Diesel Unit (mostly) Operating Day on the DR

[dunnyrail]

As the weather was so good yesterday and indeed today I decided to try a full Timetable using just with some of my Diesel Multiple Units. It is not unknown for them to have Freight Hung on in Europe so I decided to give it a wirl. Though some Freight was handled during the Schedule plus the Milk/Mail Vans, little loose General Freight was moved.

Below Gernrode Loco Shed and Carriage Sidings.
First up start of the day at Gernrode, all 3 Units having fired up a dark Diesel Fumed Fog will descend over the Hbf. Some gentle Shunting has already taken place with a set of Coacjing Stock and some grubby Wagons having been mived to the Yard. Former Ruschbahn No.5 in the Centre Riad is about to deal with the Mail/Milk Vans.,2 being booked out on the first Train.

Below Gernrode Hbf Yard and Platforms.
Train 14401 Pass and Mails/Milk to Harzegerode.
No.5 has moved forward and is preparing to leave with 3 Mail/Milk Vans. Oops first error of the day,only 2 should be taken this will have repercussions later at Alexisbad


Above Alexisbad.
Having arrived at Alexisbad Train 14401 procedes to sort out the mess. The front Van is for the Yard at Alexisbad, the next one for Harzegerode. Normal procedure is to leave it in the Middle Road (2) then run round it to take it up to Harzegerode. The Green Van will need to be placed into the Road on the Left (Road 6) as it will be in the way later on.

Above Harzegerode.
Meanwhile 14401 having arrived at here the Pilot shunts the Mail/Milk van to the Sidings. Some of the savings made by Dieselisation can be illusionary if a Pilot has to be maintained because the Unit Cannot fit into the headshunt to run round the Vans.

Above Mahdesprung.
Train 14403 0612 Gernrode to Harzegerode
Seen above standing at Magdesprung, the Power Car is seen in the Yard dropping of the Mail/Milk van for this Station. This will have been at the Rear if the Train ti facilitate this move. Some of my Operators get a bit agitated when told that this Unit must Run Round the Trailer at reversal points. But the Trailer has no Driving Posibilities. Attached to the Trailer is the Mail/Milk Van that will go through to Silberhutte.

Above Alexisbad.
Train 14403 Red Unit
Train 69705 Blue Unit 0736 Harzegerode to Stiege
14403 having arrived has sorted out the mess with the Mail/Milk vans and is in the process of running around the Trailer Car to exit to Harzegerode away from the Camera. Meanwhile 68705 with the 2 Vans is preparing to head off for Stiege towards our intrepid Photographer.

Above Silberhutte.
With 69705 having arrived, the Diesel Locomotive prepares the Mixed Train for Departure. The Diesel will retire to the Sidings once the Train has been placed in the Platform. One might wonder at the provision of the Green Coach for this Train, this is for the Guards Convenience. It is said that he may be a member of the dreaded Stazi. Certainly no other Guard gets such preferential treatment.


Above Gernrode.
Train 69704 0848 Harzegerode to Gernrode.
Meanwhile this Train has returned to Gernrode (passing Train 69707 the 0836 from Gernrode at Magdesprung) with the now empty Mail/Milk Van (Green) from Magdesprung which has already been shunted into the Sidings. The Unit will form the 1136 Gernrode to Stiege.

Above Alexisbad
Train 69707 0836 Gernrode to Stiege.
Shown in the Platform, of note in front of it is my trusty simplifier for this the Yellow Working. Under normal ciscumstances Wagon Cards would be wedged on the Clipboard to the Right of the simplifier inside the simple Plastic and Sellotape Holders. Below this can be seen the Line Plan. This Is a great aid to visiting Operators in getting used to the Geography of the line.

Above Silberhutte.
Train 69707 has arrive here into Road 2. German Track Numbering is not quite so obvious as might appear, under normal circumstances the Roads are numvpbered from the Main Station out. Thus what you see is 1,2 and 3. However it is certainly possible that if the order of Building were different say the Closest to the Station as shown here then the furthest with the Central one added later. The number sequence could be 1,3,2.

