An RWE electric reverses a coal train near the Neurath Power Station. September 2012. Canon EOS 7D photo.
Continuing to explore RWE Power’s coal network brought us to the company’s Nord-Sud-Bahn. Although much of the line is sequestered by trees or inaccessible, we found some recommended locations toward the north-end of the route near the Neurath Power Station.
Our second afternoon proved pleasant weather-wise, and the continuous parade of trains, including a diesel-hauled limestone run, made for a successful photo adventure.
Among the advantages of the North-Sud-Bahn as stated in the May 2013 article in Today’s Railways, is a greater variety of trains.
Although it’s difficult to convey in photographs, what we found interesting was that many of the northward trains reversed up the line, with the locomotive at the back and the rear hopper making a loud beeping to provide warning.
It seemed that all of RWE’s trains moved a gentle speeds which eases the photographic process.
I mostly worked with my Canon EOS 7D, but also exposed some color slides with my Canon EOS 3. In addition to the trains, I made a few photos of the related power infrastructure—impressive because of its enormous scale.
RWE Power electric 542 leads a laden coal train near Neurath. September 2012. Canon EOS 7D photo.A diesel leads a train of limestone hoppers near Neurath. September 2012. Canon EOS 7D photo.RWE Power’s Neurath Power Station.RWE Power’s Neurath Power Station.High voltage electric pylons stand like enormous soldiers at attention. These power lines are an important part of the electrical infrastructure related to RWE Power’s railway operations.A panned view of an RWE Power EL1 electric locomotive. The line is electrified with an unusual 6000 volt 50Hz standard. Why a pan? This is an effective way of separating the dark green locomotive from the green trees. Canon EOS 7D photo.A Vossloh diesel leads a coal train that originated off the RWE network and was delivered via the Deutsche Bahn network. The hoppers are of a smaller lighter variety than those used in captive service on RWE’s lines.
Neither our map or Sat-Nav showed the new RWE-Power mainline at Buir, Germany—a line just recently opened. Yet, crossing the line on a road bridge we spotted this loaded train. We hadn’t been off the plane for even two hours. Canon EOS 7D photo.
German coal railway? 60 million tones annually? An article in May 2013 Today’s Railways Europe peaked my curiosity. Taking advantage of cheap fares on Ryan Air from Dublin to Maastricht, then into a Hertz rental car for the drive over the border brought an Irish friend and me trackside by early afternoon.
While I’ve long been aware of a heavy coal railway near Köln, despite regular trips to Germany over the last 20 years, until last week I’d never bothered to investigate it.
RWE Power (formerly Rheinbraun) operates an unusual railway. This is a largely electrified network which on its main stems primarily carries lignite coal from enormous open pits to nearby power stations. It is built to a very heavy standard and tracks are separated wider than normal to allow for larger than normal loading gauge.
Complicating matters, we’d forgotten to bring the Today’s Railways article with us. But we managed to find the tracks anyway. Our first glimpse of the RWE Power mainline was of the old Hambachbahn double track line serving the Tagebau Hambach coalfield. This line is soon to be removed to allow expansion of the coalfield.
Finding nothing moving on this section we decided to relocate and accidentally stumbled upon the ‘new’ Hambachbahn double track line located a couple of miles south of the old line, and parallel to Deutsche Bahn’s east-west Aachen and Köln main line at the village of Buir.
RWE Power is presently undertaking a massive relocation of railway, A4 autobahn, and town to develop the coal beneath. The newly built railway is extremely impressive and could easily be mistaken for a high-speed line.
At Buir, we met a local railway photographer named Björn who gave us lots of advice and assisted our further photography. As it turned out, the new line was only being used for loaded trains (which passed about every 20 minutes), while the old line was handling empties.
Driving toward Bergheim we found this location on the new line, near the junction with the older (so to be closed) RWE Power Hambachbahn route. In the lead is a 1950-1960s era Class EL 1 electric locomotive.We stayed overnight in Bergheim and returned to Buir the following morning. The day began clear and bright and a procession of coal trains kept us busy. Exposed with a Canon EOS 7D and 40mm Pancake lens.
This 300mm view demonstrates the heavily built nature of the new (relocated) Hambachbahn line which is built in a deep cutting. Train speed is a steady plod (perhaps 30 kph?). In the lead is a class EL 2000 electric. Canon EOS 7D fitted with 75-300mm zoom lens.At this point near the Tagebau Hambach coal field, the line follows a north-south alignment. By 10am clouds were racing across the sky making for some tricky exposures. Canon EOS 7D photo.Trailing view of a coal loads from a public road bridge west of Buir. Rarely did we wait more than half and hour for a loaded train to pass.
We spent a full 24 hours studying the railway and its operations. More to come!
