Branch Line News International (ISSN 1354-0947), a newsletter about the world's railway geography and infrastructure 1998 archived text (BLN 817 - BLN 840) BLN 817.01][IE] DART: Howth - Howth Jn - Dublin - Bray (- Greystones): Clontarf Road, the new DART station previously described as Fairview (BLN 779.0209) and located north-east of Dublin Connolly near Fairview DART depot, appeared with timings in the suburban timetable valid from 1 September 1997, and was officially opened by the Minister for Public Enterprise on 23 September. The foreword to the timetable said that, on the Dublin - Mullingar line, Drumcondra (between Connolly and Broombridge) and Kilcock (between Maynooth and Enfield) were also "expected to open this year, 1997". Timings appear for Drumcondra but not for Kilcock. BLN 817.02][DE][FR] Saarbrücken - Brebach - Hanweiler-Bad Rilchingen DB - Sarreguemines SNCF: (BLN 794.047, 810.0436; Ball DE-56A2) In recent years at least the French town of Sarreguemines has been unusual in having more frequent passenger service from and to Saarbrücken, its German neighbour, than on its three remaining SNCF domestic routes. Continuing this pattern, German light-rail vehicles began linking the two towns on 28 September 1997. On 20 November a shiny new articulated tram of Stadtbahn Saar GmbH, with dot-matrix screen indicating route #1 and destination Ludwigstrasse, was occupying the 15kV 16.7Hz-electrified Voie 'A' at Sarreguemines, contrasting fairly starkly with the rather down-at-heel French station and the SNCF autorail due to follow the tram along the same track across the border. BLN 817.03][FR] Sarreguemines - Kalhausen - Obermodern - Mommenheim (- Strasbourg): (Ball 29B3-30A3) South of Sarreguemines station, traces of a former triangular junction with the line to Bitche indicate the northern end of the Sarreguemines - Hambach (Moselle) - Sarralbe line, closed in the 1970s but part-reopened 1 April 1993 at the southern end for freight (BLN 702.06). Heading south-east, the unelectrified secondary route from Sarreguemines to Strasbourg, double-track except for a singled section through the tunnel north of Ettendorf, has by SNCF standards a reasonable service, normally using X4300 autorail sets, but since little has been done to rationalise facilities or track, the line has rather a forlorn and decrepit air. The only evidence of freight was at Diemeringen, where two wagons were being loaded with scrap. Lines completely lifted but discernible included Diemeringen - Drulingen and Obermodern - Steinbourg. As outlined in BLN 790.0448, rail infrastructure in eastern France has traditionally reflected strategic rather than operational considerations, and the station layouts remain over-generous, particularly where they once served junctions. Most junctions in Alsace were laid as triangles and many remained so until recent years. Obermodern station still has three platforms, four platform tracks and a large disused yard, but the triangle to the east, shown in Ball, has had its east-to-south curve lifted. The Obermodern - Pfaffenhoffen - Neubourg - Schweighouse-sur-Moder line, like its continuation to the east (Haguenau - Oberhoffen - Soufflenheim - Roeschwoog; BLN 814.0538), is retained at the request of the French armed forces. It is completely disused at the western end, but in connection with military manoeuvres tanks occasionally arrive and depart on well wagons at Neubourg, 5km from Schweighouse, served from the eastern end. An IFC weekend railtour on 16-17 May 1998 may traverse the line (OEIS 9756). BLN 817.04][FR] Duničres - Montfaucon-en-Velay - Tence (- Le Chambon-sur-Lignon - St.Agrčve): (BLN 815.0566; Ball 56A1) The Duničres SNCF - Duničres-Ville section was in use by a railbus and a steam train of the metre-gauge Ligne Touristique Velay-Lignon on 12 October 1997, connecting with an excursion from St.Étienne. BLN 817.05][DE] Berlin Regionalbahn: May 1998 timetable: Points of interest identified so far are: Ball atlas 1998-99 local service number Falkenhagen - Abzw Hasselberg 31A3 ) service RB21 unaffected, Brieselang - Abzw Hasselberg 31A3 ) so threatened curves survive Werder (Havel) - Abzw Wildpark (- Potsdam-Pirschheide (ex-Hbf)) 31A1 passenger closure Ferch-Lienewitz (Abzw Lia) - Beelitz Stadt (Abzw Bea) 31A1 passenger closure Ferch-Lienewitz (Abzw Lia) - Beelitz-Heilstätten 31A1 reopening (RE3) Ferch-Lienewitz (Abzw Lia) - Seddin 31A1 reopening (RB22) Seddin - Beelitz Stadt (Abzw Bea) 31A1 opening (RB33) Michendorf - Saarmund 31A1-31B1 regular local service again (RB22) Warschauer Strasse (Ostgüterbf) - Rummelsburg 32A2 temporary platform closes Abzw Grünauer Kreuz Nord - Abzw Grünau 32A2 reopening (RE2) Abzw Grünauer Kreuz West - Abzw Grünau 32A2 may lose its present two trains a day Wuhlheide Rbf Süd - Abzw Stadtforst 32A2 may have only Russian loading-gauge trains, hence limited opportunities to ride Abzw Glasower Damm West - Blankenfelde 32A1 reopening (RB20) Doberlug-Kirchhain east curve 44A3 reopening (RE5) BLN 817.06][DE] Berlin S-Bahn: Bornholmer Strasse - Bernau (bei Berlin): (Ball 32A2-32B3) Work on the extension of U-Bahn U2 north from Vinetastrasse to S-Bahnhof Pankow requires cutting through the main-line and S-Bahn embankment. Since 13 October 1997 trains towards Blankenburg have been using part of the former Fernbahn alignment, crossing over the future U-Bahn formation on a temporary bridge. A platform at Pankow was widened to allow them to call. This single track may from 19 December be the only one available in either direction, requiring new points to be installed north of Pankow. To the north-east Bernau-Friedenstal, a new S-Bahn station, opened on 30 September 1997, in the middle of the day. Built swiftly, over a period of four months, in order to serve a new residential area, this is the first DB station in the Bundesrepublik to be financed by a private-sector developer. (Blickpunkt Strassenbahn, 6/97) BLN 817.07][AT][SK] (Wien -) Parndorf - Kittsee ÖBB - Bratislava Petrzalka ZSR: (BLN 749.096; Ball 76A3-76B3) August 1998 may see passenger services restored to ÖBB's freight-only Parndorf - Kittsee line and beyond on the reopened railway across the river Donau/Dunaj (Danube), providing a link between the Austrian and Slovakian capitals in addition to the present Wien - Marchegg route (BLN 785.0354). Traction is likely to be diesel till electrification is completed in 1999. (Today's Railways, December 1997) BLN 817.08][PT] Funcheira avoiding line: (BLN 733.0158, 736.0214; Ball 33A3 not shown) In place since at least June 1994, this north-to-east curve appears heavily rusted and apparently still unused by the mineral traffic off the 31km Ourique - Neves-Corvo freight branch for which it was built (BLN 806.0344). BLN 817.09][IT] Torino Porta Susa - Germagnano - Ceres: (Ball 45B3-45A3) Operated by Societŕ per Azioni Trasporti Torinesi Intercomunali, this commuter line is electrified out to Germagnano and diesel-worked beyond. A station on the inner section is planned to serve Torino airport. On 3 November 1997 a SATTI bus service was running instead of Germagnano - Ceres trains. Notices suggested that major infrastructure works were in progress, possibly including electrification, and that reopening might be in 1998 - or possibly later. BLN 817.010][IT] Torino rack tram: (Ball 45B3 not shown) This tramway, thought to be metre-gauge, ascends from Sassi (on tram route #15) to the basilica at Supergra. It opened 16 April 1935 with rack working and 600V dc third-rail electrification, using the alignment of an earlier cable-worked line. It closed for modernisation from 12 October 1987 to 1 June 1990. A winter service is advertised in a local tourist information leaflet, but on 3 November 1997 the line was found to be closed, with no information as to reopening. If it does reopen for the 1998 summer season the date will probably be around l June. BLN 817.011][IT] Genova Piazza Principe - Arquata Scrivia (- Torino / Milano): (BLN 784.0334; Ball 46A2) Express trains use the direct Succursale dei Giovi line from Genova Piazza Principe via Genova Rivarolo and Mignanego to Arquata Scrivia, which has many tunnels including one of 8.3km. (When did the Succursale route open?) Stopping trains (such as the Class 724 four-car electric unit forming the 16:40 Genova Brignole - Arquata Scrivia on 3 November 1997) usually take the more circuitous route through Genova Sampierdarena, passing under the direct line at Genova Rivarolo and heading north via Genova Pontedecimo, Busalla and Isola del Cantone. Mignanego station on the direct route has a lonely existence with just two trains south to Brignole in the morning and one north in the evening. As these are booked to call at Sampierdarena they use a connection at Rivarolo quite sparsely traversed by passenger trains (BLS EuroGuide IT3). BLN 817.012][IT] Genova metro: (Rivarolo -) Brin - Dinegro - Principe (- Brignole): (Ball 46B2, not shown) Metrogenova was planned on an ambitious scale to run from Rivarolo via Principe and a circuitous route through the port area to Brignole, mostly in tunnel, but the city (population only 980,000) found it could not finance the whole line, and only a short section is running, having opened in two parts, Brin - Dinegro 13 June 1990 and Dinegro - Principe 27 July 1992. At Brin station, track not yet open extends on viaduct into the distance towards Rivarolo, the first few metres being used by empty trains to reverse using a crossover, with right-hand running. The 3.5km route in use incorporates the Certosa tram tunnel, which saw its last tram 1 October 1964, but was once used by routes #9, 10 and 11 of the interurban Unione Italiana Tranvie Elettriche. The whole journey takes all of five minutes. At Principe station, actually in Via Andre Doria and not obvious from Principe FS station, only one side of the island platform is in use. Further tunnelling work from Principe via Darsena to San Giorgio has reputedly been under way for over five years but with no perceptible result. On 3 November 1997 two six-axle articulated trains, half full, were operating the notional 20-minute service, but the timetable had been disrupted by 'technical difficulties'. Outside the underground depot at Dinegro lay the rest of the rolling-stock, four more units and a six-wheel diesel locomotive. Metrogenova claim that 3.5 million passengers travelled in the first 18 months, but at a capital cost per kilometre of over ITL100 billion the line seems a typical Italian construction-industry extravagance. BLN 817.013][IT] Genova Piazza Manin - Casella: (BLN 730.0118; Ball 46B2) The city terminus of the metre-gauge 3000V (formerly 2800V) dc electric Ferrovia Genova-Casella is in Piazza Manin, a short walk from the top of the Funicolare Sant'Anna or by AMT bus #33 which runs from both Piazza Principe and Brignole FS stations. Walking from either FS station is not recommended as the gradients are significant and especially tiring on a hot day. At Piazza Manin, the only booking-office on the line, traditional card tickets are issued, a standard return being a cheap ITL5,600 (= Ł2.80) for 52km, rising on holidays to a Festivo rate of ITL7,600, a practice found also in Spain. Tickets are also sold on the train. The day-rover Biglietto Speciale FS-AMT is not valid. The line climbs up the scenic valley of the river Bisagno into the hills behind Genova, without any rack, relying on spiral tunnels, gradients up to 1 in 20 (5%) and sharp bends, notably the Columbo curve, where it doubles back on itself on a very tight radius. Near the 458m summit at Crocetta (22km) one can briefly see tracks below at three different levels. The original terminus is 24km from Genova, at Casella Deposito (= depot), a halt where the repair workshop is located. Since 1952 trains have reversed here to run on roadside alignment and across a road/rail bridge to reach the village of Casella Paese (26km), a single-platform station whose only building is a bar. Stone from a quarry near Casella Deposito used to be worked to Piazza Manin for loading into lorries, but this now travels throughout by road. Despite having some new stock, FGC make much use of their elderly second-hand electric railcars. On 3 November 1997, 1926-built #A5 and #A6 were in service, both ex-SSIF, regauged from the 950mm-gauge Spoleta - Norcia line, closed 1968. Modern railcar #A11 (built ABB 1996) had only a short working to Vigomorasso, probably for school traffic. FGC never dispose of anything, so semi-derelict railcars and trailers lie in sidings here and there, the four dumped at Vigomorasso being ex-Ferrovia Elettrica Val di Fiemme, from the metre-gauge Ora - Predazza line, closed January 1963. BLN 817.014][IT] Genova rack tram: (Ball 46B2 not shown) Although conventional street trams ceased from 27 December 1966, a rack tramway, the Ferrovia Principe-Granarolo, still runs from its lower terminus in Via Pagano Doria, 200m from Genova Piazza Principe FS station, to a simple wooden-shed terminus-and-depot high above this hilly city. Trams leave the lower station, known as Principe, at xx:15 and xx:45 for the 10-minute journey, with three intermediate request-stops. A passing-loop remains between Bari and Chiassaiusala stations, but with only one car in use this was well-rusted. On 3 November 1997, while orange tram #1 rested in the upper depot, tram #2 in red livery, with a conductor as well as a driver, ran the half-hourly service. This was the only journey in Genova when the day-rover ticket bought by BLN's reporter was actually inspected. The Biglietto Speciale Integrato FS-AMT Genova ticket at ITL5000 (= Ł2.50) is good value for a day's travel within city limits on local trains, metro, buses, funiculars and lifts. AMT is Azienda Municipalizzata Trasporti, the local-authority transport agency. BLN 817.015][IT] Genova funiculars: (BLN 730.0118) The Funicolare Zecca-Righi ascends from Largo della Zecca, where the station is modestly hidden in a nondescript building away from the street, to an upper terminus in Mura della Chiappa, affording a panoramic view across the steep-sided valley of the river Bisagno. The modern two-car funicular trains, each with a driver, operate at 20-minute frequency, calling at five intermediate stations and passing at Santa Nicola station on the 12-minute journey. As stations are unequally spaced, in each direction one train of the pair stops between stations while the other is at a platform. By contrast the Funicolare Sant'Anna ascends a short but steep incline from a station in Piazza del Portello to one in Via Agostino in the Castelletto district, close enough for each to be clearly seen from the other. Journey time is three minutes with no intermediate stop. Two single cars of older appearance provide the service, with the only staff being the attendant in the upper-station winding-house. BLN 817.016][HR] Zagreb - Karlovac - Oštarije - Knin - Perkovic - Split: (BLN 769.021; Ball 46A1-51A3) The Croatian port of Split was cut off by rail from Zagreb, the capital, during the fighting in 1991, and a through service was not restored till 26 August 1995 (BLN 764.0452), running via the non-electrified Lika Valley route entirely within Croatia, rather than the former electrified JZ main line via Bihac in Bosnia. From the Italian port of Ancona an overnight ferry across the Adriatic also serves Split. From the station just across the road, the 07:11 Split - Knin train on 7 October 1997 comprised HZ diesel #5502 and two coaches, and #5705 with a similar rake formed the 10:45 on the Knin - Zadar branch. From the nearby bus-station at Zadar a bus ran to Sibenik bus-station, whose town map was helpful in finding the railway station, not far away, but not immediately obvious. The 15:24 up the Sibenik - Perkovic branch had #5808 with a train including four-wheel coaches, now unusual in Europe other than on preserved lines. #5504 hauled the 16:31 from Perkovic to Knin, in the once-Serb-populated Krajina region of Croatia, still showing many signs of war damage. A tourist-office is near the station, and a motel was found several km away, charging some Ł19 a night. On 