It all started out with the chance to join the final day of West Coast Rail Tours North Country Tour, which had departed Prince Rupert four days earlier. The train had made its way to Whistler, and as 33 of us boarded the Glacier Coach Lines coach in Squamish, we looked forward to a ride on the first public passenger train on the BC Rail line since October 2002. Although time had been short since we were able to establish the charter contract with new line operator CN, we had still attracted people from Great Britain and the US to join this wonderful trip.

As we wound along the lakes and down the hill, the open car became more and more busy, as the temperatures warmed and the scenery became the focus. We met a northbound freight headed by BCR 4601, and made our way slowly towards Squamish. A stop to switch locomotives took more time, but the final ride into town with 4069’s melodic chime horn made it all worthwhile.

But, I had a plane to catch. Thanks, Dave, for letting me off quickly and then I’m on the highway. A very fast stop at home to collect bags, then off to the airport. Check in was smooth; I had time to be welcomed to the Maple Leaf Lounge by WCRA member Dave Shore. Then it was plane time aboard a new Lufthansa A 340-600 and off for Frankfurt. Flight was smooth and enjoyable, arrived a little late at 1100 October 1, and nine time zones ahead of where I started! Collect baggage, and now time to find the DB (Die Bahn) station.

No problem here, as the station is right at the airport! DB fields major passenger rail service throughout Germany, and the station at Frankfurt airport was a mere seven platforms – three for local trains and four for intercity trains! From Frankfurt Airport to Bonn / Cologne there were hourly departures – how’s that for service! I purchase my round trip ticket (148 Euros first class) and head for platform 6. In true European fashion, things are really easy to find. The platform sign shows the consist of each train and where to board. I head for spot A, and await the train. It arrives right on time in true German precision; two ICE trainsets connected together – a mere 16 cars for this hourly service!

Boarding is easy, and I find a window forward facing seat in the lead car. First class is two and one seating, nice high back leather seats and large windows. In another departure from the ordinary – one can see right through the engineer’s compartment and out the front of the train. The only drawback – the smoking section is the front part, so we settle for a good seat in non-smoking.

Right on time we pull out, and soon are cruising north at 300 kph. The ride is incredibly smooth and very quiet, (this feels smoother to me than the French TGV’s) the scenery pleasant rolling country. In spite of what we hear of German autobahn speeds, we are leaving everything on the highway behind as we cruise along. The right of way is totally grade separated – no crossings, and it is not built around things – wherever we approach a hill we just fly through it in a tunnel! There is only one stop, and that is at Bonn, before we cross over the Rhine River on a large bridge (photo, below) and roll into Cologne main station (that would be Koln Hauptbahnhof). We covered the 125 miles in just 57 minutes!

Time to find my hotel – I am told it is just 300 meters from the station, behind the cathedral. Sounds easy, but due new subway construction underway there are some obstacles to navigate. Walking around the cathedral, I pause to recheck my map. A few more steps and it comes into view – only problem, you cannot get there from here due the work! Around a block and I find it – and check in – it will be good to get the bags off my shoulders!

After unpacking and freshening up, I decide to take a walk and see what’s around. It’s about 1400 hours now, and I quickly discover the great location that I have been put into. One block to the river and the waterfront parkway, with a wonderful walkway and cycle path all along the city front. The cathedral, the second largest in Germany (and second tallest in the world), is incredible and right here too, as are the major museums and the train station.

That’s answered very quickly. I look up and see that the rail bridge has pedestrian walks both sides – can’t get much closer then that. Up the stairs to the plaza, I discover a wonderful grassy viewing area of the station throat and tracks, with a clear view of all the action coming and going. Security concerns? Doesn’t seem to be an issue, there are at least another seven photographers standing here taking photo after photo! I’m going to like it here.

And so, I position myself with a good view by the fence, and watch. In half an hour there have been more than 40 trains pass by – all but one passenger! There are the ICE trains, other intercity trains pulled by electric locomotives and one by a diesel, there are both double deck and single level commuter trains both electric locomotive hauled and MU sets, a stainless steel Metropolitan train, and diesel MU car sets identical to the ones used in Ottawa as the “O Train”. Needless to say the camera gets a workout! In reading up later, I learn that this is the busiest rail bridge in the world with an average of 60 trains an hour 24 hours a day. That would be 1,440 trains a day!

