Trier Dampfspektakel - 28 April - 1 May 2018

Initial details are here, unfortunately only in German, but nonetheless quite obvious.

The route used will be Koblenz - Trier - Saarbrücken, and on 30th April only; Trier - Koblenz - Brohl, with a trip up the metre-gauge Brohltalbahn to Engeln .
[Edit]: Also Trier - Luxembourg and Trier - Gerolstein [I forgot to scroll down the menu!]

Excerpt from www.drehscheibe-online.de:

"Hier werden die Loks: 01 180 oder 03 1010, 18 478, 23 023 oder 23 058, 41 018, CFL 5519 und 50 2988 oder 52 8195 sowie E18 047 und V200 033 genannt". (oder = or)

The brochure says 9 locos, presumably this includes the metre-gauge loco on the Brohltalbahn , and whilst the original steam loco from this line is now serviceable, normally only diesels are allowed on the steep section from Oberzissen to Engeln.

 

A few more routes than just that. Trier - Luxembourg and Trier - Gerolstein are also featured.

 

Just studied the timetables and entered them into a spreadsheet. On the three busiest days there are 37 steam arrivals/departures at Trier Hauptbahnhof and that doesn't include ecs and light engine movements. Not bad.

 

Looking to go over for this event. As someone who hasn't been to something like this before, where would be a good place to start (apart from Trier!)? What are the routes like in terms of gradients etc and what should I be looking to give priority to? No loco allocations (are they likely to be released?) so just looking to sketch out a rough idea of what to do.

I presume based on the fact they are selling day and event tickets with single train tickets to follow normal tickets for services along the same routes won't be valid?

Can't seem to find a PDF version of the timetable which they say is available which makes looking through the times a bit tricky!

 

Hi,
A similar event in the area ran in 2010 to mark 175 years of German Railways. IIRC a comprehensive booklet was produced with suggested photo locations and other info. I will be asking if a similar booklet will be produced this time. I'm racking my brains as to where we got the loco allocations from but we did have them. There was a freight Plandampf that followed on from the Dampfspektakel and it may have been the organisers of that who supplied allocations for the whole shooting match, again I will be asking this year's team about loco allocations. You will find it impossible to do everything each day so study the timetables and prioritise what you want to do on a daily basis. If you're not line siding you will stand a good chance of getting haulage by all locos over all routes over the four days of the event. It's a shame that steam doesn't go beyond Bullay this time as the most scenic pat of the Moseltal is between there and Koblenz.
The steepest climbs we found were north of Gerlostein but sadly no trains beyond Gerolstein for this event. We didn't do the Trier - Saarbrücken section in 2010 so cannot comment on the topography of the line. Event tickets will be valid for normal service trains but not the other way round.
I've put the times into a spreadsheet to give a detailed overview of the whole timetable. PM me with an e-mail address and I can send you a copy.
We are staying in Kyllburg, about 50km north of Trier on the line to Gerolstein. Will mean an early start if we're to get the first train off of Trier but as it will pass within a hundred metres of our hotel, we can always catch it there.

 

Update - I've delved further into the website and it says a brochure will be published soon and will contain info on the locos and their workings.

 

I had the following e-mail the other day:

Dear friends of Plandampf,

The Revierdampf-Team has retired from organizing its own Plandampf events, but we are happy to assist our friends in promoting the 2018 Dampfspektakel at Trier. This information is sent to all subscribers of the Revierdampf newsletter with an E-mail-account outside Germany. If you do not want to receive further E-mails, please reply with a short notice, although it is unlikely that we continue to send mails to persons that do not get actively in contact with us.

The information on the Dampfspektakel event is still provisional. Updates will be published on the official website at http://www.dampfspektakel.info/, albeit in German language only.

The preliminary list of locomotives for the event includes:
4-6-2: 01 180, 03 1010, 18 478
2-6-2: 23 058
2-10-0: 52 4867, 52 6106, 52 8195, CFL 5519
Diesel: V 200 033
Electric: E 18 047
Narrow gauge steam: Brohltal 11 sm

Steam trains will run Saturday April 28, Sunday April 20 und Tuesday May 1st (public holiday) on five lines radiating from Trier:
Trier – Bullay (53 km): 1 pair of trains full distance, plus 3 pairs to Wittlich.
Trier – Gerolstein (69 km): 4 pairs full distance, plus 1 pair to Bitburg.
Trier – Luxemburg (51 km): 2 pairs.
Trier – Nennig (40 km): 3 pairs full distance, plus 1 pair to Wellen.
Trier – Saarbruecken (88 km): 2 pairs full distance, plus 1 pair to Merzig with heritage diesel locomotive.
The historic electric TEE-train will run Koblenz – Trier (112 km), 1 pair full distance, plus 2 pairs from Koblenz to Hetzerath/Wittlich.

