This section contains photos taken recently with some comments, a blog. These pictures also appear in their respective categories if there is an album yet.
Use the "Map This" button at the top right to see a map with the photo locations pointed out on it.
If you need help in finding places, or if you are visiting the area and would like some more input on places to go, drop me a line at pix [at] mtnsub [dot] org. (you know what to do with the 'at' and 'dot' thingies...)
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Use the "Map This" button at the top right to see a map with the photo locations pointed out on it.
If you need help in finding places, or if you are visiting the area and would like some more input on places to go, drop me a line at pix [at] mtnsub [dot] org. (you know what to do with the 'at' and 'dot' thingies...)
If you would like to follow this gallery using an RSS reader here's the link: RSS.
6-Jun-2013
Summer is finally here! This week temps topped 20 degrees for the first time this year. I picked a Thursday to spend a few hours shooting trains, but there was virtually no traffic. A measly 3 HLE28s in 2.5 hours is nothing to write home about. At least two thirds of the traffic ran in the right direction.
The cut at Hindel is starting to get green again after Infrabel's little gardening blitz. The engine is just at the point where the old L38 crossed over the L24 until it was abandoned in the 1960.
2809 on the coal empties 48562 (Mannheim-Rheinau/D - Antwerpen-Zandvliet) in Hindel.
Summer is finally here! This week temps topped 20 degrees for the first time this year. I picked a Thursday to spend a few hours shooting trains, but there was virtually no traffic. A measly 3 HLE28s in 2.5 hours is nothing to write home about. At least two thirds of the traffic ran in the right direction.
The cut at Hindel is starting to get green again after Infrabel's little gardening blitz. The engine is just at the point where the old L38 crossed over the L24 until it was abandoned in the 1960.
2809 on the coal empties 48562 (Mannheim-Rheinau/D - Antwerpen-Zandvliet) in Hindel.
6-May-2013
Mondays are hopeless for freight traffic around here, but I wanted a shot of the deforested area at the Tunnel de la Galoppe before the rain forecast for the rest of the week set in.
Eventually there was an even 2 east- and 2 westbounds. At least the first of the two westbounds had a hint of sunlight on it so this is the one seen here. Bit disappointing after 5 days of straight sunshine and no time for foam, but what are you really gonna do...
This, incidentally, is the opposite view to the picture from 8-Dec-2012, taken from almost atop the tunnel portal.
2824 with the limestone empties 48566 (Oberhausen/D - Hermalle s/Huy) in Hindel.
Mondays are hopeless for freight traffic around here, but I wanted a shot of the deforested area at the Tunnel de la Galoppe before the rain forecast for the rest of the week set in.
Eventually there was an even 2 east- and 2 westbounds. At least the first of the two westbounds had a hint of sunlight on it so this is the one seen here. Bit disappointing after 5 days of straight sunshine and no time for foam, but what are you really gonna do...
This, incidentally, is the opposite view to the picture from 8-Dec-2012, taken from almost atop the tunnel portal.
2824 with the limestone empties 48566 (Oberhausen/D - Hermalle s/Huy) in Hindel.
25-Apr-2013
Another shot from the 25th. We see one of the automatic coupler-equipped class 19s on an IC-O from Vise towards Oostend. The couplers aren't functional yet pending a software upgrade which means the 19s hold down regular class 18 assignments courtesy of their standard coupler on the other end.
There's a bit more in this shot than meets the eye. It was taken from about 3 meters up using the pole, enabling the camera to look over the fence otherwise obscuring the undercarriages. The added height also shows the S-curve in the tracks to good advantage. Of course it's all in the timing - a bus or truck appearing at the wrong moment would have ruined the view.
Setting up the pole right next to a busy through street did give me rather more of the motorists' attention than I would have liked but I did want that shot!
1915 with IC-O in Cheratte Bas.
Another shot from the 25th. We see one of the automatic coupler-equipped class 19s on an IC-O from Vise towards Oostend. The couplers aren't functional yet pending a software upgrade which means the 19s hold down regular class 18 assignments courtesy of their standard coupler on the other end.