8 October the 07:09 Knin - Ogulin offered a very scenic but slow all-stations ride north in one elderly ex-Swiss coach hauled by #5420, but the 12:37 from Ogulin was terminated short at Generalski Stol due to engineering work, with a bus to Duga Resa, then train onward via Karlovac arriving Zagreb 15:12. BLN 817.017][HR][SI] Zagreb - Savski Morof - Sutla HZ - Dobova SZ - Radece (- Zidani Most - Ljubljana): (Ball 46A2-45B2) On 8 October 1997 the 15:20 Zagreb - Maribor train changed its Croatian locomotive for a Slovenian one at Dobova, just beyond the border (BLN 702.012), and ran as booked via the Zidani Most avoiding line (Radece - Rimske Toplice; BLS EuroGuide SI1), a south-east-to-north curve with a sparse passenger service. BLN 817.018][LK] Colombo - Homagama - Avissawella (- Opanake): (BLN 701.03, 706.011) Sri Lanka's transport minister on 11 August 1997 inaugurated the regauged Homagama - Avissawella section, and the whole of the Kelani Valley line that remains, some 60km, can now carry 1676mm-gauge traffic. The line retains its old 762mm-gauge alignment, so the curves are sharp for broad-gauge trains, resulting in high maintenance costs and not a few derailments. The suburban section out to Homagama (26km) retains some narrow-gauge passenger trains on its dual-gauge track. (Continental Railway Journal, winter 1997-98) BLN 817.019][PE][CL] Tacna - Arica: From the inland town of Tacna in Peru a 62km standard-gauge line runs south to the port of Arica, now across the frontier just inside Chile. The Ferrocarril Tacna-Arica is owned throughout by Peru though isolated from the rest of the Peruvian railway network. Tacna has the main depot, with a platform, fuelling-point, sheds, a working turntable for turning the single-ended railcars, and a railway museum with several steam engines and other artefacts on display. It is also a secure area, with arriving passengers allowed out only after Peruvian passport and customs checks. Trains leave Tacna station by an archway under the clock-tower through very high locked gates manually opened by security staff, followed by several kilometres of street-running with much horn-blowing and siren-wailing. Outside the town the line runs through sandy desert for most of the 150-minute journey. Chile has a border station for passport and customs checks before arriving at Arica, where the station is manned, with a booking office and basic facilities. The ordinary passenger service used to comprise a single railcar similar to the one chartered for a journey on 17 November 1997, but due to increased patronage a diesel locomotive, two coaches and two box vans are now often used. BLN 817.020][CL][BO] Arica - La Paz: Separated by a main road from the standard-gauge FC Tacna-Arica station is the metre-gauge Arica station of the 457km line to La Paz in Bolivia. Though the regular twice-weekly passenger service was suspended about March 1997, the station is still intact, with buildings, maps and departure board, and a chartered Bolivian railcar conveyed a BLN reporter through to La Paz on 18 November 1997. Now freight-only, with a branch off to Arica port, the line runs parallel to the Tacna line for several kilometres before turning east and heading for the Andes. The climb up the Andes is steeply graded, and once had substantial sections of rack working. The rack has not been used since about 1967 when diesel locomotives and railcars were introduced. At several locations where the running rails had worn down, this caused the redundant rack to strike the underside of the locomotive traction-motor housings, so the rack was removed. Removal of the rack however caused the sleepers to split, so the remedy was to replace the rack with a single rail for strengthening purposes. This is clearly visible on much of the mountain section. The summit of the line is 4247m above sea level at General Lagos, before it reaches the Chilean customs station of Visviri. Charańa, the nearby Bolivian customs station, appears to be a crew-change point for freight trains. Some 200km in from the Chilean border, lines from Guaqui, Arica and Oruro all meet at Viacha, which hosts a main locomotive depot, before heading north-eastward for some 40km to Bolivia's principal city, La Paz. Here the railway now ends at La Paz Alto (El Alto), at a height of 4106m. Track continues down to La Paz Central (3701m), but this has been out of use since about March 1997, and seems unlikely to be used again. The imposing Estacion Central still has a booking-office selling bus and train tickets for the ENFE services to Oruro and Uyuni, but platform and track areas are fenced off. Some diesel railcars are still in the sidings, and a tour of the engine-shed revealed several trams - which once also ran from Central - plus examples of electric locomotives used on the separate and long-extinct FCAB electrified route down into La Paz. BLN 817.021][BO] Viacha - Guaqui: A chartered railcar on 19 November 1997 visited the 64km metre-gauge branch to Guaqui on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca (3810m above sea-level), normally used by about two freight trains a week which meet the train-ferry from Puno, 200km away on the standard-gauge Arequipa - Puno branch in Peru. The main traffic is beans inward from Peru and soya outward. Guaqui has no gauge-changing facilities, so the Peruvian standard-gauge wagons are not disembarked, their contents being sucked out by large mobile pumps and transhipped directly to the waiting Bolivian metre-gauge wagons. Some standard-gauge quayside track does exist at Guaqui and was occupied by several British-built steam cranes, though these are not at present operational. The engine-shed contains a still-serviceable Bolivian steam engine. BLN 818.022][FR][BE] Hautmont avoiding line (Feignies - Sous-le-Bois): (BLN 779.0212, 808.0368; Ball 16A3) From 28 September 1997, the Mon-Fri early-morning connection from Mons for Paris, like others of the day, is made at Aulnoye-Aymeries, not Maubeuge. On Saturdays and Sundays, however, SNCB train #5952, retimed to 06:52, still runs via the Hautmont north-to-east curve to connect at Maubeuge into Berlin - Paris train #242. BLN 818.023][FR] Lyon metro, funiculars and trams: (Ball 56B3 not shown) Societé Lyonnaise de Transports en Commun (TCL) offer a day-rover ticket at FRF24 covering the Métro's four lines (opened 1978-97) and two funiculars plus the buses and trolleybuses, but not SNCF local trains. Metro lines A and D have rubber-tyred stock but lines B and C use ordinary steel wheels. Ligne D, extended north-west to Gare de Vaise from 28 April 1997 (BLN 805.0302), is driverless so one can ride at the front behind a large window and follow progress through the lighted tunnels. If so minded, one can also 'forget' to alight at termini and ride into the headshunts. Ligne C (Hôtel de Ville - Croix-Paquet - Croix-Rousse - Hénon - Cuire; BLN 783.0294) is unusual as it is rack-equipped from the lower terminus to the hilltop station Croix-Rousse and runs in the open beyond Hénon on former SNCF formation to Cuire, a single-track terminus. The two funiculars start from adjacent platforms at Vieux Lyon running to Fourvičre and to St.Just. Population of the Lyon urban agglomération, currently 1.2 million, has grown less than expected and in 1997 the transport planning authority, SYSTRAL, decided that metro development should cease except for the 2.4km Ligne B extension currently under construction from Jean Macé south to Stade de Gerland. Instead the main surface routes (lignes fortes) are to be upgraded, two of them becoming light-rail lines by 2001, with the possibility of two more by 2004, connecting with the metro and partly replacing existing bus and trolleybus routes (BLN 814.0541). Ligne T1 is to run Lyon-Perrache SNCF - Lyon Part-Dieu SNCF - La Doua campus (8km) and Ligne T2 Lyon-Perrache - Bron-Parilly - St.Priest / Lyon-II Université (13km). BLN 818.024][DE] Bremen-Huchting - Leeste - Thedinghausen: (Ball 16B1) An IBSE special on 16 November 1997 ran right to the northern end of this private freight line alongside the DB tracks at the former Huchting station. The operators, Kleinbahn Leeste, seem to have no traffic at this end of the line, apart from the occasional passenger trains shown in Kursbuch der deutschen Museums-Eisenbahnen (1997 edition, table 61). Though the back-shunt exchange-siding at Huchting appeared useable, the Kleinbahn and DB no longer exchange freight there, but still do so at Kirchweyhe on the Bremen - Oldenburg line, using the Leeste - Kirchweyhe west-to-south curve not shown in Ball (BLN 715.05). The local-authority-owned line was sold during 1997 to property developers who seem to have been seeking to run down its operations with a view to closure and removal. However, this plan may be foiled by the German railway law which enables another operator to take over such an abandoned railway quite cheaply. Further developments are awaited. BLN 818.025][DE] Hamburg Ohlsdorf - Ochsenzoll: (BLN 794.038; Ball 22A2) The out-of-use freight-only line shown in Ball (which runs adjacent to U-Bahn Linie U1 not so shown) is still in place, but has become quite overgrown since formal abandonment on 1 April 1996. Once used for moving rolling-stock between DB and Hamburger Hochbahn AG, it was replaced by a short steeply-graded link between the DB and the HHA platforms at Ohlsdorf. BLN 818.026][DE] Hamburg: Garstedt - Norderstedt Mitte - Ulzburg Süd - Kaltenkirchen: (BLN 764.0444, 788.0406; Ball 17B3) Replaced 29 September 1996 by the parallel extension of U-Bahn Linie U1, the above-ground Garstedt - Norderstedt Mitte Alsternordbahn has become a footpath and cycleway, revealing nothing of its railway origins to passengers on U1 trains. From Norderstedt Mitte the Alsternordbahn line north to Moorbekhalle has been realigned to allow AKN trains to start from a central bay in HHA's Norderstedt Mitte station, giving cross-platform connection with U-Bahn U1 (BLN 794.038). Between Ulzburg Süd and Kaltenkirchen Süd, the Altona-Kaltenkirchen-Neümunster Eisenbahn is being doubled, partly on a completely new alignment whose earthworks were seen to be well advanced on 14 November 1997. BLN 818.027][DE] Hamburg S-Bahn: Hbf - Bergedorf - Reinbek (- Aumühle): (BLN 794.039, 815.0572, Ball 22B2-22B3) Third-rail 1200V dc Linie S21 trains were restored to Bergedorf - Reinbek from 1 June 1997 as planned. BLN 818.028][DE] Köln Südbrücke: (Ball 36A3) The temporary diversions reported in BLN 815.0574 have ceased, but it seems from other reports that the different northbound and southbound routes used on 12 October 1997 were unusual, and that the booked diversionary route in both directions was past Gremberg yard, not through Kalk station. Other passenger trains booked via the Südbrücke are listed in the BLS Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe, available on the World Wide Web or on paper (see BLN 810, p288/97). BLN 818.029][DE] Wennemen - Wenholthausen - Fredeburg - Schmallenberg (- Altenhundem): (Ball 39A2) The Schmallenberg branch originated as a branch from Altenhundem to Fredeburg, opened at the end of the 19th century and extended to Wennemen in 1911. The difference in construction over the 15 or so years is noticeable, particularly the sharper curves on the older section. The 1960s saw the end of passenger services, with complete closure and eventual lifting south of Schmallenberg. Regular freight ceased in December 1994, but the line is still technically available for special trains. Verkehrsclub Deutschland (BLN 811.0463) would like to mount a preservation attempt but lack enough members. However, following tree-lopping by VCD people, two special passenger trains operated on 8 May and 6 December 1997, and another is in prospect for 21 February 1998. Wenholthausen - Eslohe was latterly only a short branch, although it too was part of a through line, to Finnentrop, and beyond via Olpe (38B2) to Betzdorf (38B1). In passenger days, the physical junction was at Wenholthausen station, with two parallel single tracks heading south, but later the junction was moved to the point of divergence and controlled from a local ground-frame. The branch carried regular timber traffic until 1991 when all ceased abruptly after a bridge-strike by a road vehicle, which DB declined to repair. Track appears to remain in place. BLN 818.030][DE] Zwickau (Sachsen) - Falkenstein (Vogtland): (Ball 43A1-54A3) After nearly 18 months delay from the original planned handover date of 2 June 1996 (BLN 784.0331), Bavarian company Regental Bahnbetriebs GmbH, who trade in south-west Saxony as the Vogtlandbahn, on 23 November 1997 took over from DB the operation of services on this and the adjacent lines Herlasgrün - Falkenstein - Zwotental - Klingenthal and Zwotental - Adorf (42B1-54A3-53A3). Work to permit RBG's RegioSprinter standard-gauge railcars to share tracks with the metre-gauge town trams from Zwickau Hbf into Zwickau town-centre (BLN 815.0575) may begin in 1998, but the street-running is not likely to start till 1999. BLN 818.031][DE] Germany: passenger closures in the east: In the more affluent west a few lines have recently reopened to passenger trains with finance from the Länder (provinces), but the east presents a stark contrast, facing branch-line closures of 'Beeching' proportions, as provincial governments claim their limited resources leave them no choice. Some, notably Land Sachsen (Saxony), have published long lists of threatened branches, and Sachsen have also argued in favour of bus substitution both on value-for-money and transport-planning grounds. However, the Land governments are not finding the closure process easy, for local opposition has begun to develop, especially at the Kreis (county) level - and legislation already enacted is seeing some Länder devolve more transport responsibilities to cities and counties, in Sachsen's case by 2002. Legal action by the counties against the September 1997 closure (and bus-substitution) of the Schwarzenberg (Erzgebirge) - Annaberg-Buchholz line (BLN 816.0595; Ball 54A3-54B3; KBS536) resulted in a court ruling against DB and the province, though the order to reinstate the trains is now subject to appeal. Most of the other threatened lines in Sachsen, including the narrow-gauge ones (BLN 818.032), are now expected to survive at least into summer 1998 - except in one area where local support for the railway is slight. Three lines must still be regarded as likely to close to passengers with the timetable-change in May 1998: Hohenbocka - Kamenz (Sachsen) 44A3-44A2 KBS227 Strassgräbchen-Bernsdorf (Oberland) - Königsbrück 44A3-44A2 KBS239 Arnsdorf (bei Dresden) - Dürröhrsdorf 44A2 KBS247 BLN 818.032][DE] Threatened 750mm-gauge in Saxony: The local authority, Landkreis Annaberg, are likely to take over the Cranzahl - Kurort Oberwiesenthal line (Ball 54B3; KBS518) and have a subsidiary of the local bus company, BVO Bahn GmbH, run it from 24 May 1998. Similarly a new company, Weisseritztalbahnbetriebs GmbH, apparently including the local authorities, was formed in August 1997 to take over the Freital-Hainsberg - Kurort Kipsdorf line (Ball 44A2-44A1; KBS513) from 24 May 1998, with a supporting group, Interessengemeinschaft Weisseritztalbahn eV. No report has yet come of a body stepping up to run the third such line, the Lössnitztalbahn near Dresden (Radebeul Ost - Radeburg; Ball 44A2; KBS509). All three remaining 750mm-gauge DB lines, all in Land Sachsen, all still steam-operated, have been threatened with closure at the next timetable change if not taken off DB's hands by then (BLN 805.0305, 818.031). (Der Schienenbus, Oct 1997, Dec 1997) BLN 818.033][AT] Weiz - Oberfeistritz - Anger - Birkfeld (- Ratten): (Ball 83B3-75A1) Though this 760mm-gauge StLB line, the Feistritztalbahn, featured in neither the ÖBB timetable nor StLB advertising for 1997, local tourist authorities were obviously underwriting the Weiz - Birkfeld trains in some way, including the glossy publicity material seen on a 28 August visit. Trains ran 15 June - 26 October, with maximum service MWThSuO 7 July - 25 August. Train-crew