Less trains operate on Monday April 30: Two pairs of steam hauled trains run on the line from Trier to Saarbruecken plus 1 pair with heritage diesel locomotive, and a special from Trier via Koblenz with heritage electric locomotive connects at Brohl with a steam special on the meter gauge Brohltalbahn.

All Plandampf lines are two track electrified, except for the line to Gerolstein that is not electrified and features two tracks at some sections. The most scenic spots in the Plandampf area can be found around Bullay and Nittel with vineyards and the Mosel river, along the Saar river en route to Saarbruecken, and along the Gerolstein line through the forests of the Eifel mountains with several remote stations.

The event is sponsored by the government of Rhineland-Palatinate, to promote the scheduled rail services of the region. Travel on the Dampfspektakel trains requires special tickets: day pass 72 Euro, event ticket 190 Euro, tickets for a single journey and day passes for part of the network are also available. The passes are also valid on all local service trains and buses of the Verkehrsverbund Trier which extends to Wittlich, Saarburg, Wincheringen, Wasserbillig and Gerolstein. Tickets can be ordered and paid online at https://www.dbregio-shop.de/index.php/product/565/show/0/0/0/0/buy or also at
www.dampfspektakel.info.
You obtain a personalized ticket for printout that is valid in combination with your ID / passport. Before and during the Plandampf, tickets are available at the DeutscheBahn service centers at Trier, Cochem and Merzig. Tickets are not sold in trains.

Schedules will be published on the official website. In addition to the official marketing leaflet, the Revierdampf Team compiles a Plandampf brochure for railway enthusiasts in German and English language. The brochure includes detailed timetables and a description of photo positions. It will be available for free download on the official website some weeks before the event, when the loco roster and train timings are confirmed. Please check the website. If you notify me of your interest by email to
info@revierdampf.org,
I will send you the brochure (approx. 5 MB) by E-mail. Please indicate your preferred language English or German. (apologies to our many supporters in the Netherlands: yet no Dutch version available).

With best wishes from the Revierdampf-Team
Andreas Illert

Hope that helps.

 

Train tickets and accommodation booked. Previously we have flown to Germany for these events but decided to do it in style this time. 1st Class Eurostar to Brussels and then 1st Class ICE to Köln for beer research before heading off to the Plandampf a couple of days later. Staying in Kyllburg just 100 yards from the station on the Gerolstein line. Bring it on.

 

I'm giving it serious consideration...

 

I say go for it. The 2010 Dampfspektakel in the same area was outstanding. Whilst not as big, 2018 has the makings of a very good event indeed. The Bayerische S3/6 is the stand out loco for me. Got to be done.

 

I missed the 2010 one, but I did go to the one in 2005 which was splendiferious!

 

I've booked on the Railtrail tour. Although there will be organised trips each day, there is no compulsion to follow them, you can 'do your own thing'. It also gives the bonuses of participation on the mainline steam event on the previous Thursday from Köln to Gerolstein moving locos and stock to Trier and optional visits to preserved lines in the area.

 

The Neustadt one IIRC. Good event but indifferent weather. Still good fun though with group run-around tickets at normal rates. A day of Pacific haulage for not many Euros was well worth it.
Also did the 2014 Neustadt event. Absolutely superb that was. Again the steam runs were at normal fares.

 

I'll be driving, as usual, and will be happy to give a lift to scenic locations to anyone who has gone by public transport.
Details nearer the time.

 

I've looked at their itinerary and they seem to think that days three and four of the Plandampf will see reduced steam activity. That is only true for day three. Day four will see the same high level of activity as days one and two as it's the same timetable for all three of those days.

 

01 202 is now replacing 01 180, according to www.dampflok.ch

 

Seems the loco situation is still fluid. Since the first list was produced, the 23 and the 50 have dropped of and a 78 and another 52 have appeared in their places.

 

More changes to the loco roster. The Bavarian S3/6 has withdrawn and a Class 52 substituted. Shame about that as I was really looking forward to some compound haulage.
01 118 is also withdrawn with 01 1075 taking its place.

 

Drat!

 

I've spoken to one of the guys producing the brochure with rosters, photo positions etc. The changes in the loco lineup have delayed matters as they've had to rejig things but they hope to have a preliminary version at least available soon after Easter.