17 August 2009 - Heidelberg, Bismarckstrasse. Larwa na żeberku. W tym roku ich liczba się podwoiła. Nowo zakupione wagony mają możliwość jazdy niedługich odcinków bez poboru prądu z sieci.
17 August 2009 - Heidelberg, Bismarckplatz. Po połączeniu wszystkich przedsiębiorstw w okolicy w jeden wielki kombinat cały tabor stopniowo otrzymuje biało-pomarańczowe malowanie, z granatowym elementem.
17 August 2009 - Heidelberg, Sofienstrasse. Skład helmutów 243+230 w starym heidelberskim malowaniu mija się ze swoim dalekim kuzynem kursującym na linii międzymiastowej.
17 August 2009 - Heidelberg, Bismarckplatz. Niewykluczone, że to już ostatni sezon helmutów. W ruchu są tylko 4 dwuskłady GT6 i dwie sztuki GT8, a w tym roku doszło 8 długich niskopodłogowców RNV8.
16 August 2009 - Ludwigshafen, Berliner Platz. Centralny plac autobusy dzielą zgodnie z pieszymi. Sielski widok zakłóca jednak przebiegająca za plecami fotografa betonowa estakada drogi szybkiego ruchu.
16 August 2009 - Ludwigshafen-Friesenheim, Carl-Bosch-Str. Dziesiątka dojeżdża do skrzyżowania, z którego kiedyś jechało się albo do centrum, albo do kombinatu. Obecnie dwa z trzech wlotów są nieużywane i tramwaj zawróci na trójkącie. Niemiecka gospodarność do bólu.
16 August 2009 - Ludwigshafen, Hauptbahnhof. Niegdyś jedno z najbogatszych miast RFN pobudowało sobie w latach 70. tunele dla tramwajów, wielkie amerykańskie estakady w centrum miasta i dworzec kolejowy, który okrzyknięto najnowocześniejszym w kraju. Gdy czasy prosperity zakładów BASF minęły część tuneli zamknięto, zlikwidowano kilka linii, dworzec popada w ruinę, a po mieście włóczą się bez celu bandy imigrantów, przez co miasto zyskało przydomek Lumpenhafen.
2 Mai 2005 - Heidelberg, Bismarckplatz. Główny przystanek na którym spotykają się linie miejskie HSB z kolejką OEG - obecnie wszystkie pod jednym szyldem.
2 Mai 2005 - Heidelberg, Bismarckplatz. W 2005 r. pięć okolicznych przedsiębiorstw komunikacyjnych tworzących jedną sieć tramwajową (MVV Mannheim, VBL Ludwigshafen, RHB, OEG i HSB Heidelberg) połączyło się w jedną firmę RNV.
2 Mai 2005 - Heidelberg, Sofienstrasse. Kolejko-tramwaj OEG rusza w dalszą drogę po liczącym 63 km trójkącie Mannheim - Heidelberg - Weinheim - Mannheim.
8 September 2008 - Grosssachsen, Germany. Trams travelling in the other direction, towards Heidelberg, force their way along this narrow road against the traffic flow. They go quite fast! Here, cars scuttle away for cover as a tram looms up.
8 September 2008 - Grosssachsen, Germany. Despite having all the characteristics of a high speed light rail line away from the cities, in Grosssachsen village the trams must do battle with the traffic along this very narrow, gutter-running single track.
10 September 2008 - Ludwigshafen, Germany – Carl-Bosch-Strasse. The reason for the final withdrawal of the classic Deuwag trams has been their replacement by these Variotrams, similar to those to be found operating RHB, OEG and Mannheim services.
10 September 2008 - Ludwigshafen, Germany – Rheinuferstrasse. This MGT6D is in Ludwigshafen livery, although it is operating a through service from Mannheim. With the Rhein-Haart Bahn and OEG also running routes into Mannheim, things get a little confusing round here, particularly as rolling stock is shared between the two cities.
