Riding the rails into culinary history. That is the Ess-Bahn in Cologne. This isn’t just any train car. The Ess-Bahn is a unique dining experience housed within a historic railway car.
Let’s step aboard the Ess-Bahn. Imagine the clatter of the tracks replaced by the murmur of conversation and the clinking of glasses. This railway car offers a journey through time and taste.
Cologne’s transportation history is extensive. The Kölner Verkehrs Betriebe AG or KVB manages the bus and tram services. The first electric tram appeared in 1902. Cologne’s Stadtbahn system mixes subway portions with street running. It uses tram and light rail-style vehicles.
The network now spans around 190 route kilometers. Only a small portion runs on streets. Subways became part of the city in 1968. Lines were added in the 1970s and 1980s.
Consider Line 13. This line runs from Sülzgürtel to Holweide. The route travels on an elevated line constructed in the 1970s. The Mülheimer Bridge takes it over the Rhine. A subway tunnel runs from Wiener Platz to Bahnhof Mülheim. Service began in 1997.
The lines 16 and 18 lead to Bonn. They run on railroad tracks also used by Cologne’s harbor railroad. Once KBE operated this service, the Köln-Bonner Eisenbahn.
The KVB museum resides in Thielenbruch. It displays old streetcars and KVB-related items. The last 3700 and 3800 trains exited service in 2002. This coincided with the closure of Line 6’s Marienburg extension.
Picture the early 2000s. Older people found it hard to climb into the 90cm-high trains. This prompted changes on Line 12. Low-floor trams replaced the older models.
The K4000 low-floor trams arrived. These cars are similar to those in Croydon Tramlink in the United Kingdom. The 1 7 9 and 12 services now use the K4000 stock.
In 1963 Duewag delivered 6-axle articulated trams. Later 8-axle trains arrived. Around 1966 trailers disappeared. The 6-axle cars became 8-axle cars. By the early 1980s some trains had couplers.
The 2000-class trams became popular. They were known as B-cars or Stadtbahn cars. The 2100 class soon followed. The 2200 series runs in pairs. The 2300 series is bi-directional.
Imagine the KVB ordering new cars. Low-floor K4000 trams modernized the stops. The K5000 series came for the Stadtbahn system.
Today many older trains are sidelined. Railfans cherish the remaining 3200s. Though not air-conditioned they are favored. They feature seats in the driving direction.
The KVB received K4500 prototypes in 2004. These underwent testing. By 2007 the KVB expected 69 K4500 units. This would unify the fleet.
Remember the Soccer World Championship 2006. The 3200s made special runs to the stadium. Soon after the 8-axle trains retired.
The KVB introduced a new paint scheme in 2005. The front became bright red with a white body. In 2005 anti-climbers were mounted on the front of the cars.
Consider the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn. This network covers the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region. It operates in the areas of Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr and Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg tariff associations. The system began in 1967.
The Ess-Bahn is more than just a meal. It is a celebration of Cologne’s history and its ever-evolving transportation system. Enjoy the ambiance and remember the ride through time.