Album Germany, Part 2 from Jon Searles

Munchen Hbf Sign Reading, Edited Version, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:41:21 +0000

This sign is actually only the platform destination board showing what train is at the platform, so this wasn't taken in Munich at all. Instead, this was Mannheim, where I got my bus to Prague. This put my arrival time at 1618, hours behind the scheduled time of 0927. Controversially, however, CNL457 has since been withdrawn, as DB have decided to replace all their sleepers with ICE high speed trains. However, a number of sleeper trains operated by foreign companies will remain.

Siegburg/Bonn Bahnhof, Edited Version, Siegburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:41:20 +0000

Jon Searles has posted:

This was the sixth stop on the route, and the last before Frankfurt. Bonn is more interesting in historic terms generally, rather than having much to do with railways. During the Cold War, Bonn was the capital of West Germany.

Dusseldorf Hbf, Dusseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:41:20 +0000

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By this time of the morning, the DB stations were starting to fill up with commuters and other passengers. This stop is scheduled for a 0724 arrival and 0727 departure. Getting back to Railsim, this is where the Dortmund-Dusseldorf route terminates, although in real life, of course, it continues east.

Duisburg Hbf, Duisburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:41:19 +0000

Jon Searles has posted:

This is the third stop on the ICE513 schedule, and hardcore rail simulation fans will now recognize this route from Jens Schubert's Railsim, arguably the best route that comes with it.

Essen Hbf, Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:41:18 +0000

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Essen Hbf is the second scheduled stop for ICE513. I can't recall if I ever had been here before, which is weird because I must have been. I've been over this route many, many times, so the question is whether I have any photos buried away.

Dortmund Hbf, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:41:17 +0000

Jon Searles has posted:

When CNL457 was cancelled, along with most other trains out of Koln Hbf on the evening of the 20th of May, the hotels were immediately filled in Koln, meaning that to get my hotel room, I had to go to Dortmund, again using a special ticket for a Regional Express there (if memory and subsequent research serves, it was RE10143 or RE10145). I didn't get any photos that night, but I did shoot this extremely early in the morning the next day. DB's solution to my problem was to put me on ICE513 first thing the next morning, at 0636, to be precise. Since this happened, my understanding is that this was not the most direct way to get me to Nurnberg (Nuremberg) Hbf, where I had to get the DB bus to Prague. The reason is that ICE513 skips Nurnberg, instead operating to Munchen (Munich) Hbf via Mannheim, rather than Hanau and Nurnberg. Therefore, I had to change in Mannheim for the bus, which actually originates in Strasbourg, and calls at Mannheim before Nurnberg, continuing direct to Prague from there. I presume this weird routing had something to do with the rail strike.

Cancelled CNL457 in Koln Hbf, displayed on platform board, Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 08:55:07 +0000

Jon Searles has posted:

I was in Koln to catch the CityNightLine train 457 for Prague. However, this was my first ever rail trip across Europe when there was ever a problem. My trip back coincided with a national rail strike in Germany, which meant that they had to put us up in hotels after CNL457 was cancelled without warning late at night, as seen by the departure time on this platform board, but not by any notice of cancellation, as there was none.

Koln Cathedral Construction, Edited Version, Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 08:55:07 +0000

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Most cathedrals in Europe, to the best of my knowledge (I'm not an expert on architecture) date to the middle ages, and as such most are gothic, and perpetually under reconstruction. This is in line with their situation historically, as many took hundreds of years to build. In the case of Koln Cathedral, original construction lasted from 1248 to 1880, although construction was halted between 1473 and the 19th Century (I haven't been able to find an exact date). I don't know much about this restoration, but as I said, it is rare to find a European cathedral without any scaffolding on it.

Aachen Hbf, Edited Version, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, 2015

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 10:47:08 +0000

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I don't remember how many times I've shot cameraphone, or other, photos of Aachen station, but I have also been through the station more times than I can count. In addition to hosting DB Intercity services, seen in the background, the station also hosts Eurocity trains like the one I was on, and Thalys high-speed trains like the one in the foreground. The Thalys looks a lot like a third-generation French TGV, and in fact it is, with the caveat that it is a multi-voltage variant that was never used by regular SNCF services. The Thalys service is actually shared between SNCF (in France), SNCB (in Belgium), NS (in the Netherlands), and DB (in Germany, as seen here). The maximum service speed for the Thalys trains is 300Km/h, or 186 m.p.h., but the trains operate on both high-speed lines and conventional mainlines.

ICE Running at 249 Km/h Near the Belgian Border, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 12:43:47 +0000

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After taking the Eurostar to Brussels, the next leg of the trip to Prague is from Brussels Midi to Koln Hbf, where there is the sleeper train, EC457 the "Phoenix," to Prague, which departs at 2228, and gets into Prague at 0925 the next day. In km/h, the Phoenix isn't necessarily slow (if I'm not mistaken, it's allowed to go 200), but the trip takes all night due to a 20-minute stop in Berlin Sudkreuz, and more importantly, the fact that it runs via Berlin at all. In this video, however, I'm still on the ICE, enjoying close to 250 km/h running.

