Palatine Northern Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Palatine Northern Railways Company (Gesellschaft der Pfälzischen Nordbahnen) – abbreviated to Palatine Northern Railway (Pfälzer Nordbahn) - was founded on 17 April 1866 as the last of the three major private railway companies in the Bavarian province of the Palatinate.
From the outset it left the management and running of its railways to the Palatine Ludwigsbahn. Because the Ludwigsbahn company and the Palatine Maximilian Railway
had already built their railway networks in central and southern Palatinate, the Palatine Northern Railway was only left with the region north of the line Ludwigshafen–Kaiserslautern
–Homburg
for its area of operations. It began working on 22 September 1868 with the opening of the 29 km long Glan Valley Railway: Landstuhl
–Glan
-Münchweiler–Altenglan
–Kusel
.
On 1 January 1870 as it agreed to merge with the other two Palatine railway organisations into the managerial and operating company of the United Palatine Railways
, it also took over the entire shareholding of the Neustadt–Dürkheim Railway Company, whose railway line, opened in 1865, had been run by the Palatine Ludwigsbahn to that point in time.
The construction of the most important northern railway lines was then started:
On 1 January 1909 the company was nationalised and absorbed into the Royal Bavarian State Railways
.
From the outset it left the management and running of its railways to the Palatine Ludwigsbahn. Because the Ludwigsbahn company and the Palatine Maximilian Railway
Palatine Maximilian Railway
The Palatine Maximilian Railway - sometimes referred to as Maximiliansbahn or just the Maxbahn - is a railway line in southwestern Germany that runs from Neustadt an der Weinstrasse to Wissembourg in Alsace, France, with a branch from Winden via Wörth and the Maxaubahn to Karlsruhe.- Overview :It...
had already built their railway networks in central and southern Palatinate, the Palatine Northern Railway was only left with the region north of the line Ludwigshafen–Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
–Homburg
Homburg
-In Germany:* Homburg, Saarland, capital of the Saarpfalz district of Saarland* Bad Homburg, town and spa in Hesse* Homburg Forest, a hill range in Lower Saxony* Homburg, a quarter of Triefenstein, Bavaria...
for its area of operations. It began working on 22 September 1868 with the opening of the 29 km long Glan Valley Railway: Landstuhl
Landstuhl
Landstuhl , literally translating as "country-throne", is a municipality of over 9,000 people in southwestern Germany. It is part of the district of Kaiserslautern, in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and is home to the Sickinger Schloss, a small castle. It is situated on the north-western edge...
–Glan
Glan
Glan may refer to*Glan, Sarangani, a municipality in Sarangani, Philippines.*Glan , a river in Carinthia, Austria, tributary of the Gurk.*Glan , a river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, tributary of the Nahe....
-Münchweiler–Altenglan
Altenglan
Altenglan is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 5 km north-east of Kusel, and 25 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
–Kusel
Kusel
Kusel is a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, capital of the district of Kusel. It is situated approx. 30 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
.
On 1 January 1870 as it agreed to merge with the other two Palatine railway organisations into the managerial and operating company of the United Palatine Railways
Palatinate Railway
The Palatinate Railway or Pfalzbahn was an early German railway company in the period of the German Empire prior to the First World War. It was formed on 1 January 1870, as the United Palatinate Railway based in Ludwigshafen, by the amalgamation of the following railway companies:*The Palatine...
, it also took over the entire shareholding of the Neustadt–Dürkheim Railway Company, whose railway line, opened in 1865, had been run by the Palatine Ludwigsbahn to that point in time.
The construction of the most important northern railway lines was then started:
- The Alsenz Valley Railway - HochspeyerHochspeyerHochspeyer is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest , approx...
–Enkenbach–Langmeil–WinnweilerWinnweilerWinnweiler is a municipality in the Donnersbergkreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the upper course of the river Alsenz, approx. north-east of Kaiserslautern...
–Bad Münster (49 km) - ran on 29 October 1870 to Winnweiler and was completed on 16 May 1871. From AlsenzAlsenzThe Alsenz is a river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, a right tributary to the Nahe River. It rises in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, north-east of Kaiserslautern, flows generally north, and joins the Nahe in Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg. Its length is approx. 57 km. Towns along the Alsenz include...
station a narrow gauge line branched off to ObermoschelObermoschelObermoschel is a town in the district Donnersbergkreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Alsenz-Obermoschel. It is situated 15 km southwest of Bad Kreuznach....
