Fostoria, OH is one of those rare places on this planet where three double track lines cross each other. Well known for the railway history the small town in the middle of the Midwest is still a busy place when it comes to train traffic. In 2009 I came down here to watch trains for the very first time. Back then the abandoned Amtrak depot still had its platforms but the rail park has not been developed. In the meantime…
continuing my train watching experience in the Midwest I follow the CSX line from NWI East towards Ohio. Today was pretty wet and chilly. But that does not stop the avid rail fan from following the trains. At another favorite hotspot of mine near Kimmel, IN I encountered a long merchant freight train. It featured an (at least for me) unusual consist of only one locomotive at the spot and another one in the middle of the train. Kind of…
This year”s vacation takes me bak to the US Midwest. The goal is to meet old friends, visit familiar places as well as watch some American Trains in action. When I lived in Northwest Indiana (NWI), Chesterton, IN was one of my favorite train watching spots. When I returned I found out that a train watching platform has been installed. They have even a caboose on display as well as an old box car converted to restrooms and painted in…
Working for the Austrian railways “ÖBB” gets me closer to the beloved trains. Today I had the chance to meet #1 of the 2070 class switcher just as it left the shops after an overhaul in St. Pölten, Lower Austria. The engine has been built in 2000 and will serve in yard work as well as light freight operations for many more years to come.
Not far to the North of Vienna resides the railway museum “Das Heizhaus”which is the railroader’s term for engine house in Austria. It is one of the two big railway museums in Austria (the other one is ÖGEG Lokpark in Ampfelwang in Upper Austria). Since 1984 the enthusiasts of 1.öSEK take care of the widespread area that once resembled the last engine terminal to handle mainline steam engines for ÖBB (till 1978)- Between April and October of each year the…
It was a pretty busy summer for me this year. I relocated to Vienna and moving took quite some efforts with merging all the belongings into one place. Luckily I finally settled in and now it is time for watching some trains this fall. One of my favorite lines in Austria is Semmering pass. Not only is this stretch of track famous for being the oldest train line crossing the Alps but it also features gorgeous scenery! Add fall colors…
The British are well known for their restored heritage rail lines. The early advent of the steam engine as well as the general interest in preserving historical artifacts led to a vibrant collection of steam operated railways all over the U.K. The Bluebell Railway is maybe on of the best known featuring big, mainline steam action. Having seen this line featured on clips on Youtube, I decided to make it a destination on my tour. A little bit of history The Bluebell Railway…
This summer”s train watching tour takes me to England. Having visited the island last time in 2004, a trip to the homeland of railroading was overdue indeed. For the seven days I will travel to mostly train related places near London as well as check out a museum further up north. London Like most capitals, London is a major hub for railways and a good place for rail enthusiast to be. My favorite spot is Clapham Junction– the busiest station in Britain…
The joy and fun of train buffs is to hunt down the last survivors of a locomotive class. I got lucky with one of those still operating in the Austrian Railway (ÖBB) roster this weekend. 1142.682 is the last one in it’s class operating in the blood-orange paint scheme with three ivory-white trim lines, four doors as well as big head lights. I recently saw this machine with rapid trains between Linz and Graz, especially on Intercity 600 reaching Linz Hbf at 6:48pm. So…
Many people have visiting man made marvels on their bucket list. Walking the Great Wall in China, check Paris form the observation deck of the Eifel tower or climb the presidential trail towards the sculptures of Mount Rushmore. For me, seeing the the Franklin & South Manchester Railway, created by George Sellios was ranked high on my must-see list for years. Finally on a nice Saturday in June 2106 the dream became true and I visited the F&SM! A Landmark Layout George…