Fit for an Emperor

Leaving the river Wupper behind and turning onto Sonnborner Straße, the historic Kaiserwagen (Emperor's Car) from 1900 runs past overhead, commencing the final climb towards the terminus Vohwinkel. In case you didn't know, the train received this nickname because Kaiser Wilhelm II and his consort Auguste Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein rode the newly built and revolutionary Schwebebahn on October 24, 1900, doing so in motorcar No. 5 we see leading here. It, along with trailer car No. 20, are the only preserved pieces of historic rolling stock that remain in working order, available for special runs, with actors in historical costumes serving coffee and cake, or for charter services like weddings and the likes. These trains of the 00 series were in service from the inception of the Schwebebahn in 1900 up to the early 70s when a fresh set rolling stock was introduced. Latter is currently being replaced by all new trains, but due to some complications, their delivery has been halted, making for a mixed fleet of 1972 and 2015 stock at the moment.

We had actually photographed the Kaiserwagen once before on this day, back at the other terminus Oberbarmen, and I just assumed that it would be doing only one run. But while we were sitting in a train towards Vohwinkel, it passed us again, going the other way. With such pretty lighting, we just had to catch it again someplace, with this curve providing a great, unobstructed angle, with no pylons in the way, and the train being well lit by the low sun.

And even though we were just behind a bend, there was no problem of us being caught off guard. The characteristic drone of old DC motors and the direct drive gearing was audible long before the train came around the corner.