Geislinger Steige
Encyclopedia
The Geislinger Steige is an old trade route over the low mountain range of the Swabian Jura in southern Germany
. It links Geislingen an der Steige
with Amstetten
and is one of the most famous ascents in the Jura. The name "Geislinger Steige" refers both to:
The ramp is 5.6 km long and climbs a height of 112 m. It has an incline of 1:44.5, which is 22.5 ‰ or 2.25 %. The curve radius in places is less than 300 m, with a minimum of 278 m. This section of the line is therefore built in accordance with the standards for mountain railway
s.
– at that time the final destination for shipping on the river Neckar
- to Friedrichshafen
on Lake Constance
, the first railway line in Württemberg
. The biggest difficulty to the construction was the unfavourable topography, because the Swabian Jura had to be crossed between Geislingen and Ulm
. After various options had been investigated and discarded, it was finally decided to build a short, steep ramp at Geislingen: the Geislinger Steige.
The construction of the railway ramp was entrusted to senior engineer (Oberingenieur) Michael Knoll and master builder (Oberbaurat) Karl von Etzel, who had gained experience on the Brennerbahn through (South) Tyrol
. Construction begain in 1847 and the ramp was opened in 1850, around 3,000 workers having been employed. Closely linked to the building of the ramp is the firm of WMF (Württemberg Metal Factory) at Geislingen an der Steige.
(K.W.St.E.) as well as the Deutsche Reichsbahn
and Deutsche Bundesbahn
. In the steam locomotive age every train, even the Orient-Express, had to be assisted. As a result the railway stations at Geislingen an der Steige
and Amstetten
are correspondingly large.
For the banking locomotives on stand-by duty there was a depot (Bahnbetriebswerk
) with the necessary facilities.
In 1933 the line was electrified by the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft
. Electric locomotive
s were considerably more powerful than steam locomotives. That meant banking duties were reduced. For the remaining work locomotives of DRG Class E 93
(later 193) and DRB Class E 94 (194) were employed. Amongst others, they relieved the steam locomotives of DRG Class 59.
In the Deutsche Bundesbahn
era the trains were mainly hauled by standard electrics, the so-called Einheits-Elektrolokomotive
n including the DB Class 103
.
In February 1975 the so-called Gleiswechselbetrieb between Geislingen (Steige) and Amstetten was introduced. This means that both tracks can be used in either direction and enables, for example, slower trains to change tracks to allow faster trains to overtake. In March 1986 this was also brought in between Geislingen West and Geislingen (Steige). In 1987 Class 140
s (temporarily) and 150s replaced the Class 194s as pusher locomotives. The Class 150s have since been retired. Since 1991 banking duties have largely been done away with on passenger trains as a result of the introduction of the ICEs and more powerful locomotives (e. g. DBAG Class 101
, DB Class 120
). As before the InterRegioExpress (IRE) runs every two hours, which during the week is run four times a day with a Sprinter
with two Class 218
diesel locomotives; the rest of the time with Class 146.2, from Lindau to Stuttgart
and back. By hooking the banking engines up front and back, the least time is lost for passengers on the Geislinger Steige. As before, however, heavy goods trains are pushed. For Railion
trains (formerly DB Cargo) there are two DB Class 151
engines at Geislingen. Since increasingly private railway companies in Germany are transporting freight, private banking engines may also be encountered on the Geislinger Steige (e. g. Class 66
of the Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK).
Due to the steepness of the new line heavy trains will not be permitted to use it. As a result pusher services on the Geislinger Steige, which have been going for 150 years, will continue to be needed.
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...
. It links Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.-History:Although the area had settlements since the Bronze Age, Geislingen was founded by the counts of Helfenstein as a transit collection station on the important commercial route between the...
with Amstetten
Amstetten (Württemberg)
Amstetten is a municipality in Alb-Donau-Kreis, 20 kilometers north-west of Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-External links:*-References:...
and is one of the most famous ascents in the Jura. The name "Geislinger Steige" refers both to:
- The long-distance road between Geislingen an der Steige and Amstetten that has existed since Roman times and, today, is part of the B 10 road.
