EGADS! A large mainline steam engine and only four cars! Problem is its in Germany.

Despite what I gather European fans would view as a dearth of steam available, I went about 10 minutes from my house near Wiesbaden on Sunday and watched a Skoda built 2-10-0 haul a Santa Claus Special. The engine is operated by the Nassau Tourist Railroad from Wiesbaden-Dotzheim to Bad Schwalbach or Hohenstein over greater than 2% grades.[about 15-20 miles] This local outfit, one of may I have seen in Germany alone manages to operate quite well. What have we done to ourselves in the USA to make steam a vanishing breed where the retirement of one engine brings angst and recrimination?

Secondly, for American fans, what's the hangup against European steam? Other than the shrill whistles, it was a delight to hear a mainline steam engine tackle a steep grade, wonder through a rail yard unhindered and unhassled and best of all sit in my living room several miles away listening to a steam engine.

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> There's no hang up, but be it ever so humble-there's no place like home-personally, I'll never get used to buffers, thats all.

Ironaically, yesterday I headed East a bit to see another Decapod- Strasburg's No. 90.

Superheater@rrmail.com

> Ironaically, yesterday I headed East a bit
> to see another Decapod- Strasburg's No. 90.

I guess I should not generalize. ALthough how often do you see foreign action in US Rail magazines unless there is a direct US correlation?
Steam is so relatively prevalent that it seems to be a part of "railfan life" over here versus a special event.

> EGADS! A large mainline steam engine and
> only four cars! Problem is its in Germany.

> Despite what I gather European fans would
> view as a dearth of steam available, I went
> about 10 minutes from my house near
> Wiesbaden on Sunday and watched a Skoda
> built 2-10-0 haul a Santa Claus Special. The
> engine is operated by the Nassau Tourist
> Railroad from Wiesbaden-Dotzheim to Bad
> Schwalbach or Hohenstein over greater than
> 2% grades.[about 15-20 miles] This local
> outfit, one of may I have seen in Germany
> alone manages to operate quite well. What
> have we done to ourselves in the USA to make
> steam a vanishing breed where the retirement
> of one engine brings angst and
> recrimination?

> Secondly, for American fans, what's the
> hangup against European steam? Other than
> the shrill whistles, it was a delight to
> hear a mainline steam engine tackle a steep
> grade, wonder through a rail yard unhindered
> and unhassled and best of all sit in my
> living room several miles away listening to
> a steam engine.

I was lucky enough to visit the NTB in September of 2001. It was particularly interesting to see local residents using the line as transportation. Many had ridden the morning train into Wiesbaden-Dotzheim, done shopping and were headed home on the afternoon train -- including families on bicycles.

IMHO, this is a true gem of an operation. Great people and a real up-and-down railroad.



Nassau Tourist Railway
teamzurg@earthlink.net

Cultural differences which I can't fathom entirely either. Don't know why we feel our industrial heritage which built the sole remaining superpower, saved the world from tyranny in two world wars and rebuilt Europe twice is dirty and best swept under the rug.

Some possibly relevant items:

Steam lasted longer there than here.

Most European railways are at least in part publicly owned / operated. This makes public service predominant rather than a special feature. If the people want to see steam they will see steam.

Passenger trains of all kinds are more commonly used by everybody there than here.

dave

irondave@bellsouth.net