Franconian Saale Valley Railway

The railway line Gemünden - Ebenshausen is an approximately 55 km long single-track and non-electrified railway line in the northern Lower Franconia. It runs from Gemünden ( Main) on Bad Kissingen to Ebenshausen ( Unterfr ) and mostly follows the Franconian Saale.

Route

The Saale Valley Railway leaves Gemünden ( Main) initially in a northerly direction on the track direction Gemünden - Jossa the older railway Flieden - Gemünden before it branches off following in 1.3 km to the east of the Saale valley. It runs from Gemünden until shortly before your village just on the Franconian Saale along, the river is almost always seen. The route often describes long bends, through the mixed and coniferous forests of the recreation area and open countryside with good views. Away from your village they are from the valley floor to strive towards a higher elevation station Bad Kissingen or the older stretch Ebenshausen -Bad Kissingen.

The route of the Saale Valley Railway begins in Gemünden am Main, where they branched off from the double-track and electrified main line Main-Spessart -Bahn (Würzburg - Hanau ) to run as a single-track, non-electrified main line. The breakpoints partly follow in rapid succession, as well as smaller districts are approached; the high acceleration of the vehicles used today can largely compensate for this, however. In the head station of Bad Kissingen the Saale Valley Railway terminates historically and geographically speaking. Course book Technically, however, is also the section for Bad Kissingen Ebenshausen as part of the former branch line from Schweinfurt the Route number assigned to 803.

Since the 1970s, the route branches from Gemünden and Ebenshausen share on the last 1.3 kilometers of a track. Previously here ran both routes on their own track parallel to the railway station into it.

History

The first connection to the railway network was the spa town of Bad Kissingen on October 9, 1871 by a twenty -kilometer spur track in Schweinfurt, after efforts to find a continuous stretch of Gemünden ( Main) had failed to Meiningen. For a railway development of the Saale valley we saw since little hope, yet was on July 1, 1884, the Bavarian State Railways, a second branch line of Gemünden am Main are opened to Hammelburg. After forty years ago, on April 15, 1924 was finally able to close the gap between mutton and Bad Kissingen go into operation.

The now continuous route was initially becoming increasingly important. In the car- oriented 1960s, the schedule offered, however, was significantly limited. Only the inclusion in the national Bavaria clock brought back a continuous two- hour intervals on the Saale Valley Railway, between Bad Kissingen and Ebenshausen condensed into an hourly offer.

Present use

The track has significance for tourism both to and from the nature park Spessart and Rhön and the corresponding recreation areas, as well as arrival and departure in the spa and Bäderort Bad Kissingen. Furthermore, you come to the typical task of regional railway lines for commuters, students and families. In the regional freight transport in particular timber and the operation of the Bundeswehr barracks in Hammelburg play a role. After commissioning of the breakpoint Hammelburg East 11 September 2005 was on September 9, 2011, commissioning of the breakpoint Gemünden small Gemünden. Both traffic stations are used primarily for development of the student movement.

Used Vehicles

With the delivery of the Series 614 In the early 1970s the Saale Valley Railway received at the time of the German Federal Railroad first modern vehicles. However, these were withdrawn in the late 1980s once again off the track, then dominated for a long time again, the diesel locomotives of the Federal Railway - V 100 series ( German Bahn AG 212 series ), now with a passenger and a control car, the image of the Saale Valley Railway. Around the turn of the millennium you could see at the track but that the nearly 40 -year-old locomotives and not much newer cars were no longer appropriate. After a brief stint of various old railcars modern DMUs Class 642 took their successor.

With a little later made ​​tender by the Bavarian railway company responsible for the appointment of the transport, the Erfurt railway was able to prevail. The timetable change on 12 December 2004, she took over the operation on the Route number 803 under the name " Lower Franconia shuttle ", the through trains provides up to Schweinfurt city railway station. For this purpose, the Bank has procured twenty railcars of the Regio - Shuttle RS1. These one-piece Diesel cars are equipped for easy and quick coupling or separating with Scharfenberg couplers. Panoramic windows, upholstered seats and air conditioning for comfort. On the Saale Valley Railway ticket machines of the Deutsche Bahn was reduced, since the EIB organizes sales through vending machines in train. The tickets of DB and EIB are mutually recognized, there is also the end of 2005 a special " Franconian Saale valley ticket " for travel between Bad Kissingen and Gemünden am Main for a person with round- trip ticket.

Bad Kissingen is served by regional express trains of Deutsche Bahn from Würzburg in two- hour intervals. In addition, two pairs of trains of this line be extended up to Hammelburg daily. Used diesel railcars with tilting of the series 612

Connections exist in Gemünden am Main to Schlüchtern, Aschaffenburg and Würzburg as well as in Ebenshausen to Erfurt and Meiningen.

In freight transport, the 294 series is mainly used. The running days are Tuesday and Thursday. It is operated only mutton castle of Schweinfurt Gemünden ago. The load of mostly wood is brought into the shipping. Occasionally also operate trains troops of the Bundeswehr.