Drachenfels Railway

The Drachenfels Railway is the oldest of the four still operated cog railways in Germany. It is operated by a separate " construction and operating procedure for the Drachenfelsbahn (BO - DRACH )" from the mountain railways in the Seven Mountains AG. The narrow gauge railway line since 1883 combines the location in the Rhine valley town of King Winter with the Seven Mountains, ending just below the Drachenfels summit. The 1,520 meter long track overcomes 220 meters of altitude, the maximum slope is 20 percent. The Drachenfels Railway is one of the most popular rack railways in Europe, today they carried more than 35 million passengers. In addition to the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway, the Wendelsteinbahn and the cog railway Stuttgart Drachenfelsbahn is one of only four operated cog railways in Germany. It is completely laid on steel sleepers.

History

1881 requested that German local and streetcar company in Berlin, the concession for a mountain train up to the Drachenfels. The license was granted on 29 August 1881 from cologne government president. On 13 July 1883, first passenger journey took place; four days later the Drachenfels railway was opened as the first German cog railway solemnly with public transportation. The railway was considered a technical sensation and became a crowd puller. Through them, the visitors were able to reach the summit Drachenfels and the ruins of Drachenfels first time without the arduous ascent. Later, it was also the 1894 completed Castle Dragon Castle into a popular destination by rail; there is the only one stop of the train, which was rebuilt in a modernized form March 2010 to May 2011.

In 1913 the German local and streetcar company again separated from their mountain path; new owner was the Cologne entrepreneur Ferdinand Mühlens, chef and owner of the world famous house 4711th Ten years later, on July 13, 1923, he eventually merged with the neighboring Drachenfelsbahn Petersberg web for existing today to mountain railways in the Seven Mountains AG.

On 12 June 1953, the railway was converted to electric drive, but at first intercourse at first only an electric railcar (ET I). Gradually, however, more railcars were purchased, which replaced the steam trains successively. These cars from the 1950s are here in use today (except ET I). Meanwhile, the vehicle numbers will be written in Arabic numerals, this 1982 replaced the previously written in Roman numerals vehicle numbers.

On September 14, 1958, a serious accident: The train of the last descent on this day derailed due to excessive speed. 18 people died, 112 were also injured.

Drachenfels tourism Station

At the foot of the Drachenfels Drachenfels Tourism Train Station. In the partially converted valley station of the Drachenfelsbahn an exhibition about the sights of the Seven Mountains next to the Tourist Information Centre is housed. There you find the glass workshop of the web and an exhibition on the history of Drachenfelsbahn. Upstairs the station a model railway layout is shown on an area of ​​22 m². This shows part of the old town of King Winter, the valley station, the route with the villas and castle dragon castle and the mountain station with the Drachenfels in 1927.

The steam locomotive No. 2 " since 1968 stands as a monument in front of the base station. During their restoration in Poland in 2005, the rail guards were reversed left and right of the two gears mounted, some missing parts not completed and provided the locomotive with a green tint, which is not the initial state corresponds. since the steam engine No. 2 " is a cultural monument and is a listed building, the rail guards were re- assembled correctly in the meantime.

Stamps

On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Drachenfelsbahn one designed by the graphic artist Lutz Menze stamp was issued on 3 July 2008.

Rolling stock

Steam locomotives

  • No. 1 Year 1883 ( not identical to the locomotives 1-2 of Peter cable car)
  • No. 2 Year 1883 ( not identical to the locomotives 1-2 of Peter cable car)
  • No. 3 Year 1883 ( not identical to the locomotives 1-2 of Peter cable car)
  • No. 1 " Year 1929 use in the Peter Berg Bahn and Drachenfelsbahn
  • No. 2 " built in 1927 ( plinthed ), use only with the Drachenfelsbahn
  • No. 3 " Year 1927 ( locomotive accident of 14 September 1958), only for use with the Drachenfelsbahn
  • # 4 1928 ( use in the Peter Berg Bahn and Drachenfelsbahn )
  • No. 5 Year 1926 sold use in Drachenfelsbahn and Peter Bergen Railway, from 1938 to the Niederwald train Rudesheim

Vorstellwagen

  • No. 1 Year 1883
  • No. 2 Year 1883 ( vehicle accident of September 14, 1958)
  • No. 3 Year 1883 ( vehicle accident of September 14, 1958)
  • No. 3 " built in 1884 ( taking over from the low forest railway Rudesheim, conversion to ET I)
  • No. 4 Year 1883 ( vehicle accident of September 14, 1958)
  • No. 5 Year 1883
  • No. 6 Year 1883

The Vorstellwagen. 1 - 6, had four compartments, the Vorstellwagen 3 " ex Niederwald train, had five compartments.

