Marbach (Neckar) station
Encyclopedia
Marbach station serves the town of Marbach
in the German state of Baden-Württemberg
. It is the terminus for line S 4 of the Stuttgart S-Bahn
and Regionalbahn
trains from Backnang
. Until 1966, this was the starting point of the Bottwar Valley Railway (Bottwartalbahn), which ran all the way to Heilbronn
Süd station.
as part of a new east–west link from the Bavaria
n border at Crailsheim
to the Baden
border at Mühlacker
. The town council of Marbach had long petitioned the government for a connection to the railway network, which the new line would provide. Construction began in 1875. A huge iron truss viaduct with sandstone pillars was built over the Neckar
valley between Marbach and Benningen
. The station was built about half a kilometre northeast of the centre of the town. The station building, which is still preserved, was more impressive than the others on the line. The central building and its two side projections are three storeys high. The walls of the ground storey are built of sandstone and the upper storeys are brick. The freight shed, built at that time, also still exists.
On 8 December 1879, the railway line was taken into operation along with Marbach station. A short time later, the station was renamed Marbach (Neckar) to distinguish it from the station of Marbach (now in Villingen-Schwenningen
) in Baden on the Black Forest Railway.
Passenger traffic on the line was initially moderate, but increased in 1881 with the completion of the connection between Beihingen (now part of Freiberg am Neckar
) and Ludwigsburg
. Beihingen-Heutingsheim was considered as a possible starting point of the Bottwar Valley Railway, but Marbach’s advantages prevailed. The tracks of the narrow-gauge railway were on the northern side of the station. Its equipment included a turntable, a goods shed and a Rollbock facility for transferring standard gauge freight wagons. In 1894 the first trains ran to Beilstein and in 1900 the line was extended to Heilbronn Süd station. In 1906, a single storey extension was added to the station building on the eastern side to accommodate additional premises.
The largest crowd at the station was on June 1934 for the celebration of the 175th birthday of the poet and dramatist, Friedrich Schiller
, who was born in the town. A special train, called the Schiller-Zug, brought thousands of visitors to the festival, theatrical events and parades. It was a major part of the National Socialist solstice
celebrations, as Schiller was born on 10 November.
In the last days of World War II
retreating troops of the Wehrmacht blew up the Neckar River viaduct. Air strikes inflicted heavy damage to the Beihingen-Heutingsheim–Bietigheim section of the line. The Marbach–Bietigheim line was never restored to operation, as its reconstruction was not considered worthwhile. On 29 September 1966, Deutsche Bundesbahn
closed passenger services on the Bottwar Valley Railway. Although this line had once been one of the most heavily used narrow gauge railways in south western Germany, the trains were now replaced by buses. From 1968 freight traffic was abandoned north of Steinheim
. The line to Steinheim and the branch line to Marbach power station were standardised
.
In order to connect Marbach to the Stuttgart S-Bahn, the station was rebuilt and the line was electrified for the time being to Marbach. On 28 September 1980, S-Bahn line S 4 opened, allowing a direct connection to Stuttgart. In 1989, freight traffic was abandoned to Steinheim. Although the last section of the Bottwar Valley Railway to the junction with the line to the power station has never officially been closed, it is now overgrown by trees and shrubs.
From the end of 2011, Backnang will replace Marbach as the terminus of line S 4, making the Backnang–Ludwigsburg line passable again without changing trains. Deutsche Bahn
rebuilt the line and the stations between Marbach and Backnang for this project from December 2005. A plan to reactivate the Bottwar Valley Railway from Marbach to Beilstein that emerged in the 1990s is opposed by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the municipalities due to its high estimated cost and uncertain revenue.
line S 4 and a Regionalbahn
link to Backnang terminate here.
S-Bahn services towards Ludwigsburg start on platform track 1. Track 2 is used mostly by through trains or used by S-Bahn trains, which are then parked in the sidings at the back of the station. Regionalbahn services running towards Backnang on working days operate on track 3, the terminating track.
