Vogtlandbahn

Gerhard Knöbel

The Vogtlandbahn GmbH (VBG ) is a German railway company based in Neumark ( Saxony), originally provided transport services in the Vogtland, but now also acts nationwide. The Vogtlandbahn is a company of " Regentalbahn - Countries train" which (formerly Arriva Germany ) belongs to the Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiary Netinera.

The Vogtlandbahn is a member of the collective organization of the federal treasury and non-federally owned railways in Germany ( TBNE ).

History

After German reunification in 1990, the ridership in rail passenger transport ( regional rail ) were in the Vogtland region as well as in most other regions of the new federal states declined sharply since the German Reichsbahn soon no longer arrived with outdated locomotives and coaches against the more and more rehabilitated roads. Therefore, the Free State of Saxony decided to an extensive increase the attractiveness of rail lines Zwickau - Falkenstein - Klingenthal and Herlasgrün - Falkenstein - Adorf ( Route number 539 ), which should be to SPNV model lines. So the track were the infrastructure manager DB Netz with financial support from the Free State of Saxony continuously renewed and prepared for speeds of 80 km / h, and the existing stations accessible rebuilt and furnished new stations. However, several tracks were rationalized due to high maintenance costs, stations like the the ski resort Schoeneck were converted to simple breakpoints.

Part of the pilot project was the re-allocation of regional rail services through a competitive project. Were required in addition to new vehicles noticeable clock schedules and optimized transfer connections between modes. From the invitation to tender issued in September 1994, the Regen Train -GmbH emerged from the Bavarian Viechtach emerged as the winner. You could begin operation after completion of the remedial measures on 23 November 1997. On 1 January 1998, the formerly run only as an operating part of the Regen Train -GmbH Vogtlandbahn was founded as an independent company under the umbrella of the provincial railroad group.

In contrast to the previously running trains of Deutsche Bahn, the occupancy rate has a very positive development since the takeover of operations by the Vogtlandbahn. In the spring of 1998 could therefore be started with the construction of its own depot in Neumark, which was opened after two years of construction on 4 July 2000. The previously used old railway depot in Reichenbach was then no longer needed.

Another success was the expansion of operations in the Zwickau town center ( Zwickau model). Following the example of the "Karlsruhe model " since 28 May 1999, the trains on the Zwickau Hauptbahnhof addition to the vicinity of the main central market. Since the route network of the Vogtlandbahn is predominantly non- electrified, the trains - unlike in Karlsruhe - not with the power of streetcar, but with her usual diesel engine. Between the main railway station and the bus stop " town hall " a former connecting line was reactivated to link from there to the stop " center " take the tram and Vogtlandbahn a common route. The stops " coal plant " and " Saarstraße " However operated by tram. Due to the different gauges of railway and tramway tracks a three -rail track was laid on the common route, the tram runs on 1000 mm, Vogtlandbahn is 1435 mm. Because Tramway was built at this time only, was already one third rail and a larger distance between track centers to be planned from the beginning, so that later modifications accounted for.

In the following years, the Vogtlandbahn won several contracts, and as expand its route network strong. Due to the location of the Vogtland near the borders of Bavaria and Thuringia, the expansion has gone even beyond the Saxon borders, such as to Hof, Schleiz and Gera. But the near Czech Republic, at that time an EU candidate country, has been recognized as a new market. So the line Zwickau- Klingenthal from the initial mesh at the beginning of the summer schedule in 2000 after 55 years of division extended beyond the German -Czech border to Kraslice ( Graslitz ), individual trains from 2003 until after Sokolov ( Sokolov ) at the Egertalbahn. The timetable change on 14 December 2003, the Vogtlandbahn was operating the route Gera - Weida - Zeulenroda - Mehltheuer to DB Regio AG from and received the total traffic on the Elstertal train Gera - Greiz- Weischlitz that they previously only in alternation with the Germans railway had operated. Large range gains could book the Vogtlandbahn in Bavaria. After the extension of the line Zwickau - Plauen - Bad Bramstedt about the Czech Cheb ( Eger) Marktredwitz was also the line Plauen - Hof first be extended until June 10, 2001 from Regensburg to Weiden and from 15 December 2002.

The timetable change on December 8, 2006, the Vogtlandbahn had to give up the first time without replacement, the operation of a route. Between Schoenberg and Schleiz recourse had not developed positively, so that the transport service company Thuringia was not ready as competent transport authorities to appoint a further operation. A connection with the few months previously agreed reduction of regionalization funds did not exist, since the closure was provided before. In contrast, the Vogtlandbahn in northeastern Bavaria could turn to gain traffic. On behalf of DB Regio Northeast Bavaria since December 2006 trains Vogtlandbahn on the routes (Hof - ) Munchberg - Helmbrechts and Lichtenfels - New Market - Wirsberg, partly beside the Deutsche Bahn, but also as the sole supplier, the regional rail transport in use.