  • A railway carriage ( low side car ) without No. Year 1883, 2013 still in service

Gear motor coach

  • ET I built in 1953; On the Eyes around 1963, then stopping at the disused railway Petersberg. Later sold as a trailer.
  • ET 2 built in 1955; (since 1982 redrawn from ET II)
  • ET 3 Year 1957; (since 1982 redrawn from ET III)
  • ET 4 built in 1959; (since 1982 redrawn from ET IV)
  • ET 5 Year 1960; (since 1982 redrawn from ET V)
  • ET 6 Year 1978; (since 1982 redrawn from ET VI)

Comments

  • Allowed per train ride from the steam locomotives (No. 1 ``, 2 ``, 3 ``, 4 & 5) of the years 1926-1929 up to three Vorstellwagen be transported in the Drachenfelsbahn. When Peter allowed the mountain railway steam locomotives no. 1 ``, 4 & 5 only each carry a Vorstellwagen because of the large slope. The locomotives 2 `` and 3 `` were never stationed on the Petersberg web.
  • The ET I was not built from the Vorstellwagen No. 1, but from the Vorstellwagen No. 3 " ( ex. Lower Forest Railway ), which was retired in 1950. This is in the DVD - film " 75 years Drachenfelsbahn " seen. Obviously the Vorstellwagen was 3 " not retired, but enlarged and remodeled weatherproof (similar to the Vorstellwagen 8 Peter cable car). Following this conversion work, which was carried out at the Petersberg train, remained the Vorstellwagen 3 " only once at the Petersberg web. Later, however, he was employed in the Drachenfelsbahn and there converted to later I ET.
  • Since then, the ET are 2-6 equipped with simplified Scharfenberg coupler, the freight cars without number may, by means of a simplified Scharfenberg coupler to an ET ( 2-6 ) are coupled. However, this should only happen on the mountain side, so that it is pushed at a mountain trip, or is pulled when going downhill.
  • A special feature is the freight cars. His brakeman's platform shows in the valley, although common, the brakeman's platform, must face the mountain with cog railways because of the distance observation.
  • The old railway overpass was built back around 1970. It served the exchange of vehicles between Peter Mountain Railway and Drachenfelsbahn. The length was about 100 m.
  • 1975/76 dodge Office was moved to its present location location.
  • The track of the mountain station is partly due to a so-called slope viaduct.
  • The colors of the railcar or the color of the vehicles from the steam era are identical with the corporate colors of the company 4711.
  • Shades Vorstellwagen 1-8 & 3 " Frame: Jet Black - RAL 9005th
  • Door Outer Height: Moss Green - RAL 6005; Door height inside: natural wood with clear varnish.
  • Window External Height: White Green - RAL 6019; Window height inside & Ceiling: White RAL 9010.
  • Although it is bidirectional vehicles on the railcar Drachenfelsbahn, this feature only on one side over doors. This is only possible because, in the group treated here stretch at all three stations the platforms are located on the same side, namely on the west side. The only exception to the Drachenfelsbahn here was the ET I, who had doors on both sides.

Trivia

Since 2006, the city of King Winter, to perform civil marriages in the Drachenfelsbahn. The official act is practiced in the mountain station, with the doors locked train.

Gallery

Station of the cog railway in winter King (1883 )

Drachenfelsbahn and King Winter ( 1900)

Viaduct at Station Castle Dragon Castle

Metre gauge Grade (slope) Drachenfels (Siebengebirge) Siebengebirge Railroad tie Petersberg Railway Kulturdenkmal
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