Ruhr–Sieg railway

The Ruhr -Sieg- route is a 106 km long double-track, electrified main line from Hagen to Siegen about Letmathe, Finnentrop and Kreuztal. The tunnel- rich route runs primarily through the valley of the Lenne and south of Altenhundem on the watershed between Lenne and victory.

History

In 1835 the construction of a horse-drawn railway of victories has been applied to the Ruhr by a committee established in Siegen for this purpose. The goal was to be able to transport the coal from the Ruhr cheaper and faster for smelting the winner country. The iron production in the winning country was very important for Prussia, because here more than 23 percent of the total production of pig iron and even 85 percent of the crude iron production of the state took place.

After the approval process dragged on the length, in 1851 by a now gegründetem in Hagen main committee rather than a horse-drawn tram requested a steam railway. Dispute, there was a long time about where exactly the line should fro. Initially, a distance of Hagen through the Volmetal was favored, and only later the lines was preferred by the Lenne and Hundemtal. A category of Olpe wanted to achieve a connection Olpes to the main route through the Biggetal, the two committees in Siegen and Hagen decided on the more easterly route through the Hundemtal because this was the shorter and thus cheaper.

With a state interest rate guarantee, the building was finally approved in 1856. Because especially the huts along the route promised economic growth, they participated partially in the financing, such as the Meggenerwerk and Würdinghauserhütte with 1,000 thalers, the Caroline Hut at 5000 thalers and finally the community Kirchhundem 2100 thalers. However, the hoped-for upturn initially did not take place, mainly because charcoal was taken to the winner country of the Sauerland and you could now have access to the cheaper coal. The highest point of the railway line to Hagen Haiger is Italians Ennest with almost 411 meters high.

Streckenbau

The construction of the line was from 1858 to 1861 under the direction of the Bergisch- Märkischen Railway Company and attracted some problems. On the construction of the tunnel in the Austrian engineer Franz von Rziha was involved, who had already worked on the construction of the Semmering Railway. Since narrow valleys had to be crossed, the company Borsig built as a special locomotive series 675, which was also designed for curves. First, the route was single track, but was expanded in 1870 to duality. The section from Hagen to Letmathe was opened on 21 March 1859 by the Letmathe to Altena on 17 July 1860 and finally the last section of Altena up victories on August 6, 1861. Previously, on 5 August 1861, the Ruhr-Sieg been dedicated railway solemnly. A while inserted pageant derailed while in Grevenbrück, but without injured were lost.

Stations were developed at all major towns, most notably the built Tudor-style stations Plettenberg, Grevenbrück and Kreuztal stood out creatively as atypical for the region ( today they are monuments ). Roundhouse with turntable existed since the commissioning in Letmathe ( 2 locomotives), Altena (6 locomotives ), Altenhundem (6 locomotives ), Kreuztal (2 locomotives ) and wins ( 9 locomotives ). The operating Finnentrop plant was only in the late 1870s in conjunction with the branch routes to Olpe and Wennemen. Together with Altenhundem it developed gradually become one of the operational centers of the Ruhr -Sieg line. Altemhundem was primarily of use of heavy freight locomotives for the pushing mode on the ramps to the breaking point in Italians - Ennest. The operation works in Letmathe and Kreuztal lost its importance because of its proximity to the major railway depots in Hagen and Siegen. Altena had already been abandoned in the early 20th century. In the course of electrification Altenhundem was abandoned and Finnentrop greatly reduced, here today stay only the railcar used on the route to Olpe.

Change in the course book number

The combination of Hagen was led to the revision of the Kursbuchnummen system in 1992 as a result of reunification as a continuous stretch until after casting under the name " Route number 360 ". In Siegen- Angsleah the time there was connection after victories and the victory line ( KBS 460) to Cologne.

Since the introduction of the basic interval Roadmap (NRW -stroke ) in 1998, all trains in the subject at Siegen, mostly with mutual connection. At least from this point on would have been impractical a name for a continuous connection to Giessen. The section of victories over Dillenburg and Wetzlar after casting is now referred to as dill route ( KBS 445 ).

Long-distance passenger traffic

As late as 1980 there was a continuous high-speed trains from Munich via Stuttgart and Frankfurt ( Main) and the Ruhr -Sieg- route to North dike Mole. There was also a coaches run from north dike -Mole to Friedrichshafen over the Ruhr -Sieg line. Traditional express train were Hagen, ( Iserlohn ) Letmathe, Altena, Finnentrop, ( Lenne urban) Altenhundem, Kreuztal and Hüttental - Angsleah (now renamed Siegen- Angsleah ).

