Elberfeld–Dortmund railway
Encyclopedia
The Elberfeld–Dortmund railway is a major German railway
. It is part of a major axis for long distance and regional rail services between Wuppertal
and Cologne
, and is served by Intercity Express, InterCity
, Regional Express, Regionalbahn
and S-Bahn trains.
This 56 km long line was the main line of the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company. It was opened in 1849 and has been redeveloped several times since and is now fully electrified.
had decided to build its route via Duisburg
rather than through the valley of the Wupper
river, the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company (German
: Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, BME) determined to build its own line through the Wupper valley, to create a link between the highly industrialised area of the Bergisches Land
with the east, particularly to connect with the Märkische coal fields, near Dortmund
. On 12 July 1844, it acquired a concession from the Prussia
n government for a rail link in the highly industrialised area of the Wupper valley and the Bergisch land. The line was opened from Döppersberg in Wuppertal to Schwelm
on 9 October 1847. It was extended to Hagen
and Dortmund
on 20 December 1848.
On 9 March 1849, Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company
's and the BME completed a line connecting the Elberfeld–Dortmund line with the Düsseldorf–Elberfeld line
, which connected Wuppertal-Steinbeck
to the Rhine at Düsseldorf and was completed in 1841. This line ran through the new Elberfeld station (now called Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof) and the nearby Döppersberg station was closed.
were gradually upgraded. Between 1900 and 1915 additional tracks were built for local traffic with the existing tracks being reserved for through trains. The first section of track was opened in 1911 between Unterbarmen
and Oberbarmen
, followed by the section between Elberfeld and Vohwinkel
opened on 10 April 1913. Two years later, the gap was closed between Elberfeld and Unterbarmen.
–Hagen
), the slow lines between Wuppertal-Vohwinkel and Wuppertal-Oberbarmen were incorporated into the S-Bahn line. On 29 May 1988 new sections of track were opened between Wuppertal-Oberbarmen and Linderhausen junction to the Schwelm–Witten line in the east and between Wuppertal-Vohwinkel and Dusseldorf Hbf in the west.
, which ran through the countryside of the northern Wupper valley and is now largely abandoned.
The S-Bahn line S8 from Hagen to Dusseldorf and Mönchengladbach uses sections of both routes, which are connected by a short section of the largely abandoned Witten-Schwelm line. The S-Bahn line S9 connecting Dortmund, Witten and Hagen (where it connects with S8) runs entirely on the historic BME route.
via Hamm, Hanover
, stopping at Wuppertal and Hagen. Additional InterCity
trains also operate between Cologne and Hamm on IC lines 31 and 55 every 2 hours.
The section of the line between Hagen and Wuppertal is served hourly by Regional-Express line RE 4 (Wupper-Express) between Dortmund and Aachen
via Dusseldorf, stopping at major stations. The line is also served hourly by line RE 7 (Rhein-Münsterland-Express) between Krefeld
and Münster via Cologne and Hamm and by line RE 13 (Maas-Wupper-Express) between Venlo
(Netherlands) and Hamm via Mönchengladbach. Various Regionalbahn
services also operate on the line.
Rail transport in Germany
, Germany had a railway network of 41,315 km. 19,857 km are electrified. The total track length was 76,473 km. Germany is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Germany is 80.-Overview:...
. It is part of a major axis for long distance and regional rail services between Wuppertal
Wuppertal
Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in and around the Wupper river valley, and is situated east of the city of Düsseldorf and south of the Ruhr area. With a population of approximately 350,000, it is the largest city in the Bergisches Land...
and Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, and is served by Intercity Express, InterCity
Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)
Intercity is the second-highest train classification in Germany, after the ICE. Intercity services are loco-hauled express services, usually over long-distances. There are Intercity routes throughout Germany, and routes generally operate with a two-hour frequency, with multiple routes giving a more...
, Regional Express, Regionalbahn
RegionalBahn
The Regionalbahn is a type of local passenger train in Germany.-Service:Regionalbahn trains usually call at all stations on a given line, with the exception of RB trains within S-Bahn networks, these may only call at selected stations...
and S-Bahn trains.
