1976 is a sad, memorable year for the little town of Ottbergen in Germany because Deutsche Bundesbahn ceased steam operation in this area and therefore closed the BW (Bahnwek – engine terminal) which was kind of a last refuge for the big steamers of DB class 44. “Ottbergen” is as famous for German rail buffs as Cheyenne for US rail fans. The station of Ottbergen still exists but 40 years later the glory of big style railroading is definitely gone. You…
Today I kicked off the “Germany Tour- Fall ’16” with a ride from the home base in Linz, Austria to Paderborn. Why Paderborn in particular will be the topic of another post coming soon. The ride from Linz Hbf to Paderborn is an interesting trip as it’s quite typical for long distance rail travel in Germany. Two ICE trains took me across the approx. 480mi/770km distance in close to seven hours. That sounds not too impressing but that is still 68mph/110kmh average…
Hanging out in Linz Hbf (main station) in the morning hours still is an exciting endeavor- at least for rail fans. Despite the fact that more and more commuter as well as long distance rail operation is handled by MU sets, commuter train compositions with coach cars and heavy electrics still provide their share hauling people to and from work, school and the city. On my way to Vienna in order to attend the annual model and train show, I encountered electric switch…
Rail jets (RJ) are the Austrian contribution to European high speed rail travel. The train’s seven coaches are coupled to class 1116 and 1216 electro locomotives and operated by the Austrian Federal Railway- ÖBB in a push-pull mode on major routes in Austria as well as neighboring countries. 140 mph (230 km/h) top speed enable swift hops on new built lines between major cities in Middle Europe although there are still good chances to enjoy cruising historic tracks at a lower pace across mountain passes in these state…
Another famous Austrian cog-railway was target of my recent train watching trip in the beautiful “Salzkammergut” region at the border of Upper Austria and Salzburg. This line climbs from St. Wolfgang at the lake called (surprise!) Wolfgangsee up to the top of the mountain called “Schafberg” (Mount Sheep). It is the steepest of all Austrian cog lines and was opened in 1893. The railway still runs the original steam engines on Sundays in Summer but the daily, on nice days…
Before we go deeper into the specifics of today’s post I’d like to say sorry for being offline for some weeks. After finishing the US train watching tour I moved to Europe and it took me some time to settle in over here. But now I am “back on track” (literally)! Lovely Austria not only greets souls used to US pace a “life in slow-mo” but also is known for its awesome landscape. A 45 minute train ride from Vienna got…
The “High Line Park” can be regraded to be one of the best tourist attractions in Manhattan- and it’s a free one! The interested rail-fan is on one side happy that the trestle structure survived and got another life as an elevated park and on the other hand is sad to be “born too late” in order to experience operation on the old “West Side spur”. Nevertheless it is quite a nice walk from the Penn Station area down to Gansevoort street….
On the way from Toronto to New York City, Amtrak train #64 – “The Maple Leaf” gets its single locomotive (right) exchanged for a pair of P42s (lead engine far left). The action takes place in Albany, NY and I do not know if this is a common procedure- as the crew changes as well- or if the smoky exhaust on the engine that pulled the train out of Toronto was a sign for an overdue stop at the shops. Anyway, the short…
In Toronto I had the chance to experience the “classic” Canadian Light Rail Vehicles of the TTC in action. These cars, built in the 1980s are to be replaced by more modern units by now but delays in delivery of the Bombardier Felxity vehicles keeps the CLRVs and ALRVs moving- much to the delight of the rail and streetcar fans. Besides of other rail attractions in downtown like the Toronto Railway Museum and the bustling Union Station, I managed to visit…
VIA train #2 – The Canadian takes locals and tourists alike on a 4,466 km (2,775 mi) long journey across Canada from Vancouver, BC to Toronto, ON. Riding this train has been on my bucket-list for a long time and finally the dream became true. This is an exciting experience. VIA, the Canadian long distance passenger rail agency, kind of like Amtrak, leases trackage rights from CN. The stainless steel cars for the Canadian were built in the 1950s. VIA inherited then from CPR in…