- The railway ramp forming part of the Filstalbahn, a section of the main line between MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
The ramp is 5.6 km long and climbs a height of 112 m. It has an incline of 1:44.5, which is 22.5 ‰ or 2.25 %. The curve radius in places is less than 300 m, with a minimum of 278 m. This section of the line is therefore built in accordance with the standards for mountain railway
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
s.
Planning and Construction
With the passing of the law affecting the construction of railways in 1843, the decision was effectively made to build a line from HeilbronnHeilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
– at that time the final destination for shipping on the river Neckar
Neckar
The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...
- to Friedrichshafen
Friedrichshafen
This article is about a German town. For the Danish town, see Frederikshavn, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Friedrichshafen is a university city on the northern side of Lake Constance in Southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.It is the district capital of the...
on Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
, the first railway line in Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
. The biggest difficulty to the construction was the unfavourable topography, because the Swabian Jura had to be crossed between Geislingen and Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
. After various options had been investigated and discarded, it was finally decided to build a short, steep ramp at Geislingen: the Geislinger Steige.
The construction of the railway ramp was entrusted to senior engineer (Oberingenieur) Michael Knoll and master builder (Oberbaurat) Karl von Etzel, who had gained experience on the Brennerbahn through (South) Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
. Construction begain in 1847 and the ramp was opened in 1850, around 3,000 workers having been employed. Closely linked to the building of the ramp is the firm of WMF (Württemberg Metal Factory) at Geislingen an der Steige.
Operations
Its operation was a challenge for the Royal Württemberg State RailwaysRoyal Württemberg State Railways
The Royal Württemberg State Railways were the state railways of the Kingdom of Württemberg between 1843 and 1920...
(K.W.St.E.) as well as the Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn was the name of the following two companies:* Deutsche Reichsbahn, the German Imperial Railways during the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the immediate aftermath...
and Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
. In the steam locomotive age every train, even the Orient-Express, had to be assisted. As a result the railway stations at Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.-History:Although the area had settlements since the Bronze Age, Geislingen was founded by the counts of Helfenstein as a transit collection station on the important commercial route between the...
and Amstetten
Amstetten (Württemberg)
Amstetten is a municipality in Alb-Donau-Kreis, 20 kilometers north-west of Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-External links:*-References:...
are correspondingly large.
Bahnbetriebswerk
A Bahnbetriebswerk is the equivalent of a locomotive depot on the German and Austrian railways. It is an installation that carries out the maintenance, minor repairs, refuelling and cleaning of locomotives and other motive power. In addition it organises the deployment of locomotives and crews...
) with the necessary facilities.
In 1933 the line was electrified by the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft
Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn was the name of the following two companies:* Deutsche Reichsbahn, the German Imperial Railways during the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the immediate aftermath...
. Electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s were considerably more powerful than steam locomotives. That meant banking duties were reduced. For the remaining work locomotives of DRG Class E 93
DRG Class E 93
The DRG Class E93 is an electric heavy freight locomotive built by AEG for Deutsche Reichsbahn's in 1933. Its development was triggered by the electrification of the Geislinger Steige, a steep grade of the mainline railroad between Stuttgart and Ulm, which had been electrified in 1933 and required...
(later 193) and DRB Class E 94 (194) were employed. Amongst others, they relieved the steam locomotives of DRG Class 59.
In the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
era the trains were mainly hauled by standard electrics, the so-called Einheits-Elektrolokomotive
Einheits-Elektrolokomotive
Einheits-Elektrolokomotive is a German railroad term for the Class E10, Class E40, Class E41 and Class E50 locomotives that were commissioned after World War II by the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany...
n including the DB Class 103
DB Class 103
The Baureihe 103 is a class of electric locomotives in Germany, originally operated by Deutsche Bundesbahn. For a long period, they were perceived as flagships of the DB rolling stock.- Development :...
.
In February 1975 the so-called Gleiswechselbetrieb between Geislingen (Steige) and Amstetten was introduced. This means that both tracks can be used in either direction and enables, for example, slower trains to change tracks to allow faster trains to overtake. In March 1986 this was also brought in between Geislingen West and Geislingen (Steige). In 1987 Class 140
DB Class E 40
The Baureihe E 40 is a German Standard electric locomotive commissioned by the Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1955, designed for freight trains...
s (temporarily) and 150s replaced the Class 194s as pusher locomotives. The Class 150s have since been retired. Since 1991 banking duties have largely been done away with on passenger trains as a result of the introduction of the ICEs and more powerful locomotives (e. g. DBAG Class 101
DBAG Class 101
DBAG Class 101 is a class of three-phase electric locomotives built by Adtranz and operated by DB Fernverkehr in Germany. 145 locomotives were built between 1996 and 1999 to replace the 30-year old and aging Class 103 as the flagship of DB AG...
