Magical moments in a driver’s cab

The morning sun is just breaking through the mist as Peter Wuschansky guides his train through the Danube valley. The landscape is dipped in golden light, with fields, hills and forests passing by like paintings. “Moments like this are magical,” says the man from Ulm, who has been driving regional trains for railway operator Deutsche Bahn for many years.

Since 2019, he has been sharing his passion for his job with a growing community of fans on social media: under the pseudonym “Peterle Sky”, the 45-year-old “trainfluencer” talks in a relaxed and entertaining way about the different aspects of his job. 

“When the camera isn’t running I’m more the quiet type. I’m perfectly happy on my own for hours in my cab, enjoying the special view during the journey,” says Wuschansky.

Picturesque landscapes

His routes, especially those in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, take him through picturesque landscapes and cities such as Stuttgart, Munich, Lindau, Friedrichshafen and Donaueschingen. “Though I know the routes well, I keep discovering new details. And sometimes I think to myself, my goodness, it’s like being on holiday but getting paid for it!”

He is a particular fan of the Danube valley: “The atmosphere there changes with every season and time of day, and especially in the autumn the display of colours is magnificent.” The route along Lake Constance is another of his highlights: “The lake is almost like a sea. When I see the backdrop of snow-capped mountains and the water is glittering in the sun, it really is very impressive.”

Technical issues and responsibility

Entering the big city stations is also something Wuschansky never finds boring: “Endless tracks, countless signals, points and other trains - and then the responsibility you have for the hundreds of passengers on board.” Trains are not always as punctual as he’d like, usually due to technical faults. “Of course, people sometimes vent their anger when the train is delayed. But most people are very friendly towards me and the job of train driver has a good image.”

Bizarre experiences

Over the years, Wuschansky has acquired a considerable repertoire of anecdotes. One Christmas Eve, for example, a little girl came to the driver’s cab to give him a chocolate Father Christmas and thanked him for the trip. “One passenger recently had a cat on his shoulder the entire time. When I asked him about it, he just said: ‘She is my great love, we will never part,’” he smiles.

At home on the tracks

The train driver now feels “a bit like at home” in every town or city he visits in his train. He strolls through the towns during his breaks or sits in a café. “I enjoy soaking up the atmosphere, watching people and simply being out and about.”