Rabbit in the Rain

Rabbit in the Rain

Well, at the moment, more like a chilly winter drizzle along the Deutsche Bahn line between Alzey and Mainz.

Here, a BR218 “Rabbit” diesel locomotive (not to be confused with the once upon a time Volkswagen Diesel Rabbit automobile!) is supplying power at the rear of a Regionalzug of Doppelstockwagen double-deck cars bound for Alzey.

The train is waiting here for a signal to change so that it can proceed.

The line operates push-pull, so on the return trip ‘Herr Hase’ will have his white headlights on,
instead of the red rear marker lights, as he powers his train from the front on the way to Mainz.

And why is the BR218 class of locomotives called “rabbits?”
Take a look at the twin exhaust stacks sprouting from Herr Hase’s roof.
His fans call these Hasenohren – Rabbit Ears. To that, I would affectionately
add “Rumbly-Grumbly Rabbit Ears” to take note of his throaty rabbit roar.

The photo, taken from a Mainz bound train on my first visit to this region in 2008, makes its first appearance here.

I hope Herr Hase 218 408-3 is still hippity-hopping down the D-B bunny trail.

©2017 Steve Ember

Also in use on this line, DMU (Diesel Multiple-Unit) trains…