Frozen Laon
«Tout est beau à Laon, les églises, les maisons, les environs, tout… » ("Everything is beautiful in Laon, the churches, the houses, the surroundings, everything...") Victor Hugo in a letter to his wife, Adèle Foucher
The weather forecast for Laon predicted snow showers starting at 9 a.m. I have a long train journey planned for today from Laon via Tergnier, Maubeuge, Charleroi, Antwerp, and Rotterdam back home. It should take 8.5 hours. In the Netherlands, for days now, all we've heard are disaster reports about the collapse of rail and air traffic due to the wintry weather. Just a few centimeters of snow or a few degrees below freezing are enough.
Laon station
In the Netherlands, there are 5,800 switches, 4,500 of which had been heated. This is done electrically or with gas. But that costs money. The rail infrastructure operator, ProRail, urgently needs this revenue for other purposes. Therefore, it was decided to decommission and dismantle half of the heating systems. This decision is now backfiring. In addition to frozen switches, a system malfunction occurred yesterday. The software responsible for staff and train scheduling across the entire NS network crashes approximately once a month. As a result, staff no longer know the location of the trains or which trains they are supposed to operate, and none of the display boards or loudspeaker announcements function for passengers. Consequently, train service was completely suspended yesterday.
Switch gas heating in Laon
For how much the Dutch air-traffic is concerned there are not enough de-icing systems available. Furthermore, insufficient de-icing fluid was stockpiled, leading to the cancellation of more than 600 flights.
The abandoned summit terminal of the cable car
But I'm still in Laon and need to get to the train station first. I spent a few nights in a hotel in the Cité médiévale. Laon's medieval center sits atop a limestone cliff that rises about 100 meters above the flat landscape of Picardy. Since 1899, the train station had been connected to the upper town by an electric railway. On sections with gradients of 9–13%, the railway also used a rack rail, but only for braking purposes on the downhill run. In addition to the valley station at the train station and the mountain station at the entrance to the upper town, there was also an intermediate station, Vaux.
Interior of the station of the cable car
At that time, four tram cars were available for service, all of which are still preserved today. A glance at the photos on the Wikipedia page shows that the railway would probably be a unique attraction today. However, by 1971 it was in such poor condition that further operation was prohibited. The tram was temporarily replaced by buses, which, however, led to a decline in passenger numbers.
The summit station of the cable car
In 1989, the old tramway was replaced by a modern system called Goma. This is an unusual type of funicular railway. Two endless cable loops powered the cabins. The cabins do not run on rails, but on nitrogen-filled rubber tires.
The track of the GOMA
While the lower section of the Goma tramway was newly constructed, the upper section uses the route of the old tramway. It descends spectacularly on a brick ledge below the city walls and then passes under the steep road to the upper town in a tunnel. After the road loops around, the tramway crosses it again on a beautiful stone viaduct.
The tunnel of the cable car
In the lower section, during the construction of the GOMA the old tram tracks were replaced with a new elevated track. This section also includes the only intermediate station, Vaux, which was newly built for this purpose. Passing loops were provided here and further up the line, allowing the GOMA cabins to pass each other.
The viaduct of the cable car
Of the four cabins, three were always in operation. Like the cable cars in San Francisco, the cabins were not permanently attached to the cable. At the intermediate station, the cabins automatically switched between the lower and upper loop fo the cable.
The modern elevated part of the cable car
The ride to the upper town took only 3.5 minutes. A train departed from the terminal stations every 5 minutes. In its first year, 800,000 passengers used this unique system.
When it became clear in 2016 that a renovation would cost approximately €15 million, the GOMA ceased operation. In its last full year of operation, 2015, only 400,000 passengers had used the system. It was replaced by a bus line that runs every 20 minutes and also connects to the other parts of Laon's old upper town.
The intermediate station Vaux and the replacement, the bus station
The bus is scheduled to depart at 9:12 from the stop behind the hôtel de ville. Meanwhile, it has started snowing heavily. The lower-lying parts of the city and the surrounding area are no longer visible from above. Due to Laon's old town's exposed location on its rocky outcrop, the snowfall is accompanied by strong winds. The semi-open bus stop, where a metal roller shutter closes off the former entrance to the Goma bus stop, offers little protection from the biting cold. Besides me, only one other woman with a shopping trolley is waiting for the bus.
