It has been an interesting week using the local train system (U-Bahn) to get to appointments and to the Hessentag in Oberursel.

The first couple of days were particularly chaotic, as the trains were forced to slow down so much on the part of the line that runs from the main station up to Lahnstraße, that by the time the train had reached the first level crossing the trackside signals had reverted to “halt”.  The driver then had to use his signal key to re-activate them, losing more time.

The new passenger information system was also not coping with the slow trains very well.  They must have been passing over the sensors so slowly, that the boards still showed the train as being in the station.

A U3 train waits to cross the Kupferhammerweg

Since Sunday this has been improved [Read more…]