March 2010 - EUROPEAN NEWS (Robert Brown)

News to 7th March 2010 (posted on 10th March 2010)

Germany

ICE power car 403004 has, for a long-time, replaced 403022 in set 403x22 and has been recently overhauled in this formation. Another recent overhaul is 120126 with an ex-works date 26/02/2010, 218136/206/216/430, all recent withdrawls, are currently at Trier and SNCF 37011 is still dumped at Karthaus 5 weeks after she derailed, with no apparent interest in repatriation. Further withdrawls reported for the end of February are 110325/363/373 143063/593/936 151007 155059/119/137.

On the 1^st March 182517 worked IC2862 the 11:54 Hamm to Bonn Hbf and 182501 did IC2863 the 14:25 Bonn Hbf to Hamm. Also on the 1^st, Deutsche Gleis- und Tiefbau GmbH, Berlin (DGT) owned 232223, in the old dark red livery, was noted passing Jena Saalbahnhof around 13:00 heading a relaying train. A major working occurred on the 3^rd when CTL189207 worked EC80 the 12:41 Bolzano/Bozen to Munich. Observations from the 6^th included 120118 heading IC2044 the 06:40 Leipzig to Koln and 182517 on IC2862 the 11:54 Bonn to Hamm with 182501 dead on the rear. On the 7^th March blue liveried shunting lok, 335128 was seen on Manheim depot, EC361 the 06:53 Strasbourg Ville to Uln Hbf was seen leaving Karlsruhe Hbf headed by 181218, 120115 handled IC2046 the 08:40 Leipzig to Koln and freshly painted 120126 was noted leading IC1920 the 12:15 Franfruet (Main) Hbf to Berlin Hbf.

Belgium

Very late news, but well worth a mention was that on Friday 12^th February IR4016 was worked from Liers to Gouvy by 5540. I believe the reason was the retirement of a conductor working his last train.

Observations at Brussels Midi during the evening peak on the 2^nd March identified 2362 on P8066 the 15:40 Brussels Midi to Gent St Pieters, 2012 heading P8602 the 16:15 Brussels Midi to Jemelle, 1192 with P8969 the 16:12 Brussels Midi to Zottegem, 2329 hauling P8306 the 17:06 Brussels Midi to Hasselt, 2312 topping P8095 the 17:07 Brussels Midi to Dendermonde, 2002 powering EC295 the 17:27 Brussels Midi to Basel (SNCF), 2374 working P8307 the 17:34 Brussels Midi to Hasselt, 2304 on P8352 the 17:45 Brussels Midi to Landen and 2322 heading P8308 the 18:05 Brussels Midi to Tongeron with 2365 ‘dead on rear’. At Schaarbeek during the same evening peak 1183 did P8902 the 16:02 Schaarbeek to Kortrijk, 2321 headed P8511 the 16:07 Schaarbeek to Tournai, 2350 hauled P8723 the 16:16 Schaarbeek to Châtelet, 1186 worked P8013 the 16:26 Brussels Luxembourg to Gent St Pieters, 2313 topped P8741 the 16:59 Schaarbeek to Binche, 2360 hauled P8014 the 17:02 Schaarbeek to Gent St Pieters, 1182 powered P8906 the 17:05 Schaarbeek to Oudenaarde, 2343+2310 found employment with P8724 the 17:05 Schaarbeek to Châtelet, 1188 did P8907 the 17:14 Schaarbeek to Zottegem and 2340 headed P8010 the 17:32 Schaarbeek to Saint Niklaas.

Switzerland

Observations from the 1^st March included 421372 on EC191 the 07:16 Zürich HB to Munich Hbf, 421390 with EC193 the 09:16 Zürich HB to Munich Hbf, 11241 powering R4554 the 15:01 Yverdon-les-Bains to Romont, recently overhauled 11141 with R4456 the 16:38 Fribourg to Romont and 11278 heading RE3832 the 14:22 Cur to St. Gallen. The following day 421380 was noted arriving at Zurich with EC194 the 12:34 Munich to Zurich, which it will have taken over at Lindau Hbf.

Austria

Former OBB ‘crocodile’ electric 1020010 is nearing completion of it’s restoration at the Kornwestheim preservation center in Germany. In dark green livery and carrying the number E94088 it was easily see, on the 1^st March, from the road overbridge. On the 2^nd March SVG operated ex OBB electric 1142579, in it’s fetching dark blue livery, was seen leaving Kostheim around 17:10 with an oil train. The Bosnian Republic railway (ZRS) has expressed an interest in the OBB class 1014 electrics (recently switched off) and a demonstration of the class was arranged in Budapest on the 3^rd March. To this end 1014014 ran light from Vienna to Budapest Ferencvaros during the early morning where, accompanied by GySVE electric 1047502, it worked freight train Gz44327 from Budapest Ferencvaros to Tatabanya before returning, again light engine, vid Budapest to Vienna in the late afternoon. On the 5^th March EC113 the 06:18 Siegen to Klagenfurt Hbf was seen approaching it’s destination top ‘n’ tailed by 1116246 & 1016022 and 1116206 passed Munich Ost, with a full ‘railjet’ rake around 13:20 which suggests it was an ICE replacement for ICE785 the 07:47 Hamburg Altona to Munich Hbf (although I am open to correction here).

France

Fret allocated 67483 was out on passenger duty on the 1^st March, it worked (at least) train 849401 the 06:38 Amiens to St Quentin and train 849406 the 07:45 return. The 6^th March saw 37019 pass Ratingen (Germany) around 13:50 with an unidentified container train in wounderful photographic conditions (see below).

Portugal

The new line to Aveiro docks was officially opened on 4th March, 1560 worked the first revenue earning train.

Luxembourg

On the morning of Tuesday 2^nd March IC231 the 06:20 Luxembourg to Norddiech Mole was DB181213 it made it as far as Luxembourg Yard, where it was declared a failure by the driver and DB181223 was summoned to take the train and 181213 forward around 70mins late

Holland

On the 6^th March NS diesels 6464+6466 were seen passing Ratingen around 14:00 heading a with empty lime wagons running between Emmerich (Holland) after Rohdenhaus (Germany).

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February 2010 European News is now available to download.