The Tehachapi loop is spectacular to see, but the line between Bakersfield and Mojave still has a lot more to offer. It runs almost completely through a mountainous area. There seems to be no meter of straight track on the line. A lot of tunnels were needed to conquer the pass. They are identified by a number, counting up from Bakersfield. Here an eastbound train … Continue reading Tunnels and curves
1 day. That’s what it takes to get from Brussels to the west coast of the United States. The flight brought my friend and I safely to San Francisco International Airport. I recommend visiting San Francisco, it’s a nice city. I visited a couple of years ago already though, and the longing for adventure in the wide open was too strong… so after getting our … Continue reading The loop
Not all people find sitting next to the water and waiting for a train a relaxing way of spending your time. Take for exaple the people on the right of the photo, wondering what the weird guy (me, in this case) is doing just waiting there. Never mind, I took my time looking for a viewpoint north of the Pont des Allemands, on the left bank of … Continue reading Feeling looked at
The sun was finally out and shining from a non-optimal angle, so looking for another viewpoint in the same area was the least preferable option. I decided to head to the viaduct in Visé. When arriving at the car, I heard a rumble that couldn’t possibly be a passenger train. And that’s how I got a photo just past the curve of Alt-Hoeselt. B-Logistics’ 2829 is pulling an empty … Continue reading And when you decide to leave…
The quest for some freight trains brought me a bit further south, in Alt-Hoeselt. I parked the car close to the, by insiders well-known, curve and started walking. I didn’t quite find what I was looking for, so this Crossrail train became a “panic” shot. On the photo you can judge the gradient, and thus understand why the loco is spitting out a lot of … Continue reading Enjoying an evening walk
Working full time and making photos of trains during daytime are most compatible during the summer months. I try to plan a couple of days that I can leave work a bit earlier than usual to hit the road. To maximize the time outside, I keep the distances limited. On July 2nd of 2015, I spent an evening along line 24. The evening started in Hoeselt, on the part … Continue reading Ducking low for the steel train
Strolling over the beach in the last sun of the day and eating some sea-born food on a small terrace. That’s what jumped into my mind when thinking of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Unfortunately, Boulogne turned out to be a rather big city, thus popping the daydream. It is the endpoint of the Paris – Boulogne trains though, so I decided to check out the station instead. The SNCF … Continue reading Colorful corails
For the last train of the day, I chose this viewpoint from on top of a bridge in Noyelles-sur-Mer. The plains in the back lead to the famous natural reserve Baie de Somme. SNCF 67455, Noyelles-Sur-Mer 13.6.2015 The Amiens – Boulogne line looks promising. I’ve seen some interesting spots that I’ll definitely try when I have some time to go out there again. I’m thinking … Continue reading Thinking of next time
The cloudy day had now definitely turned into a nice sunny day. I found this spot north of Noyelles-sur-Mer. This town is the starting point of the Baie de Somme railway. I could hear their train running closeby… but definitely wanted to wait for the train to Paris. While waiting, I also met a friendly couple. The husband used to watch trains at this exact … Continue reading Opportunities
In June 2015, I visited the line between Amiens and Boulogne-sur-Mer for the first time. Carrying timetables of the locomotive-hauled intercity services, all I would have to do was finding decent spots. Exploring the line for the very first time, means looking a lot… and also missing some interesting trains, unfortunately. On the moment I found a good spot, the train had passed 5 minutes … Continue reading Underestimated
Railscapes 