My date with trains!

Summary of the post

29 April 2012: From 06:30 – 11:21 in the morning,  I spent my time trying to catch an elusive train. From 11:21 till 01:00 the next morning, I spent my time dating trains – starting from the steam engines right upto the present day trains.

28 April 2012:

I woke up early this Saturday morning in full excitement to make travel plans for the weekend and the upcoming three months. After around three hours of browsing, comparing notes and reading documents some of my dear friends have sent me, I have it all charted out.

My plan for the weekend is to visit Quedlinburg. But after all my hours of research, the earliest train I can take is at 11:21. I think that would give me insufficient time to explore the place and hence have deffered my trip for tomorrow.

29 April 2012:

I dragged myself out of bed this morning in the hopes of catching the 7:23 train. But thanks to my rather half-asleep, lethargic dismissal of my basic morning duties, I reached the station in time to bid goodbye to the departing train. Nevertheless, a ‘disappointed me’ consoled myself that even if I were to take the 9:21 train, I would still have two more hours than taking the 11:21 train the previous day. 

I bought my tickets. Not wanting to walk back home and come back again, I settled myself on the bench of a nearby park hoping to catch a few winks of sleep even as the birds sang full-throated and the scent of sweet grass filled the air. The weather was brilliant today – I no longer needed my fleece jacket.  Few strangers did come and check on me, probably to verify that I was not a dead woman lying. But I paid no heed.

Five minutes to 09:00, I made my way to the station for a second time. I printed out the connections; not wanting to make any mistake, I checked the display board over and over again and proceeded to platform 2 to board my train. I settled myself in a comfortable seat by the window, making a guess on the direction of our motion. The train started to move.

And that was the beginning of my 15 minute emotional roller-coaster.

Event 1: I congratulate myself on a correct guess with regard to the direction of the train.

Event 2: I glance at the clock. It says 09:08. My heart sinks as I realize that there has to be something gravely wrong. A 09:21 train in Germany would never leave at 09:08!

Event 3: I stand and look around if I can approach anyone for help. A concerned co-passenger appears by my side. I use all my faculties of expression and my broken German to convey the misery of my situation. I understand that the train is bound for Hannover! So much for my guesses!

Event 4: With my kind neighbour not having any suggestions to offer, I bound off the train at the next station Emmerke.

Event 5: I see the train that I was supposed to board thundering past us without stopping, through the opposite platform in the opposite direction. It would reach Hildesheim in minutes and be gone. As I stand helplessly watching, I wish that I could just hurtle into the train through one of its windows. It dawns on me that I had missed my train for a second time that day!

Event 6: I sit down to wait in the deserted station for the next connection to Hildesheim due in half an hour. I find solace venting out my frustration through Whatsapp to the one who has no choice but to endure it all.

Now I had no option but to take the 11:21 train. So much for my thoughts the previous day. My tryst with Irony personified – complete!

Once back at Hildesheim, I decided to return home and catch some grub before I tried my luck a third time. And finally, I was bound for Quedlinburg on the elusive train!

The Harz Mountains and its Steam Engines

My sole motive of going to Quedlinburg was to take a ride on the Harz Narrow Guage Railway. This little known railway line is supposed to be a well-kept secret among the German train enthusiasts. And being a train lover myself, there was no thinking twice when I chanced upon this destination.

There are three inter-connected routes:

1. The Harz Railway – which connects Wernigerode to Nordhausen. This route features the only tunnel in the Harz mountains and also a castle.

2. The Brocken Railway – which runs to Brocken which is the top of the tallest peak in the Harz. This is probably

3. Selketalbahn (Selke Valley Railway) – which runs along the river Selke through the Harz mountains and claimed to be the most romantic of the three.

My choice was the last one.

Once at Quedlinburg, I quickly ran to the information counter to check on the tickets. I was in for a shock when I was informed “It is a bad day today. The steam engine has some problem. It is not running.” But on second thought, the lady asked me to run up to the platform and check if the connection wagon has arrived. My heart leapt for joy when I saw the little wagon at the designated platform. She recommended purchase of the Harz tour card which would allow me to travel by any of the local transport and the trains connecting to Harz for 18 EUR in the next three days. (The rates are usually 18 EUR for a single trip and 27 EUR for round trip). I readily did.

That was my initiation into the world of Harz steam trains. From 13:40 till 19:55, I rode around through the Harz on the chugging, puffing, steaming animal.

Useful links:

1. Time table of the Selketalbahn: http://www.hsb-wr.de/hsb_barrierefrei/lib/download/fahrplan/hsb_s333.pdf

2. About the route: http://www.selketalbahn.de/english/fks_idx5.htm

3. Harz Narrow Gauge Railways – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harz_Narrow_Gauge_Railways

4. Harz Railway – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harz_Railway 

Useful Tips:

1. Might be a good idea to carry water and food. You might not get a chance to stop at a station if you wish to go all the way to the peak.

2. Do not plan to catch the last train out of Quedlinburg. Should the steam train get late like in my case, you might just run out of options.

3. The ride does involve breathing in a lot of smoke and getting covered in soot. Be preapred! 🙂