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Station Aachen Schanz, 21-12-2010. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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ICE 15, 127 minutes delay. Aachen Hbf, 21-12-2010. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen West, 02-09-2011. © Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen-HBF station, the picutre is taken standing between tracks 8 & 9, looking westward Digital photo by Gregory Kats www.dgmaestro.com

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DB railway station Aachen Hbf, 10-12-1994. Photo and scan by Eddy Konijnendijk.

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Aachen Hauptbahnhof: The first railway station in Aachen, in Germany near the border to Belgium, was built in 1841. In 1905 it was replaced by a new, larger station with platform halls. It received a post-war repair in 1950 and was modernized in 1966 and 2000. The two tracks without platforms are through tracks for freight trains. The signal seen in front announces a stop aspect on the exit signal and a speed of 40 km/h from the end of the platform. 2013-08-01. tobias b köhler

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RE just arrived at Aachen HBf on 10-11-04 Photo by Boris Boulanger

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Train composition indicator for regional trains of line RE1 and RE9 in Aachen Hbf, 2010-06-07. tobias b köhler

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Aachen Hbf 2004.06.16, 19h06 Photo by Rafal Tomasik, www page : http://www.tgv.w.pl

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Aachen Hbf A view on Aachen Hbf station , looking eastwards to Cologne. Aachen Hbf , 22/11/2005. Photo by : Denis Verheyden Visit HGBTF for train discutions.

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Aachen Hbf seen from the west side on 24 July 2001. In the foreground the main tracks of the line to Mönchengladbach are visible, which will run through the station as track 4 and 5 without platform. The picture was taken from RB 11539 which left the main track earlier to enter track 6. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

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The western end of the tracks 7, 8 and 9 (from right to left) in Aachen Hbf seen on 19 October 2001. In the background is the line towards Belgium, it is electrified with 3 kV DC and climbs with 2.7% to the Buschtunnel near the border. The voltage changeover is done by switchable tracks in the station. D 424 (Cologne-Oostende) is just leaving, it is pulled by the belgian DC electric 2729, at the end 225 020-7 is pushing. Above the platform ends runs the road bridge to Burtscheid. The line to Mönchengladbach is further right, it is not visible in the picture. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

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The station Aachen Hbf seen from the western end on 18 November 2007, with 362 415-2 waiting in front of the station concourse and an Euregiobahn DMU inside in the dark (look for the three headlights). The lattice tower with the globe on the house in the background is used to display the weather forecast by lights of different colour and behaviour. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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The station Rothe Erde at Aachen seen looking towards northeast (the direction towards Cologne) on 1 May 2007. To allow the refurbishment of the island platform, two temporary platforms are under construction. On the left, the trains towards Aachen Hbf will continue to use track 1, but the passengers will board and deboard on the other side. On the right, the trains towards Stolberg and Cologne will use the rightmost track. During the refurbishment, the platform height will be raised to 76 cm, the freight elevator (not useable by the passengers) will be replaced by a passenger elevator, and an additional entrance will be installed. The three semaphores visible in the background are intermediate signals, placed between the entrance signals (which also serve as exit signals of Aachen Hbf in this case) and the exit signals. They will disappear in some months, an electronic signal-box for this area is already under construction. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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The station Rothe Erde at Aachen seen looking towards northeast (the direction towards Cologne) on 19 June 2007. The temporary side platforms are in use while the island platform is refurbished. The roof was removed, the columns can be seen on the ground between track 2 and track 3 on the right. The building at the far end of the island platform is the staircase, the building containing the freight elevator behind it is not visible. This view also shows the signal-box Rpf next to track 1 (left) behind the semaphore. One of the new Ks signals which will replace the semaphores was already placed at track 3, a white cross marks it as still invalid. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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The new station Aachen Schanz between Aachen Hbf and Aachen West seen on 14 June 2004, the second day it was in regular service. In the background 425 579-0 is arriving as RB 11067 (Duisburg-Aachen). By now only two of the five planned accesses to the platforms are finished, note the fence on the left. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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The new station Aachen Schanz between Aachen Hbf and Aachen West seen on 15 June 2004, the third day it was in regular service. RB 11065 (Duisburg-Aachen), formed by 425 156-7, is just arriving. Note that there are by now no track numbers at the platforms, so it is a bit difficult for passengers to find their trains. Also loudspeakers are still missing, so it would not be wise to let a passenger train exceptionally use the left track (what is technically possible and sometimes done) at this time, as it would not be possible to inform the passengers here that they would have to go to the other platform. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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The station Aachen Süd on the line Aachen-Liège seen from above the Buschtunnel on 10 July 2007. This station, located at the upper end of the steep grade (26 ‰) between Aachen Hbf and the tunnel, used to have several tracks which were used to shunt the bank engines. The need for this operations has decreased substantially during the last years, as most trains (highspeed traffic between Cologne and Bruxelles and local traffic between Aachen and Liège) are EMUs which can climb the grade independently. To make room for the renovation of the Buschtunnel, they removed all tracks but one, it seems likely that the station will be removed completely (or transformed into a crossover). The portal of the old tunnel (built between 1838 and 1843) can be seen in the lower left corner, while the concrete walls on the right belong to the new tunnel that was excavated during the last two years. In September this single-tracked tube shall go into service. The track construction inside seems to be going on, some sleepers for slab track (which will be used in the tunnel) are stored next to the old tracks in the middle of the picture. The enlargement inserted in the upper left corner shows the only remaining exit signal at this end of the station. Like all signals of this station it is equipped with a crocodile of the Belgian train protection system, but not with the German Indusi. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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The station Aachen Süd on the line Aachen-Liège seen from above the Buschtunnel on 16 June 2008. This station, located at the upper end of the steep grade (26 ‰) between Aachen Hbf and the tunnel, used to have several tracks which were used to shunt the bank engines. The need for this operations has decreased substantially during the last years, as most trains (highspeed traffic between Cologne and Bruxelles and local traffic between Aachen and Liège) are EMUs which can climb the grade independently. Currently the station consists of only one track, leading into the new tunnel on the right. Far behind the exit signal towards Aachen Hbf (visible in the background) is a switch where this track branches into two tracks leading down the grade. The exit signal towards Liège can be seen from the back, it is located next to the tunnel. Like all signals in this area it is equipped both with a crocodile of the Belgian train protection system and with the German Indusi. Slab track is used inside the tunnel and in the visible part of the station. The remains of the tracks towards the old tunnel are visible on the left. After the renovation the old tube will be single-tracked, too. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)

