"Last winter's early December snowfalls even caught-out the normally efficient Germans, and the metre-gauge line from Drie Annen Hohne (junction with the Harz Railway 'mainline' from Wernigerode to Nordhausen) to the 3,700 foot summit of the Brocken mountain had only re-opened that afternoon, Monday 6th December 2010. The photo was taken at the passing-loop station at Schierke on the return journey just as the winter sun was setting. The locomotive is an 0-4-4-0T Mallet, number 99 5901, which is always popular with visiting railtour groups."