This 56 km long line was the main line of the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company. It was opened in 1849 and has been redeveloped several times since and is now fully electrified.
History
Since the Cologne-Minden Railway CompanyCologne-Minden Railway Company
The Cologne-Minden Railway Company was along with the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company and the Rhenish Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia.-Founding :The founding of the...
had decided to build its route via Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
rather than through the valley of the Wupper
Wupper
The Wupper is a right tributary to the Rhine river in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Rising near Marienheide in western Sauerland it runs through the mountainous area of the Bergisches Land Berg County and enters the Rhine at Leverkussen, south of Düsseldorf...
river, the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, BME) determined to build its own line through the Wupper valley, to create a link between the highly industrialised area of the Bergisches Land
Bergisches Land
The Bergisches Land is a low mountain range region within the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, east of Rhine river, south of the Ruhr. The landscape is shaped by woods, meadows, rivers and creeks and contains over 20 artificial lakes...
with the east, particularly to connect with the Märkische coal fields, near Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
. On 12 July 1844, it acquired a concession from the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n government for a rail link in the highly industrialised area of the Wupper valley and the Bergisch land. The line was opened from Döppersberg in Wuppertal to Schwelm
Schwelm station
Schwelm station is the most important station in the city of Schwelm in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. All regional and S-Bahn trains stop at the station. Long distance services pass through without stopping.-History :...
on 9 October 1847. It was extended to Hagen
Hagen Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the city of Hagen in western Germany. It is an important rail hub for the southeastern Ruhr area, offering regional and long distance connections....
and Dortmund
Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
is the central station for the city of Dortmund in Germany.The station's origins lie in a joint station of the Köln-Mindener Eisenbahn and Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn which was built north of the city centre in 1847. That station was replaced by a new station, erected in 1910 at the current site....
on 20 December 1848.
On 9 March 1849, Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company
Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company
The Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company was founded in October 1835 and officially recognised by a Prussian government statute on 23 September 1837. This gave the company a concession for the construction and operation of the 26 kilometre long Düsseldorf–Elberfeld line via Erkrath, Hochdahl and...
's and the BME completed a line connecting the Elberfeld–Dortmund line with the Düsseldorf–Elberfeld line
Düsseldorf–Elberfeld railway
The Düsseldorf–Elberfeld railway is a 27 km long main line railway in Germany, originally built by the Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company, connecting Düsseldorf and Elberfeld via Erkrath, Hochdahl and Vohwinkel...
, which connected Wuppertal-Steinbeck
Wuppertal-Steinbeck station
Wuppertal-Steinbeck station is a station on the Düsseldorf–Elberfeld railway in the city of Wuppertal in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The current station building was built in 1913 and it has been heritage-listed since 1991. It replaced an older station building that was built...
to the Rhine at Düsseldorf and was completed in 1841. This line ran through the new Elberfeld station (now called Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof) and the nearby Döppersberg station was closed.
Development of the Main Line
After the BME was nationalised, its main line between Düsseldorf and DortmundDortmund Hauptbahnhof
is the central station for the city of Dortmund in Germany.The station's origins lie in a joint station of the Köln-Mindener Eisenbahn and Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn which was built north of the city centre in 1847. That station was replaced by a new station, erected in 1910 at the current site....
were gradually upgraded. Between 1900 and 1915 additional tracks were built for local traffic with the existing tracks being reserved for through trains. The first section of track was opened in 1911 between Unterbarmen
Wuppertal-Unterbarmen station
Wuppertal-Unterbarmen station is located in the German city of Wuppertal in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is on the Düsseldorf–Elberfeld line and is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 4 station.-History :...
and Oberbarmen
Wuppertal-Oberbarmen station
Wuppertal-Oberbarmen station is a station in the city of Wuppertal in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was long an important railway junction, connecting to four railway lines...
, followed by the section between Elberfeld and Vohwinkel
Wuppertal-Vohwinkel station
Vohwinkel station is the most western station in the city of Wuppertal. It is placed in the district of Vohwinkel. It is a triangular station, built at a railway junction.-History:...
opened on 10 April 1913. Two years later, the gap was closed between Elberfeld and Unterbarmen.
