Regentalbahn
Encyclopedia
The Regentalbahn is railway company based in Bavaria
, and is a subsidiary of Arriva Deutschland. It runs railway infrastructure, as well as regional and long-distance passenger services in Bavaria and Saxony with links into the Czech Republic
, and Germany-wide goods trains.
On 10 November 1890 goods trains were already running from Gotteszell
to Teisnach
and on 20 November 1890 full services to Viechtach
began. The company acquired in 1903 the granite factory of Teisnach AG and the Prünst quarry, that still provides ballast for track construction today. On 1 January 1928 the Lokalbahn Deggendorf-Metten AG was also acquired and merged with the Gotteszell – Viechtach Lokalbahn company which was now called the Regentalbahn AG. In 1924/25 construction of the line from Viechtach to Blaibach
was begun. Goods services started here on 2 January 1928 and passenger trains on 1 February 1928. On the 1 January 1973 the Regentalbahn AG also took over the eighty-year old AG Lokalbahn Lam - Kötzting.
, Saxony
, Thuringia
and the Czech Republic
.
In 1980 the Prünst granite works became a limited company (GmbH), in which the Regentalbahn had a 50 % stake. This share was sold in 2005.
At the same time the following 100%-owned subsidiaries were created within the Regentalbahn AG:
On 1 January 2004 the Regentalbahn Kraftverkehrs was disbanded for economic reasons. The vehicles and personnel were taken over by the bus company Regionalbus Ostbayern, that continues to run bus services Viechtach and Lam.
Since 1997 Regental Bahnbetriebs has operated all the lines of the Bavarian Forest railway
under contract to the Deutsche Bahn (DB Regio Bayern). Under this contract it has run since 2001 under the trade name Oberpfalzbahn not only its own route from Bad Kötzting to Lam, but also the Schwandorf–Cham–Furth im Wald, Cham–Waldmünchen and Cham–Bad Kötzting lines. In addition, the goods traffic branch Regental Cargo also belongs to the Regental Bahnbetriebs-GmbH. Regental Cargo runs goods trains countrywide, has its centre of operations at Neuenmarkt
-Wirsberg
(with a satellite depot at Zwickau
) and is part of the goods wagon network Eccocargo.
The Vogtlandbahn
, founded on 1 January 1998, took over Regentalbahn's operations in Saxony. Since 2005 it offers is own Vogtland Express, a long-distance train, that links the Vogtland
with Berlin daily. Since 2007 it operates the ALEX (see below).
The Regental Fahrzeugwerkstätten runs two workshops for all the railways of the Länderbahn. One is at the headquarters in Viechtach in the Bavarian Forest
, the other at Neumark im Vogtland. Since 2006 there has been a third workshop at Schwandorf, especially for the Oberpfalzbahn and future tasks of the Länderbahn for the maintenance of the Oberpfalzbahn shuttle and the locomotives and wagons of the ALEX.
In December 2003, the Allgäu Express (ALEX) started working between Munich
and Oberstdorf
as a substitute for the withdrawn Interregio
-Linie 25. This was done in cooperation with EuroThurbo (since early 2005 SBB). When the Regentalbahn won the competition in December 2005 for the next, longer contract period, it became responsible from the timetable change in December 2007 for long-distance services not just on the line from Munich to Oberstdorf, together with a new train portion to Lindau, but also the Munich–Regensburg–Hof and Munich–Regensburg–Furth im Wald-Prague routes. Negotiations over an extension via Hof to Leipzig and Berlin continue. The trade mark ALEX was retained, but will mean from now on Arriva Länderbahn Express; services on the Vogtlandbahn will be phased out.
Following the advertisement published in summer 2006 for Regionalbahn services on the Freilassing–Berchtesgaden railway, the contract went in October of the same year to the Berchtesgadener Bahn, a consortium of the Regentalbahn and the Salzburg AG who, as the winners will take over these services after the timetable change in December 2009.
The Regentalbahn is a member of the Tarifverband der Bundeseigenen und Nichtbundeseigenen Eisenbahnen in Deutschland (TBNE).
