Harz Railway
The Harzquerbahn connects as a narrow -gauge railway in the cities meter gauge Nordhausen in Thuringia and Wernigerode in Saxony -Anhalt. The single-track, non-electrified route through the Harz in the north-south direction. Operators are the Harz narrow gauge railways GmbH (HSB ).
Route
The Harzquerbahn begins in the narrow-gauge railhead Nordhausen HSB. It lies to the northwest and parallel to the standard gauge station Nordhausen Deutsche Bahn. After the connecting track is threaded to the network of tram Nordhausen from the right in the path, turn the route to the north and extends approximately 7 miles through Nordhausen and continues through Niedersachswerfen to Niedersachswerfen Ost station almost parallel to the standard gauge Suedharz route to Northeim. Behind the village Ilfeld ( 10.7 km ) begins the resin. Behind the breakpoint Netzkater ( 14.0 km ) follows the now no longer occupied station Eisfelder Talmuhle ( 17.3 km, a former community station the Nordhausen - Wernigerode Railway and the Gernrode - Harzgerode railway). Behind the station Eisfelder Talmuhle threaded the Selketalbahn direction of stairs in a right-hander. In Eisfelder Talmuhle Station is regularly in the summer the only double exit experience of two steam locomotives in the resin ( in the direction of stairs and chunks ).
By the breakpoint Tiefenbach mill (km 19.5 ) follows the Harzquerbahn still the main road 81, then it bends westward from to meet the needs breakpoint Sophienhof (km 21.0) - to achieve - the last stop in Thuringia. By spruce forest, the route across the border to Saxony- Anhalt. On Benneckenstein ( 29.8 km ) Train station the train reaches 530 m above sea level. NN its highest point. Then it goes down to the Valley of the Warm Bode, where the breakpoint concern ( 33.4 km; 449 m above sea level. ) Is located. Then the route climbs 557 m its apex. After the misery railway station (km 41.6 ) reaches distance the confluence of the Brocken train into the station Drei Annen Hohne (km 46.4 ).
Behind Drei Annen Hohne is declining sharply and the train reaches the 58 -meter-long tunnel under the Thumkuhlenkopf. He is the only tunnel on the net the Harz narrow gauge railways. Behind the tunnel exit, the Wernigerode Castle is visible in the distance soon. Near the train station Stone Run ( 54.5 km ) passes through the line one of the closest with 60 m radius curves of HSB until it reaches the station Wernigerode Hasserode (km 56.3 ). Next stops are the breakpoint Harz University (formerly Wernigerode Church Street ) and the Westerntor station ( there is the railway depot Wernigerode Westerntor ) in Wernigerode. Endpoint is ultimately the Wernigerode ( 60.5 km ) Train station.
History
As the first section of the Harzquerbahn went on July 12, 1897, the route Nordhausen Ilfeld into operation on 7 February 1898, it began the sequel to Netzkater and on 15 September of the same year to Benneckenstein. From the north, the section from Wernigerode to Drei Annen Hohne was completed on 20 June 1898. The missing piece between Drei Annen Hohne and Benneckenstein was finally passed on March 27, 1899 together with the distance to the Brocken the operation. Operating company was originally the Nordhausen - Wernigerode Railway Company ( NWE ). After the nationalization led from 1 April 1949, the German Reichsbahn to operation 1993.
As of 1899, the Harz Railway cruised into custody which also meter gauge track Walkenried Fountain Bachmuhle - care fir the South Harz Railway (SHE). A connecting track, initially only for passenger, was not created until 1913. 1945 the business between worry and Brunnenbach mill was set, as this section crossing the inner German border. The section from custody after fir was operated until 1958 even further. On the border bridge, the tracks were still up after the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Been a long- planned rail connection to the tram Nordhausen was on 1 May 2004 in front of the entrance to the Nordhausen station put into operation, was begun in 2002. Therefore, since 1 May 2004 run between the tram stop Nordhausen hospital and the HSB breakpoint Ilfeld - Neander clinic Tram line 10 with electric and hybrid drive of the type CombinoDuo. In the area of Harzquerbahn the drive is diesel electric. By connecting track to the tram Nordhausen Nordhausen the station lost its importance. Except for the steam train pair from Nordhausen and few HSB diesel railcars since all trains as diesel railcars from the tram stop Nordhausen station forecourt.
Traction
Passenger
On the Nordhausen - Ilfeld section of the train has been heavily compacted after the turn. Since 2004, riding alongside the HSB trains every hour ( on weekends and public holidays every two hours ) Trams of Ilfeld Neander clinic to the tram network of Nordhausen to the hospital (line 10). Additional DMU HSB run to ice fields Talmuhle and continue on the Selketalbahn. Except for a couple remaining steam train to the Brocken all Regelzugleistungen between Nordhausen and ice fields Talmuhle are now provided by diesel railcars and trams.
Between ice fields Talmuhle and Drei Annen Hohne, the daily passenger was reduced to four pairs of trains by 1993. Two pairs of trains are thereby drawn by steam locomotives, the other two ( early and late train ) driven with a diesel railcar.
Between Drei Annen Hohne and Wernigerode, the distance to the maximum link utilization in the network of HSB. Reason is the significant tourist steam trains of the relation - Wernigerode Drei Annen Hohne chunks.
In the years 2009/2010, a new building of a branch line from misery to brown situation was discussed (see South Harz Railway ). The project was abandoned on 29 April 2010 because of the high (operating) costs.
Freight traffic
Between Nordhausen and Unterberg the only remaining freight the Harz narrow gauge railways takes place: From Hartsteinwerk Unterberg ( Selketalbahn ) are transported regularly standard gauge ballast car on dollies to the transfer station in Nordhausen. This, two rebuilt diesel locomotives of Class 199.8 are available which train and have shock devices for standard gauge freight cars at the appropriate height.
Operating facilities
In Wernigerode and Nordhausen are the Lokeinsatzstellen the Harzquerbahn ( Wernigerode also Brockenbahn, Nordhausen and trains the Selketalbahn ). From there, the daily use of cars, including the necessary additional work done.
Larger maintenance activities are carried out in the central depot of the HSB in Wernigerode - Westertor. This includes the complete (deadline ) studies and other repair work (except main examinations). In Westerntor station boiler water samples are taken from each cross-feed. For those interested, guided tours of the depot Westerntor. Despite some modern technology, this is still a typical steam engine workshop.
For weather- protected parking the car sets a large wagon shed was set up together with wash on the former transfer station Wernigerode.
Rolling stock
A locomotive list is located in Article Harz narrow gauge railways.
Gallery
Steam train in snowy Benneckenstein Station
Steam locomotive 99 222 ( standard design ) in the place of use Wernigerode
Train meeting steam tram in Ilfeld
Panorama over the Lokeinsatzstelle Wernigerode ( left) and the Wernigerode station ( right)