Development for the S-Bahn
Following the establishment of the S-Bahn line S8 (MönchengladbachMönchengladbach Hauptbahnhof
is a railway station in the city of Mönchengladbach in western Germany.-Overview:The station is the largest railway station in the city and, along with Rheydt Hbf, one of the two Hauptbahnhof stations in Mönchengladbach...
–Hagen
Hagen Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the city of Hagen in western Germany. It is an important rail hub for the southeastern Ruhr area, offering regional and long distance connections....
), the slow lines between Wuppertal-Vohwinkel and Wuppertal-Oberbarmen were incorporated into the S-Bahn line. On 29 May 1988 new sections of track were opened between Wuppertal-Oberbarmen and Linderhausen junction to the Schwelm–Witten line in the east and between Wuppertal-Vohwinkel and Dusseldorf Hbf in the west.
Current situation
The line runs partly parallel with the tracks of the Wuppertal Northern Railway built by the Rhenish Railway CompanyRhenish Railway Company
The Rhenish Railway Company was along with the Cologne-Minden Railway Company and the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia.-Foundation :The...
, which ran through the countryside of the northern Wupper valley and is now largely abandoned.
The S-Bahn line S8 from Hagen to Dusseldorf and Mönchengladbach uses sections of both routes, which are connected by a short section of the largely abandoned Witten-Schwelm line. The S-Bahn line S9 connecting Dortmund, Witten and Hagen (where it connects with S8) runs entirely on the historic BME route.
Services
The line is also used every hour by Intercity Express line 10, connecting Cologne and BerlinBerlin Hauptbahnhof
' , is the main railway station in Berlin, Germany. It began full operation two days after a ceremonial opening on 26 May 2006. It is located on the site of the historic Lehrter Bahnhof, and until it opened as a main line station, it was a stop on the Berlin S-Bahn suburban railway temporarily...
via Hamm, Hanover
Hannover Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the city of Hanover in Lower Saxony, Germany.-History:The first station on the current site, a temporary building serving the line to Lehrte, was erected in 1843...
, stopping at Wuppertal and Hagen. Additional InterCity
Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)
Intercity is the second-highest train classification in Germany, after the ICE. Intercity services are loco-hauled express services, usually over long-distances. There are Intercity routes throughout Germany, and routes generally operate with a two-hour frequency, with multiple routes giving a more...
trains also operate between Cologne and Hamm on IC lines 31 and 55 every 2 hours.
The section of the line between Hagen and Wuppertal is served hourly by Regional-Express line RE 4 (Wupper-Express) between Dortmund and Aachen
Aachen Hauptbahnhof
Aachen Central Station is the train station for the city of Aachen, in the far west of Germany near the Dutch and Belgian border. It is the largest of the four currently active Aachen stations, and is integrated into the long-distance network.- History :...
via Dusseldorf, stopping at major stations. The line is also served hourly by line RE 7 (Rhein-Münsterland-Express) between Krefeld
Krefeld Hauptbahnhof
Krefeld Hauptbahnhof is the largest station of the city of Krefeld in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The double-track and electrified Duisburg-Ruhrort–Mönchengladbach railway and the Lower Left Rhine Railway cross at the station. A line to Rheydt formerly began at the station, but...
and Münster via Cologne and Hamm and by line RE 13 (Maas-Wupper-Express) between Venlo
Venlo railway station
Venlo is the railway station for the city of Venlo in the province of Limburg, The Netherlands. It is situated on the Maastricht–Venlo railway, the Viersen–Venlo railway, the Venlo–Eindhoven railway and the Nijmegen–Venlo railway....
(Netherlands) and Hamm via Mönchengladbach. Various Regionalbahn
RegionalBahn
The Regionalbahn is a type of local passenger train in Germany.-Service:Regionalbahn trains usually call at all stations on a given line, with the exception of RB trains within S-Bahn networks, these may only call at selected stations...
services also operate on the line.