Spessart Ramp

The Spessart ramp is the 5.4 km long slope section of the Main-Spessart -Bahn between Laufach and the Schwarzkopf tunnel or Heigenbrucken with an average slope of 20 ‰. The distance piece is part of the Ludwig - west railway, whose partial section of Würzburg Aschaffenburg was opened to the border in Kahl am Main on 1 October 1854 by the Bavarian State Railways. A shorter route with a lower slope is planned and is expected to replace the existing 2017 Spessart ramp.

• 3.1 Planning
• 3.2 Implementation

History

Planning and construction

With the ramp, the height difference between the Laufachtal and the Lohrtal is overcome in the course of the Spessart crossing between Kahl am Main, Aschaffenburg and Würzburg / Bamberg. After practice at the time the track construction, it was decided to build a relatively short steep route, while the remaining portions of the total distance were created rather flat.

The Spessart ramp and the subsequent Schwarzkopf double track tunnels were set up from the beginning and designed the engineering structures accordingly. The second track but was retrofitted to only gradually in the 1890s. The steam operation on the Spessart ramp was very expensive. In Laufach freight and long-distance passenger trains was added a helper locomotive, freight trains possibly also purposed a third locomotive. This is the reason for the exceptionally extensive trackage in the stations Heigenbrucken and Laufach, where there was a large roundhouse and also explains why the small Heigenbrucken long time was fast train station and flourished as a summer resort. Prior to the west portal of the Schwarzkopf tunnel is located south of the route is still a dead-end track, which served to shift locomotives to drive fast from the main line out and leave there to wait until a path for it stands for the drive back to Laufach available.

Steam operation

At the time of the early steam operation were pushed heavy freight trains often with only 6 km / h ramp up the road. This improved gradually with the use of more powerful locomotives. As Schiebeloks served from 1914 Mallet machines Bavarian Gt 2 × 4/4 (DR- 96 Series, Type D D' h4v ), later this until 1957 by the series 94.5-17 ( type E h2/preußische T 16.1) were partially replaced by the series 95 (type 1E1 h2/pr. T 20 ).

Electrical operation

The electrification of the Spessart ramp was 1957. Initially came for a few weeks, the 150 series for the sliding mode to use, soon replaced by the Series E 94.2 ( 194.5 ). In the fall of 1987, the E 50 returned to the Spessart ramp. It was used until 2003. Since then uses the class 151 and reaches a top speed on the Spessart ramp of 70 km / h to 110 km / h

Since the DB freight trains private railway companies not nachschiebt for competitive reasons, the locomotive kept the Mittelweserbahn 2004-2012 in Laufach for freight trains private railways 1020 041 (formerly ÖBB) ago. For a copy of the E 94 series was used in the shift operation after many years break.

Improve the situation

Considerations to avoid the cost and material-intensive shift operation while increasing the speed limit on the stretch, led on August 28, 2006 decision of the Federal Ministry of Transport, aim to build a fundamentally new the entire section between Laufach and Heigenbrucken. The decision was based on the Act on the expansion of the federal railway infrastructure in the version of 27 April 2005 ( Appendix 1 of § 1, No. 16), which provided for a new or upgraded line for the section of Hanau - Nantenbach.

Planning

In the late 1990s it was planned to build a 8.09 km long, single-track new line for 351 million DM. You should east of Laufach ( at kilometer 77.51 ) unthread and open out between Heigenbrucken and Wiesthal in the existing line ( at kilometer 68,32 ). With a maximum gradient of 12.5 per thousand and a design speed of 140 km / h should be two total 6 km long tunnel formed. While the new route should be primarily traveled by freight trains travel direction Würzburg, the passenger should remain predominantly on the existing line. The Schwarzkopf tunnel was there as part of a renovation to demolish on a track.

The planning of the late 1990s, has since been replaced by a new plan, which provides for the complete assignment of Schwarzkopfunnels. The seven kilometers trassierte new route will lead through four tunnels ( in two single-track tunnels ) and trough structures. The Heigenbrucken station to the southeast by a breakpoint today's railway station are at the east portal of the future tunnel Falkenberg, detached. At the breakpoint Laufach new platforms and a new pedestrian underpass to be built. The project is located between 69.990 km of lines (equivalent Baukilometer 169.990 ) and 77.538 (equivalent Baukilometer 177.068 ) of the existing line.

The new route will be almost 500 m shorter, their highest pitch will be only 12.5 per thousand, and their turning radius can be increased to 820 m. In addition, a way working should be furnished. The travel time in passenger transport should be reduced by two minutes thereby.

The project forms the zoning section 3 of the upgraded line Hanau- Nantenbach. The consultation process was launched on 2 March 2009 and completed in February 2011. The zoning decision was adopted on 12 March 2012.

Subsequent to the Spessart ramp Schwarzkopf tunnel can not be renewed, according to Deutsche Bahn for economic and technical reasons. Therefore, he is filled, its historic portals are retained. Since the height profile of the new line is flatter than the previous, the subsequent pushing of heavy freight trains from Laufach is omitted.

Implementation

As of November 2006, the preliminary survey for the extension ran. Among other things, about 100 core holes up to a depth of 175 meters have been made; 25 are to be used after construction for groundwater exploration. Also about 40 soundings should be made and landfill areas are examined. It came between the municipality and the railway Heigenbrucken to considerable dispute after the council had decided to refuse access to communal land for exploration drilling.

In December 2011, a financing agreement between the Federal Government and German railway on the project has been closed. From the demand plan the federal railway infrastructure, the federal government invested in 2012 and 215 million euros in the project.

The tunnel works were advertised on 24 October 2012. The estimated contract price for the 7 km long section is 350 million euros, or 420 million euros. On 7 June 2013 were the construction contract for the avoidance of a working group of the company Alfred Kunz, Baresel, Leonhard Weiss, awarded Schälerbau (Berlin) and Bauer foundation engineering.

Construction began in July 2013. Two two -tube tunnel to be driven in and a built in open cut. A fourth tunnel is to be built in an open design with center wall.

The full opening of the line to be launched in mid 2017.