dual_excav_ke1.jpg (126676 bytes)

A dual mode excavator lifts the parts of the acoustic wall into position on 17 February 2003 in Köln-Ehrenfeld. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld1.jpg (130166 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the western end of the southern platform on 27 January 2002. While passenger trains use the southern platform, the northern one is just rebuilt. The freight trains, which used to pass the northern platform in the past, use the new tracks visible on the left. When the new platform is finished, it will be used by all passenger trains, allowing the southern platform to be rebuilt for the S-Bahn (urban trains). Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld10.jpg (110114 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the southern platform on 29 June 2002. At the western end of the new platform, there is a staircase (right) and an elevator (in the background on the left). Behind the elevator a small building is under construction, maybe for the technical installations. The roof will end at the staircase, not covering the area at the elevator. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld13.jpg (117187 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east along the northern platform on 21 July 2002. A very small distant signal repeater for track 4 is mounted under the roof. On the right, track 2 next to the old platform was removed. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld14.jpg (116903 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east along the northern platform on 21 July 2002. Track 3 is still under construction. On the right, track 2 next to the old platform was removed. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld15.jpg (125808 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards west from the northern platform on 30 July 2002. The southern platform is being broken up, it will be rebuilt for the S-Bahn (urban trains). It seems that the staircase will remain unchanged. It is marked with a "U" because it leads to the underground lines 3 and 4 running under the Venloer Straße (behind the houses in the background). Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld16.jpg (147701 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east from the northern platform on 30 July 2002. Track 3 is supported by a temporary bridge, I guess this is neccessary because of the works on the new access tunnel which have still to be done. Track 2 next to the old platform on the right was removed. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld17.jpg (129635 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the northern platform on 2 September 2002. While parts of the old southern platform are still being broken down in the background, the new platform edge of track 2 is already under construction. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld18.jpg (137125 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the northern platform on 2 September 2002. This old walls that appeared under the removed southern platform show that there was an opening in the platform above the Ehrenfeldgürtel street in the past. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld19.jpg (130013 bytes)

The upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the eastern end of the northern platform at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 2 September 2002. The tracks 3 and 4 in the middle are used for passenger trains, on the left is one track for freight trains. The old track on the right is used for the construction works. In the background where the red and the green arm are visible, concrete is put into the form to build the bridge above the Subbelrather street. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld2.jpg (135452 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the southern platform on 27 January 2002. This is what remained from the northern platform. The staircase is equipped with a temporary roof because the original roof of the platform is removed. Between the signals are the new tracks for freight trains. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld20.jpg (119310 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards west from the northern platform on 13 September 2002. On the left is the end of the platform edge at track 2. It will be part of the new southern platform for the S-Bahn (urban trains). Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld21.jpg (133219 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen on 17 November 2002. This is the western staircase to the new platform for the S-Bahn (urban trains). It seems that besides the normal stairs on the right, an escalator will be built on the left. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld22.jpg (120967 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east from the northern platform on 17 November 2002. Next to track 2 on the right the southern platform for the S-Bahn (urban trains) is under construction. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld23.jpg (121204 bytes)

The upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the eastern end of the northern platform at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 15 February 2003. The tracks 3 (right) and 4 (left) next to the platform are used for regional and long distance passenger trains. Further right is track 2 for the S-Bahn (urban trains), track 1 is still missing. Track 5 and 6 for freight trains on the left join in the background, as the still uncompleted bridge at the Subbelrather street allows only four tracks there. The orange boards are Lf6 signals, they announce permanent speed restrictions of 70 km/h at track 3 and 120 km/h at track 4. The yellow board at track 4 is an Lf1 which announces a temporary speed restriction of 50 km/h. There is a similar one at track 3, but it is covered by the Lf6. In track 4 the cable of the LZB (Linienzugbeeinflussung) is visible, it is also present in track 3, but not yet in service. The five signals are the exit signals, they are called P2 to P6 (from right to left). Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld24.jpg (134901 bytes)

The upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the eastern end of the northern platform at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 15 February 2003. The tracks 3 (right) and 4 (left) next to the platform are used for regional and long distance passenger trains. Further right is track 2 for the S-Bahn (urban trains), track 1 is still missing. On the left edge is track 6 for freight trains. In the background track 2, 3 and 4 curve to the right, while track 6 stays on the left. Between them two of the six bridge girders at the Subbelrather street are still under construction. At the right edge of the Picture is an Lf6 signal (the orange board) announcing a permanent speed restriction of 70 km/h. The yellow board with the "5" is an Lf1, normally used to announce a temporary speed restriction (of 50 km/h). In this case it is used as a repeater, the Lf2 (with the "A") below already indicates the beginning of the restriction. In track 3 and 4 you can see the cables of the LZB (Linienzugbeeinflussung) which is not yet in service. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld25.jpg (104734 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east from the northern platform on 15 February 2003. In track 3 next to the platform, used for eastbound regional and long distance passenger trains, the cable for the LZB (Linienzugbeeinflussung) is already present. This is also the case in track 4 at the other side of the platform (used for westbounds), but the LZB is not yet in service. Further left are track 5 and 6 for freight trains. On the right is the southern platform for the S-Bahn (urban trains). By now all trains there use track 2. Track 1 and the part of the platform next to it are still missing, only a part of the southern platform edge is visible on the right. Also the roof is not yet built, note the blue temporary shelter. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld26.jpg (121570 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east from the western end of the northern platform on 15 February 2003. This part of the platform is used as access to the elevator (which was direct behind me when I took the picture). It seems that the part besides the staircase on the left was to narrow originally, works are going on to make it wider (by making the upper end of the staircase narrower). I hope that the handlebar at the platform edge will be removed when this is finished. Note that the platform does not pass the staircase next to track 3 (on the right). The edge in the foreground is to far away from the track to access the train, the normal platform edge begins behind the staircase (where of course the trains normally stop). In track 3 and 4 the cables for the LZB (Linienzugbeeinflussung) are visible. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld27.jpg (100921 bytes)

The western end of the station at Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the south side at the Venloer street on 15 February 2003. These temporary stairs lead to the southern platform for the S-Bahn (urban trains), as the staircase going up from the tunnel (beginning under these stairs) is not yet finished. The northern platform for regional trains is accessed from inside the tunnel. On the right is the entrance of the underground station Venloer Str./Gürtel. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld28.jpg (100301 bytes)

The western end of the station at Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the temporary stairs on the south side on 15 February 2003. The access to the southern platform for the S-Bahn (urban trains) runs through the area where track 1 will be built later, and enters the platform in the background. Next to it the staircase towards the tunnel is under construction. The northern platform on the left in the background is more or less finished. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld3.jpg (103947 bytes)

The upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the eastern end of the southern platform at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 27 January 2002. As there is very little space in this area for the six tracks that are needed, the catenary is carried by these bridges instead of masts between the tracks. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld4.jpg (127742 bytes)

The upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the eastern end of the southern platform at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 27 January 2002. There will be six tracks in this area, at the moment there are two tracks for passenger trains and a single track at the left edge for freight trains. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld5.jpg (138238 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the southern platform on 18 May 2002. Visible is the eastern end of the new northern platform. On the right is one of the two remaining old tracks by now used by the passenger trains, on the left are the new tracks for the freight trains. The stairs at the new platform will descend to a tunnel near the Ehrenfeldgürtel. By now it does not seem that there will be an elevator at this end of the platform. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld6.jpg (110014 bytes)

The upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the western end of the southern platform at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 18 May 2002. On the left are the old passenger tracks, the southern one is hard to see. On the right are the new tracks for the freight trains. In the area between these tracks the two highspeed tracks will be built. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld7.jpg (135552 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the southern platform on 18 May 2002. Visible is the western end of the new northern platform. On the left is one of the two remaining old tracks by now used by the passenger trains, on the right are the new tracks for the freight trains. In the foreground is the staircase, behind it is the elevator. Both will descend to a tunnel near the Venloer Straße. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld8.jpg (111372 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the southern platform on 15 June 2002. At the western end of the new platform, there is a staircase (right) and an elevator (in the background on the left). Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld9.jpg (126079 bytes)

The station of Köln-Ehrenfeld on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen from the southern platform on 29 June 2002. Two roofs are being built over the new platform, beginning at the staircases and reaching towards the center. The part of the platform between them will not be covered. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

ehrenfeld_gbf1.jpg (146459 bytes)

The station Köln Ehrenfeld Gbf on the upgraded line Cologne-Düren (ABS 4) seen looking towards east from the Belvederestraße bridge on 31 July 2002. This is the western end of the station where the line from Düren enters. At this time all trains use the highspeed tracks on the left, the tracks for the S-Bahn (urban trains) on the right are still under construction further east. In the background you can see the switches where the freight trains leave the highspeed tracks and move to the two tracks further left, which are the tracks of the line from Mönchengladbach. A single track for passenger trains coming from there crosses under the highspeed tracks more in the foreground. On the left a catenary mast is visible, on the right it reappears where the S-Bahn tracks curve away, then coming up and joining the highspeed tracks from the right. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz

staunen_ke1.jpg (133589 bytes)

This advertising was seen at Köln-Ehrenfeld on 15 February 2003. The slogan above the mole (Maulwurf) is "Kaum kommt man in den Bahnhof rein, kommt man aus dem Staunen nicht mehr raus", it might be translated as "As soon as you enter the station, you don't seize being amazed". It is somehow funny that it is placed right in front of these "amazing" construction works. In this area track 1, the second track for the S-Bahn (urban trains), is still to be built. Also the area is crossed by a temporary access to the platform. Digital photo by Christoph Schmitz