Drachenfels Railway
Encyclopedia
The Drachenfels Railway or Drachenfelsbahn is a rack railway
line in the North Rhine-Westphalia
region of Germany
. The line runs from Königswinter
to the summit of the Drachenfels
mountain at an altitude of 289 m (948.2 ft).
The line is 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) long and has a rail gauge
of . It is a rack railway
, using the Riggenbach design to overcome a height difference of 220 m (721.8 ft) and a maximum gradient of 20%. The line is electrified, with overhead supply
at 750 V DC
. The service is operated with a fleet of four four-wheel
electric railcar
s, built in Rastatt
between 1955 and 1960, plus a fifth identical railcar built by the railway itself in 1979. The railcars were modernised by SLM
in 1998-9 and can operate either singly or in pairs.
The line opened, with steam traction, on July 13, 1883. It was converted to electric traction in 1953, with steam trains retained for use in times of peak traffic. On September 14, 1958 the railway suffered a serious accident when a steam train derailed, resulting in 17 deaths and ending the use of steam on the line.
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
line in the North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
region of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The line runs from Königswinter
Königswinter
Königswinter is a town and summer resort in the Rhein-Sieg district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, opposite to Bonn, at the foot of the Siebengebirge.- Main sights :...
to the summit of the Drachenfels
Drachenfels (Siebengebirge)
The Drachenfels is a mountain in the Siebengebirge mountain range near Bonn, Germany. The ruined castle atop the mountain bears the same name...
mountain at an altitude of 289 m (948.2 ft).
The line is 1.5 km (0.93205910497471 mi) long and has a rail gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of . It is a rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
, using the Riggenbach design to overcome a height difference of 220 m (721.8 ft) and a maximum gradient of 20%. The line is electrified, with overhead supply
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
at 750 V DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
. The service is operated with a fleet of four four-wheel
Wheel
A wheel is a device that allows heavy objects to be moved easily through rotating on an axle through its center, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Common examples found in transport applications. A wheel, together with an axle,...
electric railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s, built in Rastatt
Rastatt
Rastatt is a city and baroque residence in the District of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of around 50'000...
between 1955 and 1960, plus a fifth identical railcar built by the railway itself in 1979. The railcars were modernised by SLM
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works were a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur in Switzerland...
in 1998-9 and can operate either singly or in pairs.
The line opened, with steam traction, on July 13, 1883. It was converted to electric traction in 1953, with steam trains retained for use in times of peak traffic. On September 14, 1958 the railway suffered a serious accident when a steam train derailed, resulting in 17 deaths and ending the use of steam on the line.