Saturday, October 2 – my first full day here and time to explore a bit. The church bells are tolling as I head out at 0800 to see what I can find. It’s a bit gray and dark so I start with a ride on the U Bahn on line #7 out to Zundorf. Like most European cities, transport is no trouble here. There are local buses and then three levels of rail service. The U Bahn (for underground train) has 17 routes running anywhere from 5 to 40 miles either side of the city core. These are served by articulated LRT vehicles, generally operating in pairs (for four car capacity). Much running is above ground with some street running as well. Next up the tier is the S Bahn (local suburban) and Regional Bahn (express suburban), these tend to be electric MU sets or diesel railcars with a few locomotive hauled trains. Then there is DB itself, providing the intercity and long haul trains.

After walking at Zundorf, I head back to the city again on the #7, and get off near town on the east side of the Rhine River. The sun has come out and the view of the city and its massive cathedral is spectacular, so time to walk for a while. By noon I have toured this area well, including the cathedral itself. I even climbed to the top of one if its towers – a total climb of 509 steps up a narrow spiral staircase! (the view was worth it), especially the view to the railway bridge (left).

After a brief stop to change to a lighter jacket, it time to head north along the Rhine on the walkway. Watching the various watercraft glide by is enjoyable, then I take a ride on the gondola across the river to Rhine Park. Again, great views of the city – and a ride on the Park’s railroad – a two-foot gauge line powered by a gasoline engined fake steam locomotive. Still, the 20-minute ride (around three miles) through the park was enjoyable.

Back across the river on the gondola, and then a walk past the zoo to Flora – a beautiful garden with a historic pavilion. It is lovely, and I walk the grounds for an hour or so. Now, legs feeling a little tired, its time to sit for a while. That means another ride on the rails, so I find the nearest U station (they are never far away) and board the #16 at Kinderkrankenhaus. Ride one stop then transfer to the #13 line.

It heads underground after a bit, so back I come to Neusser Strabe and transfer again, this time to the #15 which heads north to Chorweiler. Here, at the end of the line, the U Bahn and S Bahn share a station, so I finish the day with a ride back to Koln Hauptbahnhof on the S11 – an eight car electric MU set, very modern, clean and smooth. Arrival back at the station merits a sit on a platform bench just watching the action, then its time to find a spot for dinner. An outdoor table at one of the riverfront restaurants beckons. Dusk settles as I enjoy a glass of German wine, good schnitzel, all with the rail bridge action for a view!

Sunday, October 3 – Time to put my Koln Welcome Card to work. Purchased yesterday, 14 Euros gets you unlimited transportation on buses, trams and trains, as well as 50% discounts into museums and attractions. I’m off early – no museums open yet – so hop onto an S 14 train and ride out a couple of stops to an interchange with one of the tram lines. Hopping off, I take in some platform action – even on a Sunday morning there is lots to watch. Then down to street level to catch the #13 tram and ride to the end of the line where one can grab the #5 back into downtown. Good start to the day – one train ride and two tram rides. The entire system also seems to be on the honour system – I have yet to show my ticket or pass, and there are no turnstiles or control devices to pass through.

Now time to do some museums, as it is 1000 hours. First up is the German Roman Museum, with an incredible array of artifacts from the Roman era. The Romans founded Cologne and there are remnants of this ancient civilization around the city, including sections of the city walls, towers and gates. Here, the museum has actually been constructed around sections of ancient Roman mosaic tile floors, which are in great condition.

Next up is the Museum Ludwig – modern art and, I’m sure very fine, but not my cup of tea. I can’t resist the temptation to visit the cathedral once again – and it is worthwhile as Sunday Mass is in progress so one gets to see the cathedral in service, and hear the music of the choir and the massive pipe organ that was added in 1998.

Time for some lunch; so enjoy a bite in the city (stores are closed today so the shopping street (Hohe Strasse) is not so insanely crowded! The back to the Rhine River shores and a visit to the unique Chocolate Museum. Here one can follow the production of chocolate, starting in a tropical rain forest where the cocoa beans are grown and through the complete process of crushing the beans, making the cocoa powder, mixing it into chocolate, preparing the final blend, forming and packaging it – and presto – a sample of the finished product. This is a complete working chocolate factory – with wonderful artifacts galore. One of the best museums I’ve visited – and yes, their descriptions are in both German and English! I finish off the day with a two hour bus tour of the city – it covers many places I have been already, but the English narration is most helpful as I have not been doing well at reading the uni-lingual German signs!

