Dresden Car-Go-Tram

Dresden, Germany. The Car-Go-Tram (the world's only freight tram?) returning from the VW-factory after delivering a load of parts. Something for the rail fans.

The VW factory in Dresden is fairly centrally located, right next to the city's largest park, the Grosser Garten. To reduce the pollution and annoyance that would be caused by lots of large trucks delivering carparts, the parts are brought by trucks to a facility on an industrial estate in the west of the city. From there, the Car-Go-Tram brings them to the 'Glaserne Manufactur' (the 'glass factory'), riding right through the old part of town without causing any hassle. The bare car carriages are indeed still delivered by trucks to the factory (they're too big for the tram), but this consists of a much smaller number of trucks riding through town, and it's done at night. If you've bought a car from the factory, you can collect it right there, which is quite an event.

The Glaserne Factur is well worth a visit (pre-booking needed), even if you are (like me) not really a car person. For the tram spotters: as far as I know there's no schedule as the trams ride according to the demand of parts. At best it's only a handful of rides a day, but at the main tramstops (e.g. Wilsdruffer Strasse, Postplatz) the electronic signs announce the tram's passing half an hour in advance. With some luck, this will give you the opportunity to choose a vantage spot along the route too.

Postwork: Photoshop CS3: curves, masking and a crop (unsightly tarmac in the foreground).