The flywheels driving the cables
At breakfast, the hotel owner checked online for me whether despite the weather conditions the city buses were still running. His children's school buses had already been canceled this morning after one of them had an accident on the icy roads yesterday. However, city bus number 4 to the train station should be running. Despite this, the departure time passes and there's no sign of a bus. Bus stops often have little to no information for passengers. That's why I generally don't trust buses. I specifically chose an earlier bus because, in case of cancellation, I could still walk along the street to get to the train station on time. A risky plan in icy conditions. Walking carefully, the walk would certainly take longer than the 22 minutes estimated by Google.
Access to the lower terminal of the cable car
When the bus still hasn't arrived at 9:20 and I only have half an hour until my train departs, I decide to walk after all and take the covered stairs leading down from the Goma Terminal to the street. There I meet another person who is clearly hurrying down the street. The sidewalks are covered with a smooth, icy crust of old snow hidden beneath a thin layer of fresh snow. The other person is faster and turns left in front of me. This is the long, steep staircase that leads in a straight line directly from the train station up the mountain. Yesterday, the stairs were closed due to ice. The man in front of me is descending hurriedly but carefully. The upper section doesn't look so icy, and there's a continuous handrail in the middle. The shortcut is tempting. I tighten the straps of my backpack and descend slowly and carefully. I hope this goes well.
View from the upper town of Laon across the plain and the station
From early times Laon's location atop the limestone cliffs offered security to settlers. In the 5th century, the rock was the site of the Gallic fortress of Laudunum or Lugdunum, which even made it into an Asterix comic book. Later, the town became one of the most important cities in the Frankish Empire. The list of its rulers' names is fascinating. In a time without surnames, defining characteristics were used to distinguish between recurring first names. Among others, there was Giselmar, Hausmeier of Neustria, Pippin the Younger, Charles the Bald, and Charles III. the Simple-minded, Louis IV the one from Overseas, or Hugo the Great. In the city, a bishop controlled affairs, and in 1155 construction began on a cathedral after its Romanesque predecessor had gone up in flames in 1112 during a revolt against the bishop's rule.
Facade of the cathedral Notre Dame de Laon dissappearing in the mist
Out of sheer boredom, I studied art history for a few semesters many years ago. One of the most fascinating courses was on the history and architecture of Gothic cathedrals. Alongside the cathedrals in Sens (1135), Senlis (1151), and Noyon (1157), Laon was one of the first. Its stylistic unity may have been enhanced by its completion in a record construction time of 80 years. Many of its architectural features reappear in later Gothic cathedrals in France, such as Reims, Chartres, and Amiens, as well as in Germany and Great Britain. While the limestone cliff towers above the plain surrounding Laon, the soaring cathedral perched atop the rock is the crowning glory of the old town.
The gargoyles leading off the water from the roof and away from the wall
At 60 meters, the towers aren't particularly tall. However, due to their exposed location and the relatively low medieval buildings in the old town, they appear far more imposing and form the backdrop to many points of view from the historic center. Here, for the first time, the design of the tower of a cathedral transitioned from a square base to an octagonal shape in the upper stories. This arrangement was subsequently widely imitated. The tower was almost entirely copied at Reims Cathedral. Why oxen stand at every corner on the upper level remains a mystery to this day.
The nave and the rose window of the facade
The rose window of the choir
For the first time in Gothic architecture, Laon Cathedral features a gigantic rose window in its west facade. The stepped division of the facade, which emphasizes the central section, was also frequently copied, for example, again at Reims Cathedral. Note the small turrets that crown the four columns beetween the three entrance halls. They reappear in a similar form, but larger, at Reims. Even Cologne Cathedral, built much later, incorporates this element. And the Nativity Façade of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Gaudí's caricature of a cathedral, also incorporates this element.
Statues at the entrance
As was later customary with all Gothic buildings, the entrance portals are richly decorated with statues and reliefs. Beside the gates stand statues of saints, apostles, or dignitaries under protective canopies. They stand directly on figures representing the vices and negativity of the world. In the 12th century, this also included paganism and superstition then still omnipresent, represented by a burning temple inscribed with "Templum Marcis" (Temple of Christ).
The burning templum marcis
I am alone in the enormous nave. The dim, yellowish lighting of the side aisles contrasts with the bluish, milky light that winter still provides for the windows. The nave is divided into four tiers. Three of them allow light to enter; the third from the bottom is an ambulatory adorned with delicate columns. For each bay between two columns on the ground floor, there is an additional central column on the second floor, two on the third, while on the top floor, a large window leads into the vaulted ceiling.