may have been Steiermärkische Landesbahnen staff, but catering was by volunteers from the supporting Club U44. StLB freight is now limited to Weiz - Oberfeistritz, where a talc factory has a private siding. Birkfeld - Ratten (18.3km) closed to passengers 1 September 1969, and completely 1 July 1980. Weiz - Birkfeld (23.9km) closed to ordinary passengers 2 June 1973. Tourist trains seem to have run Weiz - Birkfeld each summer 1973-1993 and 1996-1997, but Weiz - Anger only in 1994 (BLN 749.098). What service ran in 1995? (partly Schmalspurig durch Österreich 1825-1975 (1984); Renaissance der Schmalspurbahn in Österreich (1986)) BLN 818.034][SE] Mora strand - Östersund - Arvidsjaur - Gällivare: (Ball 14A2-3A3) When Inlandsbanan operation was transferred from SJ to the local authorities along its route, central government agreed sufficient finance to run summer seasonal passenger services for five years, ending in 1997 (BLN 778.0195). Since the lengthy and scenic line appeared threatened during 1997 (BLN 800.0198) it is pleasant to see that finance, central or local, now seems to have been secured for 1998. Freight still operates on most of the line (BLN 811.0475). Mora strand station, located closer to the town-centre than Mora station, is the planned southern terminal in 1998 (BLN 816.0602). Relatively recent and not shown in Ball, the single platform without a rounding loop was used in 1994 (BLN 737.0238) and 1995, but not in 1996 and 1997, when Inlandsbanan trains went no further than Mora. At the northern end of the line, Lokstallarna, the former SJ enginemen's hostel at the locomotive depot, some 200m from Gällivare SJ station, is now available to the general public for overnight accommodation in two-, three- and four-bedded rooms. Prior booking is advised (telephone +46 970 15375). Although the movement is not advertised other than locally, the railbus will carry overnighting Inlandsbanan passengers to and from Lokstallarna, because both driver and railbus lodge overnight there, inside and outside respectively. BLN 818.035][SE] Mora - Oxberg - Älvdalen: (Ball 14A2) At a junction just beyond Mora strand station, the freight-only Mora - Vika (- Vansbro) line, now closed beyond Vika, diverges from the Mora - Älvdalen line. Out of use since 1982, the latter line reopened November 1995 (BLN 778.0196) for porphyry stone traffic from a siding just short of Älvdalen. The final kilometre to the former Älvdalen station has been lifted. On the last Sunday of every February a special Mora - Oxberg passenger service runs, for participants in a ladies' skiing event. BLN 818.036][SE] Ljusdal - Hudiksvall: (Ball 14B2-15A2) Junctions at both ends had been removed by August 1997, though the intervening track remains in place, and a preservation group hope to run electric trains. BLN 818.037][PT] Porto trams and metro: (BLN 800.0200; Ball 7A1, not shown) The last tram route in Portugal's northern city changed in late 1997. Sections of route #18 closed were Boavista - Castelo do Queijo (= 'castle of the cheese') and Massarelos - Carmo, while Massarelos - Infante reopened. This accords with the city's plan that their elderly 1435mm-gauge tramcars should become a tourist operation on the Castelo do Queijo - Massarelos - Infante line. Meanwhile Normetro, a consortium led by Adtranz, have secured a contract to build a four-line 70km metro (6km in tunnel) for Porto. The 72 three-module Eurotram vehicles, the depot and the first line are to be in operation in 2000, and the other lines by 2002. (advertisement, The Economist, 13 December 1997) BLN 818.038][PT] Sintra trams: Ribeira - Banzăo - Praia das Maçâs: (BLN 792.0512, 815.0579) Stagecoach's Sintra-Atlântico metre-gauge roadside electric tramway is working Wed-Sun in winter 1997-98 from its present operating depot at Banzăo. The line may be extended beyond the old depot at Ribeira into Sintra once the town-centre is pedestrianised, but no date has been set. Tram timetable operating in mid-November 1997 was Banzăo 10:28SSuO - Ribeira 11:03SSuO - Praia das Maçâs 12:04SSuO - Banzăo 12:33 - Ribeira 13:03 - Praia das Maçâs 14:04 - Ribeira 15:04 - Praia das Maçâs 16:04 - Ribeira 16:58 - Banzăo. However, a notice dated 27 November indicated indefinite closure of Ribeira - Banzăo due to a landslip at Celăo bridge, necessitating a temporary timetable, Wed-Sun, from Banzăo 12:32 and hourly to 16:32; from Praia das Maçâs 13:04 and hourly to 17:04. Stagecoach Portugal bus #441 provides a connection between Sintra station and Banzăo. BLN 818.039][PT] Lisboa trams: (BLN 808.0383; Ball 25B1 not shown) In January 1998 only five numbered routes remain: #12 Praça da Figueira - Martim Moniz - Săo Tomé - Praça da Figueira (now a circle, clockwise only) #15 Praça da Figueira - Algés (with the articulated cars) #18 Ajuda - Alfândega #25 Prazeres - Estrela - Conde Barao - Alfândega #28 Prazeres - Estrela - Săo Bento - Graça BLN 818.040][CH] Rheineck - Walzenhausen: (Ball 89B2) When a railway has only a single item of rolling-stock, a level-crossing accident is likely to cause difficulty. This happened on 1 July 1997 to the RhW, a 600V dc Swiss line less than 2km long, with the unusual gauge of 1200mm. Their 28-seat 1958-built car had to be replaced by a bus until 5 September. From 1896 the line was a funicular whose lower station was from 1909 linked to Rheineck SBB station by a petrol-engined standard-gauge tramcar. Since 1958 the line has been adhesion-worked on this level section, with Riggenbach rack straight up the forested hillside and through the tunnel to the top. No sign of the 1997 mishap was visible on 3 January 1998 as the car left the SBB station, running east between the main line and the busy highway along the Bodensee shore before crossing the road and turning sharply uphill on the rack to Walzenhausen village. From the top, a regular postbus service runs to nearby Heiden, the upper station of the Rorschach - Heiden railway, another Riggenbach-rack line, but with standard-gauge track and 15kV 16.7Hz electrification. As noted in BLN 714.022, RHB workings run through on to SBB as far as Rorschach Hafen station. BLN 818.041][CH] Metre-gauge and standard-gauge in the Jura: (Ball 91A3-86A2) The Chemins de fer du Jura have proposed laying a third rail allowing metre-gauge trains to run on CFF standard-gauge tracks between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle (to allow through running to Les Brenets) and between Glovelier and Delémont (to reach the cantonal capital). (L'Écho du Rail, #177, November 1997) The small single car of the Chemins de fer des Montagnes Neuchâteloises on the isolated 4km 1500V dc metre-gauge Le Locle - Les Brenets line works from dock-platform 4 at Le Locle, with a 720m tunnel on its seven-minute journey. On 2 January 1998 its driver thought that future through running seemed rather unlikely, given the investment required not only in a third running rail but in dual-voltage stock if CMN or CJ workings were to share the existing 15kV 16.7Hz CFF overhead. From standard-gauge platform 3 at Le Locle, a three-times-daily (and possibly threatened) international service (Le Locle - Le Locle-Col-des-Roches CFF - Morteau SNCF - Besançon-Viotte; BLN 755.0257) is worked by SNCF autorail, an example of which was sheltering in the smoke-stained old locomotive-shed west of the station. A local timetable leaflet reveals that this apparently more direct route to Paris is slower than heading east and south to pick up a Zürich - Bern - Paris TGV at Neuchâtel. Nearby, CMN's other line, La Chaux-de-Fonds - Les Ponts-de-Martel (16km), shares with CJ the 1500V dc metre-gauge northern platforms at La Chaux station, but climbs over the standard-gauge to the east before swinging round and over a wooded ridge to run southwestwards along the northern side of the broad and tranquil agricultural valley it serves. Leaving La Chaux by a street-running section, the 74km CJ metre-gauge system comprises a main line heading north-east (La Chaux-de-Fonds - Le Noirmont - Saignelégier - Glovelier) and a branch heading east (Le Noirmont - Tramelan - Tavannes). Both run through attractive hilly country with quite severe curvature and gradients, on the branch in particular. Just before Glovelier the CJ main line descends steeply from the hills by a hairpin bend followed by a switchback reversal. The CJ's Glovelier - Delémont extension plans have been around, unfulfilled, for some 15 years, and route-diagrams on the trains indicate the original version, with a separate alignment north of the CFF line instead of sharing mixed-gauge track. BLN 818.042][CZ] Czech Republic: winter 1997-98 timetable amendments: An October 1997 visit found fares increased, but still cheap (100km for Ł1). Railway workers told BLN's reporter that local initiatives tried to make sure that branch lines damaged in summer 1997 flooding reopened promptly in order to pre-empt government moves to declare them permanently closed (BLN 812.0505). Some timetable changes were being promulgated in local leaflets: Ball CD timetable Karlovy Vary - Dalovice - Merklín 35A1 141 service halved Chomutov - Jirkov 35B1 133 new local service to Jirkov, a different station from Jirkov zastávka (= halt) on the Chomutov - Ústi line Bošice - Zásmuky - Becváry 35B2 013 BLN 802.0242; no Sat service after 11:45 Milotice nad Opavou - Vrbno pod Pradedem 37A1 313 service withdrawn, with bus substitution Jindrichuv Hradec - Obratan 41A3 205 760mm-gauge; BLN 805.0322; much reduced service, very slow, first train south takes 225min for 46km Petrov nad Desnou - Kouty nad Desnou 41B3-37A1 291 service withdrawn, with bus substitution Olomouc - Bartonov - Ostruzna - Krnov 42A3-37A1 290 bus on 32km Bartonov - Ostruzna section Opava - Jakartovice - Svobodné Hermanice 42A3 314 Svobodné now has only one train, on certain FSuO Kyjov - Mutenice 42A2-41B2 257 no Sat/Sun service Nezamyslice - Morkovice 42A3 333 no Sat/Sun service Hodonín - Holíc nad Moravou ZSR 42A2 336 BLN 775.0145; border-crossing; no Sat/Sun service BLN 818.043][CZ] Rakovnik - Cistá - Mladotice: (Ball 35B1; CD 162) The layout at the provincial capital of Rakovnik in Bohemia is unusual. Separate single tracks leave the station to the west as line 126 (Rakovnik - Louny) and line 161 (Rakovnik - Blatno u Jesenice). Line 162 diverges south-west from the latter after 1km or so and the single-track line 161 then cuts north through the edge of town to converge again with line 126, running parallel for some way without a junction before finally parting company. Though CD make much use of temporary bus substitution during engineering works (BLN 712.09, 792.0518, 802.0240-1, 812.0506) bus replacement of the western 21km of the 39km Rakovnik - Cistá - Mladotice secondary line (closed 1 January 1997, at short notice, due to poor track; BLN 800.0204) seems permanent. The timetable still has seven Rakovnik - Cistá round-trips, and a November 1997 trip found the single railcar well-filled. Cistá, serving a sizeable village, is now the terminus, an unstaffed wayside station with freight sidings and loop apparently disused. It is unclear whether the 9km section westwards to the next town, Kralovice, is still in use for freight, perhaps to grain-silos visible from the bus. Between Kralovice and Mladotice however the bus crosses the line three times, revealing it to be completely out of use, very rusty and heavily overgrown. No-one should defer a visit to the remaining branch in the hope that the closed section will reopen. BLN 819.044][FR] Paris métro: Saint-Denis Basilique - Université de Saint-Denis: (Ball 81B2 not shown) May 1998 should see line 13 of the Réseau Urbain extended 1.26km in tunnel to a new terminus further beyond the city boundary, serving the campus of Université-Paris VIII and the northern part of the town of St.Denis. The new terminus has been designed to allow extension in future to Stains. (http://www.ratp.fr/) BLN 819.045][FR] France: station renamings: Aulnoye (Ball 16A3) in the summer 1995 SNCF timetable had become Aulnoye-Aymeries in the timetable of 24 September 1995. Châlons-sur-Marne (27A3) in the winter 1995-96 timetable had become Châlons-en-Champagne in the timetable of 2 June 1996 BLN 819.046][FR] (Montargis -) Charny - Toucy - St.Sauveur-en-Puisaye - Étang de Moutiers - St.Fargeau (- Gien): (Ball 36B3-37A2) Montargis - Toucy and Toucy - Gien lost their passenger services 2 October 1938, and became a long, meandering, dead-end freight branch from Montargis when the line west of St.Fargeau to Gien closed completely 18 May 1952. SNCF records state that the branch was cut back to Toucy 16 December 1973, though freight was apparently going to St.Sauveur in 1987 (perhaps it had reopened). By 1988 the branch seems to have been cut back yet further, to Charny, though SNCF line closure records reveal no date for this. On 20 June 1987 the Association des Autorails Touristiques de l'Yonne (AATY) began running Montargis - St.Sauveur, at 77km the longest volunteer-operated line in France at the time, trading as the Chemin de Fer Touristique de Puisaye, Puisaye being the area between the valleys of the rivers Yonne and Loire, west-south-west of Auxerre. After track-relaying on the out-of-use section, CFTP trains were extended from 18 June 1989 to run Montargis - Étang de Moutiers (a lake just west of St.Sauveur), but in 1992 and 1993 ran only on the section still in freight use, Montargis - Charny. SNCF were said to have stopped tourist service on the line to Étang de Moutiers for safety reasons (BLN 715.02). In 1996, however, a CFTP leaflet advertised trains from Toucy at weekends from May to September, but with duration and destination of journey not specified. Local authority negotiations to take over the disused section between Charny and St.Fargeau, a total of 53km, were finally concluded 6 September 1997. Did tourist trains run in 1995 or 1997, and in 1996 did they run only on the short section Toucy-Ville - Toucy-Moulins? (La Vie du Rail #2104 & 2195, 1987, 1989; CF Régionaux et Urbains #217, 1990; The Tourist Railways of France (2nd edn) p146; Connaissance du Rail, #182, 1996; L'Écho du Rail, #177, November 1997) BLN 819.047][FR] Thouars - Bressuire - La Roche-sur-Yon: (BLN 813.0519; BLS EuroGuide Ball 44A3-42B3) An IFC weekend railtour on 20-21 June 1998, by Picasso diesel unit from Tours, is planned to traverse this sparsely used line (OEIS 9756). BLN 819.048][FR] (Pontarlier -) Fontaine-Ronde - Touillon - Les Hôpitaux-Neufs-Jougne (- Vallorbe CFF): (BLN 746.026, 750.0111; Ball 50A3) From the end of June 1997, the CF Touristique Pontarlier - Vallorbe extended northwards beyond Touillon (4.5km) to a temporary terminus, and the total length relaid is now 7.5km of the original 23km of abandoned trackbed. The terminus provisoire, Fontaine-Ronde, has an intermittent spring, one of seven in France. Information on 1998 services should be available in due course from the Office de Tourisme, Place de la Mairie, F-25370 Les Hôpitaux-Neufs, fax +33 3 81 49 09 27. (http://www.trains-fr.org/unecto) At the northern end the site of the former junction south of Pontarlier is still visible from the Paris - Pontarlier - Neuchâtel - Bern TGV. Extending north to Pontarlier may be easier than south to Vallorbe in Switzerland, for taking on the abandoned 1560m Tunnel de Jougne at the frontier would be an ambitious commitment for a preserved line. BLN 819.049][FR] (Tulle -) Lapleau - Soursac (- Neuvic d'Ussel): (Ball 53B1-54B2 not shown) The metre-gauge Tramways Départementaux de la Corrčze finally closed at the end of 1959, but the 8km section from Lapleau (about 50km east of Tulle) to Soursac is the subject of a preservation scheme, which would see trains running over a suspension bridge across the river Luzčge. The bridge, declared a historic monument in 1995, is 160m long, 90m high. Details from ASTTRE 19, Mairie, F-19550 Soursac. (L'Écho du Rail, #177, November 1997) BLN 819.050][FR] Tournon - Lamastre (- Le Cheylard): (BLN 757.0297; Ball 56Bl) At Lamastre, the upper terminus of the present preserved Chemin de Fer du Vivarais, metre-gauge track continues across the