There's a bit more in this shot than meets the eye. It was taken from about 3 meters up using the pole, enabling the camera to look over the fence otherwise obscuring the undercarriages. The added height also shows the S-curve in the tracks to good advantage. Of course it's all in the timing - a bus or truck appearing at the wrong moment would have ruined the view.
Setting up the pole right next to a busy through street did give me rather more of the motorists' attention than I would have liked but I did want that shot!
1915 with IC-O in Cheratte Bas.
25-Apr-2013
10 days after the frigid Stockholm experience I couldn't wait to get outside and enjoy the lovely springtime and the 26C/79F temps.
The apple and cherry trees in the Maas valley are in full bloom as one of Captrain's sheds brings the coal south from the transload at Born.
Captrain 6601 brings the 48871 (Born - Bressoux/B - Bettembourg-Marchandises/L) south towards Eijsden.
10 days after the frigid Stockholm experience I couldn't wait to get outside and enjoy the lovely springtime and the 26C/79F temps.
The apple and cherry trees in the Maas valley are in full bloom as one of Captrain's sheds brings the coal south from the transload at Born.
Captrain 6601 brings the 48871 (Born - Bressoux/B - Bettembourg-Marchandises/L) south towards Eijsden.
15-Apr-2013
A recent business trip to Stockholm, Sweden gave the opportunity to take a quick look at the first reinstated trolley line in the inner city, the Djurgårdslinjen onto the island of the same name. It was abandoned in 1967, reactivated for museum use in 1985, and finally saw its first Bombardier Flexity trains operate from Sergels Torg in 2010. One of them is here seen having just passed onto the island from the bridge.
Flexity Classic on the Djurgårdsbron.
A recent business trip to Stockholm, Sweden gave the opportunity to take a quick look at the first reinstated trolley line in the inner city, the Djurgårdslinjen onto the island of the same name. It was abandoned in 1967, reactivated for museum use in 1985, and finally saw its first Bombardier Flexity trains operate from Sergels Torg in 2010. One of them is here seen having just passed onto the island from the bridge.
Flexity Classic on the Djurgårdsbron.
3-Apr-2013
In a mirror image of and almost exactly 2 years after 14-Apr-2011, 103 222 makes a repeat appearance with a measurement train, this time headed north through Kohlscheid. The classic electrics are always a welcome sight and worth a short freeze for a picture.
Speaking of freezing, spring just doesn't seem to happen this year. Just look at the vegetation in this picture! There's a frost every night and not the slightest hint of fresh green on any plants yet. Other than the ill-fated warm spell in early March we've had nothing but cold and darkness over the past 4 months...
103 222 with the measurement train 94030 (KKB 8:02 - 14:52 HSDL) in Kohlscheid.
In a mirror image of and almost exactly 2 years after 14-Apr-2011, 103 222 makes a repeat appearance with a measurement train, this time headed north through Kohlscheid. The classic electrics are always a welcome sight and worth a short freeze for a picture.
Speaking of freezing, spring just doesn't seem to happen this year. Just look at the vegetation in this picture! There's a frost every night and not the slightest hint of fresh green on any plants yet. Other than the ill-fated warm spell in early March we've had nothing but cold and darkness over the past 4 months...
103 222 with the measurement train 94030 (KKB 8:02 - 14:52 HSDL) in Kohlscheid.
15-Mar-2013
Ten days on and recovery goes slower than hoped. There's still a bit of snow on the ground from this week's snowstorm and it is uncomfortably cold.
Purely by coincidence I managed this snap of a green Crossrail shed bringing a very short PET pellet train into Montzen westbound. This is starting to look like national broadside month...
Unidentified Crossrail 66 on the Viaduc de Moresnet.
Ten days on and recovery goes slower than hoped. There's still a bit of snow on the ground from this week's snowstorm and it is uncomfortably cold.
Purely by coincidence I managed this snap of a green Crossrail shed bringing a very short PET pellet train into Montzen westbound. This is starting to look like national broadside month...
Unidentified Crossrail 66 on the Viaduc de Moresnet.
5-Mar-2013
Painful.
