Rockstar

I had thought about doing this in chronological order, but when it gets so bad that Soma tells everyone to pester me to take pictures, then I think I better post one of the better shots right near the beginning to placate you all.

78 468 is heading out of Solingen central (former Ohligs) station on a circle journey towards Remscheid, Wuppertal and right back to Solingen. This day was the first time Soma had been on a steam excursion, and he seemed quite amazed at the hordes of people who came out to see the steam trains and gave us "Rockstar treatment". Here, a small fraction of them can be seen on the bridge.

The prussian T18 (later class 78) was specifically developed for fast commuter service in the west of what was then Prussia, so it is really right at home here. The 2’C2’ (some call this 4-6-4, but I call for the abolition of this notation) is, in terms of performance, a tank version of the incredibly popular prussian P8, having been built as a tank and with symmetrical axle configurations to reach the same speeds in both directions. The passenger cars have some official name that I can't and won't ever remember, because they are universally known as "Donnerbüchse" (thunder box), thanks to being the first all-metal constructions of their kind in a time when noise pollution wasn't seen as an issue yet. In other words, they are awesome.

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