Sonneberg Hauptbahnhof
Encyclopedia
is the Hauptbahnhof for the city of Sonneberg
in the German state of Thuringia
and is on the Coburg–Sonneberg line. The station was built as part of the construction of the Hinterland Railway and still plays a central role in public transport of Sonneberg and the surrounding area. It was built in 1907 to replace the old station (the old building still exists), which was built in 1857 and 1858 by the Werra Railway Company , together with the single-track Coburg
–Sonneberg line, a branch line of the Werra Railway
.
as well as on the line to Neuhaus am Rennweg
and on the Hinterland line to Eisfeld
.
in 1895, could no longer handle the growing traffic. Therefore, the railway administration
of Erfurt
(Reichsbahndirektion Erfurt) started building a new railway station in 1905, southeast of the old station, and opened it two years later in October 1907. The new station building was four times as large as the old building and cost about 2.7 million marks
. The platform canopies were built by the Dyckerhoff & Widmann Company and were the first built out of reinforced concrete in Germany.
The Hinterland railway opened on 1 April 1910, making it the fourth line connecting to the station. It had an extensive freight yard with a hump, with 27 tracks and 102 sets of points
. It suffered major damage at the end of the Second World War. The Germans Wehrmacht
blew up the signal boxes and an air strike by U.S. fighter-bombers destroyed the storage shed and 70% of the track and points. After the occupation by Thuringia by Soviet troops
in July 1945, operations were suspended on the main lines to Coburg and Stockheim
. The station lost much of its traffic. Four freight tracks and a platform track were removed to provide reparations
for the Soviet Union
.
In 1952, the station was renamed as a Hauptbahnhof (central station). In 1971, the two signal boxes were replaced with new buildings and colour light signals were introduced. The goods yard precinct was still the most extensive in South Thuringia, although rail traffic only ran on the two branch lines to Probstzella and Eisfeld and the freight marshalling could be handled in Rauenstein
or Lauscha
.
After German reunification
the line was reactivated to Coburg and tracks 3-6 were electrified. In 1997, services to Probstzella and Eisfeld were abandoned. Between 1997 and 1999 the station was redesigned and a central bus station was established. In addition, a 220 m long pedestrian bridge was built with lifts to the platforms and the bus station. The freight yard was closed in 1999. The five remaining platform tracks were renovated and a continuous freight track and two freight sidings were installed between 2001 and 2002. In addition, an electronic signal box was installed and Thüringer Eisenbahn GmbH took over operations on the lines to Lauscha and Neuhaus (the Sonneberg–Probstzella line) and to Rauenstein and Eisfeld (the Hinterland line).
to Weimar
. Also a pair of trains ran from 1954 and 1970 with interruptions via Saalfeld to Leipzig
.
Since 2007, Süd-Thüringen-Bahn has operated its Line 1 every two hours to Meiningen and its Line 4 every hour to Neuhaus am Rennweg. A Deutsche Bahn
Regional-Express service connects Sonneberg every two hours via Coburg to Nuremberg
. On the alternate hours a Regionalbahn
service runs to Lichtenfels
.
Sonneberg
Sonneberg is a town in Thuringia, Germany, which is seat of the district Sonneberg.It has long been a centre of toy making and is still well known for this...
in the German state of 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 is on the Coburg–Sonneberg line. The station was built as part of the construction of the Hinterland Railway and still plays a central role in public transport of Sonneberg and the surrounding area. It was built in 1907 to replace the old station (the old building still exists), which was built in 1857 and 1858 by the Werra Railway Company , together with the single-track Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
–Sonneberg line, a branch line of the Werra Railway
Werra Railway
The Werra Railway is a single-tracked main line with a standard gauge of 1,435 mm in Thuringia and Bavaria in southern and central Germany, that runs mostly along the river Werra. It runs from Eisenach via Meiningen to Eisfeld and, formerly, continued to Coburg and Lichtenfels. It was opened...
.
Location
Sonneberg station is at the 19.51 km mark of the Coburg–Sonneberg line at a height of 386.41 metres above sea level and is located south of the town centre. To its north the inner ring roads runs parallel with it. The station is the starting point for services to CoburgCoburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
as well as on the line to Neuhaus am Rennweg
Neuhaus am Rennweg
Neuhaus am Rennweg is a town in the district of Sonneberg, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, 17 km north of Sonneberg, and 22 km southwest of Saalfeld.-References:...
and on the Hinterland line to Eisfeld
Eisfeld
Eisfeld is a municipality in the district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Werra, 12 km east of Hildburghausen, and 19 km north of Coburg....
