Nantenbach Curve
Nantenbacher curve ( also connecting curve Nantenbach ) is the name of a railway connecting curve that connects the Main-Spessart -Bahn with the high-speed line Hannover- Würzburg. From the direction of travel from Aschaffenburg to Würzburg the path forks, about five miles north-east of Lohr am Main, near the settlement Nantenbach (municipality Neuendorf ) of the Main-Spessart -Bahn from and turns into a wide curve in a southeasterly direction to the operating station Rohrbach without crossing einzumünden in the Rail Line Hanover -Würzburg.
- 5.1 Notes and references
Course
The route is 11.3 km long, continuous double track, electrified, equipped with automatic train and has many engineering structures: the Main valley bridge Nantenbach is followed by Schönrain tunnel that crosses the mill mountain tunnel of the high-speed line and three other tunnels. About 60 percent of the compound curve on the four tunnels with lengths of 526-3941 meters. The route overcomes a difference in altitude of 127 m ( branch Nantenbach is on 156 m, Betriebsbahnhof Rohrbach to 283 m) from the Main valley to the Marktheidenfelder plate and is consistently traced out with 12.5 ‰ slope. The minimum curve radius of 2650 m allowed a driving speed of 200 km / h The threading in the route to Aschaffenburg at up to 150 km / h At the beginning of the connecting curve the existing line from Aschaffenburg is it threaded drive- through with 130 km / h turnout.
The track center distance is 4.70 m.
From 11,017 m length are 6.449 m in the tunnel and 740 m on bridges. The track is on their full length in the Spessart Nature Park.
The route begins with kilometer 0.0 in the valley and ends with 10.741 kilometers with the threading in the upcoming new line of Hanover. A special feature is the branching with 200 km / h traffic speed switches in the operating station Rohrbach. The newly developed course is 154 meters long and 210 tons in weight; the length of the blades is 56 m. The Weichenpaar is today - in addition to the branch Saalbach, the Bitterfeld Train Station and the branch Kotte joke - one of four with 200 km / h branching navigable course pairs in Germany (as of December 2012).
The superstructure was largely carried out in slab track on asphalt base (type ATD, German asphalt). The transferred between the south portal of the tunnel Schönrain and the south portal of the Rammersbergtunnels road was the first application of the new superstructure system to this extent in Germany.
Vehicular importance
The track is used to relieve the congested links section Gemünden - Würzburg. Simultaneously, by the distance a separation of rapid passenger and freight traffic in the slow feed to Würzburg. Both measures of the busy section Gemünden -Würzburg is relieved. Between Gemünden, on the crossroads of the Main-Spessart Railway and the railway line Flieden - Gemünden, and Würzburg already reversed in 1990 an average of 218 trains per day in each direction; the capacity was designed for only 120 trains per day in each direction.
The Nantenbacher curve shortened in conjunction with the new track section Rohrbach -Würzburg the path length between Nantenbach and Würzburg by 9.3 km, from 45.5 km to 36.2 km, compared with the Main-Spessart -Bahn and allows a shorter journey times (as of 2005 schedule ) of about eleven minutes in long-distance passenger traffic.
After realizing the Mottgers brace the load on the route will decline in the long term.
History
Planning
The regional planning process for the new routes section between Gemünden and Würzburg, including Nantenbacher curve was initiated on 17 September 1975. In May 1976, a first Trassierungsentwurf for the section between the border between Hesse and Bavaria and Wurzburg was present ( later construction Km 250-311 ). On June 21, 1978, the Federal Minister of Transport issued the permit in accordance with 14 ( 3) BBG.
On February 25 In 1980, the project group Hanover - Würzburg Süd, the southern stretch of the new line planned for the Railway Board Nuremberg, the order to advance the development of distance between Gemünden and Aschaffenburg. Addition to the construction of a tunnel in the area at the Spessart ramp herein particularly the Nantenbacher curve was included. The then Federal Railroad calculated at this time not with significant objections and therefore gave a quick settlement possible. On May 20, 1981, the regional planning process for the high-speed railway section between Gemünden and Würzburg, including Nantenbacher curve completed.
In the early 1980s, was a planned rail line Aschaffenburg Gemunden, the (10 km ) and a 18 km long bypass the steep section with the Schwarzkopf tunnel consisting of the compound curve Nantenbach -Rohrbach. As part of the 28.0 km long and navigable with 200 km / h route 7 tunnels with a total length of 11.0 kilometers should arise.
The Nantenbacher curve should initially go with the Rail Line Hanover -Würzburg in 1991 in operation. When the new lines - part piece Fulda -Würzburg went into operation in the summer of 1988, the route for the Nantenbacher curve were in operation station Rohrbach already prepared and set up their signals, although the associated rails were still missing. The junction structure with the high-speed line was already created in the wake of new lines construction work in the 1980s in the shell.
Early 1984 was expected with the introduction of the plan approval procedure for mid-1984. After four years in the planning phase of the planning decision was issued in the fall of 1988. However, following complaints there were further delays. According to the former German Federal Railroad planned construction time could be reduced from five to four years by " a consistent streamlining the workflow ."
From 1985, a citizens' initiative had tried to prevent the construction of the Main valley bridge Nantenbach. In October 1988, the city Gemünden rose beyond action against the Nantenbacher curve. The city government questioned the necessity of the curve, because the more distance until Aschaffenburg, contrary to earlier plans should not be expanded. Were praised General later, the inclusion of the compound curve in the landscape and perceived as fair cooperation in the planning and construction phase.
Construction
Construction finally began in March 1990 ( Other source: May 1991).
The excess mass from the tunnel ( 800,000 m³) were used partly for the new dam in the Main valley, partly deposited in a former quarry and in Kalburger dam near Rohrbach.
To coincide with the curve Nantenbacher a new bypass the main road was designed and built for 26 Nantenbach. The planning of the State Road 26 had, compared to the initial state of planning from 1970, be adjusted in early 1977 due to the planned railway line.
Commissioning
The line was opened in June 1994 in operation and built as part of the former rail line project Hanau -Rohrbach. The originally planned for 1995 opening was preferred due to the increasing volume of traffic during the German reunification. This also includes the construction contracts were renegotiated.
During the construction phase, the Aschaffenburg - Gemündener railway line and the main road were laid 26.
The construction costs were about 330 million marks indicated ( approximately 168 million euros ) in 1991.
Traffic
2005 sailed daily 32 trains of long-distance passenger traffic and about 60 freight trains in both directions, the compound curve.
Main Bridge
North portal of the tunnel Schönrain
North portal of the Ständelbergtunnels
ICE to Wurzburg
Auxiliary signal box (left) and high-speed switches in the operating station Rohrbach
South portal of the Rammersbergtunnels with ICE 3
The overtaking Rohrbach, in the opens the route is remote controlled from Würzburg out.
In the submitted 1987 operating program for the curve, the Federal Railroad went from 32 trains per day ( Aschaffenburg ) and 35 ( Würzburg ) depending on the half passenger and freight trains.