#2026-01

[starryeyedstray]

my office is a mess and i can't find my stylus right now but please enjoy my first dbh drawing of 2026: an ms paint doodle of rk1k using my mouse only.

[merpmonde]

German Hochrheinbahn trains

Half the line in Germany was actually shut down for track works during my trip (link to the mini-series if you missed it), so I was on buses for the first day and a half, but at Waldshut, I was finally back on the rails, with a chance to see the Hochrheinbahn fleet.

The Baureihe 612 RegioSwinger is the fastest train on the route. It's a tilting Diesel multiple unit, and I already talked about it after my previous visit to Singen and Schaffhausen. It is the only type that runs the line in full between Basel Bad Bf and Singen as Regional Express (RE) 3, and does so in under 90 minutes (113 km @ 77 km/h).

Parallel to the express services are the omnibus Regional Bahn (RB), mainly RB 30 between Basel Bad Bf and Lauchringen. The workhorses on these routes are Baureihe 641 railcars, cousins of the French A TER, and Baureihe 644 Talent units. Coincidentally, both types were the final designs from small companies De Dietrich and Waggonfabrik Talbot in the 1990s, just before they were bought out by giants Alstom and Bombardier respectively (and later on, Alstom would absorb Bombardier).

Diesel multiple units need... well, Diesel, and if you were wondering, here's a fuel station, visible from the Swiss platform at Waldshut. Signs reading "612" and "644" on the right are clearly the stopping points for the types mentioned above. If you know how annoying it can be to have the petrol pump on the wrong side of your car, imagine how bad it'd be a for a train! Also, 641s can get lost apparently... (I'm guessing they can use another type's board.)

One track at Waldshut is electrified: the one to Switzerland, a country notorious for having electrified its entire passenger network. The train I boarded at Waldshut was a Thurbo-operated RABe 526 GTW, the one with the "power pack" module in the middle.

There aren't direct services between Basel and Schaffhausen on the Swiss side, and sticking to the river requires several changes between local trains, first on the tri-national S-Bahn around Basel, then on the Zürich and Schaffhausen S-Bahn networks. I've managed to get it to show up on the SBB website: 2 hours and 45 minutes, with a bus between Laufenburg and Koblenz as the railway line is no longer used for passenger services.

[starryeyedstray]

it may seem silly to continue drawing and writing about characters in a video game given the current state of everything right now. but joy is resistance in a world that's determined to make you lose hope. so it's important to find happiness during the dark times and stay positive.

that being said, it is also important to not stay complacent and silent.

if you have the income, consider supporting campaigns on chuffed.org like this one. if you live in the usa, i recommend following this creator. allie reports on events to keep you informed while also providing actionable things you can do in your community to continue the resistance.

my heart goes out to minneapolis. the needless death and violence being spread by this fascist administration is disgusting. we need to stand strong and united.

stay safe everyone <333

[starryeyedstray]

sorry i've been inactive bc i got super sick this month but i'm getting better so

now presenting...

❤️DBH V-Day Card Exchange 2026❤️

that's right!!! i'm hosting round 2 of this little valentine's day themed dbh art trade because it was an absolute joy to see all those cards last time!!!! if you weren't there for it last year, here's a breakdown:

what is this event? if you've lived in the USA, you probably exchanged valentine's day cards with classmates with a character from a show and a cheesy little pun. well, this event aims to bring that energy BACK!!!! fellow dbh artists will be trading valentines but we'll be the ones doing the drawing on the cards!

who can participate? any dbh fan!!! whether you create full traditional paintings or just doodle on ms paint, anyone willing to put work into a card is welcome to participate. as long as you put in your best effort, anyone can join in on the fun.

how does it work?

Step 1: Let people know you're interested in trading Valentines' Day cards!!! drop a comment in the replies or reblog this post saying you're open to trading. totally okay if you want to add a caveat like you're only opening trades up to moots or oomfs. (you can skip to step 2 if you rather just reach out to specific people rather than having your trades fully open).

Step 2: Set-up your trades! SOFT DEADLINE: Feb 4-ish (up to your discretion on when you want to stop accepting trade requests) either reply to someone's comment or message the person directly if they've said they were open to trades. feel free to share this event with people you'd like to exchange valentines with directly as well! to keep it simple, i recommend both parties simply saying what character(s) you want drawn on your card.

Step 3: Draw your card!!! if you're still unsure what kind of card this is supposed to be, here are all the cards from the dbh vday exchange 2025!!! basic template is picture of dbh character + relevant pun/pick-up line. here are a few of mine from last year's event for reference:

reminder: it doesn't need to be a masterpiece! you can keep you card cute and stylized and simple! (i just had no chill when i made mine last year lmao)

Step 4: Share your finished card with your valentine between Feb 14-15th!!! this is an online event so whatever time zone you're in is fine. you can post it as a regular post, share it via inbox, or just keep it private in your dms. but if you do post it publicly, i would love to see them! so tagging them with #dbh vday exchange 2026 and tagging me (@starryeyedstray) would be appreciated!

🚨IMPORTANT RULES🚨 this is just a small little event ran by me. there are no hard and set rules since everyone is in charge of managing their own trades but i want to keep it drama and stress free so please keep these in mind.

Keep it PG!!! i want everyone to feel comfortable participating, so keep the puns and pictures SFW. think wholesome and flirty not horny please! (tho i can't control what you dm privately to each other lmao)

Please be respectful of each other! don't be offended if someone declines a trade with you. they might not have enough time to accept more than a couple trades and don't be rude when declining a trade!

Please be respectful of each other's time! if you aren't able to fulfill your trade for whatever reason, please communicate that with the other person. a quick apology is 1000x better than ghosting someone.

NO GENERATIVE AI!!!! it's crazy how last year i didn't have to have this rule, but now i have to make this stipulation bc of how prevalent it is. this event celebrates HUMAN artists and our community. so unless you're a deviated android, all the art should be crafted with human effort.

Keep it low stress and fun!!! these cards are supposed to be just a quick fun way to do some art trades. don't agonize over the drawings or try to make full colored masterpieces (unless you really have the time and energy lol). the expectation here is quick and cute doodles meant to spread some love and kindness. only put in as much energy as you can offer to share that sentiment <333

i am so excited to see both new and old dbh artists particpate!!! if you have any questions, let me know in the replies!

[starryeyedstray]

rest in peace to my abandoned wips of 2025 u_u

[starryeyedstray]

tried a new brush today. i like how scritchy scratchy it is. (this was sitting in my drafts since last year LMAO)

[starryeyedstray]

happy belated birthday to @gaydr0id!!

i am once again late to your birthday, but i hope the danny drawing makes up for it. wishing lots of happiness and gay robots in your future my fellow star <333