If there's any one word to describe the 5th of March and following days, that's it. It started with beautiful sunshine and a record high of 18C/65F. I had high hopes for catching the trash train in nice light and set up at this motorway overpass parallel to the railroad between Heerlen and Voerendaal. In the event the train didn't run and all I got for an afternoon of waiting was frame after frame of these Stadler EMUs which make even a Plan V look interesting.
What I also got was the mother of all colds which floored me for the next 5 days straight. After a total of 100 hours of sleep and an array of flu medicine I am at least back to taking a passing interest in the world around me. And of course it's snowing again, winter sneaked back in for a few days. Durn! Well, at least this sick leave gives me time to flush this stinker out. Onwards and upwards, it can only get better (one hopes, and it had better be in the very short term!)
Veolia Stadler Gtw 2/6 crossing the A76 near Voerendaal station.
Painful.
If there's any one word to describe the 5th of March and following days, that's it. It started with beautiful sunshine and a record high of 18C/65F. I had high hopes for catching the trash train in nice light and set up at this motorway overpass parallel to the railroad between Heerlen and Voerendaal. In the event the train didn't run and all I got for an afternoon of waiting was frame after frame of these Stadler EMUs which make even a Plan V look interesting.
What I also got was the mother of all colds which floored me for the next 5 days straight. After a total of 100 hours of sleep and an array of flu medicine I am at least back to taking a passing interest in the world around me. And of course it's snowing again, winter sneaked back in for a few days. Durn! Well, at least this sick leave gives me time to flush this stinker out. Onwards and upwards, it can only get better (one hopes, and it had better be in the very short term!)
Veolia Stadler Gtw 2/6 crossing the A76 near Voerendaal station.
1-Mar-2013
Another Friday, another cold lunch break for the Captrain aluminum shuttle. This time from a road overpass just north of the station, showing to good effect the drastic change in grade. Last week's photo was taken from the end of the platform in the far right distance.
The weatherman promises warmer temperatures and even some sunny skies for next week so hopefully this long and dark winter is drawing to a close now. Apparently we've received the least amount of daylight since measurements began in 1951.
Captrain 6601 brings the aluminum train 48515 (Kinkempois/B - Nievenheim) through Kohlscheid.
Another Friday, another cold lunch break for the Captrain aluminum shuttle. This time from a road overpass just north of the station, showing to good effect the drastic change in grade. Last week's photo was taken from the end of the platform in the far right distance.
The weatherman promises warmer temperatures and even some sunny skies for next week so hopefully this long and dark winter is drawing to a close now. Apparently we've received the least amount of daylight since measurements began in 1951.
Captrain 6601 brings the aluminum train 48515 (Kinkempois/B - Nievenheim) through Kohlscheid.
22-Feb-2013
I was quite disappointed when Captrain lost the coke contract last December and their attractive green-gray 66s were making themselves rare in this area.
There had been rumblings of a reroute of a once-weekly flow of aluminum slabs from Dunkerque to Nievenheim, and they started running last week. SNCF-Fret used to exchange them to HGK in Cologne for the remainder of the trip. Now they hand them to Captrain in Kinkempois who takes them over the L24 to Aachen-West and then up the 485 to their destination in the Düsseldorf area.
This then is the second train, caught in abysmal light (hence the b&w treatment) and a freezing northeasterly wind during my lunch break.
Captrain 6601 brings the aluminum train 48515 (Kinkempois/B - Nievenheim) through Kohlscheid.
I was quite disappointed when Captrain lost the coke contract last December and their attractive green-gray 66s were making themselves rare in this area.
There had been rumblings of a reroute of a once-weekly flow of aluminum slabs from Dunkerque to Nievenheim, and they started running last week. SNCF-Fret used to exchange them to HGK in Cologne for the remainder of the trip. Now they hand them to Captrain in Kinkempois who takes them over the L24 to Aachen-West and then up the 485 to their destination in the Düsseldorf area.
This then is the second train, caught in abysmal light (hence the b&w treatment) and a freezing northeasterly wind during my lunch break.
Captrain 6601 brings the aluminum train 48515 (Kinkempois/B - Nievenheim) through Kohlscheid.
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