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View from the Turmstraße bridge onto Aachen West with the platform on the left and several lined-up locos (mostly class 140) in the background, 10 July 2001. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

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A main signal and a distant signal of the semaphore system at the left track in Aachen Rothe-Erde. These semaphores were newly(!) errected in march 2001 to allow bidirectional operation to Stolberg. They are no more marked as invalid, but note that the distant signal has no post plate. I'm not shure if bidirectional operation is already in use by now. In order not to be covered by the roof, the signals were placed on the left. As the sign near the track indicator says, this track is normally used for the other direction towards Aachen Hbf (main station). In the background the mechanical signalbox can be seen. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

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A train indicator at track 6 in Aachen Hbf, announcing RB 11539 on 28 February 2002. It seems to be a bit confused. Of course, the destination is Köln-Deutz, not Kcün-Deutz. The train does not come from Kassel (von Kassel), this line normally contains the stations Horrem and Köln Hbf that the train passes. "1. Klasse hinten" (first class at the rear end) is normally shown for this train and normally correct, however on that day the first class was at the front end. Note that the catenary next to the indicator has a double contact wire, track 6 is one of the tracks that are switchable to 3 kV DC for trains to Belgium. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

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A very confused train indicator at track 8 in Aachen Hbf, seen on 27 November 2002. If a train starts here ("Zug beginnt hier"), it does not make sense to show the arrival time ("Ankunft"). As you can see, the sky is bright, as this Photo was taken in the afternoon, not in the night around 0:18. No train would visit Dortmund twice, and of course there is no destination Üü()sörsddddrfik. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

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Train composition indicator of Aachen Hbf (track 9) with trains to Köln. The Thalys trains (THA) are shown as ICE 1 power cars with short middle cars. You can see the SNCB/NMBS express trains (D) with locomotives in front of cab cars. Photo: tobias b köhler

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Some new distant signal repeaters of the Ks system seen at Aachen Hbf on 13 July 2007. The one in the foreground on the left is of a special type as it is placed on the platform. The mast is on the far right where it does not obstruct a passage, and the triangular Zs3v board (announcement of a speed restriction) is placed on the right of the signal head (instead of below it) to give enough headroom. On the right is a repeater suspended on the station concourse. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz (christoph.schmitz2@post.rwth-aachen.de)