With the Empty Hoppers Train 69702 1000 from Stiege to Gernrode has just dumped the Green Coach and returning Mail/Milk van from Lindenburg. The hoppers will be shunted into the Loading Road (to the Left of the Red Van) followed by making up of the Empty Fuel Wagons for Stiege. This will be worked by the Locomotive and have the Green Coach for Passengers due to the Units inability to work this Train. Hopefully Passengers listened to the Announcement advising them of this change of Train. Any non German Speakers are likely to be left in the Unit whilst the Crew rush off to the Messroom for Coffee and Cake. The Diesel Crew are none too happy about this turn of events as they normally these Diesel Days just languish in their Locomotive brewing up Coffee on the Grill provided.

The next thrilling instalment in this saga will follow on soon.
JonD

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Busy day, nice one

 

[trammayo]

A nice selection of motive power (and I notice that fuel for the operator has not been neglected either!).

 

[dunnyrail]

(and I notice that fuel for the operator has not been neglected either!).

Indeed not, got in for my first running day and others. Still some to go at, must move some to the Fridge!
JonD

 

[dunnyrail]

so the next and final stage of this little Saga.
Below Silberhutte.
Train 69707 0836 Gernrode to Stiege.
This train is a Mixed all the way to Silberhutte, from here it will be a Block Train taking the now Empty Tanks to Stiege. These supply Fuel for the Power Station that supplies Juice to all the Factories in this heavily Industrialised Locale. The Loco will set back onto the Green Coach before departing. The Blue Railcar will return the 2 Mail/Milk vans to Gernrode on Train 69702 whilst the Red and Creme Railcar will await the return of the Locomotive Hauled Trains Passengers on the Mixed from Stiege. Hopefully all the Passengers have now transfered to the Green Coach.

Below Alexisbad
Train 69702 1000 Stiege to Gernrode Blue Railcar
Train 69709 1136 Gernrode to Stiege 2 Car Railcar.
The Brown Van in the Siding will be added to the two alreadybon 6970w before it Departs to Gernrode. Train 69709 having no Freight will work on to Silberhutte.

Below Silberhutte.
69709 at the Rear
69702 1000 Stiegge to Harzegerode front 2 Roads.
With 69702 having arrived with the Mixed, the Green Coach will need to be made available for the Single Railcar at the rear to make up the Loaded Hopper Train. What will happen is that the Loco will set back to the Left to pick up the now Loaded Hoppers from the Gravel Loader. Then dump the Train back into this Road. The Railcar will then move Stage Left and return to the now Empty Hopper Train in the Front Road. The mixed will be sorted once the Railcar (Middle Road) continues on with Train 69712. Comments re Passengers apply equally to this return working. This next move of 69709 is not so complicated for the Passengers as they will remain in the Railcar, this having sufficient Power to work the complete Train. However if the Railcar is busy, intrepid Passengers know that there is a nice comfortable and probably Empty Coach on the Rear of this Train.

Below the Big Green and Rusty Viaduct.
Train 69709
Having left Silberhutte the Loaded Hopper Train traverses the Dog Bone Loop and travels over the Viaduct on its journey to Stiegge. Passengers get a good view of this Valley from the Train. I tried this unusual shot to show the small Water Course in this area, spoilt a bit by the final bit of Pipe that lets the Water into the Retention Tank and the Wire left from the Solar Panel just seen peeping out of the Pot.

Below Entrance to Alexisbad and Stiegge
Train 69706 above
Train 69709 below
Both being held by the Trapeztafel Signal with Lighted Indication. These Signals are usually not lighted though can be with a White Light to call the Train in after it has given an Audible Signal as to its presence. Here I have used the very good Ground Signals from Glendale Junction as the visible permission to enter the Shed. In real life there should be a Schachebretttafel Indicator to the Right telling the Driver that the Signal is on the Left Hand Side of the Track. Normal convention in German Railways sites Signals to the Right of the line in direction of Travel.

In reality for my line these Signals were set up to ensure that no more than 2 People are in the Shed at any one time as Operations can become impossible with 3 bods fighting to carry out their Station Work.

Another unusual shot as this delay would be highly unlikely, however as I was Operating the Line myself this day it was convinient to hold these two Trains here before continuing to work them.

Below Magdesprung
Train 69715 1448 Gernrode to Alexisbad
This Train is a short working to get Passengers back from the popular Spa Town of Alexisbad. As a Mixed it forms the very important function of moving Empty Flourspar Opens to Alexisbad for further movement to Lindenburg where they are Loaded on Train 69719. A rather nice bit of fumbly for the Operators to get to grips with.

