It’s been much longer than I’d like since I posted here. Of course a job interview and cycling back from Amsterdam on a cargo bike didn’t help this. It’s hard to build models when you’re nowhere near your modelmaking bench. (The story of getting the bike home is gradually unfolding here). I also want to write about the accident on the Lößnitzgrundbahn as soon as I can, but I’m waiting for more information from the investigation, as all I have at the moment is rumour and speculation.
For the last two weeks I’ve been distracted for a much better reason: my parents are here, so we’ve been showing them around and generally having a good time as a family. I caught the railway bug from Dad, so naturally we took a train from Stuttgart to Esslingen and thence to Plochingen. It was fun, of course to go and watch trains, but basically the point was time with my dad, doing something we both enjoy.
Anyway, we sent to Stuttgart, took a few pictures and thence to Esslingen in search of freight trains. There wasn’t much doing (usually freight picks up in the afternoons) so we went to scout out Plochingen, which is on the junction where the line to Tübingen meets the line to Munich, and the last port on the Neckar river, so there’s a yard next to the station. We figured there would be some shunting at least. Unfortunately, while there was a bit, it was mostly hidden behind some S-Bahn units that were loafing about near the platforms, but we were able to travel on the upper deck of one of DB’s new double deck trains, so we aren’t complaining.
I’m sure both of my readers will be more interested in pictures than my ramblings, so here’s the ones I was able to take…

Class 425. outer surburban/rural unit. These are almost identical to the new S-Bahn inner suburban units, the main difference being that they have more seats than the S-bahn ones, less doors and a toilet. They are also a bit wider, for some reason.

DB Schenker class 151. These have been DB’s workhorses since they were built in the 70’s: they aren’t glamorous but they can haul anything. DB have a couple in Geislingen (Of which this could be one) to bank freight trains up the 1 in 44,5 (2,25%) climb up towards Ulm.

Most local/stopping trains are now in the hands of Br 146 locomotives and very comfortable double deck coaches. This one is pushing an Ulm-bound train into the undergrowth in Esslingen. While we were there, an almost identical set passed heading for Lindau. Methinks it’s time for a day trip…

Old S-Bahn units in the background, and a second-generation set about to depart for Herrenberg. There are now more third generation units on order, which are streamlined like a HST. The train in the background was in the way of the yard so all we saw was a shunter occasionally shuffling stock around the distant end of the yard…
Unfortunately I’m a bit low on uploaded pictures, as Photobucket is playing up tonight. I’ll try and get it to behave, and maybe try and persuade Dad to let me put some on here as well…