.
History
On 2 November 1858 the first Sonneberg terminal station was officially opened by the Werra Railway Company. 28 years later, on 1 October 1886, it was converted into a through station with the commissioning of the line to Lauscha. However, after the opening of the Sonneberg–Stockheim line on 1 June 1901, the existing railway facilities, which had been taken over by the Prussian state railwaysPrussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
in 1895, could no longer handle the growing traffic. Therefore, the railway administration
Railway divisions in Germany
In Germany and Austria, the running of railway services for a railway administration or the regional network of a large railway company was devolved to railway divisions, variously known as Eisenbahndirektionen , Bundesbahndirektionen or Reichsbahndirektionen ...
of Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
(Reichsbahndirektion Erfurt) started building a new railway station in 1905, southeast of the old station, and opened it two years later in October 1907. The new station building was four times as large as the old building and cost about 2.7 million marks
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
. The platform canopies were built by the Dyckerhoff & Widmann Company and were the first built out of reinforced concrete in Germany.
The Hinterland railway opened on 1 April 1910, making it the fourth line connecting to the station. It had an extensive freight yard with a hump, with 27 tracks and 102 sets of points
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
. It suffered major damage at the end of the Second World War. The Germans Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
blew up the signal boxes and an air strike by U.S. fighter-bombers destroyed the storage shed and 70% of the track and points. After the occupation by Thuringia by Soviet troops
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in July 1945, operations were suspended on the main lines to Coburg and Stockheim
Stockheim
Stockheim is a municipality in the district of Kronach in Bavaria in Germany....
. The station lost much of its traffic. Four freight tracks and a platform track were removed to provide reparations
War reparations
War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...
for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In 1952, the station was renamed as a Hauptbahnhof (central station). In 1971, the two signal boxes were replaced with new buildings and colour light signals were introduced. The goods yard precinct was still the most extensive in South Thuringia, although rail traffic only ran on the two branch lines to Probstzella and Eisfeld and the freight marshalling could be handled in Rauenstein
Effelder-Rauenstein
Effelder-Rauenstein is a municipality in the Sonneberg district of Thuringia, Germany....
or Lauscha
Lauscha
Lauscha is a town in the district of Sonneberg, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 13 km north of Sonneberg, and 24 km southwest of Saalfeld. It became known for its glassblowing.-Geography:...
.
After German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
the line was reactivated to Coburg and tracks 3-6 were electrified. In 1997, services to Probstzella and Eisfeld were abandoned. Between 1997 and 1999 the station was redesigned and a central bus station was established. In addition, a 220 m long pedestrian bridge was built with lifts to the platforms and the bus station. The freight yard was closed in 1999. The five remaining platform tracks were renovated and a continuous freight track and two freight sidings were installed between 2001 and 2002. In addition, an electronic signal box was installed and Thüringer Eisenbahn GmbH took over operations on the lines to Lauscha and Neuhaus (the Sonneberg–Probstzella line) and to Rauenstein and Eisfeld (the Hinterland line).
Passenger rail service
Over the years there have generally only been simple passenger trains from Sonneberg station. However, in 1937 there was an express train that took about three hours and ten minutes to run the 142 km from Coburg via Sonneberg, Stockheim and GöschwitzJena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
to Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
. Also a pair of trains ran from 1954 and 1970 with interruptions via Saalfeld to Leipzig
Leipzig Hauptbahnhof
is, at 83,460 m², Europe's largest railway station when measured by floor area. It has 24 platforms housed in six iron trainsheds; a multi-level concourse with towering stone arches; and a 293 metre-long facade...
.
Since 2007, Süd-Thüringen-Bahn has operated its Line 1 every two hours to Meiningen and its Line 4 every hour to Neuhaus am Rennweg. A 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...
Regional-Express service connects Sonneberg every two hours via Coburg to Nuremberg
Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof
Nuremberg Central Station is the main railway station for the city of Nuremberg in Germany. It is the largest station in north Bavaria and belongs to the 20 stations in the highest category of importance allocated by DB Station&Service....
. On the alternate hours 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...
service runs to Lichtenfels
Lichtenfels station
Lichtenfels station is in the town of Lichtenfels in Upper Franconia in the German state of Bavaria. It is a regional rail hub and an ICE stop on the Hamburg–Berlin Munich route and is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a station of category 3.-Location :...
.