NGT6 1315

As a follow-up to this trip report - here are two postings on Drehscheibe Online's historic board with images from the U3 line back in 1979:

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There also are several images of the battery/electric loco 2020 and the diesel loco 2018 working an excursion on this line - the latter engine being a WR 360 C 14 type shunter originally designed for the German Wehrmacht in WWII, which was later operated by both the West German Bundesbahn, East German Reichsbahn and several private railways. In case you're wondering why this diesel is fitted with a pantograph - this was needed for triggering signalling circuits whose contacts were attached to the OHLE.

Yes, these needs were factored in - toilets were available at Hohemark and Bommersheim .

While the tram and light rail network is built to standard gauge, it is not really compatible with the national railway network, though - things like wheel profiles and axle load limits precluding the use of most railway rolling stock on the VGF network. The U2 type cars were, to my knowledge, initially shipped to Frankfurt on their own wheels - though obviously hauled by DB locomotives - which but was abandoned when one of these transfer services derailed due to the different wheel profiles on the LRVs. Also, the OHLE system is different - 600 V DC versus 15 kV AC. Far as I know the VGF is planning to upgrade their network to 750 V as soon as the older light rail stock has been retired - all types which were procured from the 1990s onwards being prepared for 750 V already.

I have posted the second part of my report in the meantime .

Interesting bit of research here, Rich . I also noticed the two mystery workings 93029 and 93028, and while I cannot vouch for this statement being accurate for 2001 I had a look at a train number directory valid from 2005 onwards, which said that numbers in the range from 91300 to 98499 are reserved for "DB Netz, interne Kunden" - which I would interpret as being a reserve range for train numbers provided by DB Netz (the DB network branch, for readers who might not know this) which are allocated to things like locomotive positioning moves and other miscellanies by the various train operating branches from the DB family. If I should be able to find any additional or more precise information I will post it on here.

Great pictures and I see that some of the roads have been cleared perhaps some British councils / local authorities should take note.

Main roads have been cleared, yes - but side roads can be a very different story! Those paved with cobblestone can be quite tricky to walk and drive on in these weather conditions, too. However, I just saw a mini truck drive by on the sidewalk outside, clearing snow off it.

In many places even the trams did produce a rather impressive bow wave of slush, though. But of course they also had to drive more carefully, especially where tracks are laid into the street, using grooved rails.

Ted Gaffney appears to be Theodore J Gaffney, Executive Vice President of Beacon. You can just imagine him saying "it's my train, so I'll have my name on the side"... Vanity loco naming!

Thanks for the input . HHPI's other Sheds are named "Robert JG Savage" (29001), "Hans Cermak" (29002), "Rhoda Painter" (29003) and "Dave Meehan" (29004).

I must admit, I don't think i've ever ridden on a tram, nor seen one outside of museums.

Make sure you do ride one when you travel over to the Continent some day . And as a hint - Leipzig's a good place for it!

Thanks for your comment, Dave . I sure am enjoying my time here!

Today's been very sunny - but as I am typing this the sun is setting again. However, I made good use of it and went spotting around noon - and here's what I got for today...

I first rode down to Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz to the south of the historic city centre which is served by tram lines 2, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 11E. As the sun was just about in a perfect position, I then snapped NGT8 car 1125 "Thomas Müntzer" on the 9 line to Thekla with the "City-Hochhaus" in the background. This skyscraper, originally built for Leipzig University and designed to resemble either an open book or a crankshaft from a machine (there are two interpretations), has since been sold and is now used by public TV and radio broadcaster MDR, or Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk. It is also known as "Weisheitszahn" or "Uni-Riese" in reference to its original owner.

After that I proceeded down the street for a few hundred metres to the New City Hall (Neues Rathaus), which you can see in the background. This building was erected on the site of an old castle which was known as the Pleißenburg. In the foreground, Leoliner car 1310 "Volkmarsdorf" is working the 2 line to Lausen.

Having ridden back to Augustusplatz, Leoliner 1316 "Eutritzsch" with a promotional livery for its builder HeiterBlick came along on the 8 line to Miltitz...

...followed by NGT8 car 1103 "Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy" on the 4 line to Stötteritz. The "Paulinum", seen in the background and still under construction, has made quite a bit of progress since my last visit this summer.

And on my way home I captured NGT8 car 1150 "Carl Gustav Carus" with a promotional livery for Audi on the 10 line to Wahren.

