Cologne Stadtbahn
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| Cologne Stadtbahn | |
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| Locale | Cologne, Germany |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Light rail |
| System length | 192.2 kilometers (119 mi) |
| No. of lines | 11 |
| No. of vehicles | 380 |
| No. of stations | 222 |
| Daily ridership | 507,000 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Operator(s) | Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB) |
The Cologne Stadtbahn is a light rail system in the German city of Cologne as well as several surrounding cities (Leverkusen-Schlebusch only) and towns (Hürth, Wesseling, Bergisch-Gladbach, Brühl, Bornheim). The term Stadtbahn denotes a system that encompasses elements of streetcars as well as subways (U-Bahn) and interurban rail, even including three lines that are licensed as heavy rail and used by freight trains as well as Stadtbahn vehicles. Two of these lines connect the Cologne Stadtbahn to the Bonn Stadtbahn. These lines (16 and 18) are jointly operated by both cities' transport authorities, resulting in both systems and the lines connecting them sometimes collectively referred to as Stadtbahn Rhein-Sieg. The Cologne Stadtbahn is operated by the Kölner Verkehrsbetriebe (KVB) and the Bonn Stadtbahn is operated by the Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB - City of Bonn Utilies Division). The KVB and SWB are members of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS - Rhein-Sieg Transit Authority, formed in 1987 to consolidate the transit authorities in the metropolitan Cologne area and operate a joint fare structure).
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[edit] History
The Cologne Stadtbahn traces its history to the first horsecar lines that operated in Cologne since 1877. Within a few years, several compnies had built an extensive network. Because none of these companies showed interest in electrifying their lines, the city of Cologne bought these companies effective 1 January 1900. Electric streetcars were introduced and additional lines built until 1912, including Vorortbahnen to surrounding villages outside the city limits. Outside the city center, these lines had separated right-of-way and were more similar to "real" railroads than to trams.
During World War II, Cologne suffered heavy damage. The city center was almost completely destroyed and the tram lines with it. After the war, there were only a few of the existing lines rebuilt in the downtown area, while at the same time automobile traffic increased heavily. To improve the situation, construction of the first tunnel began in 1963. When the tunnel was opened in November 1968, it was integrated into the tram network, instead of a separate subway operation. Since then, existing tram lines were gradually replaced with tunnels, some elevated track and surface lines with separated right of way. From 1973 until 2006 there have been light rail vehicles operating together with classic tram car on the same lines.
Underground construction in the downtown Cologne area is often obstructed by the fact that archeologists in Cologne, one of Germany's oldest cities, have legal rights to dig in all future building sites within the medieval city limits before all heavy construction machinery.
[edit] Current routes
Because the light rail network evolved from the tram network instead of replacing it, there were numerous stations served by both light rail and tram vehicles for almost three decades. While high platforms for stepless entry into light rail vehicles could be built on the outer branches, stations in the city center had to have low platforms to support trams as well. The introduction of low-floor technology in the early 1990s promised wheelchair-accessible entry throughout the network without having to build several hundred high platforms. To allow the introduction of low-floor trains without having to demolish existing high platforms, the network was divided into two sub-networks of different floor heights.
On weekdays, all lines are served in 5 to 10-minute intervals from 6 am to 8 pm with reduced service starting around 4.30 am and ending at about 1 am. On weekends, there is an hourly service throughout the night. Because several lines overlap on the routes through the city center, some stations are served by up to 30 trains per hour in each direction.
