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European Railroad Discussion > Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany


Date: 01/24/25 12:25
Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: NMlurker

If you thought I was done posting shots from Saarmund, Germany, you thought wrong. Like I said, it was busy.

1. Passenger service on this part of the Berlin outer ring is provided by DB using Bombardier Talent 2 electric multiple-unit (EMU) trainsets that shuttle back and forth between the Berlin airport station and Golm. The service is hourly and a two-hour ticket cost 4.40 Euro (about $4.60 at the moment).

2. One never knew what crazy thing would roll through. I believe that PRESS is a locomotive lessor, presumably German, but I can't see the registration on this one.

3. Another of my favorite open autorack trains, this one behind a 193-class DB Vectron with DB racks. I believe that 'MS' stands for multi-system. I am not certain about the '100.' I would guess the 100th total such engine unless DB has 100 of this model.








Date: 01/24/25 12:36
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: NMlurker

4. That is a nice looking unit train. The empty iron ore train for Arcelor Mittal is led by another 193-class DB Vectron and slowing for a crew change. Note the green signal in the distance.

5. Moments later, another unexpected train rolls through. Flixtrain is a discount passenger operator in much of Europe. This is not an in-service train but heading into Berlin from its maintenance depot. It is led by a Siemens 242-class Taurus leased from (operated by?) Hector Rail and registered in Germany.

6. A container train of mostly Chinese containers and 20' tank containers behind a DB 189-class EuroSprinter.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 14:23 by NMlurker.








Date: 01/24/25 12:49
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: NMlurker

7. A Vectron from locomotive lessor Beacon and lettered for the Italian Mercitalia Rail leads a trailer train of DB and DB Schenker trailers. Trailer trains tended to be dedicated to a single company.

8. One can lament the dominance of about three modern electric locomotive models across Europe but you can't complain about a lack of variety in paint schemes. Here is DB 152-class EuroSprinter specially painted for partner Transfracht with yet more new automobiles. Note that this train is running 'wrong' main.

9. A container train with a lot of Samskip containers and 20' tank containers behind a Railpool 186-class TRAXX. This is image also gives a good view of the track layout.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 14:26 by NMlurker.








Date: 01/24/25 12:57
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: NMlurker

10. Deja vu. Close behind was another container train behind a Railpool 186-class TRAXX.

11. Another light center cab rolls through. My German friend told me the German company that WFL stands for but I failed to log it (see response below).

12. A DB 152-class EuroSprinter leads a short train of fat tank cars. I should have asked about the shields on top of the white GATX tank cars. The second car is Wascosa, the three grey, ribbed ones are VTG.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 14:27 by NMlurker.








Date: 01/24/25 13:27
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: NMlurker

13. Neon green makes for a striking train. Another Flixtrain heads for Berlin, this time behind a 193-class Vectron. I can't make out the registration but I think it might be D-DISPO for Siemens leasing operation Dispolok which was later acquired by Mitsui Rail Capital Europe (MRCE) but Flixtrain leases from several different companies. (see response below)

14. More light center cabs, this time from the German company ESL Gmbh. The registration is D-ESLNL. The second locomotive appears to be remote controlled.

15. The last train photographed was this loaded iron ore train for Arcelor Mittal that warranted two DB 152-class EuroSprinter locomotives. Note that it has a red signal and I believe was stopping for a crew change. In retrospect, I should have popped up onto the pedestrian bridge to see the iron ore, raw or pelletized. While this train blocked my view as I waited for my train back to Berlin, yet another freight passed with a sky blue locomotive that I could not identify and a string of tank cars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 14:28 by NMlurker.








Date: 01/24/25 20:09
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: boejoe

Very, very interesting.  Danke.
jb



Date: 01/25/25 05:20
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: GPutz

Thanks for posting these interesting pictures and their captions.  Gerry



Date: 01/25/25 21:41
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: railstiesballast

A great documentation of short, fast freight trains.
I fear that if you showed these to the CEOs of North American RRs they would puke.
What are they thinking?  What kind of Ton Miles per crew start?  What kind of tons per HP?  Why no distributed power?



Date: 01/26/25 03:09
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: 86235

Nice set, thanks



Date: 01/27/25 18:46
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: SOO6617

NMlurker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 10. Deja vu. Close behind was another container
> train behind a Railpool 186-class TRAXX.
>
> 11. Another light center cab rolls through. My
> German friend told me the German company that WFL
> stands for but I failed to log it.
>
> 12. A DB 152-class TRAXX leads a short train of
> fat tank cars. I should have asked about the
> shields on top of the white GATX tank cars. The
> second car is Wascosa, the three grey, ribbed ones
> are VTG.

DB Class 152 locomotives are Siemens Eurosprinters,
the DB Class 189 locomotives are a Multisystem version
of the same model, as such, they are the predecessors
of the Siemens Vectron locomotives.

DB Class 185 and 186 are the AC and MS versions of
the Bombardier (now Alstom) TRAXX locomotives.
Retroactively the DB Class 145 is considered a early
version of a TRAXX locomotive. The similar bodystyles
were dictated by Deutsche Bahn the first purchaser of both
models and were derived from DB's large orders for the
Adtranz built Class 145 and 146 locomotives.

An easy way to tell a Siemens locomotive from a
Bombardier (Alstom) locomotive is to look at the
roof line. On a TRAXX locomotive the pantographs
are seated in shallow wells, on a Siemens locomotive
the roof line is flat, compare the Class 186 to the Class
152, and 189. Now it's changed on the Vectron, but no 
one will confuse a Vectron with any generation of a TRAXX
locomotive.

WFL is Wedler Franz Logistik GmbH

PRESS is Eisenbahnbau und Betreibsgeselldchaft Pressnitztalbahn mbH

Finally the Flixtrain locomotives are both leased from Hector Rail in 
Sweden, the Taurus is a class 242 (same as DB Class 182), while
the Vectron is a Class 243, both locomotives are registered
in Sweden.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/25 19:02 by SOO6617.



Date: 01/27/25 19:18
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: SOO6617

railstiesballast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A great documentation of short, fast freight
> trains.
> I fear that if you showed these to the CEOs of
> North American RRs they would puke.
> What are they thinking?  What kind of Ton Miles
> per crew start?  What kind of tons per HP?  Why
> no distributed power?

If you talked to a European Freight CEO he would 
tell you that is all noise, all that matters are the
Benjamins (€).



Date: 01/28/25 09:39
Re: Friday Freight Follies: More Action from Germany
Author: NMlurker

SOO6617 Wrote:
> An easy way to tell a Siemens locomotive from a
> Bombardier (Alstom) locomotive is to look at the
> roof line. On a TRAXX locomotive the pantographs
> are seated in shallow wells, on a Siemens
> locomotive
> the roof line is flat, compare the Class 186 to
> the Class
> 152, and 189. Now it's changed on the Vectron, but
> no 
> one will confuse a Vectron with any generation of
> a TRAXX
> locomotive.
>
> WFL is Wedler Franz Logistik GmbH
>
> PRESS is Eisenbahnbau und Betreibsgeselldchaft
> Pressnitztalbahn mbH
>
> Finally the Flixtrain locomotives are both leased
> from Hector Rail in 
> Sweden, the Taurus is a class 242 (same as DB
> Class 182), while
> the Vectron is a Class 243, both locomotives are
> registered
> in Sweden.

I appreciate the corrections and additional information.



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