, DB Class 120
DB Class 120
The DB Baureihe 120 is a class of electric locomotives operated by DB Fernverkehr in Germany.-Background and design:The locomotives' prototypes, delivered in 1979 , were one of the first electric locomotives with three-phase motors. They were based on experiences made in the 1970s with...
). As before the InterRegioExpress (IRE) runs every two hours, which during the week is run four times a day with a Sprinter
Sprinter
Sprinter can refer to:in sport:* a person who participates in Sprint running* a cycling sprinter* Open-wheeled Sprint car racingmotor vehicles:* the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter , a cargo van...
with two Class 218
DB Class 218
The DB Class 218 are a class of 4 axle, diesel hydraulic locomotives acquired by the Deutsche Bundesbahn for use on main and secondary lines for both passenger and freight trains....
diesel locomotives; the rest of the time with Class 146.2, from Lindau to Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and back. By hooking the banking engines up front and back, the least time is lost for passengers on the Geislinger Steige. As before, however, heavy goods trains are pushed. For Railion
Railion
DB Schenker Rail is a European railway cargo carrier. The company was formed from the freight operating section of the Deutsche Bahn DB Cargo with the addition of various European rail freight operating companies.In December 2007 Railion became part of the DB Schenker logistics group, itself a...
trains (formerly DB Cargo) there are two DB Class 151
DB Class 151
The Class 151 is an electric heavy freight locomotive built for German Federal Railways between 1972 and 1978. They were built as a replacement to the aging Class 150, in order to cope with the increased requirements of this type of locomotive, in particular the desire of a 120 km/h top...
engines at Geislingen. Since increasingly private railway companies in Germany are transporting freight, private banking engines may also be encountered on the Geislinger Steige (e. g. Class 66
EMD Series 66
The Electro-Motive Diesel Class 66 is a series of Co-Co six axle diesel locomotives built by EMD for the European heavy freight market....
of the Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK).
Future
The top speed on the ramp is 70 km/h. Trains with uncoupled banking engines climb the ramp at 60 km/h. In order to get rid of the bottleneck at Geislinger Steige a new high-speed line is being planned: the Wendlingen–Ulm high-speed railway, for speeds up to 250 km/h. It is intended to get round the height difference at Geislingen using two tunnels, each 8 km long. The still-outstanding financial risk cover was sorted out in July 2007. On the down side, plans for other sections of the new line have still not been finalised.Due to the steepness of the new line heavy trains will not be permitted to use it. As a result pusher services on the Geislinger Steige, which have been going for 150 years, will continue to be needed.
Source
- Karlheinz Bauer et al., Die Geislinger Steige – ein schwäbisches Jahrhundertbauwerk, Stadtarchiv Geislingen an der Steige, Geislingen an der Steige, 2000, ISBN
See also
- Royal Württemberg State RailwaysRoyal Württemberg State RailwaysThe Royal Württemberg State Railways were the state railways of the Kingdom of Württemberg between 1843 and 1920...
- Other famous south-German ramps: the Geislinger Steige and the Spessart RampSpessart RampThe Spessart Ramp is a 5.4 km long incline on the Main-Spessart Railway in southern Germany between Laufach at one end and the Schwarzkopf tunnel and Heigenbrücken at the other, with an average incline of 20 ‰...
Video
- Rund um die Geislinger Steige (105 min, alphaCam, Blaustein, 1988)
- 150 Jahre Geislinger Steige – Teil 1 (57 min, alphaCam, Blaustein, 2000) Ramp construction history, present-day railway operations
- 150 Jahre Geislinger Steige – Teil 2 (56 min, alphaCam, Blaustein, 2000) Nostalgia up to 25 years ago (E194/steam engines, etc.)
- 150 Jahre Geislinger Steige – Teil 3 (56 min, alphaCam, Blaustein, 2000) The 2000 celebrations with ceremony and special trips
External links
- History of the Geislinger Steige
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany