Saarbahn

The Saarbahn Saarland is a regional rail service to the tram-train principle. It consists of a core route operated by BOStrab in Saarbrücken and bolt mountain, which connects the two routes operated by EBO Lebach - Völklingen in the north and in the south of Saarbrücken- Sarreguemines together. For the infrastructure of the downtown route and the northern portion of the EEO rail Saar GmbH is responsible, while the DB Netz AG and the French company RFF are competent railway infrastructure companies on the southern exterior route. As a railway transport company acts on the total distance the Saarbahn GmbH.

At the Saarbrücken city center the route, which opened in 1997 Saarbahn new line here corresponds essentially to the 1965 disused tram line 5 Saarbrücken. This ran between Rastpfuhl and sheep bridge and was the last line of the old meter-gauge network.

Prehistory

First reflections on the construction of a tram-train in and around Saarbrücken began in the 1990s. The bus service in the Saarbrücken city center at that time had a large density so that the vehicles partially reversed by the minute. Following the example of the already since 1992 with great success -driven Karlsruhe model began in Saarland with plans to build a regional rail. The core of the concept was to build a new inner-city railway line, on the outer branches, however, the existing railway infrastructure of Deutsche Bahn AG should be shared. As early as 1992 borrowed one then a light rail vehicle of the Stadtbahn Karlsruhe and made ​​him the route Fürstenhausen - fair ride station Saarbrücken - Gersweiler station.

Forward operation on the railway line Saarbrücken- Sarreguemines

Before the opening of Saarbrücken city center route existed between Saarbrücken Central Station and Hanweiler already a forward operation with Saarbahn vehicles. However, it was doing drove to the timetable of the locomotive-hauled push-pull trains previously used in this section, the management was commissioned by the Deutsche Bahn. This forward operation began on 29 September 1997 and ended on 24 October 1997, the opening day of the new route through downtown.

Commissioning of the downtown route

The real core of the Saar Railway - the new line between Brebach station and Ludwig street - was put into operation after nearly two and a half years of construction on 24 October 1997. Between Roman fort and Brebach station since there is a system separation point. This is a 90 -meter -energized overhead line section which is rolled up with zest, while the vehicle's electrical system automatically switches to the other system. The coming out of downtown Saarbahn railcars change it from 750 volts DC to 15,000 volts AC and run on Kleinblittersdorf to the Lorraine Sarreguemines. The French section from the border station Hanweiler was equipped with the German electricity system since 1983. The first light rail vehicle, which reached Saarguemines, was the two-system railcar 810 Albtal traffic -Gesellschaft ( AVG), who went there during a presentation ride on 11 September 1993.

North Extension

The expansion in the other direction took place in several stages. As from 31 July 1999 to Cottbus place from November 13th 2000 to Siedlerheim, from 24 September 2001 to bolt mountain south and from 26 September 2009 to Walpershofen / Etzenhofen. Other partners include the city of Saarbrücken, the community bolt mountain and, indirectly, the Saarland, on the up last disputed additional costs of approximately € 630,000 per year for the section Riegelsberg Süd-Walpershofen/Etzenhofen. On the former route of the Koller Valley Railway by Walpershofen and Dilsburg 2009 grubbing operations were carried out in January and February, the railway overpass in the center of Walpershofen was renewed in 2009 /10 and in the summer of 2011, the reactivation to Heusweiler market was largely completed. The control operation up there was taken on October 31, 2011.

Although since 2011 in Walpershofen a further exchange between BOStrab and EBO takes place, the current system is not changed there, because on the electrified specifically for the Saarbahn Koller Valley Railway will also run at 750 volts DC.

In August / September 2014 Lebach is to be achieved, where the Saar trains to continue on the Primstalbahn to Lebach - Jabach. Test drives will be carried out on the Heusweiler ↔ Lebach - Jabach section from January 2014.