river Doux bridge, with a locked gate at the far end, then some way through the village before ending at a former level-crossing. At one time this track continued to Le Cheylard, joining the Duničres - Montfaucon - Tence (- St.Agrčve - Le Cheylard - La Voulte-sur-Rhône) line, the western part of which also survives in preservation (BLN 815.0566, 817.04). BLN 819.051][FR] Nice - Digne: (Ball 77B3-67A1-66Bl) The dignified and listed 1892 Nice-Sud station, terminus of the metre-gauge Chemins de fer de la Provence, before 1925 known as the CF du Sud de la France, saw its last train on 9 December 1991, but its impressive arch-roofed train-shed remains in grass-grown isolation, none of the various worthy civic ideas for its re-use having yet been implemented. Opened to regular traffic on 10 December 1991, the new Gare CP or Gare du Sud stands beyond the former first level-crossing, across a busy road (BLN 737.0228). North of the present station another three ungated level-crossings remain, negotiated with some panache by the autorail drivers, literally forcing their way across against city traffic that is unwilling to stop for a mere metre-gauge railway. At busy times throughout the day the flow of cars often backs up across the crossings and nobody will give way. How CP keep anywhere near to their peak-hour suburban timetable is a mystery. An ADL charter train on 5 November 1997 ran the length of the line, using autorail #ZZ22, a Renault diesel-electric of 1935. CP never scrap anything. At Lingostičre works, derelict locomotives, autorails and trailers litter several sidings, among them autorail #212 (Billard, 1937, in modern CP colours though vandalised and graffiti-covered). In the road nearby, two former trailers, thought to be #XR1332 and XR1335, now form L'Autorail Café, offering a FRF65 menu or a FRF45 plat du jour. At Puget-Théniers the preservationist Groupe d'Études pour les CP maintain several steam locomotives for the seasonal tourist Train des Pignes as far as Annot. At their new shed, financed by the local authority, was #E211 (2-4-6-0T Mallet compound, Henschel 19874 of 1923, formerly of Caminhos de ferro Portugueses and appositely still bearing the letters CP on the buffer-beam) while at the old shed and works were #E327 (4-6-0T, Fives-Lille, 1909, ex-Réseau Breton), #24 (0-8-0T, Corpet-Louvet 1616 of 1923, apparently on loan from the Chemin de Fer du Vivarais) and #BA11 (0-6-0D, built CFD 1940-45 on the frames of a Couillet 0-6-0T of 1885, ex-Chemin de Fer du Blanc ŕ Argent). Beyond Entrevaux, where the line was severed by flood damage on 5-6 November 1994 (BLN 743.0368), a replacement bridge was provided free by SNCF (who had it in store, as war reparations from Germany!) and erected as an exercise by army engineers. With national and local government finance, the new Pont de Gueydan was officially reopened 11 April 1996 and regular through services were restored over the full 151km line on 25 April 1996 (BLN 781.0258). Though the CP now terminates at Digne-les-Bains in platforms adjacent to those of the SNCF, across the station-yard a separate station bearing the old name of the line, Chemins de Fer du Sud, retains a metre-gauge track into a single platform. It aligns with the locomotive shed and disused goods shed, and seems to be the original terminus shown in a 1910 postcard reproduced in the line's guidebook. Standard-gauge track remains on the 22km Château-Arnoux-St.Auban - Digne SNCF branch, disused since 1989, following withdrawal of ordinary passenger and freight services on 25 September 1988 (BLN 751.0131). Nothing has yet come of the idea of regauging the SNCF branch and extending CP services to Château-Arnoux-St.Auban. BLN 819.052][DE] Berlin: new station names: The committee asked to make recommendations for the names of Berlin's main-line stations has reported. Spandau and Gesundbrunnen would keep their existing names, as expected. The new station on the south side of the city hitherto known internally as Südkreuz would be called Papestrasse, taking its name from the adjacent S-Bahn station. When it reopens with the May 1998 timetable the present Hauptbahnhof would revert to being Ostbahnhof. Two earlier names, Niederschlesische-Märkischer Bahnhof and Schlesischer Bahnhof, might now be seen as politically tendentious (since Silesia is today part of Poland) - and it has never really been the city's Hauptbahnhof, either in DDR times or since. The surprise is that the still-to-be-built new central station (BLN 816.0598) would be the Lehrter Bahnhof. Berlin newspapers have certainly been using this traditional name, but DB were thought to have a preference for Zentralbahnhof, indicating both location and function - even though 'central' is not a usual German appellation for such a station. The original Lehrter Bahnhof, on more or less the same site, was the terminus of the Lehrter Bahn, opened 2 February 1871, which took its name from the small and not especially significant town of Lehrte, just east of Hannover, where it joined the then-existing railway system, offering a more direct route from the capital to the west. BLN 819.053][DE] Koblenz - Rüdesheim - Wiesbaden: (Ball 48B2) In a news-sheet in English, the citizens of the small town of Rüdesheim welcome visitors and urge them to help in lobbying the authorities to divert the Rechte Rheinstrecke railway into tunnel at a cost to the taxpayer of DEM180 million, to avoid "the noise ... and the disruption to road traffic ... at three level-crossings" caused by 380 trains a day, many of them conveying empty freight wagons which are particularly noisy. Perhaps the townsfolk deserve the increase in road traffic that would probably result from abolishing their level-crossings. BLN 819.054][AT] Wieselburg an der Erlauf - Gresten: (BLN 792.0508, 795.068; Ball 74B3-74B2) The work to convert this 760mm-gauge ÖBB freight line to standard-gauge eventually commenced on 12 September 1997. ÖBB and others have advertised narrow-gauge special passenger trains in spring 1998. The narrow-gauge is to vanish in August 1998 when freight traffic is quietest, and standard-gauge will appear in the autumn, with the work due for completion by November 1998. (LCGB Bulletin/Schienenverkehr Aktuell; Continental Railway Journal, winter 1997-98) BLN 819.055][PT] Portugal: diversions: (Ball 26A2-33A3) The Beja - Funcheira section of the Linha do Alentejo (Poceirăo - Vendas Novas - Casa Branca - Beja - Funcheira) seems to have been damaged by floods in mid-November 1997, and public notices were still indicating train-diversions at the beginning of 1998. From 22 November 1997, overnight trains out of Barreiro for the Algarve ran by the Linha do Sul (Poceirăo - Pinheiro - Ermidas-Sado - Funcheira - Tunes), and from 12 December the weekend Comboio Azul (= 'blue train'; Fridays Faro - Porto, Sunday nights Porto - Faro; BLN 805.0311) was diverted via Ermidas-Sado; Poceirăo south-to-east curve (no known previous passenger use); Vendas Novas (reversing there, not at Setil); and Setil east-to-north avoiding line (the Concordância de Setil-Norte, which it used to traverse until June 1996). It is not clear whether substitute buses ran in the days between the appearance of the notices and the dates of the diversions, but the public notice about the Comboio Azul implied some workings might have been cancelled before diversion began. BLN 819.056][PT] Barreiro - Pinhal Novo - Poceirăo - Pinheiro: (Ball 25B2-26A2) The three-position short-arm semaphore signals remaining at Pinhal Novo are the only ones on the CP system. The wagons once stored on the Pinhal Novo - Montijo branch (Ramal do Montijo) have been removed and the junction is now blocked by sleepers. The new Campolide - Pinhal Novo line, whose link across the Rio Tejo is still under construction, trails in on the south side, still single. Partly brought into use in early 1995 to serve the Ford/Volkswagen car factory, at Penalva near Palmela, it now carries up to 16 trains a day, running to Setúbal harbour the long way round via Águas de Moura (BLN 798.0143). Between Pinhal Novo and Poceirăo the line was doubled in 1993-94, a date not quoted on the June 1994 Quail map. Multi-aspect signalling in the Valdera - Poceirăo - Pinheiro area is now commissioned and presumably centrally controlled, for what seems to have been a temporary signal-box is no longer in use. BLN 819.057][PT] Lisboa: (BLN 728.080; Ball 25A1-25B1) Suburban services on the Lisboa Rossio - Campolide - Sintra line and the Azambuja - Campolide - Alcântara-Terra route round the north of the city met at an interchange point, Campolide, where Sintra line passengers had to leave the main platforms and cross a road and a level-crossing to find the single platform on the Alcântara-Terra line. Newer stock on the Sintra line has route-diagrams referring to Campolide connections as being with the 'Cascais' rather than the 'Alcântara' line, though in practice any passenger wanting to join a Lisboa Cais do Sodré - Alcântara-Mar - Cascais train would have to change twice, proceeding on foot from Alcântara-Terra to Alcântara-Mar, using the 500m-long elevated and covered walkway with travolator sections. Are there perhaps longer-term plans for passenger trains to run beyond Alcântara-Terra (wired at 25kV 50Hz) via the short unelectrified single-track freight link through on to the (1500V dc) Cascais line? No work seemed to be under way on this link as 1998 began. Nearby, however, the whole area round Campolide has been a big construction site for some months, due to the addition of the new rail deck to the existing 25 April suspension road-bridge high above the Rio Tejo estuary (BLN 798.0143), and associated work on its road and rail approaches. Since 20 October 1997 the Campolide - Alcântara-Terra line has been closed temporarily for engineering work, including rebuilding and remodelling at Campolide station, so its layout as an interchange may improve. The Lisboa metro (BLN 807.0361) is closed between Restauradores and Areeiro until March 1998. The two extensions being built - Restauradores - Terreiro do Paço (for ferry to Barreiro ) and Rossio - Cais do Sodré ( for Cascais line) - are to have an interchange station at Baixa Chiado, and the very sharp Restauradores - Rossio curve will not reopen. BLN 819.058][PT] Lisboa Santa Apolonia - Entrecampos - Cacém (- Figueira da Foz): (BLN 806.0339; Ball 25B2) Because of engineering work, from 6 June 1997 only the weekday (SSuX) InterCidade trains to the Linha do Oeste run from and to Santa Apolonia, using the Concordância de Xabregas (Bifurcaçăo de Xabregas - Bif de Chelas) and the Campolide avoiding line (Sete Rios - Bif de Benfica). IR and weekend IC trains run only north of Cacém, with Sintra line connections. BLN 819.059][PT] Lisboa Santa Apolonia - Oriente - Alverca - Entroncamento - Pampilhosa - Aveiro - Porto: (Ball 25B1-17A3) On the Linha do Norte out as far as Alverca quadruple track is being laid, including some flyovers for turn-backs and yard access, and considerable works were under way at the beginning of January 1998. The four-track sections had not all been started, and parts looked rather more than six months away from completion, but presumably some sort of order will be restored by 22 May for the opening of Expo 98 and CP's new Lisboa Oriente station, located between the now-closed stations of Cabo Ruivo and Olivais. The new station for the exhibition site is by Santiago Calatrava, the architect of SNCF's Lille Europe, and the impressive but seriously underused TGV station at Lyon-Satolas airport. On the southern outskirts of Entroncamento, a railway town, is a works halt not shown on the Quail map. Between Pampilhosa and Aveiro extensive realignment is in progress. The points leading to the 2.5km Aveiro - Aveiro-Canal branch (Ramal do Canal de Săo Roque) have been removed. On the north side of Porto (BLN 798.0141; Ball 7A1), restoration of passenger service on the Contumil - Leixőes branch is still not in prospect. The branch platforms constructed during remodelling of Contumil station were ablaze with lights during the middle of the day, but securely closed off by folding doors at the public end, opposite the booking-office in the rather dismal subterranean passage, with a permanent-looking notice making it clear they were for staff access only. BLN 819.060][PT] Entroncamento - Abrantes - Castelo Branco - Guarda: (Ball 26A3-18A2) The short Mouriscas-A - Pego branch (Ramal do Pego; 26B3) is not shown correctly on the 1994 Quail map. The electrified single track diverges not at Abrantes, but at Mouriscas-A, on the north side of the Linha da Beira Baixa, then climbs up and swings south to cross above the main line and the river Tejo (Tagus) to serve not a mine but a coal-fired power-station. The coal is imported through the port of Sines (26A1) and rail-hauled over 350km (BLN 798.0142). Further north, the service on the Linha da Beira Baixa 'over the top' between Covilhă and Guarda has increased from three to four round-trips a day, and is well worth the ride in the Nohab-built single railcar. A weekly working for student traffic, presumably locomotive-hauled, also operates. The Comboio Academico (Friday northbound Castelo-Branco - Porto; Sunday southbound Porto - Castelo-Branco) seems a relatively recent innovation, perhaps since electrification of the Linha da Beira Alta. At Guarda, the physical junction is at the station, and no sign is visible of a triangle, past or present, as shown by Quail. BLN 819.061][PT] Pampilhosa - Guarda - Vilar Formosa CP (- Fuentes d'Ońoro RENFE): (BLN 803.0260; Ball 17B2-18B2) CP's Linha da Beira Alta to the Spanish frontier is now electrically worked, with some realigning clearly undertaken during the 25kV 50Hz electrification. Pinhel - Sobral is the main section straightened. Most significant stations have received very visible EU-financed investment. Halts at Cerejo and Trajinha have closed, but it is not clear whether this was because the railway was realigned away from them or because they were little used. BLN 819.062][IT] Villa San Giovanni - Messina train-ferry: (Ball 60B3) FS operate frequent train-ferries on this route linking mainland Italy with the island of Sicilia. Four vessels are required, each making nine return trips every twenty-four hours. The same timetable operates daily, with sailings round the clock, though not at regular intervals. Crossing time is 35 minutes. Passenger trains using the ferries are mainly overnight services, though journeys from the northern cities can take up to 21 hours. Most passenger trains to Sicilia cross the strait during the night and morning, returning during the afternoon and evening. Two day trains each way between Palermo, Siracusa and Roma operate against the flow. Some sailings carry passenger trains on certain dates only. Freight wagons are carried as required. While not every sailing conveys rail vehicles, all carry road vehicles and foot-passengers. The train-ferries are of handsome and traditional design, with four decks. The rail-deck has four tracks, the points leading to the middle tracks being on the ship, with other pointwork on the loading-ramp. Loading and unloading is via a bow door, and several ships have no stern doors. The road-vehicle deck loads from the side, has restricted headroom and can take only cars and light commercial vehicles. Passenger saloons are above that, and ample external deck space. Crew accommodation is on the top deck, though crews live ashore and work eight-hour shifts. At Villa San Giovanni the three train-ferry berths directly adjoin the railway station, which doubles as the ferry-terminal. Trains are drawn south out of the station into sidings at a lower level than the main line, and then shunted north on to the ship. The four train-ferry berths at Messina Marittima are a few hundred metres north of Messina Centrale station, and trains are shunted directly on and off the ferries. These arrangements mean that trains are not reversed during the crossing. Class D145 diesel locomotives shunt the trains on and off the ferries, working usually with two bogie flat