Marbach station is classified by Deutsche Bahn
as a category 4 station
.
Marbach am Neckar
Marbach am Neckar is a town on the river Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The nearest larger cities are Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart ....
in the German state of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. It is the terminus for line S 4 of the Stuttgart S-Bahn
Stuttgart S-Bahn
The Stuttgart S-Bahn is a suburban railway system serving the Stuttgart Region, an agglomeration of around 2.6 million people, consisting of the city of Stuttgart and the adjacent districts of Esslingen, Böblingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr. It consists of seven lines numbered S1 through S6 and...
and 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...
trains from Backnang
Backnang
Backnang is a town in Germany in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, roughly 30 kilometers northeast of Stuttgart. Its population has increased greatly over the past century, from 7,650 in 1900 to 35,761 in 2005....
. Until 1966, this was the starting point of the Bottwar Valley Railway (Bottwartalbahn), which ran all the way to Heilbronn
Heilbronn
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....
Süd station.
History
The Backnang–Bietigheim line was built by 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...
as part of a new east–west link from the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n border at Crailsheim
Crailsheim
Crailsheim is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, 32 km east of Schwäbisch Hall, 40 km southwest of Ansbach in the Schwäbisch Hall district, incorporated in 1338....
to the Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
border at Mühlacker
Mühlacker station
Mühlacker station is in the town of Mühlacker in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is at the junction of the Karlsruhe–Mühlacker line and the Western Railway. With its five platform tracks, it is the largest station in Enz district...
. The town council of Marbach had long petitioned the government for a connection to the railway network, which the new line would provide. Construction began in 1875. A huge iron truss viaduct with sandstone pillars was built over the 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...
valley between Marbach and Benningen
Benningen am Neckar
Benningen is a municipality in the district of Ludwigsburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.- History :By 85 AD, the Neckar-Odenwald line was the frontier of the Roman Empire. The Romans built the Limes Germanicus to secure this border. Along the border they built fortifications in regular...
. The station was built about half a kilometre northeast of the centre of the town. The station building, which is still preserved, was more impressive than the others on the line. The central building and its two side projections are three storeys high. The walls of the ground storey are built of sandstone and the upper storeys are brick. The freight shed, built at that time, also still exists.
On 8 December 1879, the railway line was taken into operation along with Marbach station. A short time later, the station was renamed Marbach (Neckar) to distinguish it from the station of Marbach (now in Villingen-Schwenningen
Villingen-Schwenningen
Villingen-Schwenningen is a city in the Schwarzwald-Baar district in southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It has 80,941 inhabitants .-History:...
) in Baden on the Black Forest Railway.
Passenger traffic on the line was initially moderate, but increased in 1881 with the completion of the connection between Beihingen (now part of Freiberg am Neckar
Freiberg am Neckar
Freiberg am Neckar is a town in the district of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Neckar, 18 km north of Stuttgart, and 4 km north of Ludwigsburg....
) and Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg station
Ludwigsburg station is in Ludwigsburg in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on the Franconia Railway and the Backnang–Bietigheim line. It is served by regional trains and the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Until 2005 the Ludwigsburg–Markgröningen lines also connected to the station...
. Beihingen-Heutingsheim was considered as a possible starting point of the Bottwar Valley Railway, but Marbach’s advantages prevailed. The tracks of the narrow-gauge railway were on the northern side of the station. Its equipment included a turntable, a goods shed and a Rollbock facility for transferring standard gauge freight wagons. In 1894 the first trains ran to Beilstein and in 1900 the line was extended to Heilbronn Süd station. In 1906, a single storey extension was added to the station building on the eastern side to accommodate additional premises.
The largest crowd at the station was on June 1934 for the celebration of the 175th birthday of the poet and dramatist, Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
, who was born in the town. A special train, called the Schiller-Zug, brought thousands of visitors to the festival, theatrical events and parades. It was a major part of the National Socialist solstice
Summer solstice
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
celebrations, as Schiller was born on 10 November.
