and "Trans Montana" respectively.
     
    Click
     
    I'm not quite decided whether I like the extravagant styling on the body fronts, but I do think it is an interesting concept. Assuming they are indeed drawing on proven technology, this may well be an advantage.
  19. NGT6 1315

    Baby Squealer

    By NGT6 1315,

    Afternoon all!
     
    This is just a quick snapshot I took on my way to uni...
     
     

     
    Having shown class 425 EMUs on various occasions before, I can now introduce you to their "baby" sized variant as well, which is called class 426. Superficially, this type looks more or less like two class 425 cab segments stuck together, though of course various bits of equipment but are arranged differently. The two outer bogies are powered. They can be operated in multiples with 425s with no problem, though if memory serves multiples consisting of more than four 426s only are subject to a 120 kph speed restriction due to the short distance between pantographs.
     
    These here were 426 001, another 426 and one 425 working the RE 15012/15112 service to Marburg and Dillenburg, which are split at Gießen.
     
    For the sake of comparison – this is a 425:
     
     

     
  20. NGT6 1315
    Afternoon all .
     
    Been lucky again today, as you'll be able to see from the following photos which I took while I was out running a couple of errands .
     
    Coming to the upper level of Frankfurt Central Station, I noticed what was looking like a "Crease" bodied class 110 electric at the head of an IC rake, which is pretty unusual nowadays! Looking more closely, I noticed it actually was 113 268, and thus something even more special...
     
    Back in the 1960s, the Bundesbahn was meaning to revive the famous "Rheingold" and "Rheinpfeil" luxury trains which had originally been introduced in 1928. Of course, it most definitely was to be hauled by what were the Bundesbahn's motive power flagships at the time, namely the class E 10 electrics. However, they were not certified for the 160 kph top speed which the new Rheingold was to have, which was why a special variant of the E 10 was ordered. The first batch comprised six engines which were fitted with newly designed high speed bogies by Henschel, and delivered in 1962 and 1963. Two additional batches followed in 1963/64 and 1968; however, only the 2nd batch was fitted with Henschel bogies as well, while the 3rd was given slightly modified standard production bogies. The new engines were designated as the E 10.12 subseries, or class 112 from 1968 onwards.
     
    In the second half of the 1980s, the 3rd batch 112s with modified production bogies were found to suffer from excessive wear around the bogies and gearboxes, as the bogies were apparently not really suitable for prolonged 160 kph operation after all. These engines were thus restricted to 140 kph, and redesignated as class 114 in 1988. After German reunification, the former East German class 212 electrics then were to be redesignated as class 112, for which reason the original Bundesbahn 112s were in turn redesignated as class 113.
     
    In the early 90s, the remaining 113s were then found to be suffering from material fatigue as well, and restricted to 120 kph. This of course made them unsuitable for IC services, and led to them being reallocated from Hamburg to Munich, where they then worked semi-fast and stopping services on the Mittenwald Railway. Meanwhile, the condition of the 114s had continued to deteriorate, resulting in them first being restricted to 120 kph and then their complete withdrawal when it was found the speed restriction did not help.
     
    However, the 113s were to have a better fate, as it was decided to replace the faulty components and have them re-certified for 160 kph to avoid a shortage of motive power. Today, the remaining 113s have been allocated to DB AutoZug, who mainly use them on sleeper and Motorail services, as well as reserve units for replacement IC services.
     
     

     
    However, let's first start with an appetizer, right? Here, diesel shunter 363 679 is moving in to remove the coaches from 113 268, with the now-disused old signal box for Frankfurt Central Station in the background. Is it just me or wouldn't this building make for a good place to live - for a railfan at least?
     
     
     
     

     
    Currently, those platform canopies which have not been rebuilt yet are, in fact, being replaced at long last! Kind of amazing that I should live to see this happen...
     
     
     
     

     
    And here she is, shunting out for her well-earned rest B) . The Henschel bogies can be most easily recognized from the secondary suspension springs.
     
     
    And a few detail shots:
     
     
     

     
     
     

     
     

     
    She's had her last overhaul completed on 29 July 2008 at the Rummelsburg works (abbreviated as BRGB) in Berlin, according to these inscriptions. The inscription for the handbrake weights (2x 12 tonnes) actually are a recent addition - interesting that even older engines like the 110 or 111 should be given them.
     
     
     
    Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed these photos!
  21. NGT6 1315
    Afternoon all!
     
     
    You might remember my having posted the following photo on 14 July...
     
     

     
    As I outlined at that time, these are two of the four 7th batch class 420 EMUs which have been transferred from Stuttgart to Frankfurt several months ago.
     
    During the first several weeks, these four units - 420 425, 428, 429 and 430 - were diagrammed only on peak hour services on the S8 line, and only found in "pure" formations. However, they have since been put onto the normal service rosters for those lines which still see class 420 services. Lines S7, S8 and S9 are almost exclusively class 420 territory, with a few peak hour services on the S1 and S2 lines also being worked by 420s every now and then.
     
    This past Saturday I finally got around to actually riding a pair of these after I was given a hint that they might be found on the S7 line that day. So, I rode a complete turn down to Riedstadt-Goddelau and back to Frankfurt Central Station, and took a few detail shots...
     
     
     

     
    There still are a few traces hinting to where these four units were originally used, such as this advertisement for the DB Regio Baden-Württemberg customer service help desk.
     
     
     

     
    The interior is different from that on the 1st to 6th batch 420s in several details. The baggage racks over the seats are different, consisting of a sturdy wire mesh rather than metal bars, and the grab rails around the doors and in the seating bays have a different outline. Likewise, the ceiling includes butterscotch panels over the doors, and the lighting is more pleasant, in my impression. The four 7th batch units which are now part of the Frankfurt fleet actually belong to a small sub-series, informally called "Batch 7a", which were specially furnished for airport services and have additional fold-down seating bays towards the inner ends of the coaches to accommodate a larger amount of baggage.
     
     
     

     
    The doors, of course, are among the most visible differences. While sliding pocket doors were installed on the first six batches, plug doors were used on the 7th and 8th batch sets. They are pneumatically powered - like the earlier sliding doors - and give off a satisfying double WHAM when closing .
     
     
     

     
    There is a window in the inner cab door, which also has a roller blind fitted in case the driver should not feel like anybody gawking over his shoulder. I'm not sure what the story might be with this specific door - it looks like the window was kind of relocated from one end of it to the other .
     
     
     

     
    A closer look at the door portal, with the emergency door release handle on top and the shutter button below. That's another advantage on the 7th and 8th batch 420s - you can easily close the doors in cold weather by pushing and holding the button till the door is fully closed (it reopens when you release the button before), which was more difficult and required more muscle on the previous six batches.
     
     
     

     
    And a look at the inscriptions around the cab on the other end car of 420 425 . As you can see, the set had its last revision completed on 16 July this year. The end cars have 2nd class seating only ("B"), 63 seats, are 23.3 metres long, weigh in at 52 tonnes and have a braking weight of 68 tonnes. The braking gear is a normal unified Knorr type ("KE", Knorr-Einheitsbremse) with setting "R" only, automatic load adjustment ("A") and electrodynamic brake ("E"). The brakes are based around cheek disks on all wheels (the "D" meaning "disk brakes") and the units are fitted with emergency brake overrides (the "handle" icon) and ECP controls.
     
    The other unit in this formation was 420 429.
  22. NGT6 1315

    Red and white...

    By NGT6 1315,

    ...might be a doubly suitable tag line for this photo which I took this morning on my way to uni...
     
     
     

    This is 111 100, standing by to work the RE 4559 service to Mannheim. For reasons unknown to me, the train had been brought by 110 456, which but then was uncoupled to stay in Frankfurt, and eventually shunted out after this service had departed. As the loco is coupled in front of the driving trailer, German operating rules specify that the forward pantograph is to be used whenever possible, to avoid grit and sparks from the carbons dirtying up and possibly damaging the driving trailer's windscreen.
  23. NGT6 1315

    Lady in Black...

    By NGT6 1315,

    This evening at Frankfurt Central:
     
     

     
    MRCE Dispolok engine ES 64 U2-001/182 501 getting under way with IC 2297 to Stuttgart Central. There currently are six MRCE ES 64 U2s under lease by the DB in order to augment their long distance motive power fleet, in light of the ongoing issue with the ICE-T and ICE 3 types being subject to significantly shortened maintenance cycles. The engines in question are ES 64 U2-001, 026, 030, 036, 061 and 072.
     
    Yes, I do think this here certainly was not the perfect photo spot. However, I had little choice - in fact, I first rode down the line to Darmstadt to check out a couple of locations, which but were not really suitable either, owing to OHLE masts and stuff being in the way. Oh well!
  24. NGT6 1315
    ...taken around noon at Frankfurt Central Station:
     
     
     

     
    Diesel shunter 363 219 is pulling out a non-push-pull InterCity rake from track 21...
     
     
     

     
    ...which had been brought in by engine 120 156, which shunted out to the stabling area a few moments after the coaches had been removed.
  25. NGT6 1315

    Winding down...

    By NGT6 1315,

    Well - suitcases are mostly packed, and at noon today we'll be boarding our train back home. This holiday did pass quicker than I would have liked...
     
    But anyway - a last small trip around the city was on the agenda yesterday .
     
     
     

     
     
    I first headed up to the Trade Fair Centre Railway Station, but found it to be only moderately suitable for photography due to the placement of signals and OHLE masts as well as soundproof walls. The only locations where you can reasonably take any photos are the cityside platform ends, which is where I was standing here. The train in this image is a Stadler Regio-Shuttle type DMU owned by private TOC Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn, carrying the vehicle number VT 013 and working the MRB87486 service to Delitzsch unterer Bahnhof - "unterer" being written out in all CAPITAL LETTERS on the destination board . The silver livery does fit the winter landscape quite well, I would think!
     
     
     

     
    Heading back to the city, I briefly dropped off at Georg-Herwegh-Strasse on the outskirts of the borough of Wiederitzsch and captured NGT12 set 1209 "Hamburg" on its way to the Trade Fair Centre.
     
     
     

     
    And finally I headed over to Thekla in the northeast of the city where there is a reversing loop for the tram. This place is usually served by tram line 9 only, but urgent bridge repair works recently led to the temporary shortening of some bus lines, which the LVB chose to compensate by extending the 1 line beyond its normal terminus at Mockau Post. Thus, Tatra car 2124 could be seen here heading a "Großzug" on the 1 line and waiting at the end of the loop at Thekla.
     
    I believe the next time we'll visit Leipzig I will try and find out some additional photo spots around the railway, which I feel I have neglected a bit so far.
     
    Well, that's that, then - I hope you all enjoyed my updates from Leipzig over the past two weeks!
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