Writing in the dark underpass of the stop Schmilka-Hirschmühle (between Bad 
Schandau and the Czech border). Today it says "Zu den Zügen in der Richtung 
nach Schöna" - Schöna, the last station before the border, is the end station 
of all S1 trains. You can see a bit of the old inscription shining through: 
"Richtung Bodenbach" - long ago, even local trains went from here to Bodenbach 
(= Decin hl. n.); today only EuroCity, night trains and a few regional trains 
on the weekend, but they don't stop in Schmilka-Hirschmühle any more. On the 
right you see a more recent addition: a sign that warns you not to get too 
close to the track. By the way, Schmilka is on the other side of the Elbe, 
connected to the station by a ferry; Hirschmühle is an old mill, of which only 
a ruin is left. The stops in this area are very popular among hikers every
weekend.
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photo: <a href="mailto:tbk@uncia.de">tobias b köhler</a>