The scheduled steam event in the Werra River Valley between Meiningen and Eisenach has begun! There wasn't supposed to be such an event anymore as the line was to be heavily modernized. Fortunately not much happenened last year so many fans (including me) helped sponsoring this event. Enough steam fans were found so now for three days about half a dozen big steam engines power several regular and special passenger and freight trains on this line. What a show! We even got some nice winter atmosphere yesterday. Here are a few shots:

Two class 52 engines work hard to pull a loaded lumber train up the grade at Foertha station towards Eisenach:


Engine 03 1010 leaves the same station upgrade with a passenger special. The sound was great! Unfortunately this engine will be retired in two days. No one knows if it is ever going to run again:


Two more class 52's depart Bad Salzungen with another loaded lumber train heading towards Eisenach. The smoke plume was as impressive as it looks!


Back in Meiningen I was lucky to catch 18 201 (the world's fastest operational steam engine) leaving with a very short special train. This one wasn't on the schedule:


If you like these images I'll show some more from today and tomorrow. The show is going on!

Quite impressive, Jan! I remember seeing steam in Bremen & Bremerhauven when I was stationed there in the mid 60's. Go ahead and post some more, I'm enjoying them!
Ron K of Rockford

Thank you, Ron!

Here are my favorites from yesterday:

A class 52 leaving Bad Salzungen with a rather short train of empty lumber cars:


The same train leaving the Foertha station after having to wait for a passenger special to pass:


It was followed by another train the passed the station without stopping:


Another class 52 engine performs switching duties in Walldorf:


I'm leaving for today's programme pretty soon, I'm confident that it's going to be a great finale!

The last day of the scheduled steam event is over, here are a few of my favorites of this day:

The weather turned out to be more friendly like the last two days, here the sun shines on engine 52 8079 leaving Walldorf for my home city Meiningen:


Two 52's pass Leimbach with a loaded lumber train heading for Eisenach:


Engine 52 8075 leaves Immelborn station with a gravel train towards Meiningen and a beautiful smoke plume:


Engine 41 1144 rolls by the town of Schwallungen heading for Eisenach with an old passenger car and a string of classic two axle open top hoppers:


Finally the heaviest train of all, a gravel train passing Leimbach towards Eisenach. The sun had already faded but I like this shot anyway. The train weighed 2500 metric tons and besides the two leading class 52's another of these was shoving hard at the rear to move this load up the steep grade to Foertha:


This has been a great show, now I'm pretty exhausted but happy!

Stunning pictures!