Another jump into the archives. In November 1999, TUC RAIL finished work on re-building the Hammerbrücke, located on the classic railway line connecting Liège and Aachen. On November 5th, stabilizing runs were organised on the second track, right before entry into service. For these runs, a certain amount of tonnage had to pass over the newly laid tracks. This can be done with loaded ballast … Continue reading New Hammerbrücke
Summer 2020 was a strange one. We had booked our vacation a few months before, when things were still called normal. Situation stabilised right on time, and we were lucky to be able to enjoy our yearly holiday in Italy. In Tuscany, the trains between Firenze and Siena are still run with the last survivors of the D.445 series diesel locomotives. A visit to the … Continue reading Dinosaur hunt
Through the fog I managed to find a way to the bridge over the outer end of the Zandeken yard. An earlier attempt to photograph the train in the fog failed completely, as the train was just not visible. Close to the bridge, visibility was a lot better. The 77 series loco will pull the train to Gent-Zeehaven, where an electric loco will take over … Continue reading Dirty new concrete
After a refreshing night in Usti Nad Labem, in a hotel probably dating from the communist era, I checked out the immediate surroundings of the city’s main station. I didn’t have to wait a long time to see a cargo train cross the river. It is hauled by a Skoda 57E2 locomotive, dating from 1971, in the color scheme of Czech Railways’ cargo division. Vetruse … Continue reading Coal over the water
With the tower of the Riddarholmskyrkan in the background, a C20 type subway train of Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, the company responible for managing Stockholm’s subway system; is headed towards the city’s main train station. Continue reading Urban Stockholm
You can’t always have drinks on a terrace in between visits when it’s sunny, right? Not always, indeed, so I found myself next to the tracks for a little while, while my girlfriend was chilling out along the water. South of Stockholm’s train station is a bridge over the water, right before the tracks dive into a tunnel. I didn’t stay that long, really, but … Continue reading Some variation in the breaks
By the time I got to the Ruhr area, I only got to check out the Duisburg-Hochfeld railway bridge, where I ended my previous visit. It’s an interesting structure, mainly because of the original 1870’s bridgehead standing next to the bridge currently in use. DB’s 185 192 is crossing the Rhine river with an intermodal train, probably heading south. There are so many lines running … Continue reading Historic bridges
On my way to the Ruhr area, I stopped in Sint-Martens-Voeren again. There was another photo I wanted to make of the viaduct, and weather conditions where such that it could become an interesting image. This photo is the result. While some people are standing outside, waiting a train, most of the people in the village try to stay warm, judging by the smoke plumes … Continue reading Looking cold
I shot a few more different angles of the viaduct before heading back to the car. As is too often the case, another train came while I was preparing to leave. A quick sprint, as only a railfan who just heard a train can produce it, resulted in this photo. I didn’t think it would work out at first… but once edited I found this … Continue reading Last-minute perspective
Railscapes 