The diagonal view of the church
For the first time hier only columns support the walls of the nave. Therefore the nave appears lighter than in Romanesque architecture and allows for unobstructed diagonal views through the aisles. The typical Gothic colonnette shafts rest on the columns, forming a continuous vertical connection across the upper three levels and up to the vaulted ceiling.
The interior of one of the side chapels
Twenty-eight chapels fill the spaces between the outer walls of the side aisle on the ground floor. These chapels house sacraments, icons, and tombstones. The cathedral treasury is located in the Saint-Nicaise Chapel.
The templar's chapel
Not far from the cathedral, a chapel has been preserved that was built around the same time but is architecturally the complete opposite. In 1140, the Knights Templar, who had established a commandery in Laon, built an octagonal chapel. The central structure was likely intended to evoke the rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. In 1312, the Templar Order, which had become a powerful state within a state in many parts of Europe, was dissolved. Its memory was erased as much as possible, which also led to the destruction of most chapels. In Laon, the chapel passed into the possession of the Knights Hospitaller and was thus preserved.
Abbey of St. Martin
The Abbey of St. Martin at the other end of the city dates from the same period as the cathedral and the Templar chapel. It was one of the first settlements of the Premonstratensian Order. During the French Revolution, the order was dissolved, and the church was used as a parish church. The monastery was converted into a hospital. The hospital still exists, though in a new building behind the church. The former cloister now houses the library. Today the church is closed. Everything is covered in snow. The bare trees stretch their branches eerily into the mist.
Side entrance of the abbey of St. Martin
Shortly after my arrival in Laon two days ago, it began to snow heavily. The deserted streets of the old town were covered in snow. Patches of ice, remnants of previous winter storms, were still hidden beneath the fresh snow. Even the short walk from the stop of the bus from the train station at the top of the hill on Rue Gambetta had been a slippery affair. At the same time, the snow-covered town has a unique charm. You hardly see anyone in the streets, and even the car traffic has come to a standstill.
The cloister now used as a library
The upper town of Laon is the largest contiguous medieval ensemble in France. The edge of the old town is fortified by a wall that follows the natural contours of the limestone cliffs. Four of the city gates have also been preserved. However, modern traffic no longer makes use of these gates.
One of the closed shops in the deserted alleys of the old town
In the pedestrian zone, many of the shops have retained their old, typically French storefronts. Often, characteristic, colorful, and cheerful guild signs are displayed above them. There are smiling suns, rocking horses, baskets full of vegetables, fire-breathing dragons, golden lilies, and the Three Wise Men hang at the information center of the Palace of Justice.
Traditional advertisements
The three Wise Men at the information center of the Palace of Justice
Almost everything is closed. Restaurants don't open until 7 p.m. anyway, but the hotel owner already warned me that there's not much to find on a winter Sunday or Monday. I'm off to find a café. After wandering around for a while, I find Café D2. It's the only one open. Two lovely women are serving two customers: me and, at the next table, a teacher who's having a coffee while grading his class's papers. Laon's most famous teacher was probably Jean-Paul Sartre, who taught at the Laon high school in the winter of 1936/37.
Closed restaurant covered in snow
Although the main street is bustling in the summer, many of the old buildings stand empty. From my hotel room, I have a view of the boarded-up, cobweb-covered windows of the old building across the street. I had difficulty finding the hotel entrance; it's hidden behind a construction fence that spans the entire width of the alley in front of the hotel. The construction work extends over the entire breadth to the buildings along the parallel alley and encompasses part of the square in front of the town hall.
View from my hotel room with the boarded up houses across the alley
The hotel owner tells me that last summer, a major fire broke out in one of the historic buildings, spreading to the surrounding houses. Two firefighters were killed during the firefighting efforts, crushed by falling debris. Because the ruins are located in the heart of Laon's tourist center, the municipality and the owners were keen for a swift reconstruction. The insurance companies were willing to pay out.
The construction site in front of the hotel
At a meeting of local council members, property owners, insurance agents, and the architect from the Heritage Office of Aisne Department, to which Laon belongs, a solution seemed close. However, the departmental architect then objected. He argued that any reconstruction would have to be carried out in accordance with heritage preservation guidelines, using the original materials. Otherwise, the department would not grant permission.