Below Harzegerode
Train 69706
Meanwhile this Train Has arrived and has buffered up to the Mail/Milk Van. Often operators ignore the next Train (14411 1524 Harzegerode to Alexisbad, 14408 back at 1612) and its return as a waste of time only being a short trip to Alexisbad and back. They prefer to just get on with Train 69717 which takes any empty Opens to Lindenburg. However herein lies a trap for the unwary Operator, as 14411 needs to get the Mail/Milk tidily in the Yard for its onwards journey to Gernrode. If it is forgotten completely there will be hell to play and attaching it to 69717 can cause all sorts of delay to this Train. DougLN and certainly others Please Note!

Below Alaxisbad
Train 69710 1612 Alexisbad to Gernrode Right
Train 14408 1612 Alexisbad to Harzegerode Left
Plus if the above missing of the shuttle is done, the spectacle of the Double Departure from Alexisbad is missed. The only creation of this movement (in my Timetable) that the real Alexisbad was so famous for in the Past and at Current Special Events. Another unusual for me Pic taken from outside of the Shed.

Below Lindenburg
Train 69717 1648 Harzegerode to Lindenburg front
Train 69712 1448 Stiegge to Gernrode rear
Having some late running on the line a special pass of 69717 with 69712 was arranged between th SM's at Lindenburg. They would normally pass at Silberhutte. This sort of thing must have happened in the days of the East as the line was not Track Circuited and controlled from a Central Location with Radio's back then as now. As can be seen 69717 has not brought any empties due to a BYRAG on empties. To the unitiated BYRAG is the BR Telegraph Code for "The following traffic may be accepted by arrangement only." . We tended to use this expression on the Ruschbahn and I feel it works well for any BR Operators that I have here helping out. 69712 will continue on with the Fuel Loaded Train to Silverhutte. Hopefully it will be shunted and on its journey before the Railcar returning with Train 69716 1900 Lindenburg to Gernrode, the final Train of the day sans Flourspar Wagons. Presumably there must be some sort of problem at the Plant today what with the build up of Empties and no Loads to go out. The next Operating Session looks like it may be a lively one.

Below near Sternhaus Herefeld
Train 69716 1900 Lindenburg to Gernrode
The final Train of the day, hopefully all the Passengers from Alexisbad that were deposited during the day will have made this and the previous departures. Remaining here without accomodation in the bad old days of East Germany could be very tricky. Particularly if you were a Western Tourist. Though if you knew about them there were buses to escape Alexisbad or even Harzegerode to Wernigerode by.

Thus ends this little saga of an unusual day on the Dunnyreichesbahn.
JonD

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Nice one Jon

Like the pig nose never seen a twin unit like that

 

[Zerogee]

Nice one Jon

Like the pig nose never seen a twin unit like that

I'm assuming that's a conversion? The pigsnout bonnets and their associated luggage racks can be fitted to any of the flat-ended LGB railcars, and similarly can be removed, so I'm guessing that is made from one double-ended pigsnout with one of the bonnets moved to the back end of a flat-ended trailer car? Whatever, a nice job and it looks suitably different!

Jon.

 

[dunnyrail]

I'm assuming that's a conversion? The pigsnout bonnets and their associated luggage racks can be fitted to any of the flat-ended LGB railcars, and similarly can be removed, so I'm guessing that is made from one double-ended pigsnout with one of the bonnets moved to the back end of a flat-ended trailer car? Whatever, a nice job and it looks suitably different!

Jon.

Yes the Twin Pigsnout is a conversion. An ebay aquisition of a two car set that the guy had bought a couple of Noses for from LGB under the old regime. Turned out when I won it that he was an old work collegue so had a nice day with him and his good lady when I went to collect it. I added Sound to it, there is an LGB Diesel Box under the Rood Tarp. These days I would prefer a Massoth Piggy Sound for it. As I have had one recently returned from repair and is spare this might be the time to sort old twin Piggy out. I also connected the pair Electically with 4 wires going via the LGB Plugs. Think that I attempted to do the Lights and Track pickup certainly. Simple job to couple them up. Only 1 unit is powered, but the unpowered one helps with Pickup. This is why it cannot get involved with the heavy atrains in the story, though it is fully capable of dragging a couple of Wagons about.
JonD