In the fall of 2004, the Free State of Bavaria sold his majority stake in the country train to the British Arriva group of companies. After 2010, Arriva was acquired by Deutsche Bahn, Germany, the business had to be sold on competition grounds. The new owner is the Italian Ferrovie dello Stato, together with the Luxembourg infrastructure fund Cube. Since March, the German umbrella company is called 2011 Netinera.

The core network Vogtlandbahn in Vogtland, Saxony West and East Thuringia was re-tendered by the PTAs in the spring of 2010. The competition's Competition Network " Vogtland " includes the lines Hof - Falkenstein - Adorf, Marianske Lazne - Plauen whether Bf - Zwickau center, Weischlitz - Gera Zwickau Center - Kraslice with 3.16 million train kilometers per year. The Vogtlandbahn could decide for themselves, so that the traffic in the Vogtland will be until December 2027 continue to be conducted in December 2012 by this company this tender in September 2010. Here, Regio -Shuttle, Desiros and after electrification Hof - Reichenbach and electric railcars are used.

With the timetable change on December 8, 2012 ended the scheduled passenger train traffic between Zwotental and Adorf, the last only held on weekends.

Line network

In the current year schedule following ten lines are served by the Vogtlandbahn

( Mandaubahn )

Between Zwickau, Falkenstein and Klingenthal, Kraslice and between Falkenstein and Plauen trains run mainly in one - hour intervals. Only at the weekend the offer is temporarily reduced to the 2- hour intervals on these sections.

From the timetable change on 14 December 2014, the Vogtlandbahn trains also run on railway lines Dresden - Görlitz and Dresden - Zittau ( - Liberec). Currently operates on these routes DB Regio southeast. In March 2014, the ZVON announced that these lines are operated in the so-called Ostsachsennetz by Vogtlandbahn also under the brand Trilex. The regional express lines are then called TLX 1 and 2, the regional rail lines as TL 60 and 61. The previous Trilex route is then referred to as TL 70.

The lines VB 3 and VB 8 are operated from the timetable change on 14 December 2014, the Group sister Regentalbahn, who won the 2011 tender regional trains Eastern Bavaria the Bavarian Railway Company.

The from Zwickau and Hof - Plauen next multiple units of the lines VB 1 and VB 5 wrong earlier as a unit to Zwotental where they were ( " winged " ) again separated and separately continued their journey to Kraslice or Adorf. The same thing happened in the opposite direction. This had the advantage that the section Falkenstein - as many passengers could be transported Zwotental twice. In addition, the coupling together of both trains offered the operational advantage that no two paths had to be ordered for these vehicles as well as a driver alone could drive the two coupled vehicles.

The trains of the line VB 2 drove between 12 December 2004 and the December 13, 2008 every two hours until the Zwickau city center, this rounds began or ended already in Adorf and were driven railcars of type " RegioSprinter ". The trains, which depart from Zwickau to in the Czech Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), began and ended still in Zwickau Hauptbahnhof, because they were driven railcars of type " Desiro " higher due to their weight and the lack of equipment not designed for BOStrab operation are suitable in the city center. The core section of the line from Zwickau Hauptbahnhof to Adorf was therefore operated hourly, the outer branches to Zwickau center and Marianske Lazne every two hours.

Rolling stock

Because at the time of entry into operation of the Vogtlandbahn was only fairly limited range of different vehicle types from the industry, it was decided to procure lightweight trains of the type " RegioSprinter " of Duewag, who had previously been ordered by the Duerener circular path. First eight trainsets were in a first series from 1996 procured, in a second series in the summer of 1997, ten more trains so that the beginning of the scheduled operation, a total of 18 RegioSprinter available. Between 1998 and 1999, the ten vehicles of the second series for the operation on the downtown line in Zwickau were rebuilt. They were given according to rules of procedure of the trams ( BOStrab ) side turn signals, brake lights and warning bells. They were also equipped with signal interference to be - as well as the tram - to activate the lights and can not be affected by road traffic. In 2004, the remaining eight trainsets from the first series were converted accordingly to allow more trains to ride in the Zwickau city center. The RegioSprinter are primarily suitable for operation over shorter distances, as they have a 2 3 seating with thinly padded seats and only reach a maximum speed of 120 km / hr. In its initial state, the vehicles also had no toilet, for the cross-border traffic to the Czech Republic all railcars were later retrofitted accordingly. The RegioSprinter operate as planned on the lines of VB 1, VB 5 and half on the second VB they Schoenberg Schleiz ( line VB 7) were also used to December 2006 on the now disused track. In 2006, two railcars were awarded to long-term Prignitzer Eisenbahn GmbH, which used them in the room Oberhausen.