In the last days of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
retreating troops of the Wehrmacht blew up the Neckar River viaduct. Air strikes inflicted heavy damage to the Beihingen-Heutingsheim–Bietigheim section of the line. The Marbach–Bietigheim line was never restored to operation, as its reconstruction was not considered worthwhile. On 29 September 1966, 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 '...
closed passenger services on the Bottwar Valley Railway. Although this line had once been one of the most heavily used narrow gauge railways in south western Germany, the trains were now replaced by buses. From 1968 freight traffic was abandoned north of Steinheim
Steinheim an der Murr
Steinheim an der Murr is a town in the district of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Murr, 9 km northeast of Ludwigsburg. The Steinheim Skull was found near Steinheim an der Murr....
. The line to Steinheim and the branch line to Marbach power station were standardised
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
.
In order to connect Marbach to the Stuttgart S-Bahn, the station was rebuilt and the line was electrified for the time being to Marbach. On 28 September 1980, S-Bahn line S 4 opened, allowing a direct connection to Stuttgart. In 1989, freight traffic was abandoned to Steinheim. Although the last section of the Bottwar Valley Railway to the junction with the line to the power station has never officially been closed, it is now overgrown by trees and shrubs.
From the end of 2011, Backnang will replace Marbach as the terminus of line S 4, making the Backnang–Ludwigsburg line passable again without changing trains. Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
rebuilt the line and the stations between Marbach and Backnang for this project from December 2005. A plan to reactivate the Bottwar Valley Railway from Marbach to Beilstein that emerged in the 1990s is opposed by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the municipalities due to its high estimated cost and uncertain revenue.
Operations
The station has two through tracks and a terminating track. Stuttgart S-BahnStuttgart S-Bahn
The Stuttgart S-Bahn is a suburban railway system serving the Stuttgart Region, an agglomeration of around 2.6 million people, consisting of the city of Stuttgart and the adjacent districts of Esslingen, Böblingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr. It consists of seven lines numbered S1 through S6 and...
line S 4 and a 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...
link to Backnang terminate here.
S-Bahn services towards Ludwigsburg start on platform track 1. Track 2 is used mostly by through trains or used by S-Bahn trains, which are then parked in the sidings at the back of the station. Regionalbahn services running towards Backnang on working days operate on track 3, the terminating track.
Marbach station is classified by Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
as a category 4 station
German railway station categories
About 5,400 railway stations in Germany that are owned and operated by the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Station&Service are assigned into seven categories, denoting the service level available at the station....
.
| Line | Route |
|---|---|
| Schwabstraße Stuttgart Schwabstraße station Schwabstraße underground station is in Stuttgart-West district, west of the centre of the German city of Stuttgart and was at the end of the first section of the Connection line , the original underground section of the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Several lines of the S-Bahn terminate at the station... – Hauptbahnhof Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof of the city of Stuttgart, the capital of the Land of Baden-Württemberg, in southwestern Germany. It is the largest regional and long-distance railway station in Stuttgart, the main node of the Stuttgart S-Bahn network, and, together with the halt at Charlottenplatz, the main... – Zuffenhausen Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen station Zuffenhausen station is a railway station of the Stuttgart S-Bahn in Zuffenhausen in the city of Stuttgart, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With its six platform tracks, it is one of the largest stations in Stuttgart.-History :... – Ludwigsburg Ludwigsburg station Ludwigsburg station is in Ludwigsburg in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on the Franconia Railway and the Backnang–Bietigheim line. It is served by regional trains and the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Until 2005 the Ludwigsburg–Markgröningen lines also connected to the station... – Marbach |
|
| align="center" | | Backnang Backnang Backnang is a town in Germany in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, roughly 30 kilometers northeast of Stuttgart. Its population has increased greatly over the past century, from 7,650 in 1900 to 35,761 in 2005.... – Kirchberg (Murr) Kirchberg an der Murr Kirchberg an der Murr is a town in the district of Rems-Murr in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.... – Marbach |