Whilst on a steamtrip with SSN 01 1075 from Rotterdam to Aachen and back yesterday 6th october 2014,we experienced some delay for our planned departure from Aachen,which gave us plenty opportunity to witness the all important freight traffic by rail in Germany.
Aachen serves as a borderstation for Belgium and France,as such attracting a lot of cargo by rail.
In addition,there is intensive passenger traffic with regional DB trains and also Thalys high speed traffic to Brussels and Paris.

The station itself i would call typically German,with three steel and glass overhead hoods,narrow platforms,and tight turns in and out.
There is a pretty tight central hall with two sandwich shops and a very well assorted bookshop.

Whilst our old lady 01 1075 was heaving a small mechanical problem which required some welding,it was obvious that after nightfall the freight traffic was geared up to a higher level,with heavy unit trains of seacontainers,trailers,tankcars,and automobile carrying cars passing the station with a tremendeous and impressive noise.
Possibly a station like Aachen is the best place to understand that railways are essential to keep the economy of a modern nation at a high level of development,it would be impossible to move these cargoes by road.

Apart from the station,Aachen is a nice historical city with old cathedral,plenty of shops including a well assorted modeltrainshop,and pubs and restaurants.
Worth a visit!

Here a clip i found on Youtube giving a good impression of local railtraffic.
Bahnverkehr = Railwaytraffic.
Hbf=Haubtbahnhof=Mainrailwaystation.



Paul.

Hi Paul,
Thanks Paul for the interesting observations, and link.

As a slight aside, I was in western Europe recently, and was amazed at how railway stations are very much alive.
They are hubs of the community, with every essential for the locals, and travellers.

The attention given to customers who frequent these stations, is spot on.

regards
Kimball

More German freight,near Munster this time.
Impressive!