Today I'm leaving Munich and heading west to Stuttgart. I will also visit the town of Oberwesel and Wiesbaden.
ICE trains are waiting for departure at Munich this morning. My train (to the right) is an ICE3 service to Dortmund.
This time I was lucky to get a seat in the front of the train, where a so called "lounge" is situated, just behind the driver.
The view is not in full scale, but it is still an amazing chance to have same view as the train driver.
ICE3 train is the fastest among other ICE series. This one is a Class 403 or Siemens Velaro.
Stopping in Augsburg
Intercity train in opposite direction
It is important to salute the other train
A stop in Ulm
Nice platform decoration
This is where I get off this train - Stuttgart. Today it is a terminal station, so trains have to change direction when continuing forward. After re-construction as "Stuttgart 21" project, the station will become a through station.
Another large scale project in the region is building of the new high speed line Stuttgart-Ulm which will be completed 2021. Here is a Traxx locomotive with "Bahnproject Stuttgart-Ulm" livery.
The train I came with are being cleaned quickly before departure.
Today the space between the platforms and the main station building is just a big whole
Central square in Stuttgart
Back to the train station
Class 430 EMU for S-Bahn Stuttgart
My next train is arriving from a non-electrified line, thus hauled by a double headed diesel locomotive Class 218. The locomotive is from 1970's but still common in operations.
Class 218 have now been disconnected from the coaches
...And replaced by electric Class 101 from the 90's
The whole process is rather quick
I'm leaving Stuttgart for a while, here entering the Prag tunnel
Intercity train hauled by Class 101 is making 200km/h on Stuttgart-Mannheim high speed line which opened 1991.
Slightly delayed my Intercity train is arriving to Bingen (Rhein) where i'm changing to MittelRheinbahn service MRB32 operated by Trans Regio.
Passing by Burg Pfalzgrafenstein
Now I have arrived to Oberwesel. Trains operated on this line are of type Siemens Desiro 460 series
The train continues to Koblenz
Another service operated here is branded as SÜWEX (Süd West Express) and labeled RE2, it has less stops than MRB32.
On the other side of the Rhine river is the East Rhine railway, and it is prioritised for the cargo trains.
This was the main reason for me to visit this town. Unfortunately I waited 30min without any train passing, so I guess I will have to visit this place again another time. Due to my tight schedule I could not wait longer time.
Back to the station. SÜWEX service is operated by Stadler FLIRT 3rd generation EMU.
The only passenger service on the East side is VIAS GmbH using Stadler Flirt EMU's
Another Desiro is passing by
Intercity service do not stop here
SBB Cargo train passing by
The locomotive is a Bombardier Traxx F140 AC1
I have left Oberwesel and arrived to Mainz
Desiro train I have arrived with is painted by Emil (8 years old).
Mainz is one of the busiest stations in the Rheinland-Palatinate region
DB Cargo Siemens ES 64 F4
Vlexx service with triple coupled LINT DMU's (type 54 and 81). Type 54 has two cars, type 81 has three cars.
My next trip is a short one to Wiesbaden by Regional Express service
Wiesbaden is a terminal station
Vias service is stopping here
Station main hall
Next train is an ICE service
Leaving Wiesbaden
Mainz
Opel factory in Rüsselsheim
The train is now connecting to Frankfurt-Köln high speed line
Arriving to Frankfurt airport high speed station
A quick train change in Frankfurt
Since my last visit here, the glass of the station building has been cleaned, so it is possible to view the skyscrapes
Dinner in the restaurant coach
It is a warm day, and the window can be opened even on the high speed train (but only for the driver).
Heading back to Stuttgart and passing by Mannheim rail yard. Here is Bombardier Traxx F140 MS (Multisystem) for french company Euro Cargo Rail.
From Mannheim the ICE I'm taking is running in parallel with another one, which is a bit funny
ICE1 is speeding up here to 265km/h
Stuttgart - last stop for today
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