I gotta post this here because I know no german rail fans are following me here, even though this also means that nobody who cares is going to read this:
I don’t mind the BR 111 locomotives in Aachen being replaced by Siemens Desiro HC EMUs. Yes, the new EMUs are boring… but so was the 111.
Seriously. It’s like a 110, but a bit more powerful, so eh. It literally never ran the most prestigious trains. The design is as boring as they come. Yes, it does have a crease front, I know. Let me be clear on this:
The crease front on german post-war electric locomotives is not an interesting or exciting design element.
That should be obvious, right? But I guess we’re talking about a country where people have deluded themselves into thinking that the Hofmeister Kink (don’t get excited, not that kind of kink) is passionate design. It very obviously is not. But I guess if german design is all you ever see, if you’re seriously considering buying an Audi or whatever, and if you think italian cars are too flashy, then your brain will latch onto something, anything, just to get the tiniest bit of serotonin.
The class 111 was a boring locomotive pulling boring trains, built during a boring period of time, mostly for boring reasons. Its replacement is just as boring, but it has better wheelchair accessibility and free WiFi. At some point we have to admit that that’s a win.
