ShopDreamUp AI ArtDreamUp
Deviation Actions
Royal Steam Fund
Support my continuous work by contributing to my tip jar. This tier won't include any specific perks, but you will receive my appreciation and a more regular upload schedule. Furthermore, your contribution will help me pay off a loan I had to take on for special medical treatment.
$5/month
Suggested Deviants
Suggested Collections
You Might Like…
Description
Everybody loves the Thalys. No, wait, actually most people seem to be indifferent towards it. People love some locomotives, hate others, find them great, boring, ugly, whatever, but the Thalys? While those who actually travel with it seem to like it, most rail fans I know tend to ignore it.
So that's what I'm going to do as well here. Instead, let's talk about the line it is descending. The Ronheider Rampe (Slope of Ronheide) was built from 1838 to 1843 as part of Europe's first international railway line from Aachen to Liège, and directly follows Aachen central when going from east to west. After the curve the train is making, it is practically entirely straight. At 2.65%, it was considered too much for the locomotives of the time, and was instead operated as a funicular, pulling the locomotive-less trains up to (the no longer existing) Ronheide station at the other end. In 1854, it was changed to less expensive operations with two helper locomotives. Today, regular trains only use high-powered (if occasionally odd-looking) EMUs, but it still remains challenging enough.
So that's what I'm going to do as well here. Instead, let's talk about the line it is descending. The Ronheider Rampe (Slope of Ronheide) was built from 1838 to 1843 as part of Europe's first international railway line from Aachen to Liège, and directly follows Aachen central when going from east to west. After the curve the train is making, it is practically entirely straight. At 2.65%, it was considered too much for the locomotives of the time, and was instead operated as a funicular, pulling the locomotive-less trains up to (the no longer existing) Ronheide station at the other end. In 1854, it was changed to less expensive operations with two helper locomotives. Today, regular trains only use high-powered (if occasionally odd-looking) EMUs, but it still remains challenging enough.
Image size
2802x1869px 4.26 MB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon EOS 1000D
Shutter Speed
1/100 second
Aperture
F/8.0
Focal Length
46 mm
ISO Speed
200
Date Taken
Mar 16, 2010, 4:40:24 PM
Comments10
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
I think the main reason the Thalys is ignored is simply because it's a TGV in red. It lacks the unique loading gauge and electrical systems of the Eurostar and doesn't hold any of the speed records made by the TGV Atlantique or the TGV Duplex. ICE trainsets have more exciting interiours and electrical design. In short, the Thalys is the most ordinary of all high speed trains, second perhaps to the Series 300 Shinkansen.