, the Bavarian State Bank and the Deutsche Reichsbahn
. By 1982 the Free State of Bavaria had gained 76,9% of the shares. The rest were divided between towns and villages, the Benedictine abbey of Metten and private individuals. In autumn 2004 the Free State sold its share majority to the British transport company Arriva
which has Europe-wide interests. Its German subsidiary Arriva Deutschland
increased its share of the Regentalbahn to 100% by May 2006 through purchases.
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...
, and is a subsidiary of Arriva Deutschland. It runs railway infrastructure, as well as regional and long-distance passenger services in Bavaria and Saxony with links into the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and Germany-wide goods trains.
Emergence of the Regentalbahn AG (RAG)
On 9 May 1889 the "AG Lokalbahn Gotteszell - Viechtach" railway company sprang to life as a result of a "concession for the construction and operation of a standard gauge railway from Gotteszell to Viechtach" dated 28 April 1889. Lokalbahn was the name for a local branch line in Bavaria.On 10 November 1890 goods trains were already running from Gotteszell
Gotteszell
Gotteszell is a municipality in the district of Regen in Bavaria in Germany....
to Teisnach
Teisnach
Teisnach is a larger municipality in the district of Regen in Bavaria in Germany....
and on 20 November 1890 full services to Viechtach
Viechtach
Viechtach is a town in the district of Regen in Bavaria in Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarzer Regen, 31 km northeast of Straubing, and it is known for the quartz mountains nearby....
began. The company acquired in 1903 the granite factory of Teisnach AG and the Prünst quarry, that still provides ballast for track construction today. On 1 January 1928 the Lokalbahn Deggendorf-Metten AG was also acquired and merged with the Gotteszell – Viechtach Lokalbahn company which was now called the Regentalbahn AG. In 1924/25 construction of the line from Viechtach to Blaibach
Blaibach
Blaibach is a municipality in the district of Cham in Bavaria in Germany....
was begun. Goods services started here on 2 January 1928 and passenger trains on 1 February 1928. On the 1 January 1973 the Regentalbahn AG also took over the eighty-year old AG Lokalbahn Lam - Kötzting.
Founding of the subsidiaries
The period since the 1970s has been marked by modernisation and rationalisation. A large number of railcars were procured (initially second-hand, but since the 1980s new ones as well) and various parts of the business split into subsidiaries. In 2002 the Regentalbahn acquired the trade name Die Länderbahn ("The State Railway"), with which it is clear that it is active in BavariaBavaria
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...
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
In 1980 the Prünst granite works became a limited company (GmbH), in which the Regentalbahn had a 50 % stake. This share was sold in 2005.
At the same time the following 100%-owned subsidiaries were created within the Regentalbahn AG:
- In 1979 the Regental Kraftverkehrs GmbH (RKG) - bus operations
- In 1988 the Regental Bahnbetriebs-GmbH (RBG) - railway operations
- In 1989 the Regental Fahrzeugwerkstätten GmbH (RFG) - workshops
- In 1998 the Vogtlandbahn GmbH (VBG)VogtlandbahnThe Vogtlandbahn is a private railway company in Germany, which runs diesel trains on regional lines in the states of Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria, Brandenburg, and Berlin and as well as routes into the Czech Republic...
- Vogtland railway
On 1 January 2004 the Regentalbahn Kraftverkehrs was disbanded for economic reasons. The vehicles and personnel were taken over by the bus company Regionalbus Ostbayern, that continues to run bus services Viechtach and Lam.
Since 1997 Regental Bahnbetriebs has operated all the lines of the Bavarian Forest railway
Bavarian Forest railway
The Bavarian Forest Railway links the heart of the Bavarian Forest around Regen and Zwiesel to Plattling and the Danube valley on one side, and the Czech Republic through Bayerisch Eisenstein on the other...
under contract to the Deutsche Bahn (DB Regio Bayern). Under this contract it has run since 2001 under the trade name Oberpfalzbahn not only its own route from Bad Kötzting to Lam, but also the Schwandorf–Cham–Furth im Wald, Cham–Waldmünchen and Cham–Bad Kötzting lines. In addition, the goods traffic branch Regental Cargo also belongs to the Regental Bahnbetriebs-GmbH. Regental Cargo runs goods trains countrywide, has its centre of operations at Neuenmarkt
Neuenmarkt
Neuenmarkt is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Neuenmarkt is arranged in the following boroughs:...
