Notes

The end of the train shown in Fiftyfives. Helpers aren’t just found in the USA.

185 571 (sorry, I didn’t catch the whole UIC number, but I don’t think you care anyway), a TRAXX F140AC2, isn’t actually coupled to the train in question and just pushes it. I have no idea how or whether things like brakes are handled here. The helper will push the train up to the Gemmenicher Tunnel, where it’ll just slow down and stop, partly because the ramp is over, partly because the tunnel and everything after it aren’t electrified. Then it’ll come back down to Aachen West and wait for another job.

rail4chem (r4c for friends) used to be a company that got formed by combining the industrial railways of a number of large chemistry companies in Germany, who had started long-distance freight service themselves shortly before. Recently it has been sold to Veolia (their transportation business was formerly known as Connex) and I have no idea whether they will keep the rail4chem brand or not.

Normally, rail4chem has green locomotives, but this one is rented from Mitsumi Rail Capital Europe (MRCE), and this leasing company has all it’s locomotives generally in black.