Harz Railway - February 2014

Can we save everyone a lot of time and just cut and paste here the last thread we had on doing Harz on your own or in a group. Thanks

BTW in case anyone is interested I'm on the organise it yourself camp.

 

The same Doc Lacey that myself and Adrian bumped into at Eisfelder a couple of weeks ago!

 

Must have been quite a shock for the Wednesday gang having to go without Doc's prime sausages. Perhaps he took them back a Wurst or two.

 

Following on from the earlier postings ( but with due respect to Simon) I have attached a small selection of 10 from last week that I hope encourages more people to visit - however they choose to travel :

 

Following on from the earlier postings ( but with due respect to Simon) I have attached a further selection of 4 from last week that I hope encourages more people to visit - however they choose to travel :

 

I agree ( from one who has done 2 tours, 1 RTC which did not just cover Harz, and 1 RailTrail with a Polish Trip ,but intends to go back on my own to see more of the surrounding area).

 

I think we should concentrate on persuading people who have not been to go. I get the impression most people who have been, want to go back ( funds and time permitting).

 

Undoubtedly. There are a number of other lines in Germany that are also worth visiting if not quite on the same scale as Harz.

 

No matter how you do it, just do it. Fantastic sytsem.

 

But isn't that the point of the discussion being generated with suggestions of whether the individual or package arrangements are best - supported by images and videos from those who have been in the hope that others will be encouraged to visit. I agree about persuading people but it helps to know the many available options before deciding which is best for your pocket ; your ability to move around and the results you wish to achieve from your visit. You may think posters are gong round in circles - but then so does the Harzquerbahn as it approaches the Brocken summit !

 

Up thread it mentions it is rare for uphill trains to go into the passing siding. It isn't that unusual; when run the 14:40 ex Schierke does this to cross 14:51 ex Brocken plus tourist train (if running) coming down in convoy. Note the bloated schedule of the 14:40.

Only just spotted the 2014 summer TT is on the website. Looks like no change for this year.

David

 

I think we covered it enough in 2 threads for the time being( before we over do it). I do hope it encourages other to visit.
Thanks for the photos ( Fred and Nigel), and Austin for the Videos.

 

Yes trains use the loop for trains going in opposite directions to cross BUT the rarity is that this was for 2 trains going the SAME way !

 

That's the fella - very nice chap!

Steven

 

Aha - that explains the pictures clearly not taken with our group but around the same time. That was our Group's first afternoon on the Harz. 3 steam locos and a railcar at the same junction in early February - in the middle of nowhere, as far as I could see! (There appears to be a bar!) Magic!

Couple from the occasion you mention and one earlier at Hasselfelde. (BTW - full credit to the bar and train crew at Hasslefelde - 2 rounds in the time it takes ione unit to go dwon the hill and the last one back up, and the driver checks the bar before departing!)

Steven

 

We were driving down from Stiege to Eisenach, and as we passed Eisfelder saw 99 6001 parked up with a couple of coaches, so stopped off for a look. It had only just come back from overhaul at Meiningen, and accepted into traffic a couple of days previous. Nice to see 3 steam locos, as you say, in the middle of nowhere! Very surprised to bump into someone from Stevenage, especially as we didn't know each other was going.

I normally stay in Wernigerode, but the one night we spent in the area we stayed in Sophienhof, a couple of miles north west of Eisfelder Talmuhle.

http://www.braunerhirsch-sophienhof.de/

Rooms were good, food was excellent, and they brew their own beer on site!

 

Sounds like a great place to stay.

 

Not wishing to extend the arguments about the Harz narrow gauge but I thought this image of the 3 prototype locos together - a rare event - might be of interest :

 

How things change: Bw Wernigerode 18 May 1979!

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99 222 isn't a "prototype", it's simply the last survivor of an earlier batch of locos. It wasn't even the first one!