wagons as reach vehicles and a former parcels-van or similar carriage for the shunter to ride on. Movements are controlled by signals which display illuminated letters: E for Entrare (enter the train-deck); U Uscita (exit); R Rallentare (slow); and F Fermare (stop). All movements are undertaken at slow speed, but R precedes F during movements aboard. Trains are split to fit into the vessel, and division and reassembly is done as part of the loading and unloading manoeuvres. The terminal at Messina Marittima, used by motorists and foot-passengers, is a striking building with a large mosaic on the wall of the upper concourse. This depicts scenes from Sicilian history, but is dominated by a large figure of Italian leader Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) addressing the masses. In addition to the train-ferries, FS operate open-deck vehicle-ferries, which also have one or two lines of rails in their decks. Three vessels each complete 15 round trips every 24 hours. Caronte and Tourist Ferry Boat jointly operate a rival vehicle ferry service from nearby slipways. FS also ferry foot-passengers between Reggio di Calabria and Messina, using high-speed launches, one of which also makes a few peak-hour crossings from Villa San Giovanni morning and evening. However, no train-ferry now runs from Reggio di Calabria, and the single loading-ramp there is derelict, with the rails and timber deck removed. The Reggio di Calabria Lido - Reggio di Calabria Marittima branch remains in place, principally for stabling passenger carriages. Replacement of the train-ferries with a fixed link has been considered, but would be difficult and costly. The Strait of Messina is effectively a flooded mountain valley, and any tunnel would have to be steeply graded and much longer than the direct distance across. With no 'mid-stream stepping-stone', a bridge would require either a single span of unprecedented length or immensely deep piers. BLN 820.063][GB] Belfast Central - Bangor: Crawfordsburn station, opened 13 September 1965 and serving the hospital just north of the line, latterly had very few trains and closed from 1 September 1997. (Irish Railway News, Jan-Dec 1997, published Jan 1998) BLN 820.064][IE] Manulla Jn - Ballina: Up to two 400t trains a week are to run Foynes - Limerick - Ennis - Athenry - Claremorris - Ballina, carrying imported coal for a new plant at Geesala owned by Hydro Energy, allaying fears that the branch might lose its freight trains following closure of the Asahi chemical plant at Killala (BLN 813.0516). When new diesel railcar stock takes over (BLN 782.0270), IE may extend the Ballina branch passenger service, reversing at Manulla Jn to head west to Castlebar and Westport. (Western People, 17 December 1997) BLN 820.065][IE] Dublin Connolly - Newcomen Jn - Glasnevin Jn: (BLN 808.0367): IE barred the up line to passenger trains and the down line to all traffic from mid November 1997 until further notice, following the 8 November passenger train derailment at Knockcroghery on the Athlone - Claremorris line, which raised concern about track condition on many secondary routes. (Irish Railway News, Jan-Dec 1997, published Jan 1998) BLN 820.066][IE] Waterford - New Ross: (BLN 782.0272): IE now regard the branch as closed though not abandoned. Last traffic may have been in March 1995 (BLN 757.0293), and the last train the weed-spraying one at the end of June 1995 (BLN 765.0458). Future fertiliser traffic is to be road-hauled to Waterford for rail-loading. (Irish Railway News, Jan-Dec 1997, published Jan 1998) BLN 820.067][BE] (Lille -) Antoing - Halle (- Brussel/Bruxelles): (BLN 802.0223; Ball 7B1-8A2; SNCB/NMBS Ligne 1) King Albert II of the Belgians inaugurated the Antoing - Halle section of the LGV Belge on Wednesday 10 December (Daily Telegraph, 11 December), and three years and one month after services began, Eurostars were timetabled to use the high-speed line from Sunday 14 December 1997, reducing the London - Brussel journey to 2h 40min. Today's Railways #26 reports however that the first commercial train to use the new line from end to end was Eurostar #9140, 14:23 London - Bruxelles on Wednesday 3 December, diverted because of a suicide at Ath. BLN 820.068][FR] Corse: (BLN 710.01, 729.0101, 794.037; Ball 78) On the island of Corsica, the metre-gauge Chemins de fer de la Corse, operated by SNCF since 1 January 1983, offer a 25% reduction on return journeys of more than 200km during the winter season (15 September - 30 June; ask for a billet touristique) and all year offer a seven-day rover ticket for FRF290 (Carte Zoom). As usual, local timetable leaflets and table 599 of the SNCF Indicateur Horaires show significant differences, but do agree that Omessa station, 61km from Bastia, now has no services. The local leaflets show many additional calling-places not known to table 599. Bastia - Casamozza suburban trains have 9 extra request-stops; Corte - Ajaccio all-stations trains have 5 extra request-stops; and Ponte Leccia - Calvi trains 11 extra request-stops. Conversely table 599 shows Calvi - Île Rousse with 'shoulder-period' short workings which are not in the local leaflet - though a separate leaflet may perhaps be issued covering an extended summer season for this so-called Tramway de la Balagne service. BLN 820.069][NL] (Amsterdam - Haarlem -) Santpoort Noord - Ijmuiden: (BLN 764.0441, 788.0405, 795.065, 802.0229, 812.0486; Ball 3B3) Lovers Rail, now CGE-controlled, have as yet run only on the IJmuiden route, in two successive summers, and carryings in 1997 have been described as 'very low'. All their other plans for 1997 came to nothing. They still hope to run Amsterdam - Lisse (originally planned for spring 1997 visits to the bulbfields at Keukenhof) and Amsterdam - Hilversum - Utrecht, from the next timetable change on 24 May 1998. BLN 820.070][DE] Berlin Regionalbahn: May 1998 timetable: (BLN 817.05) Each of the following sections of line has an existing service, so although the local service pattern and service numbers for all three are indeed to change from 24 May 1998, none of them is being reopened to passengers. Ball atlas 1998-99 local service number Ferch-Lienewitz (Abzw Lia) - Beelitz-Heilstätten 31A1 RE3 Abzw Glasower Damm West - Blankenfelde 32A1 RB20 Doberlug-Kirchhain east curve 44A3 RE5 BLN 820.071][DE] Pirna - Pirna Süd: (BLN 788.0409-10; Ball 44A2-44A1) This short section is proposed for reopening, to serve Pirna Süd, which is near the town's bus-station. BLN 820.072][SE] Sweden: January 1998 timetable: The new timetable of 5 January 1998 brought a further rundown of overnight services, and three minor passenger line closures. The Grängesberg - Silverhöjden - Ställdalen section of the former Trafik Grängesberg-Oxelösund Järnvägar, which runs broadly parallel to the former SJ line (Grängesberg - Hörken - Ställdalen; Ball 22A3), and enables trains to pass on an otherwise single-track section, is no longer booked for use by one Saturday passenger train - as it was in 1997, even though the freight it might have crossed did not run on Saturdays! Until the new timetable one train each way reversed at Hallsberg and took the eastern curve there (Hallsberg - Skymossen; 22A2) instead of the normal route from Hallsberg west past the yards via Tälle to the Motala line. The recently-constructed Katrineholm south-to-west curve (22B2), enabling trains to avoid Katrineholm, no longer has the Malmö - Hallsberg portion of the overnight train to Storlien. Two Göteborg - Malmö X2000 trains, diverted because of engineering work south of Halmstad to run via Hässleholm, have now returned to the Helsingborg line. Kil - Öxnered (Ball 21B3-21A2; SJ 71) and Ĺnge - Sundsvall (Ball 14B3-15A3; SJ 43) were said to be threatened (BLN 805.0309) but continue to appear with existing service levels in the 1998 timetable. It is not known whether the threat is withdrawn or merely deferred. BLN 820.073][PT] (Lisboa -) Cacém - Lares - Figueira da Foz: (BLN 806.0339; Ball 25B2-17A2) Timber-related traffic keeps the Linha do Oeste busy. The 1993 freight-only 10km Ramal de Louriçal, serving two factories off the main line, is not shown in Ball and is incorrectly shown by Quail. The junction is south of Louriçal station, but the branch heads north-west (as shown in Today's Railways, #6) not south-east. The Alfarelos - Lares electrified link from the Lisboa - Alfarelos - Coimbra B - Porto Linha do Norte trails in at Bifurcaçăo de Lares, where the station, with a concrete-and-glass waiting-room, is in the angle between the two single tracks. The layout is somewhat reminiscent of Dovey Junction, with similarly poor road access. The third, east-to-south, side of the triangle, the Reveles - Amieira Concordância de Verride, electrified and single-track, still has a single passenger train, one-way only, but used to see more passenger use when Alfarelos - Lares had double track. Above the formation of the lifted second track from Alfarelos, the overhead wiring remains, a poor investment since it was brought into use only in 1982. BLN 820.074][ES] Madrid - Aranda de Duero - Burgos: (BLN 694.02, 780.0246, 816.0603; Ball 21A2-11A3) In addition to the non-stop Madrid - Paris Talgo sleeper Trenhotel Francisco de Goya, the 1997-98 RENFE timetable shows one long-distance daytime Talgo train daily, calling only at Aranda, plus a restricted-date train. The only local trains (Regionales), calling at twenty intermediate points, run once a week: north on Saturday and south on Sunday. BLN 820.075][IT] Sicilia: (Ball 59-60) The island of Sicily is almost entirely mountainous, so most railways are sinuous single tracks. This, together with late-arriving trains off the train-ferry, can make FS punctuality poor, though the passing-loops at virtually every station, even the closed ones, give a reasonable degree of operating flexibility. Apart from such loops, the only double-track sections are on the Messina -Catania - Siracusa main line (Messina - Giampilieri, Giarre-Riposto - Catania Ognina, a short section between the tunnels north and south of Catania Centrale, and Catania Acquicella - Biocca) and on the Messina - Palermo main line (San Filippo - Terme Vigliatore and Fiumetorto - Palermo Centrale). Acireale - Catania Ognina and San Filippo - Terme Vigliatore are new alignments replacing old, and a plaque at the new Barcellona station on the latter line commemorates official opening on 2 June 1992. The only non-electrified passenger lines are those in the south to Gela and in the west to Trapani, but some trains elsewhere are worked by diesel railcars, even though their entire journey is over electrified lines. Various infrastructure improvements are in hand. The present (Catania -) Targia - Siracusa single track follows the coast and runs through Siracusa town-centre over a busy level-crossing (60B1). Work is well-advanced on a new double-track line heading inland from Targia, passing to the west of Siracusa and joining the line from Gela. Most track is laid, with electrification masts erected, but the junction at Siracusa had not been commissioned as 1998 began. Presumably the present line through the town centre will close when the new one opens. Between Messina and Villafranca (60B3) work on the new Peloritana tunnel continues. Both portals are complete, and a working site and adit can be seen near Gresso. The tunnel will be much longer than the present 5345m one, and at a lower level, thereby eliminating the extremely steep climb faced by Palermo trains upon departure from Messina. The branch line to Palermo airport has reached the stage where some track has been laid, but such works as can be seen from the Palermo - Trapani train seem far from complete. Given that it is very close to the railway, and busier than Palermo, it is curious that no rail link is being provided to Catania airport. FS work a surprising amount of freight traffic to and from Sicilia. Major freight terminals at Palermo and Catania Acquicella, an AGIP oil-refinery at Gela and a large chemical works at Augusta are among traffic sources. Motor cars are conveyed to Termini Imerese, from Peugeot at Montbéliard among others. Freight trains operate over the Agrigento Bassa - Porto Empedocle line (59A2), but other non-passenger branches seem little used. Vegetation is fast overtaking the Alcantara - Randazzo line (60A3). BLN 820.076][IT] Sicilia: Riposto - Giarre - Randazzo - Adrano - Catania: (Ball 60B2-60A3) As noted in BLN 795.071, Giarre FCE station of the 111km 950mm-gauge Ferrovia Circumetnea is close to Giarre-Riposto FS station. At the beginning of 1998 no evidence was seen of the Randazzo - Catania line being electrified or converted to standard gauge, as suggested in the Ball atlas. A subway section is being built at Adrano. In Catania the single track still ends at Corso Italia, with a concrete stop-block in the middle of the street and no sign of the track that used to continue in the road to the FS station and port. A nearby shop serves as booking-office and waiting-room. Various barricaded subways indicate construction of the underground section planned to replace the street running, and a concrete ramp by the FS carriage sidings at Catania Centrale may be the access to this. BLN 820.077][IT] Paola - Castiglione Cosentino - Cosenza: (BLN 796.0100; Ball 58A1) The south-to-east Paola avoiding line (BLN 780.0248) has its eastern junction within the Santomarco tunnel, near its western end. Also inside the relatively new 15.3km single-track tunnel is a passing-loop near its mid-point. BLN 820.078][IT] Gioia Tauro - Palmi Centrale (- Sinopoli San Procopio): (Ball 61A2) Standard-gauge wagons used to be carried on transporter bogies over the 950mm-gauge Ferrovie della Calabria lines from Gioia Tauro, but the loading-pit and bogies are all derelict. As well as tickets, FC at Gioia Tauro station were in December 1997 advertising for sale 29 buses, a burned-out railcar and assorted other scrap material. The short Gioia Tauro - Palmi section survives because Palmi FC station is close to the town-centre while the FS station is some distance away down a long hill. Palmi - Sinopoli, out of use for some years (BLN 795.074) and perhaps formally closed in 1997, is already heavily overgrown. On FC's Catanzaro Cittŕ - Catanzaro - Catanzaro Lido line (BLN 795.075; Ball 61B3) the new railcars are rack-equipped, so trains no longer require locomotive assistance. On their Cosenza - Redipiano - Camigliatello Silano - San Giovanni in Fiore line (BLN 795.073; Ball 58Al-58Bl) the section beyond Camigliatello towards San Giovanni appears still available for traffic. BLN 820.079][IT] Reggio di Calabria - Melito di Porto Salvo (- Catanzaro): (BLN 803.0262; Ball 61A2) At end 1997 this FS section round the toe of Italy was showing no sign of electrification work, notwithstanding the note in the Ball atlas. Is Melito further south than Piraeus in Greece, making it perhaps the southernmost station on the connected standard-gauge network of Europe (BLN 707.08)? BLN 820.080][CH] Lausanne - Echallens - Bercher: (BLN 746.041, 760.0380; Ball 91A1) The first phase of extension in 1995 merely put the metre-gauge LEB's terminus underground near its old site at Lausanne-Chauderon. Work to prolong the line 445m to Place du Flon, for interchange with Métro-Gare, Métro-Ouchy and Métro-Ouest (BLN 811.0477), began in September 1997 and is planned to be complete in 2000. (L'Écho du Rail, #179, January 1998) The very short Métro-Gare does offer some seating to passengers: at least one of the two cars has 20 seats down one side, when seen on 14 August and 29 December 1997. The other car, in the shed, may or may not have seats. BLN 820.081][PL][SK] Lupków PKP - Palota ZSR - Medzilaborce: (Ball 43B3) Notwithstanding BLN 804.0290, quoting a report elsewhere, by late 1997 formal arrangements for immigration and customs had still not been finalised to enable Poland-Slovakia cross-border passenger trains to run regularly on this route. BLN 820.082][RO] Târgu Mures - Band - Lechinta and Band - Mihesu de Câmpie: (BLN 809.0422; Ball 49B2-49B3; SNCFR 408) Freight traffic on the two 