Plandampf 2013, steam locomotives on freight duties in Germany

Plandampf event in Eastern Germany. Plandampf means the
deployment of steam locomotives on revenue-earning railway
services either on freight or passenger duties. Due to the high
running costs of steam locomotives, participants are expected
to pay a fee to the organisers of the event for which they receive
all timetables and operating details in exchange.
Full 37 minute version available on DVD and BLU RAY

[@portobellotent]

Great to see steam on freight!!! Thanks for sharing great shots!

[@AndreiTupolev]

Excellent footage. They were shifting with some pretty heavy tonnages in tow.

[@bugelfalte6320]

Awesome video with great sound. Great job Gordon Thomas !!

[@Theduke71000]

NOTES: "Plandampf" translates roughly to "Planed Steam", is an annual event based on a specific area in Germany usually for one week each year, where privately owned steam locomotives substitute for normal traction. The area chosen each year normally varies, but in recent years has quite often been in the old East German zone because some equipment (such as water cranes) still exist in working order. East Germany didn't dispense with steam until around 1993, while West Germany dispensed with steam in 1976. Shame no 4-6-2 Pacifics are seen in this video, as a number of these types often work Express services even out of cities such as Leipzig during Plandampf week. I paced an oil fired class 01 Pacific hauled express on a double track electrified main line, while driving on a parallel motorway out of Leipzig, which appeared to be running at a steady 82mph (on level track) with roughly a 450 Ton load !

[@swampfox1973]

A wonderfull film, i will be purchasing the dvd asap, i would love to see other countries do this, its a great way to see how things used to be, I WANT THIS TO HAPPEN IN N.S.W. AUSTRALIA :)

[@alecbutler2450]

I am with you. I want this to happen in the U.S.A. too.

[@วิจารณ์พวกขยะสังคม]

สวยงามมากครับสุดยอดจริงๆครับ😀

[@thunderchild21]

Fantastic footage of steam in Germany Gordon.
Many thanks for sharing.
Jeff

[@frankcadillac9151]

Question for you German steam guys, seems you are always running the engines with the cylinder drain cocks open. I had a steam powered sawmill and as soon as the cylinder got hot with no condensate blowing out I'd shut the cocks to save steam.

[@gordon1066thomas957]

It's not always the case that they run with open drain cocks although it happens frequently. The drivers probably think this has some beneficial effect for people who are filming. To me it's more of an irritation as it drowns out the sound of the exhaust beats.

[@raymondleggs5508]

With a larger headlight, a cowcatcher, no smoke deflectors, red paint and a number plate in the middle of the smokebox, these locomotive would fit right in on an american realway

[@stevenharsono9911]

BR-44 locomotive ??

[@Isochest]

This Steam Plan event is Brilliant:-))) Modern freight on non electrified routes:-)))

[@br011075]

Very nice.
I´m interested in a Blu-Ray Disc

[@armagonarmagon3980]

Poland beats Germany in Plandampf. The PKP (Polish State Railways) run steam on a day-to-day basis. Plandampf in Germany is probably annual.

[@bekluwe]

Germany also have a lot of scheduled steam. On the railway in the Hartz mountains are only steam engines. They run every day. And it’s the same on the island of Rügen. The train there even have a name: “rasselndere Roland”, which translates to racy Roland, although he only does around 30 km/h.

[@swampfox1973]

someone want to put a link for the dvd?