-Wirsberg
Wirsberg
Wirsberg is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Wirsberg is arranged in the following boroughs:* Birkenhof* Cottenau* Einöde* Goldene Adlerhütte* Neufang* Osserich* Schlackenmühle* Sessenreuth...
(with a satellite depot at Zwickau
Zwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
) and is part of the goods wagon network Eccocargo.
The Vogtlandbahn
Vogtlandbahn
The Vogtlandbahn is a private railway company in Germany, which runs diesel trains on regional lines in the states of Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria, Brandenburg, and Berlin and as well as routes into the Czech Republic...
, founded on 1 January 1998, took over Regentalbahn's operations in Saxony. Since 2005 it offers is own Vogtland Express, a long-distance train, that links the Vogtland
Vogtland
The term Vogtland refers to a region reaching across the German free states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and into the Czech Republic . The name of the region contains a reference to the former leadership by the Vögte of Weida, Gera and Plauen, which translates approximately to advocates or lord...
with Berlin daily. Since 2007 it operates the ALEX (see below).
The Regental Fahrzeugwerkstätten runs two workshops for all the railways of the Länderbahn. One is at the headquarters in Viechtach in the Bavarian Forest
Bavarian Forest
thumb|The village of Zell in the Bavarian ForestThe Bavarian Forest is a wooded low-mountain region in Bavaria, Germany. It extends along the Czech border and is continued on the Czech side by the Šumava . Geographically the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest are sections of the same mountain range...
, the other at Neumark im Vogtland. Since 2006 there has been a third workshop at Schwandorf, especially for the Oberpfalzbahn and future tasks of the Länderbahn for the maintenance of the Oberpfalzbahn shuttle and the locomotives and wagons of the ALEX.
In December 2003, the Allgäu Express (ALEX) started working between Munich
Munich
Munich 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 Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps.At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide...
as a substitute for the withdrawn Interregio
InterRegio
The InterRegio is a train service seen in some European countries. Mostly they are trains that run "from region to region", as best described by Swiss Federal Railways.-Switzerland:...
-Linie 25. This was done in cooperation with EuroThurbo (since early 2005 SBB). When the Regentalbahn won the competition in December 2005 for the next, longer contract period, it became responsible from the timetable change in December 2007 for long-distance services not just on the line from Munich to Oberstdorf, together with a new train portion to Lindau, but also the Munich–Regensburg–Hof and Munich–Regensburg–Furth im Wald-Prague routes. Negotiations over an extension via Hof to Leipzig and Berlin continue. The trade mark ALEX was retained, but will mean from now on Arriva Länderbahn Express; services on the Vogtlandbahn will be phased out.
Following the advertisement published in summer 2006 for Regionalbahn services on the Freilassing–Berchtesgaden railway, the contract went in October of the same year to the Berchtesgadener Bahn, a consortium of the Regentalbahn and the Salzburg AG who, as the winners will take over these services after the timetable change in December 2009.
The Regentalbahn is a member of the Tarifverband der Bundeseigenen und Nichtbundeseigenen Eisenbahnen in Deutschland (TBNE).
New ownership arrangements
The shares of the Regentalbahn were split between numerous owners. In 1940 these included the Deutsche Reich, the state of BavariaBavaria
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...
, the Bavarian State Bank and 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...
. By 1982 the Free State of Bavaria had gained 76,9% of the shares. The rest were divided between towns and villages, the Benedictine abbey of Metten and private individuals. In autumn 2004 the Free State sold its share majority to the British transport company Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
which has Europe-wide interests. Its German subsidiary Arriva Deutschland
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
increased its share of the Regentalbahn to 100% by May 2006 through purchases.
Sources
- Andreas Fried, Klaus-Peter Quill: Regentalbahn - Egglham 1999
- Gerd Wolff: Deutsche Klein- und Privatbahnen - Band 7: Bayern - Freiburg 2002