760mm-gauge lines ceased 6 March 1997, at the same time as the passenger service, and they were not used during the autumn 1997 sugar-beet harvest. BLN 820.083][HR][BA] (Zagreb - Karlovac -) Oštarije - Josipdol - Knin - Sedramic - Perkovic - Split: (BLN 762.0415, 764.0452; Ball 46A1-51A3) At Knin station a plaque records the reopening of the Oštarije - Knin - Split and Knin - Zadar lines as being on 5 August 1995, though on either side of the war-damaged 248km Josipdol - Knin - Sedramic section local services were advertised in the HZ timetable of 28 May 1995 as already running Oštarije - Josipdol and Sedramic - Perkovic - Split. This timetable also advertised Ploce - Metkovic HZ - Capljina ZBH local services across the border into Bosnia-Hercegovina (BLN 786.0374, 792.0522; Ball 51B2). BLN 820.084][CN] Hong Kong - Chek Lap Kok airport: (BLN 738.0271) The 34km Mass Transit Railway link will not be ready in April as planned, and opening of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's large new airport has been deferred to 6 July 1998. (Financial Times, 14 January 1998) BLN 820.085][US] Syracuse, NY: University - Carousel Center: (BLN 801.0220, 804.0297) The OnTrack shuttle in Syracuse which uses old RDCs (ex-Metro-North), is said to be the only rail commuter service in a small US metropolitan area of fewer than 2.5 million people. (http://www2.trains.com) BLN 820.086][US] Boston North Station: The last part left in use of the old Boston & Maine station building of 1928 - the ticket-office, waiting-area and shops on the concourse running from Causeway Street under the Boston Garden to the platform area - closed 16 December, after the final MBTA commuter trains left at midnight on Monday 15 December 1997. Train service is not affected. (http:// www2.trains.com) While the Boston Garden site is being cleared for redevelopment, it seems nothing is yet being done about linking the North and South terminals to allow through running of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority suburban services (BLN 782.0287). BLN 820.087][US] Dallas - South Irving, TX: (BLN 790.0461, 801.0221) Trinity River Express, the commuter operation on the city's Green Line which links downtown Dallas and the western suburb of Irving using elderly ex-Canadian Budd Rail Diesel Cars, was to include midday and evening trains on weekdays from 15 December 1997, a year after its limited peak-hours-only trains began. (http://www2.trains.com) BLN 820.088][CL] La Calera - Coquimbo - La Serena - Vallenar - Diego de Almagro - Palestina - Baquedano - Iquique: (BLN 758.0342) To the south of the interchange station of La Calera on the 1676mm-gauge 3000V dc Santiago - Valparaíso main line (BLN 725.066), the railways of Chile are nearly all broad-gauge, but northwards most track is metre-gauge. Since privatisation of the operation of the freight-only Ferrocarril Longitudinal under the Ferronor company, the long section from La Calera north to Coquimbo has had no booked service, but a November 1997 excursion from Coquimbo back a short distance south to Las Cardas showed the track to be in quite good condition. While the port at Coquimbo sees several short-haul iron-ore trains a day, the next lengthy section of the longitudinal line north of La Serena to Vallenar is also without a booked service, and severe storms during 1997 washed out the track in several places just south of Incahuasi. Further north, at Diego de Almagro, the longitudinal railway connects with a west-east metre-gauge line (Chańaral - Pueblo Hundido - Diego de Almagro - Llantas - Potrerillos) whose Llantas - Potrerillos section was traversed on 12 November in a hired coach attached to the rear of a freight train. Copper ore mined near Llantas is, rather unexpectedly, taken east and uphill, on a spectacular journey, initially following a river through a canyon for many kilometres before turning back on itself and climbing steeply along a precipitous ledge with many tunnels. The line reaches a height of 3300m before the terminus at Potrerillos, high in the Andean foothills, where mining has ceased but a copper-refinery remains in operation. The refined copper is taken back down through Llantas and westward, mainly across desert terrain, to Chańaral on the Pacific coast for shipping. Northward, the Longitudinal crosses and connects twice with the two metre-gauge main lines of the private Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia which run inland from FCAB headquarters at the port of Antofagasta across Chile's Atacama desert, climbing through the Andes to Argentina (Antofagasta - Palestina - Socompa) and Bolivia (Antofagasta - Baquedano - Calama - Ollagüe - Uyuni) respectively (BLN 751.0140, 758.0343, 773.0105). A map is available on the company's website at http://www.fcab.cl/english/. FCAB traffics in the shape of westbound copper and eastbound tank-wagon trains were seen at Baquedano, the desert junction with the Longitudinal, which has an old station, a yard and a locomotive-depot. Antofagasta - Baquedano - Calama, the lower section of the FCAB, is freight-only, but the once-a-week passenger service (BLN 751.0140) still runs on the Andean section from Calama to Uyuni in Bolivia, whence one can continue to La Paz, a journey taking 28 hours, reputedly in a railcar with no heating against the overnight cold. The northernmost section of the Longitudinal, with a single reversal on its final descent to the coast at the port of Iquique, has seen no Ferronor traffic since March 1997, but track and level-crossings remain. A special train to Iquique on 27 November 1997 was due to run in connection with 'Nitrate Industry Week'. The industry is important locally, and Iquique used to be served by standard-gauge nitrate lines as well as the metre-gauge. BLN 820.089][CL] Toco - Maria Elena - Tigre - Barriles - Tocopilla: Meeting at Toco the metre-gauge FC Longitudinal (BLN 820.089), but with no through running, is the 1067mm-gauge private mineral line, the Ferrocarril de Tocopilla-Toco, which conveys nitrate from inland mines down to the Chilean Pacific port of Tocopilla. From the mine at Maria Elena, trains are diesel-hauled across the Atacama desert to Barriles, where elderly 1500V dc electric locomotives dating from 1926-28 take over for the steep 28km descent to the coast. The electrification formerly began further inland, but the Tigre - Barriles section was de-electrified about 1991 due to lower availability of the ageing electric traction. There is no ordinary passenger service, but a chartered train, electric-hauled with three coaches, on 15 November 1997 took the single track from Barriles (1001m), clinging to the side of the mountains as it descended gradients of up to 4%, through several passing-loops, doubling back on itself several times round spectacular horseshoe curves in the dry mountain scenery. On the final section is a switchback reversal where the locomotive runs round, high above the ocean, before descending to sea-level at Tocopilla. BLN 821.090][GB][IE] Holyhead - Dublin - Belfast ticketing: Travelling between parts of the United Kingdom by rail and sea via another country may or may not require foreign currency. A BLN correspondent who had booked at Worcester Foregate Street a National Railways return ticket from Malvern to Belfast via Holyhead for GBP53 was embarrassed on the bus from the Irish Ferries berth to Dublin Connolly station to find that this 3.5km sector of the journey was not included in the allegedly through fare, and that the Dublin Bus driver was understandably unwilling to accept foreign coins with a queen on them. Bring along a punt if you need to get from Dublin Port up the Liffey into town! Or use the Stena ferry from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, where the ferry-berth is near the station and the through ticket is valid on Iarnród Éireann's DART electric units to Connolly. BLN 821.091][IE] Manulla Jn - Ballina: (BLN 820.064) A County Mayo deputy in the Irish Parliament has asked Iarnród Éireann to make Manulla Jn a full passenger station, not just an exchange platform for the Ballina branch, thus allowing people from Manulla officially to board and leave trains at the junction. (Western People, 14 January 1998) BLN 821.092][IE] (Cork -) Glounthaune - Midleton (- Youghal): (BLN 765.0457, 803.0252) Iarnród Éireann confirmed to the Cork Evening Echo on 21 January 1998 that reopening to Midleton is being planned, perhaps by 2003, with an intermediate station at Carrigtwohill. Also planned for reopening to passengers as part of a park-and-ride scheme for the area round Cork city are Blarney and Kilbarry stations on the (Dublin -) Mallow - Cork main line, and perhaps Tivoli, west of Little Island on the Cork - Cobh branch. BLN 821.093][FR] Paris RER: Stade de France: (Ball 81B2) The two new RER stations mentioned in BLN 787.0377 opened 25 January 1998, to serve the huge new national stadium at Saint-Denis, built for the 1998 World Cup football competition, and visible from Eurostar trains. Stade de France-Saint Denis (rendered in the timetable as Stade-France-St-Denis) is at a new location on RER Ligne D (... - Paris Nord - St.Denis - Creil). La Plaine-Stade de France (rendered in the timetable as La Plaine-Stade-France) on RER Ligne B (... - Paris Nord - Aulnay - Roissy-Aéroport Charles de Gaulle / Mitry-Claye) is also at a new location immediately east of La Plaine-Voyageurs. The platform end of the new station almost touches the platform end of the old one, which closed from 25 January. Some Paris suburban timetable books were reissued 25 January 1998 so those now current are RER A (1 September 1997; produced by RATP, not SNCF like the others), Banlieue Est (28 September 1997), Banlieue Ouest (28 September), RER C and Banlieue Rive Gauche (28 September with supplement 25 January); RER B (25 January), RER D and Banlieue Sud-Est (25 January). BLN 821.094][FR] Paris trams: (St.Denis -) Bobigny-Pablo Picasso - Pont de Bondy - Noisy-le-Sec: Extension is planned of RATP tramway line T1 south-eastwards along the north-eastern edge of the city. The formal enquiry into the proposed Declaration of Public Utility was held on 5-7 February 1998. BLN 821.095][FR] France: station renamings: (BLN 819.045; Ball 27A3) Châlons-en-Champagne (rendered thus in the national timetable since June 1996 and in the current local timetable) still had 'Châlons-sur-Marne' signs when a BLN reporter changed trains there on 14 October 1997. BLN 821.096][DE] Germany: passenger transport responsibilities: (BLN 818.031) Every Land (state) has its own legislation concerning devolution of responsibility for regional passenger rail services. Bayern has decided that responsibility should remain with the Land. In Hessen responsibility is now with NVV and RMV (Nordhessische Verkehrsverbund and Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund) the two big passenger-transport authorities responsible for northern and southern Hessen respectively. In Sachsen the Land is to act as a trustee for the Kreise (counties), and is to coordinate its actions closely with them, until 2002, when full responsibility devolves to the counties. In other Länder full responsibility has shifted to the counties or cities. BLN 821.097][DE] Hannover Messebahnhof: (BLN 799.0165; Ball 26B2 not shown) During the 1998 CeBIT information-technology event (19-25 March) and Hannover Messe industrial fair (20-24 April) many regular and special trains are listed on the DB website (http://www.bahn.de) as due to call at Hannover-Messe/Laatzen station 'from which a new Skywalk (sic) leads to new exhibition hall 13'. No mention is made of Hannover Messebahnhof, the special exhibition-site terminus on its own short branch, and it seems it may have closed after the 1997 events. BLN 821.098][DE] Ilmenau Bad - Rennsteig - Schleusingen: (Ball 41B1-52B3) A local newspaper has reported that DB are considering passenger closure "for technical reasons" after 23 May 1998 - or perhaps earlier, maybe "the end of the month". The state of Thüringen opposes this closure and talks between DB and the Land are expected. BLN 821.099][DE] Brohl Schiffsanlegestelle: (BLN 812.0495, 816.0599; Ball 48A3) Now rarely used, the short section of three-rail 1000/1435mm-gauge track to the passenger landing-stage for Rhein cruise vessels is to be visited by the Brohltalbahn's 1956-built ex-WEG metre-gauge railcar, #VT30, on 18 April 1998. The Society's Overseas Events Information Service gave fuller details of this railtour (OEIS 9805). BLN 821.0100][DE] Karlsruhe Marktplatz - Maxau - Wörth (Rhein) - Wörth Rathaus: trams on railways: (BLN 796.086, 814.0547; Ball 57A2; KBS710.5) Maps in Karlsruhe's dual-voltage tramcars show an extension to Wörth Badepark as under construction, but no sign of this was to be seen in early 1998. The extension is depicted with a stop called Wörth Rathaus, which may be a little beyond today's terminus of that name. The car maps also show interchange at Wörth Bahnhof with SNCF, not at present available. BLN 821.0101][PT] Porto - Ermesinde - Valongo: (BLN 798.0141, 809.0418; Ball 7A1-8A1) Though the trains appear in neither the CP national timetable nor its amending supplement, LCGB Bulletin of 4 February 1998 reports that an all-stations service of electric units, perhaps hourly, now runs from Porto Săo Bento over the recently double-tracked and electrified 7.6km section of the Linha do Douro from Ermesinde out to the eastern edge of the city, calling at rebuilt stations Cabeda and Suzao and turning back at Valongo, which has a third platform for this rôle. BLN 821.0102][ES] Gijón - Ferrol: (Ball 3B2-1B2) Spanish metre-gauge operators FEVE have announced a five-year ESP50,000M development plan, ESP1500M of it to be spent on improving the Gijón - Ferrol route, where some passenger services have been withdrawn due to bad track. Repairs have already started on one section of the line. FEVE also expect to reopen other closed sections and to modernise existing routes. (TR&IN) Perhaps one such candidate for reopening to passengers may be the freight-only Guardo - Balmaseda section of the FC La Robla (León - Matallana - Guardo - Balmaseda - Aranguren - Bilbao/Bilbo; BLN 770.037, 773.099; Ball 9B3-5A1). BLN 821.0103][ES] (Madrid Nińo Jesús) / Vicálvaro - Arganda (- Morata - Chinchón - Orusco - Mondéjar - Sayatón-Bolarque - Alocén): (Ball 21A2) From a terminus at Madrid Nińo Jesús, 1.5km north-east of the present Atocha station on the other side of the Retiro park, the 27.14km metre-gauge line of the Companía del Ferrocarril de Madrid a Arganda was inaugurated on 30 July 1886. An extension concession granted in 1888 led in 1892 to the company becoming the Companía del FC del Tajuńa, after the river Tajuńa, and in 1920 it became the Companía del FC de Madrid a Aragón. Further extensions were to Morata (42.25km from Madrid; 25 August 1901), Chinchón (60.45km; 23 July 1902), Orusco (1910), Sayatón-Bolarque (1916) and its farthest point, Alocén (142.20km; 27 December 1921), with short branches to Vicálvaro (1.3km long; 30 August 1903) and Colmenar de Oreja (3.4km; 25 January 1903). Though of significant extent the metre-gauge system never reached its objective, Caminreal on the FC Central de Aragón in Teruel province (BLN 814.0551). The line was an early user of railcars, in 1934. Due to its strategic location, during the Civil War (1936-39) traffic was heavy, but fell away thereafter. Passenger services ended 1 April 1953, but freight continued even as the system shrank. On 16 November 1964 the Companía de Cementos Portland Valderribas acquired the concession, and formed a subsidiary, Ferrocarril del Tajuńa, which carries some 2-2.5M tonnes/year of cement clinker and coal over the 28.8km between Vicálvaro (on the RENFE's ex-MZA Madrid - Zaragoza main line) and El Alto near Arganda (where the limestone quarries and cement-works are). Four trains a day each way usually run during the period 08:00-15:00. The line is one of three surviving private mineral lines in Spain, along with the 1219mm-gauge FC de Tharsis (BLN 727.075) and the metre-gauge FC de Ponferrada a Villablino (BLN 810.0442). A preservation group, CIFVM, are based at La Poveda, just west of Arganda, with stock and a restored steam locomotive. As Arganda and Morata grow, and more suburbs develop around Madrid, conversion of the line to a commuter route has been proposed, but no such change is immediately in prospect. BLN 821.0104][IT] Reggio di Calabria - Melito di Porto Salvo - Catanzaro: (BLN 707.08, 820.079; Ball 61A2) The index to The Times Atlas of the World gives the latitude of Piraeus in Greece as 37°57'N, and that of Melito di Porto Salvo as only 37°56'N. Furthermore, Melito's station is south of the town centre, so it would indeed appear to be the southernmost station on the connected standard-gauge network of Europe. BLN 821.0105][CZ][DE] Rumburk CD - Jiríkov CD / Ebersbach (Sachsen) DB: (OEIS 9810; Ball CZ-36A2, DE-44B2; CD 088) CD plan to withdraw the sparse Rumburk - Ebersbach cross-border passenger service from 26 September 1998. Presumably they read in BLN 812.0507 how Rumburk - Jiríkov trains offer an acceptable alternative for passengers - or at least for those who prefer a cheaper Czech domestic fare plus a 20-minute walk in Germany to the chance to travel over a very short international crossover. BLN 821.0106][PL][UA] Dabrowa Górnicza Ciesle - Hrubieszów PKP (- Ludin UZ): (BLN 798.0148; Ball 40B1-39B1; PKP 104) Passenger services over the Russian-gauge (1520mm) 'Steel-and-Sulphur' line in Poland were certainly running in August 1995. Waiting at Sedziszów with the westbound train apparently one hour overdue, BLN's correspondent went to the nearby signalbox to seek its whereabouts. The signalman understood the request and conveyed the information by indicating an imaginary line on a train graph, but tried in vain to communicate more about that day's train. The only word that came across was the German sonderlich (= special), perhaps relating to a retiming. The train when it arrived was about four hours late on the times shown in the current PKP public timetable for the expected service from Ukraine. It was formed of ex-Soviet (not PKP) stock hauled by two Class ST44.2 broad-gauge diesel locomotives, similar to the ZSR Class 781.8 mentioned in BLN 803.0264 and the MÁV Class M62.5 also used for cross-border workings (BLN 810.0454). It conveyed at least one through carriage from Magnitogorsk in Russia, for the correspondent rode in this vehicle from Sedziszów to Olkusz after giving an appropriate tip to the conductor. BLN 821.0107][CZ] Tanvald - Harrachov: (BLN 747.057; Ball 36A1) An association of local communities is reported to have 'saved from closure' this standard-gauge rack line with 5.7% gradients, in the mountains close to the Polish border. Though it has been adhesion-worked since 1988, the rack remains in place. (TR&IN) BLN 821.0108][CZ] Nezamyslice - Morkovice: (BLN 802.0244; Ball 42A3; CD 333) This threatened 12km line had one of the last CD regular mixed trains, workings that existed throughout 1992-93 (#84922 16:03 Nezamyslice - Morkovice; #84923 17:09 return) but were gone by the 1994-95 timetable. In September 1992 the usual Cl.810 railbus sat in a siding at Nezamyslice while a BoBo diesel locomotive, working from the isolated platform mentioned in BLN 802, made one round trip with a single bogie coach and several wagons to Morkovice, shunted, and returned with a similar load, after which the railbus continued with the remainder of the day's trains. Local passengers pointed out a plaque on Morkovice station commemorating a World War II incident when Czechs blew up loaded fuel tanks stored there and the occupying Germans exacted retribution, carried out on the station. BLN 821.0109][HU][SK][UA] Hungary: narrow-gauge railway festival days 1998: (BLN 777.0175-0178, 797.0118) On many 760mm-gauge lines of ÁEV (Állami Erdei Vasutak = State Forestry Railways) and MÁV (Magyar Államvasutak = Hungarian State Railways), the Hungarian Transport and Education Foundation organises festival days that are well worth attending if you are in the country. Normally a special train, or a reserved coach on a main-line train, runs from Budapest to the day's events, which include music, folk-dancing and good food and drink, as well as riding on specially-decorated trains. In addition, the Foundation arranges visits to narrow-gauge lines in neighbouring countries. Special day on the 760mm-gauge Hronec - Cierny Balog - Vydrovo Most line in Slovakia (BLN 792.0521; Ball 42B2) is 4 July 1998, and on the 750mm-gauge Beregovo - Khmelnik line in Ukraine 1 August. For further details contact Mr Janos Gáspar, Hungarian Transport and Education Foundation, Ilosvai Selymes utca 41, 1147 Budapest; telephone/fax +361 421 715. The 1998 programme is as follows, though not all the lines listed can be positively identified and given a Ball atlas reference: 11 April 1998 Children's Railway MÁV 44A2 Budapest 18 April 1998 Apple line ÁEV Baranya area 25 April 1998 Debrecen 'Susie' 48B3 Debrecen 1 May 1998 Mesztegnöi line 47A2 Mesztegnyö, Somogy county 2 May 1998 Börszöny line / MÁV Nostalgia Ltd Pest county 9 May 1998 Lillafüredi line ÁEV 43A1 Miskolc 16 May 1998 Kaszói line ÁEV 46B2 Szenta, Somogy county 6 June 1998 Felsötárkányi line ÁEV 43A1 near Eger 20 June 1998 Gyöngyösi line, 'Mátra Train' ÁEV 43A1 Gyöngyös 27 June 1998 Csömödéri line ÁEV 46B2 Csömödér, Zata county 11 July 1998 Debrecen Funfair Railway 48B3 Debrecen 8 August 1998 Kecskemet line MÁV 47B3 Kecskemet 15 August 1998 Pálháza line ÁEV 43B1 near Sátoraljáujhely 20 August 1998 Tiszakécskei line 48A3 Tiszakécske, Bács-Kiskun county 20 August 1998 Mecseki line 47A2 near Pecs 5 September 1998 Balatonfenyves line 47A3 Balatonfenyves 12 September 1998 Nyíregyháza, 'Birch Tree' line MÁV 43B1 Nyíregyháza 19 September 1998 Széchenyi Museum Railway 41B1 near Sopron 19 September 1998 Gemenci line ÁEV 47B2 Pörböly, Tolna county 10 October 1998 Szilvásváradi line ÁEV 43A1 Szilvásvárad, near Eger (TR&IN) BLN 821.0110][RU][LT][PL][BY] Kaliningrad freight lines and Lithuanian narrow-gauge: (BLN 780.0251) The Kaliningrad Oblast (region) is a triangular detached exclave of the Russian Federation, hemmed in by Poland and Lithuania. Centred on the city of Königsberg, home of the philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), it was once the northern part of the German Baltic province of Ostpreussen (East Prussia) most of which is now in Poland. After World War II the Soviet Union expelled the remaining German inhabitants, renamed the much-damaged Königsberg after Kalinin (a Bolshevik notable), annexed the surrounding territory, settled it with Russians, and regauged its railways from standard to 1520mm. An innovative railtour is being planned for 19-28 July 1998, which aims to cover most of the Kaliningrad region's remaining track including many freight-only lines, using the comfortable broad-gauge 'hotel-train' privately operated by the Dzherelo company of Kiev/Kyiv, Ukraine. The tour proposals also include broad-gauge track in Belarus and Lithuania (including the Sovetsk RZD - Pagegiai LG border-crossing whose passenger service was withdrawn April 1996; BLN 780.0251); connecting standard-gauge PKP charters to do border-crossings into Poland; and the extensive 750mm-gauge system centred on Panevezys, Lithuania. A single-sheet visitor's guide to the railways of the Kaliningrad Oblast was issued as OEIS 9649, and the 1998 tour details, in German, as OEIS 9811. For a copy of each, send the International Editor a stamped addressed envelope plus an extra 20p stamp. BLN 821.0111][US] Los Angeles, CA: Getty Center hovercraft funicular: The huge and imaginatively planned campus of museum buildings displaying the extensive art collection of the late J Paul Getty opened on 16 December 1997 on a magnificent hilltop site in the Santa Monica Mountains north-west of downtown Los Angeles. From the car-park (USD5; reservation required) and the bus-stop (#14 Big Blue Bus from Santa Monica, fare only USD0.50) free access and entrance to the museum (Mondays excepted) is by a novel people-mover calling itself the 'Tram'. From a two-bay lower station, this unusual funicular winds perhaps 1.5km up the hillside to the single-bay top station, maybe 400m above. Flank platforms enable loading and unloading of passengers on opposite sides. The haulage cables run on the outside of the plain single concrete guideway with midway passing-place, and the pair of apparently driverless three-car trains are carried on air-cushion pads instead of wheels. Los Angeles also has a traditional funicular, the 'Angels Flight', downtown on 4th and Hill Streets (from Pershing Square station on the Metro Red Line, take the 4th St exit). Built 1901, as the Los Angeles Incline Railway, it closed in the late 1960s but after 27 years recently reopened with refurbished original cars. BLN 821.0112][US] Los Angeles Metro: Extensions to the three-line Metro system are under way, with the 9km heavy-rail Red Line (750kV dc third-rail) due to extend another 9km north-west to Hollywood & Vine in December 1998, and the 35km south-north Blue Line (light-rail, 750V dc overhead) another 22km north-east to Pasadena in May 2001. The 32km east-west Green Line, also light-rail, runs for 27km in the median of the elevated I-105 freeway, making the environment of the island-platform stations a howling bedlam, but Metro trains are clean and have a safe reputation. From Los Angeles Union Station - the pleasant and well-cared-for Hispanic-styled 1939 terminus used by all the city's passenger trains, both intercity (Amtrak) and commuter (Metrolink; a 650km system) - the journey to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) can be accomplished by using the Red, then Blue, then Green Metro lines to Aviation/I-105 station, whence a free shuttle-bus makes a circuit of the airport terminals. BLN 821.0113][US] New York, NY: Penn station: The dignified landmark James A Farley Building of the United States Post Office, built in 1914 above the PRR main-line tracks, and now underused, seems likely to become a new concourse for the city's below-ground Amtrak station. The fine original station building of 1910 was demolished and 'redeveloped' in 1963 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, itself now defunct. (New York Times, 9 February 1998) BLN 821.0114][US] New York light rail: Howard Beach / Jamaica - Kennedy Airport: The US federal government on 9 February 1998 cleared the way for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to use air-ticket tax-money to build a light-rail line to a loop serving the terminals at JFK international airport. The first branch, from Howard Beach station on subway line A, might be open by 2002 and the other, from Jamaica station on the Long Island Rail Road and subway lines E, J and Z, by 2003. Building a dedicated light-rail line to the airport, forcing passengers encumbered with luggage to change trains, stems from a quirk of US law whereby the federal air-ticket tax revenue can be used only to benefit air passengers and not others. The more sensible solution, mooted for at least thirty years, of simply extending the New York subway to give convenient through services from the city-centre would have risked benefiting other customers! (New York Times, 10 February 1998) BLN 821.0115][ZA] Cape Town - Mossel Bay - George - Oudtshoorn - Vondeling - Klipplaat - Port Elizabeth: (BLN 740.0314, 802.0247) According to the Railway Observer for February 1998, the Oudtshoorn - Vondeling section of the scenic Garden Route was in late 1997 still closed due to a bridge washout. Only the weekly passenger Southern Cross and one daily freight used the route, and rebuilding could cost ZAR8M (= GBP1 million), so Spoornet are reluctant to begin repairs without extra Government finance, and the line may never reopen. BLN 822.0116] Inter-Rail tickets: (BLN 725.054, 729.081) Tickets for persons of 26 years and older are now available on the same zonal basis as those for the under-26s. Eastern Europe has been divided, with Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Yugoslavia now forming a new zone. During February 1998 railway enquiry offices in London and Reading had 'no information' and would not sell any Inter-Rail ticket, but a BLS traveller used his Visa card to buy an IR26+ ticket at Rotterdam CS on 21 February for travel starting 28 February. IR26+ tickets there cost NLG625 (=GBP186) for a single zone, valid 22 days, and NLG825 (GBP245) for two zones, NLG925 (GBP275) for three zones, and NLG1025 (GBP304) for all zones, all valid one month. BLN 822.0117][IE] Kilkenny avoiding line: (BLN 784.0323) On the four Saturdays 22 November - 13 December 1997 Waterford - Dublin shopping specials ran outward via the 1996 Lavistown curve avoiding Kilkenny, though the return trains are understood to have reversed at Kilkenny station. (Irish Railway Record Society Journal) BLN 822.0118][FR] Paris: Gare St.Lazare at the Gare d'Orsay: Late 19th century artists working in and around the city's oldest main-line station, the Gare Saint-Lazare, made famous the urban landscape of the Quartier de l'Europe, where the streets bear the names of prominent European cities. An exhibition of Impressionist paintings, including Edouard Manet's Le chemin de fer and nine of Claude Monet's eleven St.Lazare scenes, runs until 17 May 1998 at the Musée d'Orsay, itself a magnificently converted main-line station with the RER calling nearby (Ball 82A2), all offering an excellent justification for a day visit by Eurostar. (Guardian, 18 February 1998) BLN 822.0119][FR] Duničres - Montfaucon-en-Velay - Tence - Le Chambon-sur-Lignon - St.Agrčve: (BLN 815.0566; Ball 56A1) Overturning the 1995 decision reported in BLN 783.0293, the local authorities who own this part of the metre-gauge Vivarais system have now agreed to the preservation group Voies Ferrées du Velay reopening the Tence - St.Agrčve section in 1999. This section had an all-year ordinary passenger service until operators CF Départementaux withdrew it 1 November 1968. Seasonal tourist trains, under CF Régionaux, the first preservation operators, last ran here on 26 September 1986. (Voie Étroite, #164, February 1998) BLN 822.0120][LU] Fond de Gras - Giedel - Dhoil - Lasauvage - Saulnes: (BLN 750.0118; Ball 17B1 not shown) As well as the Pétange-Triage (AMTF) - Fond de Gras - Rodange (AMTF) standard-gauge preserved line, the Parc Ferroviaire et Industriel at Fond de Gras has the Miničresbunn Dhoil-Rodange, a 4km-long 700mm-gauge mineral line running through a former mine tunnel to the village of Lasauvage. The MBD is to be extended in spring 1998 across the Luxembourg border to Saulnes in the French département of Meurthe-et-Moselle, making it, rather unusually, an international narrow-gauge preserved railway. (Voie Étroite, #164, February 1998) BLN 822.0121][NL] Netherlands: special-event stations: Five of the six special-event stations listed on page 825 of the 1997-98 NS timetable (Spoorboekje) seem to be on lines with regular passenger trains: Heerenveen IJsstadion (Ball 2A2), Rotterdam Stadion (3B2), Liempde (4B1), Eindhoven Stadion (4B1, not shown, between Eindhoven and Eindhoven Beukenlaan) and Doetinchem Stadion (5A2, not shown, between Doetinchem and Terborg). No mention is made of Lisse-Keukenhof (BLN 802.0229, 820.069; Ball 3B3). The sixth station, Amsterdam Arena, is near the southern end of the Diemen Zuid - Duivendrecht Aansluiting (- Bijlmer) east-to-south curve, inaccessible directly to trains on the (Amsterdam -) Amstel - Duivendrecht - Bijlmer (- Utrecht) main line. (On the sketch-map in BLN 776, page 128/96, it is roughly where the 'pre-1990 alignment' starts.) The single platform, about four coaches long, on the outer side of the curve, had in September 1997 no name-signs or shelter, merely an exit via turnstiles to a covered bridge leading directly to the Arena itself, a large modern construction with an opening roof, home to Ajax football club. Loaded trains no doubt arrive at Amsterdam Arena from the Diemen Zuid end, but a signal on the main line does appear to allow movement on to the curve from the Bijlmer end, requiring