Construction in the parallel pedestrian zone
Since reconstruction with original materials would cost three times as much, the insurance companies would no longer be willing to pay. The local council members then threatened to demolish the buildings entirely and replace them with a pedestrian passage. The department would have had no objections to this. However, the owners would then have to be compensated in some other way. The Unité départementale de l'architecture et du patrimoine de l'Aisne (UDAP 02) is located in the historic Hôtel du Petit Saint-Vincent on Laon's main street. In the courtyard there, it's immediately apparent that the department doesn't even follow its own rules.
Main street
Since there was a lot of activity in front of the hotel, I asked the owner what had been decided. He shrugged. They were going to demolish it for now. But there wasn't yet a plan for reconstruction that everyone could live with. For him, it was a disaster because his hotel was hidden by the construction site. I was his only guest.
Snow covered streets in the old town
In the evening, I finally found an Indian restaurant. It was the only one open. The only other guests were two Englishmen. The food was good, plentiful, and inexpensive. The service was very attentive. The French restaurant that the hotel owner had recommended was closed. The snow made it too risky for the staff to drive to work.
The towers of the cathedral are visible from everywhere
With further snow showers, I have to expect that train services in France will also be disrupted. On local lines here, there are often only a few trains per day. If one is canceled or you miss a connection, you have to wait a long time. On a long journey, it's possible that you won't be able to reach your destination that same day. So, I headed down towards the train station via the deserted stairs.
Porte les chenizelles
Porte d'Ardon
Porte de Soissons
The steps at the top are still relatively free of snow and ice. That changes as you descend. The steps become increasingly covered with icy old snow, slowly being buried under fresh powder. I grip the railing in the middle of the stairs with my left hand to prevent my legs from slipping and sending me sliding down several steps to the next landing. But the steel of the railing is freezing cold. Soon my fingers are aching, then my whole hand. I take a short break. I have no idea how much time I still have got until my train departs. It's a shame I didn't think to get my gloves out. But I don't think I'll have enough time to take my backpack off and search for them.
The modern part of Laon close to the station
Luckily, I make it to the bottom of the stairs unscathed. Only my left hand is freezing cold and aching. At least I can put it in my pocket to warm up. The sidewalks down here are also icy and snow-covered, but the road is clear of snow and ice. I'm walking along the road towards the train station, stepping into the parking space between two cars whenever a vehicle approaches.
The modern building housing the terminal of GOMA and the ticket office
The area around Laon train station gives me a distinctly Eastern Bloc feel. I assume the station and its surroundings were rebuilt after World War II. The French architecture from that period is probably not very different from that of the same era in Bulgaria or East Germany.
Entrance to the bus stop
The lower terminus of the Goma Railway was likely built even later. The track disappears into a large, characterless office complex. Today, the tracks at the terminus are covered over and included into the bus company's ticket office. Upon arriving in Laon, the ticket seller jokingly pointed out that it was cheaper if I bought a supply of bus tickets from him beforehand rather than on the bus. On the bus, this slip of paper was exchanged for a piecde of paper that was the actual bus ticket. Of course, it's not any cheaper if the bus doesn't come and you have to throw away the prepaid ticket unused… Or should I keep it until I come back to Laon?
The station of Laon
Contrary to all expectations, I arrived at the station much too early. This building, too, is a modern post-war construction. Above the kiosk is a relief whose inscription "Laon Ville d'Art et Histoire" suggests it may have come from the previous building.
The platforms in Laon
The tracks are covered in snow. There's both a pedestrian underpass and a newer bridge with elevators, from which you can get a good view of the trains. There are no overhead catenaries here – the trains around Laon are exclusively diesel-powered.
The train to Tergnier ready for departure
My first train of the day, to Tergnier, is already waiting. It's nice and warm inside, and I can happily unpack my thermos, which the hotel owner filled with tea. From the window, I can see two gas cylinders next to a switch on one of the sidings. The switch is gas-heated. The other visible switches are also free of snow and ice and apparently electrically heated. This certainly contributes to the fact that this train will arrive in Tergnier on time in less than half an hour. Not that it matters much: I have to wait almost two hours there for the connecting train to Maubeuge on the Belgian border.
Inside the empty train
The train stops at every station. The old, attractive station buildings are either abandoned and boarded up or sold to non-railway owners. Uniform, simple waiting rooms, though at least in an appealing historical style, have replaced the warm waiting areas of the old station buildings. Today not many passengers are waiting in this snowstorm.
Grain storage silos in Picardy
The landscape in this area is predominantly agricultural. The snow-covered fields are impressively vast. Several stations have large warehouses with grain silos whose height is reminiscent of the American West. There are also extensive railway yards, all of them are abandoned.