10 September 2008 - Ludwigshafen, Germany – Carl-Bosch-Strasse. A classic GT8 in original Ludwigshafen livery at the same spot. Only one of these and a couple of GT6 cars are being retained – all the others are going or have already gone.
10 September 2008 - Ludwigshafen, Germany – Carl-Bosch-Strasse. These MGT6D trams are now in a common pool with identical Mannheim cars. The blue colour scheme signifies a Mannheim car. In the background is a small part of the BASF works, which occupies a huge site along the river bank.
10 September 2008 - Ludwigshafen, Germany – Rheinuferstrasse. Some photos of this industrial city on the banks of the River Rhine. The Ludwigshafen tramway system is now absorbed into the regional RNV concern and their last classic Deuwag cars have nearly all gone (some were recently sold to MKT Lodz). Here, a GT8 climbs out of the city centre tram subway with a Line 12 service via the Hauptbahnhof subway, a section closed in December 2008. It’s not often that a purpose-built tram subway closes down.
7 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany - Bismarckplatz. An OEG `rundfahrt` to Mannheim via Weinheim leaves Heidelberg. It will eventually turn up here again in a couple of hours, having travelled a full circle.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Hauptbahnhof. Deuwag GT8 201 passes the railway station in Line 21. This must have been a recent transfer from the OEG line.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Karl-Metz-Strasse. Outside the tram depot, Deuwag MGT6 car 271 passes with a Line 24 service. These trams are the direct descendants of the celebrated GT6 and GT8 designs of the 1950s.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Grabengasse. This one displays its fleet number on the other side (#163). All city buses are now operated by the regional RNV organisation, of course.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Grabengasse. The historic inner city of Heidelberg is largely pedestrianised, with bus services provided by these Mercedes artics.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Hauptbahnhof. Ex-OEG interurban car 82, now operated by Heidelberg with special Line 21 route branding, turns off the main Mannheim line in front of the Hauptbahnhof, closely followed by car 221.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Karl-Metz-Strasse. Now the RNV organisation runs all interurban and city transport operations in the region, trams in traditional HSB Heidelberg livery are becoming scarce. Deuwag GT6 pair 230 and 243 show these very attractive colours as they pass the tram depot with a Line 24 service.
7 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Bismarckplatz. OEG Variobahn car 128 leaves the tram station in the centre of Heidelberg, as 1995-built Deuwag MGT6D car 271 shunts from the turnback siding into the platforms for another Line 23 trip.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Bismarckplatz. Double-ended GT8 car 202 probably started life with the OEG but is now in the Heidelberg RNV fleet. Here it leaves the city centre with a Line 21 service.
7 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Theodor-Heuss-Brucke. Another view of RNV car 273 gives a better impression of the immense unsupported length between the wheels. If you are travelling just a short distance, it’s probably just quicker (and cheaper) to get on at the rear doors, walk through and get off at the front, without waiting for the tram to move…..
7 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany – Theodor-Heuss-Brucke. Tram tracks in Heidelberg carry the southern loop of the OEG interurban line from Mannheim and also several wholly in-town routes. Heidelberg trams are changing – some classic Deuwag cars remain, but these are being replaced by trams of identical appearance, whether they work on the interurban lines or in Heidelberg, Mannheim or Ludwigshafen. Car 273 is a Bombardier product of 2002 – it runs in Heidelberg colours.
8 September 2008 - Heidelberg, Germany - Bismarckplatz. Back in Heidelberg, a ‘clockwise’ Line 5 car passes the refuge siding where many Heidelberg city trams reverse at the end of their routes. Note the HUGE distance between the wheels on these trams.
7 September 2008 - Mannheim, Germany – Hauptbahnhof. RNV car 138 is one of the newest trams bought for the OEG lines and is here approaching the Hbf on a Line 5 ‘clockwise’ service to Heidelberg (and then back to Mannheim). Does anyone know how to get a clear photo of these electronic route indicators? This one looks like Arabic language, but isn’t.