Trains and other things: Falkenberg, Falköping

Before this summer ends I will try to visit two places accessible with direct trains from Stockholm only during the summer. There is a direct train to Strömstad operated by SJ, and from this summer a direct train to Halmstad and Falkenberg operated by MTR Express. On this trip, I will use both of them.

Since there are still no train services between Stockholm C and S, I'm walking to the South station on this grey summer morning in Stockholm.

Missing cat

Stockholm Södra, South station is the terminus for SJ and MTR Express southbound

X2 and X60

MTR Express between Stockholm and Göteborg continues to Halmstad

X74 with double EMU's arriving to the station

They are being disconnected here

In 1st class, a chicken sandwich is included as well as coffee and cold drinks.

Intermodal freight terminal in Katrineholm

Even the coffee cup has a railway theme

MTR Express office in Göteborg

Due to the shortage of tracks at Göteborg C, the trains have to share same platform.

At Göteborg C, the train is changing direction

Continuing along with Västkustbanan railway

Just like at SJ, the MTR Express is offering a shrimp sandwich at their bistro

Åsa

Varberg

Arriving at Falkenberg

After 4 years of operating the services between Stockholm and Göteborg, MTR Express is finally expanding its network to include other lines and stations in Sweden. This is obviously a temporary summer service that does not require more trains, but it is a good sign that not only the two largest cities in Sweden are available for competition in train services.

Greenlight for the rest of the journey until Halmstad

My next train is Öresundståg to Göteborg. I will travel to Falköping where I will spend the night in hotel Ranten. MTR Express is returning from Halmstad to Stockholm on the same day.

During the summer SJ is operating the Västkustbanan railway with X2 as the X55 is not approved of traveling all the way to Copenhagen. SJ Snabbtåg does not stop here in Falkenberg, so the train is using the middle track.

Shortly after X2, there is a freight train traveling in same direction.

It is the train 9789 from Sävenäs to Karlshamn

Rc4 1268

X31 Öresundståg

Green signal

X31 from Copenhagen

Öresundståg has a mobile trolley service with a limited range of food and drinks, but they do have beer.

Fjärås

Kungsbacka

Here in Kungsbacka, it is possible to change between Öresundståg and Västtrafik trains

216km from Helsingborg, 28km from Göteborg

X55

Leaving Kungsbacka with X61 train

X61 trains at Göteborg C

X50-3 3292 is my next train from Göteborg to Falköping

Arriving at a grey and almost dark Falköping

A bunch of Rc3 locomotives

The locomotives are registered at BRLL, Beacon Rail Leasing Ltd.

X74 to Stockholm

My hotel today is a classic railway hotel located just next to the station.

The station was named Ranten until 1931 when it changed to Falköping C. Ranten is an area in northern Falköping located a bit away from the historic center. When the railway came to town, it was located here. Hotel Ranten was built in 1865 and it is still standing and it is still a hotel.

The room with a view

Decorated with trains

Sankt Olof street

Today I will visit Mössebergs utsiktstorn, a tower built in 1903 located on a hill. It is 35m tall, but together with the hill it is located at 350m above sea level.

Rc3 1056 was manufactured by ASEA in 1970

X55

Last long-distance passenger train passing by here tonight, is the night train to Luleå and Duved

Rc6 1329

Since the timetable change in December 2018, this train do not travel through Stockholm anymore, instead, it is taking a route through Örebro, Fagersta, and Storvik.