Right.
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Right. Friends of Europe event ends this morning. Then #CrossBorderRail this afternoon - Bruxelles to Ústí nad Labem
. Thread will start at lunchtime. -
Struggling to get going today.
So struck from yesterday‘s event that the politicians were not only the poorest speakers, but they were the most disconnected and the most intellectually lazy. And these were people from mainstream parties.
Step by step I’m losing all trust in this elite I’ve always been on the fringes of.
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This sort of thing.
Diplomat plates BMW on the pavement as I left, to go get my bike. I think I was one of only two cyclists, at an event of 200 people.
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But then I read @can (who I’ve never met, but on Mastodon seems like a super person) met a friend of mine Arian who is a train manager on the Berlin-Stockholm night train, on board the train, and that makes me happy. I know so many super people - just pretty much none of them are close to any levers of political power.
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Talking about polarisation today at Friends of Europe
It reminds me of friends’ reaction when I went to Seifhennersdorf. And polite German friends of mine said “why would you ever go to Seifhennersdorf? And will you be safe?” https://jonworth.eu/the-personal-is-political-have-you-ever-been-to-seifhennersdorf-zgorzelec-or-ormenio/
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Meanwhile Woidke is trying to promote rail improvements in eastern Germany
https://www.schiene.de/news-7890/Woidke-Ost-Regierungschefs-fuer-zuegigeren-Bahn-Ausbau.html
I don’t like this phrasing though. These lines aren’t deprioritised because they’re in the east. All such projects struggle to get attention
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And I’d argue that on the international passenger rail aspects DE-PL, DE-CZ (from Sachsen) are better than Western European borders - at least in terms of making best use of existing infrastructure. There’s a confident way to frame this too.
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Eurostar
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Welcome to today's thread - #CrossBorderRail 2024 Extra Days Baltic Circuit - Bruxelles - Köln - Dresden Neustadt - Usti nad Labem
Crossing these borders:
Aachen
- Welkenraedt 
(visited before)
Schöna - Dolní Žleb (visited before)These borders on the borders map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-all-the-borders_935041#7/50.506/9.635
(They’re pretty far apart though!)Today's routes on the routes map:
https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-extra-days-2024_1030682#7/51.028/8.789
(You might need to use the key!) -
#CrossBorderRail 2024 Extra Days Baltic Circuit Train 7 of 29
EST 9435
13:25 Bruxelles Midi - Köln Hbf 15:15
EurostarTrain type: Alstom PBKA, 8 Carriages
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: 
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🦽:
(needs lift on platform)
🛜:
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🧳:
️ (one of *the worst designs* - see next toot)
🧽:
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These are among the worst designed trains for (dis-)embarking - the inbound train was +18 but it takes ages to board
And I’m privileged today - I’m travelling sort of 1st class (1st class seat, but no food) but there’s no luggage space as they’ve filled two vestibules for the business class passengers’ food trolleys
These sorts of things are annoying - the privileges for the very rich cut against the purpose of a train - to transport passengers
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EST 9435
13:25 Bruxelles Midi - Köln Hbf 15:15 (currently +25 at Liège)Distance: 222.9km
Average speed: 122km/h3 stops:
Liège-Guillemins
Aachen Hbf
Köln HbfThis train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-extra-days-2024_1030682#10/47.4234/4.5779
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Here's today's intro video, filmed at Gare du Midi https://peertube.netzbegruenung.de/w/1w715kuBeykaAjhfottNXB
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There seems to be both a medical emergency on a train, and a points problem ahead in Köln, and I am now almost +30 departing Liège - hell knows whether I am going to get through this
Thankfully I am on Interrail today meaning I can take any train (and even route via Nürnberg instead of Dresden)
But were I using normal tickets I'd be both very nervous and possibly out off pocket due to what's ahead…
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Also is there any digital way to find the composition of a Eurostar train? SNCF Connect can show me TGV compositions but not Eurostar. Railer can’t, so it’s not in any SNCB API. Bahn App can’t. Eurostar’s own app doesn’t. Is there any way?
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Bundespolizei go through the train at Aachen
No one with dark skin in my carriage, so no one got checked
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Oh well
No Czechia tonight
Diversion between Aachen and Köln, going via Rheydt
What do I do? Hmmm. Divert to Berlin, sleep on a friend’s sofa, try to get to Litomerice tomorrow? Still try to get to Dresden?
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Ah no. Diversion cancelled. Heading to Köln. Likely not fast enough to connect with anything, but let’s see
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Ok, this ranks as the most weird reason for one of my train delays ever - thanks @dl1eam for the info
https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/12415/5904802
Body of a dead woman found, suspect flees the scene, tries to cross a railway and is hit by a train! 🤯
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Also, could Eurostar please just give up the Köln route, and we have a DB ICE Bruxelles-Köln every hour instead
Nicer trains, better prices, and ICE3neo has solved the train reliability issues
Eurostar is short of stock for Amsterdam - Bruxelles - Paris, so just stick to that?
