Leipzig Hbf–Leipzig-Connewitz railway

The Leipzig Hauptbahnhof–Leipzig-Connewitz railway is a double track electrified main line in the German state of Saxony. It used to be a short link line from Leipzig Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) to Connewitz station, where it connects with the main line from Leipzig to Hof. The line was closed for good between Leipzig Hbf and Leipzig-Stötteritz in November 2012.

Leipzig Hbf–Leipzig-Connewitz
Overview
Line number6361
LocaleSaxony, Germany
Service
Route number501.2, 527
Technical
Line length9.36 km (5.82 mi)
Number of tracks2: Leipzig Hbf–Leipzig-Connewitz
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Minimum radius380 m (1,247 ft)
Electrification15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Maximum incline1.06%
Route map
-0.155
 Leipzig Hbf
122 m
to Gera, Großkorbetha, Halle and Bitterfeld
to Geithain and Dresden
2.080
 Leipzig Ost
125 m
2.700
 Torgauer Str junction
to Püchauer Str junction
Leipzig–Dresden, Leipzig–Geithain
3.600
 Leipzig-Sellerhausen
125 m
4.700
 Leipzig Anger-Crottendorf
125 m
to Eilenburg station
Leipzig Eilenburg station–Eilenburg
Engelsdorf–Leipzig-Stötteritz (freight ring)
from Leipzig-Schönefeld and from Engelsdorf
5.990
 Leipzig-Stötteritz
130 m
to the former Tabakmühle junction
(and on to Leipzig MDR)
7.000
 Leipzig Völkerschlachtdenkmal*
130 m
7.750
 Tabakmühle junction
connecting curve to Leipzig Bavarian station
8.300
 Leipzig-Marienbrunn
125 m
from Leipzig Bavarian station
8.640
 Leipzig-Connewitz
118 m
to Hof
* Halt since 12/2013 on the parallel
Engelsdorf–Tabakmühle junction railway (km 5.543)

Source: German railway atlas[1]

History

As a successful private company the Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company (German: Leipzig-Dresdner Eisenbahn-Compagnie) was mainly interested in developing its network rather than linking with other railways. After its nationalisation on 1 July 1876, connection of its lines with the existing national railway network became a priority. As a result, the link from Leipzig Hauptbahnhof to the Royal Saxon State Railways line at Connewitz was opened on 20 August 1878.

In the early 1960s the line was one of the first lines electrified in East Germany as part of the Saxon triangle project. On 15 January 1962 the first electric trains ran on the line.

With the establishment of the Leipzig-Halle S-Bahn in 1968-1970, new stations were opened at Sellerhausen, Anger-Crottendorf and Messegelände (now: Völkerschlachtdenkmal). In addition, Marienbrunn was reopened.

With the opening of the Leipzig City Tunnel in December 2013, the line was closed between Leipzig Hbf and Stötteritz. The main reason for this is the avoidance of the costs of the otherwise necessary reconstruction of dilapidated bridges in Stötteritz and Sellerhausen. Due to necessary construction works before opening the tunnel and to connect it to the existing railway network the line has already been closed for good between Leipzig Hbf and Leipzig-Stötteritz on November 24, 2012. Since then the line was also out of service between Leipzig-Stötteritz and Leipzig-Connewitz, but was reopened in this part together with the City Tunnel in December 2013. All passenger traffic on the line between Gaschwitz, Leipzig-Connewitz and Leipzig Hauptbahnhof travels via the City Tunnel. Therefore, the former station at Leipzig-Marienbrunn was not reopened, the section between Tabakmühle junction and Leipzig-Connewitz remains for freight traffic only.

Notes
  1. Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2017. p. 131. ISBN 978-3-89494-146-8.

References
  • Preuß, Erich; Preuß, Rainer (1991). Sächsische Staatseisenbahnen (Saxon State Railways) (in German). Berlin: Transpress Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. ISBN 3-344-70700-0.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.