ONCF DH 416 + 404 / Oued Metlili – El Aïoun

After taking the last photo at Taourirt (تاوريرت), I decided to photograph the coal train once again at El Aïoun (العيون سيدي ملوك). Every few kilometres, I had a view of the railway line from the main road and realised that I wasn’t far ahead of the train. Fortunately, the gendarmes on duty waved me through at all the checkpoints. No sooner had I reached the outskirts of El Aïoun (العيون سيدي ملوك) than the freight train was already audible and visible in the distance. After taking this photo, I stopped chasing the train and drove off, overjoyed, towards the sunset. This photo brings to a close the series of images taken in February 2026. Looking back, I’m very glad I went on this trip. I took some photos at the reservoir and in the unusually green countryside that are unlikely to be replicated any time soon. I had incredible success at the diesel depot east of Fez (فاس). As well as the regularly scheduled express trains, I also managed to take a surprising number of photos of freight trains. For instance, I was able to follow the coal train to Jerada (جرادة) and, near Sidi Harazem (سيدي احرازم), I happened to come across two different freight trains. The outcome on the phosphate railway line to Khouribga (خريبڭة) was completely different in this respect: not a single freight train could be photographed there. After returning home, it was announced that the first new diesel locomotives from CRRC were undertaking test runs. I wouldn’t be surprised if the first new locomotives were to enter service in Morocco as early as this year. This will not only spell the end for the DH 350 and DH 370; the relatively new DH 400 are also likely to be relegated to lower-tier services. This won’t be my last visit to Morocco. With a view to the FIFA World Cup in the summer of 2030, virtually the entire ONCF fleet is being renewed. Anyone who still wants to photograph the ‘old’ ONCF should consider a trip there in the next few years.

Automatically translated from German. Show the original

Vehicle

DH 416, DH 404

Operator

ONCF

Photospot

El Aioun Sidi Mellouk, Region Oriental

Taken

16. Feb. 2026, 5:24 p.m.

Licence

All Rights Reserved

Camera position

From the ground

Photo type

Railway

Camera

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Focal length

50 mm

Aperture

f/7.1

Shutter speed

1/2000s

ISO

800