Monday, October 4 – This is the day that has paid my way over here – a workshop day with a European business group. It is to be held at the Cologne Airport, so I have to get there. No trouble – there’s a train service, of course. So I walk to the Koln Hauptbahnhof and find that the S13 suburban line serves the Koln Flughafen every ten minutes. My welcome card still has half a day on it so the fare is covered. The four-car electric MU set heads across the bridge and after one stop, heads onto a new high-speed line that opened only this past summer. In 12 minutes I am 15 miles away pulling into a new station right in the airport (as in Frankfurt). The meeting goes to 1800 hours, then it’s a walk back from the conference centre in the airport to the DB station where I purchase my ticket (2 Euros) and board the train for a return trip. This is a Regional Bahn – and goes non-stop to the bridge in 8 minutes, but then has a two-minute wait until the station track is clear.

Tuesday, October 5 – My last day in Cologne, so a few things to do. First, purchase a day pass for the transit and trains – Euro 5.50, not bad. It’s still early and not too bright, so hop aboard a #18 tram and head south to the city of Bonn. This is the longest tram ride, covering almost 30 miles south to the former capital of West Germany (its back to Berlin when reunification occurred).

The ride dishes up just about everything a tram ride could have – underground in the city, then street running, and then private mainline railroad – both double track and single track sections with numerous grade crossings. We make good speed – 60 mph on the open line – but lots of stops along the way. We arrive Bonn around 0845.

Bonn is a lovely city – very pedestrian friendly with almost the entire downtown area closed to vehicles. There are plazas, open markets, and more historical buildings, as there was less damage here during the war. I spend an enjoyable couple of hours strolling the area, then decide to head back on a mainline train. I board a Regional train – electric locomotive and five double deck cars – and the ride back to Cologne takes about 20 minutes. I hop off at Koln Sud (Cologne South) and do some train watching from the platform. Here we have four passenger tracks and two freight tracks, lots of action both passenger and freight.

Well, enough trains for now – I hop back on the S6 and return to Koln Hauptbahnhof. Next on my agenda is a long walk – the ring road around the core of the city. This is the route of the original Roman walls, and while they are mostly gone now, this ring sets out the boundaries of the downtown core today. It is a most pleasant six mile walk, and there are several of the old city gates and towers still around. The ring also is a feast for the senses – with great shops, parks and centre medians, fountains, and lots of people watching.

As I near the five-mile mark, I note the tram tracks emerging from the underground. Nothing terribly notable about that – I have ridden up there already. Then, suddenly, there is something notable. Out of the tunnel emerges a vintage three-car articulated tram, reminiscent of the PCC era with the slanted curving front windows. Now I need to check this out.

Thanks to the flexibility of the day pass, that will be no problem. Turns out these vintage vehicles operate the Monday to Friday only rush hour #6 route. I hop aboard and it follows the ring road route to its end at the Rhine River. That’s where I was headed anyways, and what a way to get there! So, I cut a mile off my walk, but took time to photo a few of these units – all in different colours from the ones I saw.

Wednesday, October 6 – Time to head for home. It will be one long day as my nine and a half hour flight also travels nine time zones – imaging leaving Germany at 1340 and arriving Vancouver the same day at 1420! I have one more train ride, the ICE from Koln Hauptbahnhof to Frankfurt Flughafen. I trudge the 300 metres from the hotel to the station (I know the shortest route now!), and find platform 6. Once again there is hourly service on this direct run, and I board for the 0754 departure.

The 16 car ICE consist is full as I find a seat in first class—I don’t have a reservation and there are some adjustments made to seating as we head out on our way. I am fine, however, and soon we are speeding along at 288kmh (according to the digital display). The ride is as good as the way up, and we pull into Frankfurt airport station on time 56 minutes later.

After a few final minutes of watching the action, I head upstairs and into the terminal to check in for my flight. Even with business class check in, the entire procedure of check in, passport control, two security checks, and walk to the gate takes over 1 hour ten minutes—longer then the entire trip from Cologne to Frankfurt on the train!