In 2000, the Vogtlandbahn procured in response to their business expansion nine railcars of type " Desiro Classic" by Siemens Transportation Systems. The vehicles that run at Deutsche Bahn under the series number 642 are also suitable for longer distances. In contrast to the regions sprinters found here a more comfortable seating arrangement in the 2 2 with thick padded seats use. In addition, a compartment was performed 1 2 as first class in the seats and installed a toilet system. Compared to the identical railcars of Deutsche Bahn Desiros Vogtlandbahn inter alia with a ticket machine, sliding steps were fitted in the entrance areas and emergency brake. In two other series 15 railcars were purchased in 2002 again. While the first series analogous to the DB trains via a motor power of 2 × 275 kW decreed (2 x 374 hp), 315 kW (2 x 429 hp ) were built in the following series motors with 2 × to also sometimes gradient -rich sections of the to be able to navigate the route network unhindered. The Desiros come down to their lines VB 3, VB 4, half on the VB 2, on the TLX as well as Vogtland- Express used.

As of February 2012, the inflow of new railcars of the type Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1, which were procured for the rejuvenation of the vehicle population began. The railcars meet the requirements of BOStrab to operate the route in the Zwickau center of balance. The timetable change on December 9, 2012, eight new railcars were put into operation.

Trilex

Since 12 December 2010, the Vogtlandbahn serves some routes in eastern Saxony. It was founded in 2009 as the winner in a German -Czech tender for three public transport organizing authorities for the operation of the three-country train Liberec-Zittau-Varnsdorf-Rybniště/Seifhennersdorf forth. For use railcars arrive, the Desiro series, which are staffed with bilingual board staff. This transfer-free connections from Liberec to Seifhennersdorf or Rybniště been created which operate in 1 -hour intervals between Liberec and Varnsdorf and in 2 -hour intervals between Varnsdorf and Seifhennersdorf or Rybniště. There is also a 30 -minute intervals between Liberec and Hradek nad Nisou in the rush hour.

The marketing name Trilex (proper spelling: TRILEX ) was launched in October 2010 as the winning proposal of a naming contest the Vogtlandbahn produced and is available for three countries Express. The first half tri name is attributed to the Greek prefix for three. This represents the three countries Germany, Czech Republic and Poland, through which trains run. The second half of the name goes back to the name of philosophy Vogtlandbahn because another such marketing name already had arisen previously with Alex.

As of December 2014, the Vogtlandbahn also operates the routes Dresden - Görlitz and Dresden - Zittau - Liberec ( Ostsachsennetz ) under the name Trilex. The names of half tri is then also available for the three regions of Dresden Elbe Valley, Upper Lusatia and the upper valley of the Lusatian Neisse.

Alex

From an experiment conducted in 2005 competition proceedings of the Bavarian Railway Company, the state railway emerged in October of the same year with the Arriva Provincial Railroad Express as the winner. The tender project included a " regional rapid transit " in the two- hour intervals from Munich via Regensburg to Schwandorf, from where trains will continue each every four hours alternately to Hof and Furth im Wald their journey. Similarly, the countries could track the re-tendering of the operation on the route Munich - Kempten - Oberstdorf / Lindau decide for themselves that they already since December 2003 under the brand name " Allgäu- Express" operated jointly with the Swiss SBB GmbH. For the new traffic Vogtlandbahn has bought 90 cars passenger cars, of which 60 pieces in Halberstadt and Neumünster were modernized. Since the timetable change 2009, seven double-deck coaches are also in use which have been manufactured in Bautzen. These cars come as single cars only on the northern branch of Munich to Hof used. Eleven diesel locomotives BR 223, of the type € Runner by Siemens Transportation Systems in use, which were leased by the company Angel Trains Europa to the Vogtlandbahn for the cover of the trains between Oberstdorf / Lindau and Munich as well as between Regensburg and yard / Plzeň. For the electrified section Munich - Regensburg four additional locomotives from Siemens type ES64U4 were (corresponds to the ÖBB 1216 ) leased and classified as BR 183. In contrast to ÖBB 1216 locomotives of the BR 183 do not have a DC power equipment. These trains are serviced completely at the new plant of the provincial railroad in Schwandorf. Since the takeover by the FS of the train is marketed only as alex.

Vogtland- Express

From June 2005 to October 2012 provided the Vogtlandbahn one of the few private railways to a train in the distance rail passenger transport. The connection from Plauen to Berlin and back is frequented once a day. The Vogtlandbahn filled the gap that had emerged since the cessation of the last inter -regional trains from the Vogtland to Berlin and the region adopted the North-South Highway. From 16 February 2009 to 7 April 2009, the Vogtland Express was temporarily discontinued for economic reasons, took his journey, however, on 8 April 2009 again.

Since January 2011, the Vogtland- Express perverted as a rail replacement bus service (ETS ), as the Vogtlandbahn were no corresponding railcars available. The SEV - bus drove by Reichenbach ( Vogtl ) about Zwickau (Sachs ) Hbf, Chemnitz Hbf and Berlin- Schönefeld Airport to Berlin Zoologischer Garten. The timetable change of the Vogtland- Express has been partially converted back to railcars from 12 June 2011. October 1, 2012, the Vogtland- Express operates daily only as a remote bus from Plauen Reichenbach im Vogtland, Zwickau, Chemnitz, Bahnhof Berlin -Schoenefeld Airport, Berlin Zoological Garden to the central bus station at Berlin Radio Tower and back.