The waiting rooms that replaced a warm station hall
At the beginning of the First World War, on August 29, 1914, the French Fifth Army established its headquarters in Laon. Nevertheless, the city was captured on September 2nd during the German invasion. During most of the war the front line then ran a little further south. Laon remained under German occupation for the entire course of the war. It was one of the German strongholds located closest to Paris. Even after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in 1917, Laon remained German. The retreat brought the front line even closer to the west of the city. Despite the proximity of the front and the fact that the German high command had entrenched itself on the hilltop of the medieval city, the town apparently received little Entente shelling. Perhaps the Entente had more respect for history and cultural heritage than their German adversary, who had relentlessly bombarded the old town, including Reims Cathedral, during the war. On October 13, 1918, the French army liberated Laon.
Entrance to the citadelle of Laon
Laon wasn't always unscathed. Its favorable strategic location meant the city was heavily fortified and frequently contested. A citadel was built on the eastern edge of the old town. A drawbridge still provides access through the original gate. Even the draw mechanism is preserved. The buildings within the citadel now house part of the department's administration.
Mechanism to lift the draw bridge
Laon was the center of a defensive line that also included the Morlot Battery at the southwestern edge of the city. Due to the exposed location, optical signals from there could be used to communicate with the neighboring forts of Bruyères-et-Montbérault and Mons-en-Laonnais in the pre-electrification era. The snow-covered fort is the destination of an exciting winter hike from the city center, although the view from there was blocked by fog during my visit.
Morlot battery in the mist
On September 9, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, the German Duke of Mecklenburg and General Thérémin d'Hame were about to sign the surrender of the city of Laon. In his despair, artilleryman Henriot set fire to the powder magazine. The action was a Pyrrhic victory. The resulting explosion cost the lives of 70 men of the 4th Prussian Jäger Battalion. The Duke was slightly wounded. In contrast, 132 French soldiers lost their lives, including General Thérémin d'Hame himself. Hundreds more were injured.
The old and the interior of the new station of Tergnier
Meanwhile, I'm spending the long wait in Tergnier in the hall of the unadorned, utilitarian building that replaced the impressive, retro-style half-timbered station building next door. At least there's not only a staffed ticket office here, but also a Relay newsstand, a vending machine, and a limited number of chairs.
The train from Paris has arrived in Maubeuge
The train from Laon to Tergnier was almost empty. The sleek, brand-new double-decker train connecting Paris's Gare du Nord with Maubeuge on the Belgian border is even less used. The train travels at an impressive speed along the practically flat, perfectly straight track. The one-hour journey includes stops in St. Quentin and Aulnoye-Aymeries. Despite the heavy snowfall, we arrive in Maubeuge on time.
The station hall in Maubeuge
In Maubeuge, I have another half-hour wait. Until 1979, four international TEE trains between Paris and Hamburg stopped at this station. The station building is a modern, round structure that probably only looked interesting on the architect's mock-up. But there used to be a kiosk in the station where you could buy coffee, drinks, or snacks. Like the ticket office, it now is permanently closed. A few dubious characters sit on the floor at the edge of the waiting room, warming themselves. The only two seats, in the photo booth, are permanently occupied. The curtains that such machines always have are closed. All you can see of the occupants are their bags.
Roller cases in the snow
But the station is supposed to be renovated. Improved accessibility is the magic phrase on the construction signs. The platform canopy is gone. The platforms are covered with a layer of snow. They haven't been cleared. At least the roof over the stairs of the pedestrian underpass still is more or less intact, so you don't have to worry about slipping.
Arrival of the belgian train in Maubeuge
The station forecourt also serves as a bus station. Everything is covered in a deep layer of snow, through which two travelers drag their rolling suitcases under curses. Apart from a modern chain hotel, there's little to see on the large, empty space. Certainly no buses. At least the snow-covered area between a few stunted conifers and stacked construction containers can serve as a substitute for the toilet that's missing in the station.
Post-industrial landscape close to Maubeuge
Already during Vauban's time, Maubeuge was fortified. This had consequences, as the town was thoroughly shelled, bombed, and destroyed in the wars of 1870-1871, 1914-1918, and 1940-1945. During the German Wehrmacht's invasion in 1940 alone, 90% of the buildings were destroyed. It is a miracle that parts of the fortress and some historical buildings survived.
