Roger Pound
Western Thunderer
September 2011 was the occasion of my last visit to Germany and I had a pleasant visit to the Rhineland, based in Bonn. I spent a fair bit of time doing a video at the station, plus some stills too, which I saved on to my lap-top. No doubt many members have visited this area, but for those who haven't or may have a passing interest I thought the following photos of the track layout at the north end of the station and a brief description of the working may be of interest, together with a few other items.
This shows a general view of the approach from the Koln direction. A dmu is approaching on a terminating service on a bi-directional track. The track immediately to the right is to a platform which is the principle one used for southbound passenger services. The lines to the right are nominally for south-bound traffic , but used bi-directionally - see later - and the far one - a greyish shade and recently relaid, is for all north bound traffic. My use of 'north' and 'south' may not be entirely geographically accurate, but is purely for clarification.
This picture looks south from the same point on the platform as the one above. It shows the line branching off to run through the platforms on the right and this route is the one taken by southbound freight trains. The main line runs along side the platform upon which I was standing for passenger trains calling at Bonn and heading towards Remagen and Koblenz, et al. The telephoto effect does make the curve appear rather sharp, but in fact the speed at which the trains negotiate the real thing has to be seen to be believed at times.
This shows one of the ubiquitous Br 101 locos propelling a southbound express service in the main platform.
The other side of this island platform, which one might have reasonably expected to receive the southbound services in actual fact, during my visits to the station, saw only a couple of regular 'customers'. One was a dmu which terminated on arrival from the Remagen direction, the unit then proceeding 'ecs' northwards, no doubt to be serviced. The other working was an ICE of the original type which terminated and then returned to Berlin, from whence it came. The picture illustrates one such afternoon ICE working. I regret I only have the dmu working on video.....
.
And one of the other end, just for fun.......
Just to round the scene off, north- or Koln bound traffic used the one main line by the main platform, whether it was passenger or freight. Freight certainly went through at a rate of knots, too. Passenger services all seemed to stop at the station and below is a picture of what could typically be seen. I must admit, though, the driver of Br 101-109-7 was very enthusiastic washing the locomotive windscreen!
I hope this has been of interest - thanks for looking.
Roger
.
This shows a general view of the approach from the Koln direction. A dmu is approaching on a terminating service on a bi-directional track. The track immediately to the right is to a platform which is the principle one used for southbound passenger services. The lines to the right are nominally for south-bound traffic , but used bi-directionally - see later - and the far one - a greyish shade and recently relaid, is for all north bound traffic. My use of 'north' and 'south' may not be entirely geographically accurate, but is purely for clarification.
This picture looks south from the same point on the platform as the one above. It shows the line branching off to run through the platforms on the right and this route is the one taken by southbound freight trains. The main line runs along side the platform upon which I was standing for passenger trains calling at Bonn and heading towards Remagen and Koblenz, et al. The telephoto effect does make the curve appear rather sharp, but in fact the speed at which the trains negotiate the real thing has to be seen to be believed at times.
This shows one of the ubiquitous Br 101 locos propelling a southbound express service in the main platform.
The other side of this island platform, which one might have reasonably expected to receive the southbound services in actual fact, during my visits to the station, saw only a couple of regular 'customers'. One was a dmu which terminated on arrival from the Remagen direction, the unit then proceeding 'ecs' northwards, no doubt to be serviced. The other working was an ICE of the original type which terminated and then returned to Berlin, from whence it came. The picture illustrates one such afternoon ICE working. I regret I only have the dmu working on video.....
.And one of the other end, just for fun.......
Just to round the scene off, north- or Koln bound traffic used the one main line by the main platform, whether it was passenger or freight. Freight certainly went through at a rate of knots, too. Passenger services all seemed to stop at the station and below is a picture of what could typically be seen. I must admit, though, the driver of Br 101-109-7 was very enthusiastic washing the locomotive windscreen!
I hope this has been of interest - thanks for looking.
Roger
.
.)
I used to visit Koln annually for Photokina in the 1980s and early '90s. My abiding memory is ascending the cathedral with five apfelstrudels in my bag before taking the flight home. Mrs D had asked me to get some to take home for two sprogs, her and me. I couldn't for the life of me remember the German for four so went for funf. Then there was the cheese, but that's another story (and another country) entirely.