Hamburg Hbf, Picture 4, Edited Version, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:15 +0000

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I took this photo mainly because I liked the shape of the trainshed. It was taken from the train, if memory serves, as we were waiting to depart.

DB #112176 in Hamburg Hbf, Edited Version, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:14 +0000

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This was my train home (if memory serves), headed by a Class 112 electric. These units were originally built as improved DR Class 212 electrics, being intended for 160 km/h services instead of 120 km/h. They were among the first locomotives ordered in anticipation of the reunification of Germany, one of the last classes built for the DR, and one of the only classes to serve from the beginning on both the DR and the (pre-1994) DB. These units put out 4,220 Kw, or 5,660 horsepower, and have a maximum tractive effort of 56,000 lbs. (248kN). However, their 160 km/h maximum speed still has always been slow by DB standards, so initially they were preferred for local, or RegionalBahn trains, and now they serve slower trains exclusively. I have been unable to get the precise production run of these units, but it looks as if 45 were built by AEG between about 1992 and 1995.

Museum Grounds (Museum Picture 2), Picture 2, Edited Version, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:14 +0000

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The museum is surrounded by parkland, including gardens, artificial ponds, an amusement park, and additional buildings. These grounds are ideal for photography, and this is only one of the photos that I took.

Museum fur Hamburgische Geschichte, Edited Version (Museum Picture 1), Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:13 +0000

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This is the Museum for Hamburg History, known since 2005 as the Hamburg Museum (although the older "Museum fur Hamburgische Geschichte" signage is still up). It is arguably a very diverse museum with a collection spanning from prehistoric times through the 1990's. Some of the more interesting exhibits include reconstructed rooms from 20th Century houses, including one from the 1990's, a display on 20th Century squatting, the remains of a dog sacrificed during a secret pagan ritual during the Middle Ages, a display on Jewish history that includes displays about Jewish organizations (especially sports organizations) that survived in the earlier years of the Nazi regime, the superstructure of a tugboat once used in the Hamburg port (which features a fascinating color documentary film from the 1930's), and a display of pirate skulls with forensic reconstructions (partly faked, as some of the originals have been stolen). There are too many other displays to list here. You'll just have to visit the museum.

Hamburger Hof, Picture 3, Edited Version, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:13 +0000

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I only took this picture because this restaurant on the ground floor of this building has a sort-of amusing name, "Hamburger Hof," or "Hamburger House." As far as I know, it isn't a pun, but it looks like one.

Graf von Westphalen Alte Post, (Hamburg Picture 4), Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:12 +0000

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This appears to be the "Old Post Office," although it looks much newer due to a 2007 restoration as retail space by Stenham Property. The original building dates to 1845-1847, having been designed by Alexis de Chateauneuf (1799-1853), who also designed the Berliner Bahnhof railway station, which in spite of its name was in Hamburg, serving in two incarnations from 1844 until 1903 (I have been unable to find a demolition date for the second station). However, de Chateauneuf only designed the first station, which was used from 1844 to 1857.

Canal in Hamburg, Picture 3, Edited Version, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:12 +0000

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Being a port city, Hamburg also has a canal system, allowing smaller craft access to parts of the city centre. Some of these canals mostly provide a place to float houseboats, some of them restaurants like this one (visible just out of frame below, with a main building on land to the right).

Rathaus, Picture 2, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:11 +0000

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This is not a church, but Hamburg's city hall, or Rathaus. Built between 1886 and 1897, and designed by Martin Haller (1835-1925), who also designed the American Consulate, it survived World War II intact. One interesting anecdote is that in 1971, a secret room was found in the tower, leading to theories that there could be more. Officially, there are already 647 rooms known.

Hauptkirche St. Jacobi, Edited Version, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:11 +0000

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Visible at the end of the street, Hauptkirche St. Jacobi, also called St. James's church (St. Jacob and St. James are, historically, the same person) is one of Hamburg's many rebuilt churches, using a combination of Gothic and newer architectural styles. This rebuild was completed in 1963, including some interior parts from the previous churches dating back, possibly, to 1255.

Hauptkirche St. Petri, Edited Version, Hamburg, Sachsen, Germany, 2014

nobody@ipernity.com (Jon Searles) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:11:10 +0000

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Many of Hamburg's churches were leveled during World War II. Most of the surviving churches in the city centre are rebuilds, some more than others. This church was an exception, though, as it survived intact. It stands on the site of a number churches dating back to 1195, when the first one was completed, but the current church dates to 1878, built to replace a church destroyed by fire in 1842.