an approach from the Amstel direction and reversal at Bijlmer, for the tracks of the Amsterdam Metro lie between the up and down NS lines here, preventing direct access from the Utrecht direction. If the whole curve is signalled reversibly, rather than east-to-south only as shown in the sketch-map, this would allow traffic homeward-bound after events at the Arena to return towards Diemen Zuid. The curve seems to have no regular passenger service, and the timetable gives no service details, only a premium-rate telephone number (0900 9292). More information on the signalling arrangements would be welcome. A website (http://www.omroep.nl/cgi-bin/tt/nos/page/753) displays Dutch teletext pages relating to 'extra' trains, such as those stopping at Heerenveen IJsstadion, so information about trains to Amsterdam Arena might from time to time appear there also. BLN 822.0122][DE] (Stralsund -) Abzw Borchtitz - Sassnitz Fährhafen: (BLN 816.0596; Ball 13B3) Sassnitz Fährhafen came into use 7 January 1998 as planned, though without signage and still incomplete. The new station on the Mukran branch has one platform with two tracks numbered 61 and 71. Boat-trains using it wait an inordinately long time before departing, for journey time is some 40 minutes less than from the now-closed Sassnitz Hafen station to the north. Full retiming presumably awaits the May timetable change. (IBSE, February 1998) BLN 822.0123][DE] Müncheberg (Mark) - Buckow (Märkische Schweiz): (BLN 760.0373, 767.0505, 781.0260, 789.0428, 803.0255; Ball 30A3) Class 772 railbuses ran in summer 1996 and summer 1997, but the province of Brandenburg have declined to pay for further services. DB have offered a preservation group the depot and the three 800V dc electric railcars - built 1930 and out of use since 1992 - for a possible museum and tourist railway operation on the 5km branch. (Eisenbahn Amateur, 12/97) BLN 822.0124][SE] Ystad - Gärsnäs - Simrishamn: (BLN 815.0578; Ball 25B1) Swedish private railway operator Sydtĺg AB were making big losses on freight services and had less work from track-authority Banverket, so to reduce costs they withdrew freight trains from Malmö - Staffanstorp - Brĺgarp (25A1) and laid off staff, requiring substantial redundancy payments. On 10 March 1997 the company went bankrupt, and receivers advertised it for sale, continuing meanwhile to operate trains. On 2 May, the freight division of the state railway, SJ Gods, took over Sydtĺg freight services on the Malmö - Staffanstorp - Brĺgarp, Ystad - Simrishamn, Kristianstad - Hanaskog (25B2) and Ronneby - Nättraby - Karlskrona (26A2) lines. (In spring 1997 furniture company IKEA had taken over premises in Staffanstorp as a warehouse, offering that line some new traffic.) The local passenger-transport company, Kristianstad Länstrafiken, who had a contract with Sydtĺg for the Ystad - Simrishamn line, debated for some time before awarding the replacement contract on 16 May to BK Tĺg, who began their service that afternoon using Länstrafiken's Class Y1 diesel railcars, #1303 and 1341. BK Tĺg also took over Sydtĺg's rolling-stock, their office in the old customs-house at Kristanstad, and seven of their twenty remaining employees. (ÖSJ-Bladet, magazine of Eastern Scania Railway preservation society, 3/97 BLN 822.0125][PT] Poceirăo - Vendas Novas - Casa Branca - Beja - Ourique - Funcheira: (BLN 819.055; Ball 26A2-33A3) The bridge wash-out between Ourique and Funcheira seems likely to keep the Linha do Alentejo closed until perhaps late March or April 1998. Not only is the Comboio Azul diverted by the Poceirăo south-to-east curve (Concordância de Agualva), but freights from the mine at Neves-Corvo have to make a very long journey from Ourique north to Vendas Novas and Poceirăo, then south to Ermidas-Sado to reach the port of Sines. BLN 822.0126][ES] Hendaia/Hendaye - Irun - Donostia/San Sebastián - Zumaia - Deba - Bilbao/Bilbo Atxuri: (BLN 808.0385; Ball 6A2-5B1) Through passenger services were restored to EuskoTren's metre-gauge electric main line on 22 December 1997 with the completion of the 1.8km Itxaspe deviation and new tunnel at Arronamendi avoiding the unstable coastal section between Zumaia and Deba. Buses had replaced trains on this section since early 1995. March 1998 should see new fast Hendaye - Donostia - Bilbao services connecting with Paris - Hendaye TGVs. BLN 822.0127][ES] (Zumárraga -) Azpeitia - Lasao (- Zestoa-Balneario - Zumaia): (Ball 6A1) On the disused Zumárraga - Zumaia metre-gauge line, the Basque Railway Museum at Azpeitia were to inaugurate 4.5km of restored track as far as Lasao in February 1998, and hope to complete the next stage to Zestoa-Balneario by July. BLN 822.0128][ES] Barcelona - Tarragona - Sagunt/Sagunto - Válencia: (BLN 707.05; Ball 16B1-30B1) RENFE's Euromed train, a broad-gauge version of the standard-gauge Madrid - Sevilla AVE, itself a TGV clone, offers in Preferente or Business class an excellent breakfast served at one's seat and included in the fare, Turista class having no free food. The route has been much realigned and in places considerably deviated between Tarragona and Sagunt. It appears from the RENFE timetable that a tortuous section of the old line from L'Aldea-Amposta inland through Tortosa must remain in part as a branch. The northern approach to Válencia once ran in the open air, but as far back as February 1991 excavations were in progress, and RENFE trains now run beneath the surface for some distance through the sea-front area of El Grao, via an underground station at Válencia-Cabanyal, before turning north to arrive at Válencia Estació del Nord (previously Válencia-Término), a splendid Moorish building with a large terminal train-shed. A short single-track curve enabling through workings to avoid reversal at Estació del Nord is used by at least two timetabled long-distance (Largo Recorrido) passenger trains between the Barcelona and Alacant lines (Alicante, in Castilian Spanish): #11997 18:33 Barcelona Sants - Válencia-Cabanyal 23:07 - Almería #11994 19:00 Almería - Xátiva 04:35 - Válencia-Cabanyal 07:03 - Barcelona Sants BLN 822.0129][ES] Válencia: Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Válenciana: (BLN 733.0159; Ball 30) FGV's line 1 (Bétera - Ademús - Angel Guimera - Sant Isidre - Torrent - Castello de la Ribera) and line 2 (Lliria - Ademús - Angel Guimera - Sant Isidre - Torrent) are metre-gauge electric railways which join at Ademús, running south of there in tunnel under the city to Sant Isidre. Line 3 (Rafelbunyol - El Palmaret - Benimaclet - Alameda) used to run on the surface from Rafelbunyol to Puente de Madera, but south of El Palmaret now runs in tunnel via Benimaclet (interchange with line 4 in tramway reservation on the surface) to a new underground station at Alameda, where four tracks disappear in tunnels beyond the platforms. According to current maps of the system, a new FGV line 5 (Alameda - Angel Guimera - Xátiva - Nuevo Cauce) is to run via an interchange with lines 1 and 2 at Angel Guimera and via a station at Xátiva, just across the road from the RENFE Estació del Nord. The metre-gauge FGV El Grau - Ademúz line 4 has been reborn as a tramway (El Grao - Benimaclet - Pont de Fusta - Ademús) with a long terminal loop around several streets in the El Grao district, the terminal layover being taken at the Doctor Lluch stop. At Pont de Fusta (formerly, in Castilian Spanish, Puente de Madera = wooden bridge), the fine old FGV terminus building remains, no longer facing buffer-stops but instead facing a sharply-curved double-track turning-circle, with crossovers between the pairs of parallel tracks which enable the single-ended trams to turn round there on short workings. The tram depot, not on the route, is reached by tracks - apparently not used by revenue-earning journeys - along a road across the RENFE, now in subway and no longer crossed by the FGV on the level. At Ademús the FGV tram-route runs alongside the FGV railway, but no longer on the east side, where its former location is marked by a cleared trackbed and platforms, but on the west side, presumably because this offers room for the necessary balloon-loop, plus a single siding. BLN 822.0130][CZ] Czech franchising and privatisation: (BLN 821.0107) Czech company Viamont have agreed with CD to operate a minimum of eight and a maximum of 17 daily trains each way on the 10km Trutnov - Svoboda nad Upou branch (Ball 36B1; CD 045). For the nominal sum of CZK10,000/year CD are to lease the 20km Milotice - Vrbno pod Pradedem line (BLN 818.042; Ball 37A1; CD 313), closed after damage during summer 1997 floods in northern Moravia, to coal-train operator OKD Doprava of Ostrava, who are to invest CZK60 million as part of a contract which should see resumption of both passenger and freight services, perhaps from 25 January 1998. The 19km Šumperk - Petrov nad Desnou - Kouty nad Desnou line (BLN 818.042; Ball 41B3-37A1; CD 291), damaged by the same floods, is reportedly now being operated as a 'community railway', but it is not clear whether this operation includes the 3km Petrov nad Desnou - Sobotín branch. As reported in BLN 812.0511 the Jindrichuv Hradec - Nova Bystrice and Jindrichuv Hradec - Obratan 760mm-gauge lines in southern Bohemia (Ball 41A3-41A2) have been leased to private operators JHMD. Transport Minister Martin Riman hopes shortly to put proposals to the Czech parliament for full-scale rail privatisation by 2000. (TR&IN) BLN 822.0131][HU] Hungary: southern branches: An MÁV Bzmot four-wheel railbus was operating the 31km Kiskörös - Kalocsa branch (Ball 47B2; MÁV 153) on 31 January 1998. Kalocsa station is some way from the town, but staffed, so a taxi can be ordered for the 10-minute HUF3000 (GBP9) journey to Dunapataj, the unstaffed and very run-down station at the end of the 50km Kunszentmiklós-Tass - Solt - Dunapataj branch (47B3-47B2; MÁV 151). The up branch train was fairly empty but filled up at Solt. The Solt - Dunaföldvár freight line west over the river Duna (= Danube) looked well out of use. In 1993 an M32 locomotive and single coach had worked the 6km Kisszénás - Kondoros branch (48A1; MÁV 126), but it is now in a very poor state, with an overall 30km/h-speed-restriction, and only one other passenger aboard the 14:36 up departure, a Bzmot railbus. As foreshadowed in BLN 778.0201, the 68km Bátaszék - Palotabozsok - Pécsvárad - Pécs line (47A2-47B2; MÁV 64) has been severed and operates as two branches linked by a bus, with the centre section out of use due to poor track, though not lifted. Bátaszék has a small maintenance depot and fuelling-point. As far as the first station, Palotabozsok, the train probably never exceeded 25km/h, taking most of an hour for just 18km. Thereafter the bus, on which MÁV tickets are accepted, criss-crossed the disused line several times, serving the villages rather than stopping at the closed stations. Few travelled on the train from Bátaszék, or on the bus, so it seems unlikely the middle section will ever reopen, but the single Bzmot railcar on the 23km from Pécsvárad to Pécs was quite well filled. The 102km cross-country Barcs - Villány line (47A2; MÁV 62) was very slow due to bad track on some sections, and the need for the conductor to operate several level-crossings. Again passenger usage was poor, and with very little freight it is not surprising that this line is under threat of closure. Lepsény - Mezöhídvég - Tamási - Dombóvár services (47A3-47A2; MÁV 49) are mainly shown as buses in the timetable, with the line south of Mezöhídvég apparently out of use. Beyond a bridge some 500m south of the station the track has in fact been completely lifted, so this line looks unlikely to see through trains again. In general timekeeping was good throughout the week's visit. MÁV's drastic timetable alterations seem to have abated, and using the two supplements currently in force (or the station posters, generally with up-to-date handwritten amendments) no difficulties were experienced in making connections. With more closures in prospect, 1998 is an opportune time to visit Hungary's rural branches. BLN 822.0132][HR] Croatia: BLN does not normally include traction details, but for those baffled by the numbers quoted in BLN 817.016, the correct ones were: Date train locomotive number 7 Oct 1997 #5502 07:11 Split - Knin 2 062 021-7 7 Oct 1997 #5705 10:45 Knin - Zadar 2 062 051-4 7 Oct 1997 #5808 15:24 Sibenik - Perkovic 2 062 048-0 7 Oct 1997 #5504 16:31 Perkovic - Knin 2 062 032-4 8 Oct 1997 #5420 07:09 Knin - Ogulin 2 061 101-9 8 Oct 1997 #4201 12:37 Ogulin - Generalski Stol 1 141 229-3 (terminated short due to engineering work) 8 Oct 1997 #4201 Duga Resa - Karlovac 1 141 104-8 (same train ran forward to Zagreb as #4105) 8 Oct 1997 #4105 Karlovac - Zagreb 1 141 104-8 BLN 822.0133][US] San Jose - Newark - Centerville - Niles/Fremont - Pleasanton - Livermore - Tracy - Stockton, CA: Altamont Commuter Express service is to begin running during 1998 on Union Pacific track in California, the former Southern Pacific from San Jose to the Niles area of Fremont, then the former Western Pacific to Stockton. At end February 1998 no operator had been selected from the twelve bidders, but both Herzog, operator of the Miami area's Tri-Rail commuter line, and Amtrak were in the running. (http://www2.trains.com; http://www.acerail.com) BLN 822.0134][MX] Ciudad Mexico: Mexico City's Buenavista passenger station is an uninspiring modern terminal with six dual-faced dead-end platforms. The westmost four of the eleven tracks have overhead wires though these may no longer be live. No electric trains were to be seen, all traction being by typical US diesel road-switchers from all three main North American builders, GE, GM and Alco/MLW. A twelfth, eastmost, track has been removed and adjacent buildings encroach upon the trackbed. Access to the platforms without a travel ticket is not permitted and the barriers remain closed until the train is ready. No metro station directly serves Buenavista. A helicopter landing-pad just outside sees regular use, but not by rail passengers! No train timetables are displayed on the station, no public timetable books are available, and the train indicators display expected times, not scheduled timings. However, the passenger trains running in December 1997 were: #23101 08:20 MWFO Mexico - Jalapa - Veracruz balanced by #23102 #2351 08:45 daily Mexico - Orizaba - Veracruz balanced by #2352 #231 09:00 MWFO Mexico - Nuevo Laredo (close to Laredo, TX, USA) balanced by #232 #23111 19:00 daily Mexico - Oaxaca balanced by #23112 #2313 20:00 daily Mexico - Ciudad Juarez (close to El Paso, TX, USA) balanced by #2314 #2353 20:15 daily Mexico - Veracruz balanced by #2354 #235 20:30 daily Mexico - Guadalajara balanced by #236 #2331 21:00 MWFO Mexico - Uruapan balanced by #2332 Only Veracruz trains #2351/2 and #23101/2 are daytime services, the others offering long overnight journeys without sleeping accommodation.. Fare-tables for all stations are displayed, valid from 1 October 1997. All trains became one-class-only from that date, but the former Primera class cars are used in all trains for Unica class passengers. As a fare example, Mexico - Orizaba - Veracruz one-way (464km, similar to London - Carlisle) in December 1997 cost MXP64.95 (about GBP5). Buenavista station forecourt has a plinthed narrow-gauge 0-4-4-0 Shay steam locomotive lettered TCC and numbered 2, plaqued 'Lima 1887, retired 1966', and Plaza de la Republica, 2km from Buenavista, has a plinthed narrow-gauge 2-8-0 lettered FCI, numbered 67 and plaqued 'Alco 1900, retired 1957'. Many main streets in the city-centre have disused tram-rails exposed, including some quite extensive pointwork at road-junctions. The rails were only lightly tarred over and the surface has gradually worn away. No trams were seen, but the world list of tram and metro systems in Light Rail & Modern Tramway for October 1997 (shortly to be included on the new LRTA website, http://www.lrta.org) does include a small tramway remaining in Mexico City. To the north of the city, the Industrial Vallejo district, some 6km by 5km, has factories