Brügge–Lüdenscheid railway

The railway Bruges Lüdenscheid ( often referred to as Steilstrecke Bruges Lüdenscheid ) is a single-track, non-electrified branch line in North Rhine -Westphalia. The 7 km long branch line runs from the Bruges train station ( Westphalia ), which lies on the railway line Hagen- Dieringhausen, the higher breakpoint Lüdenscheid.

History

Bruges was awarded in 1874 with the opening of the section Dahl - Bruges railway Hagen- Dieringhausen a rail connection. Even the out-of- Volmetals Lüdenscheid wanted a train connection, however, the route designed by the unfavorable topographical conditions is anything but easy. Despite a maximum slope of 1:36, a 412 m long tunnel near Lüdenscheid had to be built.

Was opened, the 6.5 km long route on 15 July 1880 the Prussian State Railways. In 1904, there were Wehberg station a handover to the county Altenaer Railway ( KAE ), who until 1967 in operation. However, it was used only for freight. For passenger transport, there was a staircase between the Railway Station and the circle 18 meters higher lying state railway station.

At the beginning of the 20th century there were plans that Volmetal (train route Hagen- Dieringhausen ) over a distance in the urban area of Lüdenscheid Hershey to connect with the railway line Plettenberg Hershey, thus creating a connection between Volme and Lennetal. However, this failed due to the high construction costs. The earthworks were then already carried out over Hershey. In the wake of the First World War the plans were however not pursued because the necessary financial resources were lacking. In the 1920s, the community Hershey tried to revive the construction of the railway. But at least with the onset of rapid inflation in the wake of the global economic crisis, the topic railroad had then done. And later, finally, the road was enforced on the roads in Germany. The section would have around 33.9 km includes. Because of the mountainous topography in the Sauerland provided for the planning mighty tunnels, bridges or underpasses, such as on the ridge between the verses and the Ahetal, where a tunnel of 650 meters length was provided. Another tunnel would run in Hershey of the Light to below the Schützenhalle, with a length of about 300 meters. A total of four tunnels were planned with a total length of 2175 meters. The estimated cost for the tunnel amounted in the amount of 1.84 million marks. The total cost for the railway line estimated the Royal railway management to a total of 9.8 million marks per train kilometer, the 289 100 mark would have been.

Due to the distance tendency came in the 1930s on the railway line and three locomotives of Class 96 who were stationed at Bw Bruges, are used.

1963 concept of the city council was presented by Lüdenscheid, in which there was the planning that today's Sauerfelder road should run on 2 levels and the railway line Bruges - Lüdenscheid should be run underground from Lüdenscheid from the train station at a gradient of only one percent. The railway line would then have the 2nd basement supposed to end at the central transport hub Sauerfeld in the district of downtown. In addition, 500 parking spaces below the present town square should arise. Because of his time, utopian idea ', the project was, however, rejected at that time.

From 1965 until September 1994 drove on the track Volmetal pull trains consisting of Hagen diesel locomotives of the series 212 with two to three cars, mostly, these were n- cars. Until 1979 there was also a Schienenbuspendel between the Lüdenscheid train station and the train station of Bruges ( Westphalia), who established the connection to the express trains between Cologne Central Station and Copenhagen Central Station. Comparatively short lasted the time of the DMUs in the DB series 628.4, which reversed from September 1994 until 30 May 1999.

Current situation

Today the route is served hourly by the regional train line 52 ( " Volmetal -Bahn "), which operates from Dortmund Herdecke, Hagen and Schalksmuehle to Lüdenscheid.

In addition, we pondered since the late 1990s because of the many inhabitants set up a breakpoint in the surrounding neighborhoods on Lüdenscheider circle house. However, this because of the problem topographic position (deep incision site and possibly tunnel platforms ) would be associated with very high costs. That is why we focused on the relocation of the station Lüdenscheid and pursued the project for the time being no further.

By 2010, work on the redesign of the holding point Lüdenscheid ran. This first disused buildings were demolished and contaminated land remediated. An improved Verküpfungspunkt rail / bus also part of the expansion program. The now single track was moved to the northwestern edge of the stage area, along existing road " Bahnhofallee " or the slope for higher Old Protestant Cemetery. The new track was put into operation on June 8, 2009.

A 1997 presented planning to tramtrain Hagen, the Volmetal train from Dortmund Hagen to Lüdenscheid as light rail to operate directly from Dortmund city center via the Hagen city center to the downtown Lüdenscheid, was rejected despite the traffic-related benefits for cost reasons.

In addition, there should be a direct train from Lüdenscheid to Cologne from 2015, when the recently again confirmed plan data is held until 2015. The future train station Bruges ( Westphalia ) is then to be upgraded as a transportation hub. For example, for all passengers who want from Cologne to Dortmund Hagen or: You could then in Bruges by train to change to train and continue immediately, because the trains are at the same time waiting on both sides of the new platform. Among the positive effects of future lines for Lüdenscheid then counted also, that the mountain city of Cologne will be reached without transition. Bruges train station ( Westphalia ) will, however, interesting for all passengers from the south, which could continue from here on the bus. No precise information admit it still about how long you 'll be in the regional Ludenscheid to Cologne actually go. Good 90 minutes it should, as measured by comparable routes, but his. Be unclear yet whether the German railway will even serve this route or if here any other provider comes into play. The city administration Lüdenscheid go according to the report assumes that the schedule would be kept, also independent of will choose which method to planning approval, the Federal Railway Authority. The previous information to loud that the question "formal or shortened " in the method have no effect on: Still in 2015 should according to the report, the first train of the Oberbergi train rolling.

Renovation of the line

The train route between Bruges and Lüdenscheid was renewed from the October 22, 2012 just one month. The track work urgently required were carried out day and night until 20 November 2012. From 2 had to be fully locked up to and including November 6, 2012 due to this work, the level crossing Märkenstück. During the period of closure of the level crossing Märkenstück moreover, the level crossing of the Fußverbindungsweges between Park Street and Lösenbacher highway was closed to pedestrian traffic.

As part of the track renewal for the 4.2 -kilometer route Bruges Lüdenscheid rolled on October 23, 2012 ten tractor trailers with 800 railway sleepers at the Bruges train station at. 1,200 tons of gravel and the new tracks were also supplied in the course of the work. From 2 to 9 November 2012, the route was then fully locked. It was then also worked at night, and instead of the regional trains RB 52 drove between Bruges and Lüdenscheid in replacement bus MVG buses. The complete replacement of the single track had become necessary because of the long wait time of the rails, they also hung out with the next connection Bruges to the route to Cologne and the resulting expected additional load together. While the tracks were replaced completely, were replaced by the 4000 existing thresholds only 800 to areas of damage. Also, the gravel was only supplemented. Despite the length of the track, the exporting company did not work with a track renewal train, which receives the track front and rear new places, but with conventional excavators. At the end of the construction project a tamping machine was used, ie, a 30 -meter-long construction train, which has made the new track in the amount and location. Depending on the load amounts to the wait time of track strands generally between 25 and 30 years. Since sleepers and rails were on the Lüdenscheider route now damaged, the exchange in 2012 was due.