The Off Topic Topic

[Syt]

Berlin airports are not suitable for a city of this size

That's why they're building a new one which will open. Eventually. 

[The Larch]

Berlin airports are not suitable for a city of this size

That's why they're building a new one which will open. Eventually. 

How long has their new airport been in the works?

[Syt]

Berlin airports are not suitable for a city of this size

That's why they're building a new one which will open. Eventually. 

How long has their new airport been in the works?

Started 2006, IIRC, scheduled for opening 2011. Currently aiming at 2020 (maybe). The anti-fire installations are the main reason I think.

[Duque de Bragança]

Berlin airports are not suitable for a city of this size

That's why they're building a new one which will open. Eventually. 

How long has their new airport been in the works?

Started 2006, IIRC, scheduled for opening 2011. Currently aiming at 2020 (maybe). The anti-fire installations are the main reason I think.

Berlin with its "future" airport already beat Hamburg with its Philarmonie!

[The Larch]

Which German city was the one who had a massive boondongle with their new train station?

[Duque de Bragança]

Stuttgart, but it's going on schedule, as far as German huge infrastructure projects go. 

PS: as in 2 or 3 years behind schedule.

[Josquius]

The German approach to intercity train traffic really sucks compared to France and Spain. What a shameful triumph of regionalism and nimbyism. 

Shameful triumph of regionalism?
The regionalism in German railways is something to envy. I hope the UK someday can get a similar system.

The train from Cologne to Frankfurt stops in Montabaur and Limburg. Never heard about these? Thats because they are tiny towns. Trains from Berlin to Hamburg often stop in Büchen.

There is no direct train track from Frankfurt to Berlin, it is via Hannover or close to there. And often stops in Wolfsburg or Hildesheim or Göttingen.

The high speed trains need to be faster to be a real alternative to flying. That will only work with more dedicated tracks (problematic with nimbyism) and less stops (problematic with regionalism).

I know Limburg.

Looking at a map it seems odd it stops at both, but it should stop at one of them certainly.

No argument for me on more tracks for direct services but frequent stopping services are great.

So there is no train from frankfurt to Berlin or there is one but it takes an odd route?

[Maladict]

I know Limburg.

Fond memories of Limburg, or rather the steeply descending Autobahn near Limburg.

Driving beat up old vans on our way to excavations in Italy, this is where we'd try to break their speedometer.

[celedhring]

I only remember a fat lady from Limburg.

[Maladict]

I only remember a fat lady from Limburg.

Sounds like Dutch Limburg

[mongers]

I wasn't aware of this:

[Tamas]

I am still not. I am only familiar with the French spelling used on the British Isles.

[Duque de Bragança]

So there is no train from frankfurt to Berlin or there is one but it takes an odd route?

No to both, with reservations for the latter.
New high-speed lines in the south-west of the former GDR were recently built or upgraded so now
it goes Frankfurt-Fulda (NE Hessen)-Erfurt (Thuringia) - Halle an der Saale(not far from Leipzig) then Berlin.
Of course, you can still make a detour from Frankfurt to Berlin, if you wish so, through Göttingen, but it's closer to 5 hours than 4. Fastest train takes 3h53 through the direct route. Assuming it is on schedule which is not guaranteed with ICEs in Germany. It's not Shinkansen, remember.

Can check it there, if you are planning a trip:

https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml

PS: German greens have a problem with high-speed train lines be them new or just upgraded, it seems.

[Maladict]

So there is no train from frankfurt to Berlin or there is one but it takes an odd route?

There's no problem unless you leave from the wrong Frankfurt.

[Syt]

Finished my first Cobi tank model (Cobi = totally not Lego from Poland).









This might become the first of many to come. 

I bought it from Amazon, and it's significantly cheaper than Lego. Quality is great, Lego level; doesn't feel cheap. They have a whole range of WW2 models (planes, ships, tanks mostly): https://cobi.pl/en/small-army-ww2/

They also have tie ins for World of Tanks/Warships, and a few WW1 models (I'm eyeing the Mk I: https://cobi.pl/en/great-war/tank-mark-i,art,10302.html)

Unfortunately it looks like the StuG-III is no longer available.