Only an interlude made ​​the quick connection Mon-Fri with D810/811, the Dortmund association with Frankfurt aM in a travel time of less than three hours on the road just held in Siegen- Angsleah and Wetzlar and was formed from high-quality, otherwise run only in IC trains cars. This was faster than via Koblenz and along the Rhine. Since it was dependent on the resourcefulness of the course book reader, this primarily designed for business combination can be seen, it was soon discontinued.

After changing the distance rail passenger transport by express trains towards inter-regional trains in 1993 considered this regularly only in Hagen, Werdohl, Finnentrop, Altenhundem and Siegen- Angsleah. The distance rail passenger transport with several express services per day and later an inter-regional line of Münster (from summer 1999 Dusseldorf ) to Frankfurt ( Main ) has been set for the summer timetable 2001; only offered once daily pair of trains north dike Mole - Frankfurt accounted for a year later. Since this route is without long-distance transport.

Operating characteristics

Even today, heavy freight trains be pushed to Italians Ennest from Altenhundem with an additional locomotive. This then moves back to Altenhundem. Although the slope is only 12 ‰, but is very long, curvaceous and has accordingly frequent Geschwindigkeitswechel on. Prior to the electrification of the Ruhr -Sieg line almost all freight trains were nachgeschoben to Italians Ennest. Rare and trains were the Kreuz be pushed by Italians - Ennest.

In Letmathe Station RE and RB trains from Iserlohn and victories are merged and operate as a unit about Hagen, Witten, Bochum to Essen. In the opposite direction the trains are separated again in Letmathe station and then run separately after victories and Iserlohn.

Since setting the inter-regional line Frankfurt -Münster ( North dike Mole ) serves the twin greed mountain tunnel in Siegen, which connects the route with the dill track and on the circumvention of the Siegen main train station, only to freight. Due to further compound curves and branches in the area Hagen-Kabel and Hohensyburgstraße of goods between casting and the Ruhr can be performed without changing direction and by bypassing Hagen Hbf.

Expansion measures

The Ruhr -Sieg line ( Hagen- casting ) is a rail line (ABS ) conducted in the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan. Among all the projects fall until at least 2015. During the last years route remedial measures were undertaken (eg renewal of level crossings ), large range subareas have been on the electronic interlocking technology changed (rationalization reasons ) and it hit inferential measures, such as switches and track renewals, overhead line renewals and signal renewals. Also planned is an extension of tunnels for laying parts of the container freight from the Rhine routes to the Ruhr -Sieg line.

In addition, the Ruhr -Sieg line is listed as " second priority " in the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan. Here is the Ruhr -Sieg line - be eg by flattening the steep section Altenhundem - Italians Ennest reasons of rationalization, expanded - depending on the future development of the demand of rail freight.

In recent years, almost all stations of Altena to Siegen- Angsleah by the modernization drive of the Land of North Rhine -Westphalia (MOF) has been disabled rebuilt. In Finnentrop Station, the station building was demolished for this reason, in December 2007. There was a new, Platform same train -bus link.

In the future, every modernized train station, he is after performing the MOF, the name of the municipality in which, attached ( eg Littfeld to Kreuztal - Littfeld ). This also happens afterwards with other stations.

Schedule offered by

The Ruhr -Sieg line is in the passenger every hour

• By Regional-Express RE 16 (Ruhr -Sieg- Express ) with a through bond for food and
• Of the regional train RB 91 ( Ruhr-Sieg -Bahn ) operates.

All trains start their journey after 20 clock, are performed as RB 91 and serve all stations. The only exception: The launching daily at 20:15 clock train in Hagen is run as RE 16, because he is bound by food. But he also serves all stops to win. In off-peak times of the individual trips RB 91 are carried out with the train route Siegen- Finnentrop of the three-country track.

No special arrangement on weekends was since the timetable change 2007/2008 to the change in December 2013: The journeys of RB 91 accounted Saturdays from 16 and 17 clock to 20 clock and on Sundays all day to 20 clock, but instead held on Saturdays and Sundays the RE 16 in 2 -hour intervals alternately at the stations Meggen and Kirchhundem and Littfeld and oaks. Because of this scheme, the four stations on Saturday were served more often than on all other days.

The rail passenger transport is carried out since December 9, 2007 by Abellio Rail NRW, which uses two - and three-part electric railcar of type FLIRT on both lines. Previously passed the trains from one or two electric railcar of the DB series 425/435 and 426 ( "Ruhr -Sieg- Express" ) or push-pull trains of four n- Zug-/Schublok car with the DB Class 143 ( " Ruhr- victory -Bahn " ) of DB Regio NRW.

The Ruhr -Sieg line is also used by local rail freight. Important sidings exist in Kreuztal and Siegen- Angsleah, both of which are operated by the circular path of Siegen- Wittgenstein.