On the Nuremberg-Munich RE stock...

 

Did they do something peculiar to the seats on these? I rode it on Oct 31st, in the Bpmbdzf, and found the cushions quite hard compared to the Bvmsz I rode a couple of days earlier. It was verging on being uncomfortable!

Only just spotted your comment - my apologies. I have not yet ridden the Nuremberg-Munich RE service myself and would have to ask others who have whether the stock for this service has been given, shall we say, "Regio" style seating. I mean, I can understand why the DB prefers to install vandalism-resistant and thus less comfortable seating in conductorless S-Bahn and regional stock, but would be surprised if they did so on the M??N??X.

As a follow-up on this item: The signal box is, basically, back on line; however, it would seem that no routes can be given for trains approaching or leaving Niederh?

I know the "impulsive buying" thing all too well, I can assure you. When I re-entered the hobby after a long phase of abstinence I, too, grabbed all kinds of rolling stock with little consideration whether the combination of it made much sense. In the meantime, however, I did develop a number of ideas for a possible future layout scenario, and try to limit my purchases to stuff I could use on at least one of those scenarios, should I get to start building one some day. Of course, there'll be some motive power I could reasonably and logically use on one scenario, but not the other, but that, too, is fine with me. After all, railway models do make for a pleasant sight even when sitting in the display cabinet only.

So - I do know the feeling of wanting to dive back into the hobby "by all means necessary", and that is basically what I wanted to express here .

And another correction on my part: The coaches built for the now-ceased "Metropolitan" service were capable of 220 kph, like the 101s. These coaches are now used for a number of standard IC services.

Forgot one little notice: Actually there is one DB engine with an even higher top speed than the 182. The engine in question is 103 222 which has been rebuilt as a departmental engine and is certified for 280 kph, using the modified bogies and gears from 103 118 which had been cleared for 250 kph. It is commonly used for inspection trains.

I like to play with Trainz. I picked up a full 2006 edition a couple of years back. It's not very good if you do the cab driver thing but as virtual model railway its the bee's!! Also there is a lot of community support and created items to add on. You can even make your own stock if you have the gumption!! Also pretty handy to try out track plans and stuff for real model railway!!

I also have a copy of Trainz stashed away somewhere, but was never fully satisfied with its stability.

Three additional images from Zusi, all taken on the West Rhine Railway - which I believe is one of the best routes available for it:

IC 433 from Luxembourg to Norddeich entering Koblenz Central Station where the train will be handed over from the class 181.2 electric - which is a 15/25 kV dual system engine capable of operating in France and Luxembourg - to a class 120 for the remainder of the trip. Engine changes are another nice feature available in Zusi.

And now for some freight - DGS 84014 from Basle to the Cologne-Eifeltor marshalling yard in a 80 kph restricted speed zone through a construction site just north of Bad Salzig...

...and just outside Boppard. The engine is a Swiss Re 421, which is a Re 420 with an additional equipment package for Germany, including a 1,950 mm head on one of the pantographs and the PZB and LZB train protection systems.

Can you help me translate it because its in german.

You mean the site itself? No problem - just let me know where you need help .

Well, no package from Austria . But on the plus side we rebuilt the playground for our rabbits.

Think I'll fix some tea now .

New trains stored waiting service (class 423s) reminds me of those class 317 "bedpan" units stored at Nottingham waiting to go into service on St Pancras - Bedford work.

How long have these been stored?

In this case though I think it was an industrial dispute.

Far as I know the 423s I mentioned were refused certification by the Federal Railway Authority for a couple of reasons, mostly involving safety devices around the doors. However, a solution has been found for that problem in the meantime, and all 423s already in service had an "optical grid" fitted to all doorways. Also, the door alarm, which had been used only in those cases where the driver had to close the doors centrally, has now been set to be active at all times, so whenever a door closes it goes beep, beep, beep. Somehow I would have preferred the door alarm from the Berlin S-Bahn, though!

Didn't realise the 101s were that quick. Presume there is hauled stock capable of similar speeds then ?

Actually there isn't - IC stock over here has a top speed of 200 kph. The only more or less conventional carriages capable of higher speeds I am aware of would be the Austrian "railjet" ones which are actually built for 230 kph to match the Taurus engines which haul them. However, far as I am aware the current maximum service speed of railjet services (railjet is officially written in lower case only) is just 200 kph - the increase to 230 kph being planned for 2010 or 2011, I think it was.