Once a “part of the furniture” across the former West Germany, the centre-cab diesel-hydraulic locos of the V100 family are now fairly rare to pin down on passenger-carrying workings.
Due to a number of simultaneous steam loco failures, however, three of them are planned to be used on passenger-carrying trains within relatively close proximity in the south-west corner of Germany this coming Sunday, 2nd July 2017. These last minute substitutions are leading to something of an impromptu “diesel gala” in Baden-Württemberg.
Murgtalbahn
A class 213 (presumed to be 213 340) from the Albtal Verkehrsgesellschaft will haul the following:
16:47 Baiersbronn – Karlsruhe Hbf arr 19:38
This is a monthly endeavour by the Ulmer Eisenbahnfreunde / Dampfnostalgie Karlsruhe, ostensibly booked for 2-10-0 steam loco 58 311, but this is currently out of traffic. “Krokodil” E94 088 (ex-ÖBB 1020 010) is its replacement, but this too is unavailable this weekend, hence the substitution by the 213. More information here.
Strohgäubahn
212 309 will haul three round trips from Korntal to Weissach as part of GES Stuttgart’s “Feurige Elias” calendar:
17:43 Weissach – Korntal arr 18:38
Again, this is due to the unavailability of steam traction. More details here.
Schwäbischewaldbahn
212 084 of the DBK Historische Bahn will also be substituting for their excellent 2-6-2T 64 419, which is temporarily out of traffic too.
17:35 Welzheim – Schorndorf arr 18:34
More details here. To note, reaching Schorndorf from Stuttgart is made more difficult this weekend due to engineering work between the two, necessitating the use of rail replacement buses to bridge the gap.
Example move!
It is possible to ride behind all three V100s during the course of the day. There is more than one way to do it – all of which involve several buses and multiple units – but probably the most palatable is as follows – in a 12-hour day centred on Stuttgart:-
08:48 Stuttgart Hbf – Korntal arr 09:01 (S-Bahn, route S6)
09:16 Korntal – Weissach arr 10:11 (212 309)
10:17 Weissach – Leondorf arr 10:41 (no.634 bus)
10:47 Leondorf – Stuttgart Hbf arr 11:12 (S-Bahn, route S6)
11:45 Stuttgart Hbf – Waiblingen arr 11:59 (S-Bahn, route S3)
12:07 Waiblingen – Schorndorf arr 12:37 (rail replacement bus)
12:50 Schorndorf – Welzheim arr 13:14 (no.228 bus)
14:35 Welzheim – Schorndorf arr 15:34 (212 084)
15:48 Schorndorf – Endersbach arr 16:02 (S-Bahn, route S2)
16:08 Endersbach – Waiblingen arr 16:24 (rail replacement bus)
16:40 Waiblingen – Stuttgart Hbf arr 16:55 (S-Bahn, route S2)
17:08 Stuttgart Hbf – Karlsruhe Hbf arr 17:51 (IC2366)
18:09 Karlsruhe Hbf – Rastatt arr 18:22 (RE4737)
19:09 Rastatt – Karlsruhe Hbf arr 19:38 (213 340)
20:05 Karlsruhe Hbf – Stuttgart Hbf arr 20:58 (IRE4915)
So, in conclusion, desperate, but – as long as everything runs, and to time – eminently doable!
European Traction 