Afternoon all!

Let's keep this prologue brief this time... After the day had begun somewhat hazy, the sun burned through as the morning passed and prompted me to capture another set of photos at my current favourite location, Thekla Station.

First up, I took this portrait of 1442 115 as it idled on Platform 2 standing by to work the S 37433 S 4 line service to Geithain...

...followed by this overview with the signal box to the left.

Next, 155 244 slowed to a halt with a string of empty wagons behind...

...and had a portrait of it taken as well.

I might have sensed a ferrovial conspiracy of I had encountered 266 106 again, but this time I captured PB 18/266 022 of Ascendos, on lease to ITL, working the eastbound coal service!

As I mentioned before, Pressnitztalbahn have taken to giving their lot of 140s running numbers which do not correspond with their National Vehicle Register entries. Consequently, 140 037, seen here crossing over to run past what used to be Platform 5, is actually 140 831, pulling a string of grain hoppers.

This brightly coloured loco is Captrain's 185 532, seen here travelling light.

It's been a while since I last spotted Vossloh G 1206 type diesels! These here are Infraleuna's 210 and 208 – also known as 1275 013 and 011 – with a rake of chemical tankers.

And as soon as they were just past, 185 070 pulling a load of concrete sleepers came the other way.

294 754's driver greeted me with the horn as it pulled a short string of car carriers loaded with BMW SUVs.

Next, 155 020 arrived with a formation of empty wagons.

As the signals for both directions were showing clear, I had no choice but to let this formation of a tamper and a ballast sweeper take precedence over freshly revised and shiny 120 132 doing a positioning move, which it would have obscured had I opted differently.

The next loco portrait was of 294 706, repositioning itself.

185 239 headed the next train on its way east...

...after which I was delighted to capture RBH 103 – also known as 143 041 – , one of the 27 143s currently owned by this DB Schenker subsidiary. Here, the loco was pulling a rake of oil tankers.

Conversely, 155 245 was running east with a (much shorter) rake of tankers...

...and followed by 152 116 with a similarly short train.