The northern extension of the Saarbahn ins and in Köllertal is largely to two historic railway lines: From Saarbrücken by the Köllertaler forest and bolt mountain follows the Saarbahn to bolt mountain Güchenbach first the course of historical bars Berger Tram: From 1907, an overland tram of St. Johann / Saarbrücken Riegelsberg Heusweiler. The course was broadly in the today's federal highway 268, so led by Güchenbach over the stumps immediately after Heusweiler. The tramway was established in 1953, replaced by trolleybuses in turn in 1964 by buses with diesel engine. - The following is a small section between stops bolt mountain Güchenbach and Walpershofen / Etzenhofen that is without historical precedent. Here goes the Saarbahn in east-west direction along the Russians path ( L 267 ). - Immediately after the stop Walpershofen / Etzenhofen the Saarbahn reaches the route of the former Koller Valley Railway, on which it continues north through Walpershofen now moves to ( provisionally ) Heusweiler.

Operational concept

The current operational concept on the only scheduled served line, the 33.147 km long diameter line between S1 Heusweiler market and Sarreguemines, sees the day in the core area between Siedlerheim and Brebach station before a 7.5 -minute intervals. Originally even a five -minute intervals was planned for the downtown area, but this was rejected because it would have led to operational problems. In the sections Brebach - Kleinblittersdorf and Heusweiler market Siedlerheim a 15 -minute intervals and the section Kleinblittersdorf - Sarreguemines applies is every 30 minutes or every 60 minutes in the morning only served.

In the late rush hour, the clock is stretched in the city to 15 minutes, according to arise 30 - or 60-minute bars after Kleinblittersdorf or Heusweiler market and Sarreguemines. Morning as well as in professional and school transport and in the afternoon peak tractions are used, otherwise single vehicles. Daily conveys the Saarbahn approximately 40,000 people.

Rolling stock

Currently there are 28 cars of the Flexity Link in use, they are made by Bombardier in Vienna and Bruges. Six cars were temporarily loaned to Kassel; they ran there in the forward mode of RegioTram Kassel. The timetable change in December 2009, three vehicles were loaned to the Stadtbahn Karlsruhe and get there on the S9 line to use.

Tenth anniversary

On October 24, 2007, Saarbrücken City Railway celebrated its tenth company anniversary. Since inception more than 100 million passengers were transported, almost twice as many as originally planned. Thus, the Saarbrücken light rail has become a great success with a model; other cities in which the establishment of a light rail is being considered, based among other things at the Saarbrücken system.

Planning

The plans provide a route towards Schafbrücke. Another planning amounts to an expansion over Burbach to Völklingen, this planning is, however, put on hold since before mining damage must be removed. Other plans provide for an expansion of the University, the Rotenbühl, to Alt -Saarbrücken, Forbach and Mountain Ash. The construction work for these plans are for the time being until the completion of the line to Lebach - Jabach on ice.

Special lines

S2 ( exhibition line)

The show line perverse to 2006, during the Saarmesse and the world of family between the stop Roman fort and the prince Bahnhof in 30 -minute intervals. A further operation of the station was fair from 24th to May 28th, 2006 during the Catholic Day. Since then run to the fair special bus line 11E from Central Station. On the occasion of the 60th Saarmesse On 28 March 2009 to 5 April 2009, a re- operation of the Fair station by the Saarbahn in 60 -minute intervals was once funded by the Saarland Ministry of Economy. A to entry and exit in Prince Hausen, however, was no longer possible.

Behind the stop Ludwig Street downtown route is linked via a ramp, where there's another system separation point is, with the Rossel Valley Railway. It was the former, especially the coal trade to Warndt; after its closure and the Saarbahn operation is at risk. From Fürstenhausen to Warndt the overhead line has been dismantled.

S3 ( Warndtlinie )

The S3 line operated only in 60 -minute intervals during the annual Warndt Weekends. The line path was up to the prince Bahnhof the S2 identical. Then she followed the former DB line to the disused Warndt, due to the above mentioned catenary decommissioning but may no longer be offered this traffic. Your last trip was in 2005.

S9 ( replacement bus service at faults)

The S9 is a replacement line, which is operated only when the Saarbrücken city center route is not accessible (eg in brief malfunctions or for larger events such as target arrivals of Germany Tour or the Tour de France). The routes at the S9 follows from the direction of Sarreguemines Coming from the train station Brebach the classic route to Saarbrücken Central Station, your arrival is there a rule to track 6 The lines of the S9 thus corresponds to the above -mentioned Saarbahn - forward operation of 1997. Because that section of was stripped down to a track, the S9 can only run every 30 minutes.