(opened on 1 October 1903). - The Zeller Valley Railway (opened 23 October 1872) run from MarnheimMarnheimMarnheim is a municipality in the Donnersbergkreis district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....
to what became the Donnersbergbahn and enabled a link via HarxheimHarxheimHarxheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
-ZellZell-Austria:*Zell am See, in Salzburg state*Zell am Ziller, in Tyrol*Zell, Carinthia, in Carinthia*in Upper Austria:**Bad Zell**Zell am Moos**Zell an der Pram**Zell am Pettenfirst-Germany:...
to the Rhine-Hessian hub at MonsheimMonsheimMonsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
. - The Palatine Northern Railway from Neustadt an der WeinstraßeNeustadt an der WeinstraßeNeustadt an der Weinstraße is a town located in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With 53,892 inhabitants as of 2002, it is the largest town called Neustadt.-Etymology:...
, Dürkheim ran via FreinsheimFreinsheimFreinsheim is a town in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With about 5,000 inhabitants, it is among the state’s smaller towns...
–GrünstadtGrünstadtGrünstadt is a town in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with roughly 13,200 inhabitants. It does not belong to any Verbandsgemeinde – a kind of collective municipality – but is nonetheless the administrative seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Grünstadt-Land.- Location :The...
–Bockenheim–KindenheimKindenheimKindenheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
to Monsheim (22 km) along the present-day "wine road" (Weinstraße). On 15 October 1877 a cross-link from Freinsheim to FrankenthalFrankenthalFrankenthal is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, after the founder, as the Erkenbertruine — still stand today in the town...
(14 km) was added. - The Donnersberg Railway - Langmeil–Marnheim–KirchheimbolandenKirchheimbolandenKirchheimbolanden, the capital of Donnersbergkreis, is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, south-western Germany. It is situated approx. 25 km west of Worms, and 30 km north-east of Kaiserslautern. The first part of the name, Kirchheim, dates back to 774. It became a town in 1368, and the...
–AlzeyAlzeyAlzey is a Verband-free town – one belonging to no Verbandsgemeinde – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the fourth-largest town in Rhenish Hesse, after Mainz, Worms, and Bingen....
(35 km) appeared in 1873/74 and included the Kaiserslautern–Eselsfürth–Enkenbach section (13 km), which joined it on 15 May 1875. - The Eis Valley Railway (opened 24 June 1876) ran from Grünstadt via EbertsheimEbertsheimEbertsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
station to EisenbergEisenberg-In Germany:*Eisenberg, Thuringia, a town in the Saale-Holzland district, Thuringia.*Eisenberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, a town in the Donnersbergkreis, Rhineland-Palatinate.*Eisenberg, Bavaria, a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria.-In Austria:...
(9 km) with a branch from Ebertsheim Hp–HettenleidelheimHettenleidelheimHettenleidelheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
(4 km) opened in 1895. - The Lauter Valley Railway (taken into service 15 November 1883) - Kaiserslautern–WolfsteinWolfsteinWolfstein is a small town in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Lauter, approx. 23 km north-east of Kusel, and 20 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
–LautereckenLautereckenLauterecken is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the rivers Glan and Lauter, approx. 20 km north-east of Kusel, and 25 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
–GrumbachGrumbachGrumbach is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
(35 km) - was extended in 1896/97 in the Glan valley by 21 km from MeisenheimMeisenheimMeisenheim is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 25 km south-west of Bad Kreuznach.Meisenheim is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Meisenheim....
to Odernheim–Staudernheim and on 1 May 1904 on the right bank of the NaheNaheThe Nahe River is a river in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, Germany, a left tributary to the Rhine. It has also given name to the wine region Nahe situated around it....
river from Odernheim to Bad Münster am Stein (16 km). - On 15 September 1900 Grünstadt station became the departure point for a link to Weiler Neuoffstein on the WormsWorms, GermanyWorms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
-Offstein railway run by the South German Railway CompanySouth German Railway CompanyThe South German Railway Company or SEG was founded on 11 February 1895, in Darmstadt by the railway entrepreneur, Herrmann Bachstein, and several bank managers.- The SEG as the Bachstein Railway :...
(7 km) and on 1 March 1903 for the Eckbach Valley Railway to AltleiningenAltleiningenAltleiningen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
(11 km). - Finally on 1 May 1904 the opening of the Homburg–Glan–Münchweiler (22 km) and Altenglan–Offenbach-Hundheim–LautereckenLautereckenLauterecken is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the rivers Glan and Lauter, approx. 20 km north-east of Kusel, and 25 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
–Grumbach (20 km) sections enabled through trains to run between MainzMainzMainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
and SaarbrückenSaarbrückenSaarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
, something which was also desirable for military reasons.
On 1 January 1909 the company was nationalised and absorbed into the Royal Bavarian State Railways
Royal Bavarian State Railways
As a nation-state, Germany did not come into being until the creation of the German Empire in 1871 from the various German-speaking states such as Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Baden and Württemberg. By then each of the major states had formed its own state railway and these continued to remain...
.