One of the abandoned stations along the line to Charleroi
Furthermore, the entire area around Maubeuge, extending beyond the Belgian border, is a problem area due to the decline of heavy industry. Foundries, forges, blast furnaces, and machine tool manufacturers once thrived here. Although some plants are still in operation and the automotive industry has established itself, much of the area appears dilapidated. Rusted halls with broken windows, chaotic warehouses resembling junkyards, overgrown railway tracks, and piles of containers. In the gray-brown of winter, graffiti provides the only color. In between are apartment buildings and single-family homes that are closer to demolition than renovation. The intermediate stations are boarded up and covered in graffiti.
The stop at Lobbes
Yet the landscape between the two industrial centers of Maubeuge and Charleroi is quite attractive. The railway line follows the course of the canalized Sambre River, which it frequently crosses on bridges. The towns of Lobbes and Thuin are spectacularly situated on ridges above the river. Before reaching the industrial outskirts of Charleroi in Landelies, the train even passes through a tunnel.
Abandoned blast furnace in Charleroi
Charleroi is reached on time. With each visit the construction and demolition of the industrial buildings that characterize the city leads to a new impression I get from the passing train. The landmark, a rusted blast furnace, still stands strong among the enormous halls of ArcelorMittal.
The central station in Charleroi
Construction is also underway on the railway infrastructure in Belgium. The work results in the cancellation of the next train towards Brussels and Antwerp. This gives me time to take a look inside and outside the station. The historic station building of Charleroi Central is a gem. But renovations are under way here too. A building is being demolished on the spacious station forecourt. Charleroi, with its industrial archaeology, is definitely worth a separate entry.
Station square in Charleroi
I'm taking the next train to Antwerp via Brussels. Instead of continuing on to Antwerp, I'm getting off at Brussels Zuid. Trains from Brussels to the Netherlands are notoriously overcrowded, even though both the Belgian SNCB and the Dutch NS now offer connections. The Belgian trains, locomotive-hauled with comfortable Intercity carriages, run to Rotterdam and stop at intermediate stations like Mechelen, Berchem, and Breda. The NS trains, made up of the new ICNG EMUs, go directly to Amsterdam and only stop in Antwerp and Rotterdam. It's better to board in Brussels. That's where the trains start, so there's a better chance of getting a seat. Today, I don't have to think about which one to take: the NS isn't running.
Bruxelles Midi/Zuid
To get train services back on track to some semblance of normality, NS (Dutch Railways) devised a winter service schedule, a special winter timetable designed to better cope with winter conditions. The aim is to maintain a reliable basic service on every line. This is achieved by simply suspending some train services. However, due to constant disruptions caused by faulty points and icy overhead lines, even this winter timetable is currently illusional.
The belgian Eurocity to Rotterdam
The numerous train cancellations and timetable changes have also rendered NS's online platform inaccessible. Instead of 2 million hits per day, the app received 28 million hits today. The system apparently couldn't handle this. The "Disruptions and engineering works" window isn't functioning at all. When I finally manage to access the train information, it turns out that no trains are currently running from Rotterdam towards The Hague. This is due to technical problems at The Hague Central Station. But I'm only just arriving in Antwerp and still have an hour to go to Rotterdam.
Rotterdam Central station almost empty
Upon arriving there, it turns out that three trains are departing for The Hague within the next fifteen minutes. There are problems on the other routes radiating from Rotterdam. Apparently, nothing is running at all via Gouda to Utrecht or Amsterdam.
ICNG, the latest train of the dutch NS
So I take a train in the direction of The Hague and leave the train at Delft to take the tram there. Trams tracks also have switches, and the rail bed, which is sunken into the street, should actually have much greater difficulties with snow and ice. Interestingly, though, I've never experienced a tram service disruption on The Hague tramway (HTM) network. The Rotterdam tram company (RTM) has even brought out a few historic trams, which, apparently due to their weight and higher ground clearance, are better suited for de-icing the tracks.
Tram passengers waiting in the snow
I'm getting home about an hour later than planned. Considering the weather conditions, it's actually a remarkable achievement. Of the 16 trains I traveled on during the six snowy and icy winter days, only one was cancelled, and I experienced a total delay of just one hour.
In 2013 the switches of NS were clearly heated
Normal service is scheduled to resume tomorrow on the Dutch rail network. However, difficulties are expected because, due to the winter timetable, some switches weren't used frequently enough and are therefore no longer functioning properly…..
Tree in Laon
Sources:
Hans Sedlmays, Die Entstehung der Kathedrale, Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, Graz, 1976
Video of travel with POMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLdkzGAT7Ic
