The past few days have been very sunny and warm. Apart from working in the garden, this is also good weather for spending some time along the tracks. Tuesday evening after work I rushed to Hoeselt. I didn’t expect much, but I found out that HSL Belgium’s 186 383 was scheduled for a train to Antwerp. After parking the car though, I saw that a … Continue reading A colorful evening
This is a place I keep returning to, because it’s just so much fun. To get there you have to climb up a hill, find a way between walls and bushes, and concentrate to get your gear up in one piece. A mini-adventure so to say, and I prefer it this way. It’s one reason why I love this hobby so much. The hill offers … Continue reading Mini-adventure
Way too early I got out of bed to see the sun rise over the hills surrounding the valley in Boppard am Rhein. Even though I had to take a few naps on the way here I made it way on time. I’m often too optimistic when it comes to sunrises, resulting in me being actually way on time. See where a healthy dose of … Continue reading Where a healthy dose of optimism can get you
On april 3rd 2016, commercial operation started on the second phase of LGV-Est. High speed trains from Paris to Strasbourg could from then on run at high speed until Vendenheim, where the LGV connects to the classic network. SNCF and SNCB now expect people travelling to Strasbourg to to use Thalys and TGV trains, with a transfer in Paris. For that purpose the classic international … Continue reading Last time in style to Switzerland
This is the last spot of the afternoon already: freight train traffic was scarce. A northbound intermodal train runs through the town of Braubach. “through” has to be taken literally here: it passes right in front of the houses. Considering this is one of the busiest freight lines in Germany, you can understand why inhabitants of the villages are complaining about noise. Let’s hope authorities … Continue reading A railfan’s dream house
A spot I keep returning to is this one close to Kamp-Bornhofen. Is it because of a previous time when I missed this same train hauled by a black class 66 engine? I had taken a group photo using the camera’s timer a few moments before, and had forgotten to turn it off. And you only notice it when pressing the shutter button results in … Continue reading About beeps and clicks
An afternoon shooting trains along the Rhine river with my good friend Eurorailer started in Boppard. We mainly saw intercity trains, no freight. The sun was there fortunately, bathing the winefields in a warm glow and preparing the grapes for wineyear 2016. Continue reading Where the wine is growing
It was a beautiful spring evening that I wanted to enjoy until the end, before the 2 hour drive back home. So I watched the sun set, the occasional passing train covering it. A quiet, enjoyable moment to finish an intensive day full of discoveries. Continue reading Solar eclipse
With the end of the day approaching, my two very kind photo-colleagues took me to a spot in Bösinghoven. The wide open plain allowing for long light, and making you basically forget you’re in the heart of Germany’s heavy industry. We saw more NordWestBahn Lint41 motorcars, a Talent 2 electric unit operated by National Express, and one freight train. Someone forgot to put containers on … Continue reading The green heart of industry
I was out of inspiration as to where to photograph next. CFL1800 and Peter Gootzen kindly let me follow them to the station of Krefeld Linn. Standing on the platform we awaited a few trains – from the expected trains, one would be hauled by a recently repainted Ludmilla engine! The building on the left of the frame is an old signalling cabin, I think. … Continue reading Particular engines
Railscapes 