| route | length | avg. speed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weiden – Junkersdorf – Neumarkt – Bf Deutz – Brück – Bensberg during peak hours 5-minute intervals Junkersdorf–Brück |
24.9 km (15.5 mi) | 27.2 km/h (16.9 mph) |
| 3 | Mengenich – Bf Ehrenfeld – Bf West – Neumarkt – Bf Deutz – Bf Mülheim – Holweide – Thielenbruch off-peak service ends at Holweide |
20.1 km (12.5 mi) | 26.2 km/h (16.3 mph) |
| 4 | Bocklemünd – Bickendorf – Bf Ehrenfeld – Bf West – Neumarkt – Bf Deutz – Bf Mülheim – Schlebusch evening service starts at Bickendorf |
21.5 km (13.4 mi) | 28.0 km/h (17.4 mph) |
| 5 | Ossendorf – Bf West – Dom/Hbf – Reichensperger Platz | 8.5 km (5.3 mi) | 20.4 km/h (12.7 mph) |
| 7 | Frechen – Marsdorf – Braunsfeld – Neumarkt – Porz – Zündorf Frechen–Braunsfeld served in 20-minute intervals except for peak hours |
25.5 km (15.8 mi) | 25.5 km/h (15.8 mph) |
| 9 | Sülz – Universität – Bf Süd – Neumarkt – Bf Deutz – Königsforst 5-minute intervals Universität–Bf Deutz except for school holidays |
15.4 km (9.6 mi) | 25.0 km/h (15.5 mph) |
| 12 | Merkenich – Niehl – Ebertplatz – Ringe – Zollstock Merkenich–Niehl served in 20-minute intervals from 9am to 1pm |
16.5 km (10.3 mi) | 22.0 km/h (13.7 mph) |
| 13 | Sülzgürtel – Gürtel – Bf Mülheim – Holweide | 15.4 km (9.6 mi) | 28.9 km/h (18.0 mph) |
| 15 | Chorweiler – Longerich – Ebertplatz – Ringe – Ubierring during peak hours 5-minute intervals Longerich–Ubierring |
15.2 km (9.4 mi) | 24.0 km/h (14.9 mph) |
| 16 | Niehl – Dom/Hbf – Neumarkt – Ringe – Sürth – Wesseling – Bonn Hbf – Bonn-Bad-Godesberg 20-minute intervals from Sürth (during peak hours from Wesseling) |
44.4 km (27.6 mi) | 33.3 km/h (20.7 mph) |
| 18 | Thielenbruch – Buchheim – Bf Mülheim – Dom/Hbf – Neumarkt – Klettenberg – Brühl – Bonn Hbf 5-minute intervals Buchheim–Klettenberg, 20-minute intervals from Brühl |
46.2 km (28.7 mi) | 33.4 km/h (20.8 mph) |
[edit] Low-floor Lines
[edit] East-West Lines
The first step towards the introduction of a low-floor light rail network was concentrating four lines on similar routes on a common east-west-corridor in 1994. Within short time, these lines were equipped with low platforms 35 cm above street level on every single station. While there are some stretches that can be described as classic tramway lines, the majority of the east-west-network has been upgraded to a high standard with long sections having separated right-of-way, justifying the term "low-floor light rail" (Niederflurstadtbahn).
In 2007, the 8 line, which previously operated during peak hours, stopped service. All its runs were integrated into the schedules of the lines 7 and 9.
| 1 | Weiden West (S-Bahn) – Junkersdorf – Rheinenergiestadion – | Aachener Straße/Gürtel – Rudolfplatz – | Neumarkt | – Deutz/Messe Rail – Kalk – Brück – Refrath – Bensberg |
| 7 | Frechen – Marsdorf – | Aachener Straße/Gürtel – Rudolfplatz – | Neumarkt | – Poll – Porz – Zündorf |
| 9 | Sülz – Zülpicher Straße/Gürtel – University – Zülpicher Platz – | Neumarkt | – Deutz/Messe Rail – Kalk – Vingst – Ostheim – Rath/Heumar – Königsforst | |
[edit] Ringe Lines
When it became clear to city authorities that the construction of a large number of additional high platforms was not financially feasible, other options were investigated. It was deemed most economical to create a second low-floor network and equip the remaining lines with high platforms. Between the stations "Ebertplatz" and "Barbarossaplatz", there are two possible routes. It was decided that the future low-floor lines would be concentrated in the tunnel underneath the "Ringe" road, while high-floor lines would use the tunnel under the Central station.
This change was implemented in December 2003, after the high platforms at the Hansaring station were removed. In 2006, the tracks of the Chorweiler station were raised with additional gravel. Since then, all "Ringe" lines are operated with low-floor vehicles. In 2007, the line 6, which had only operated during peak hours, was replaced by additional trains of line 15.
| 12 | Merkenich – Fordwerke – | Wilh.-Sollmann-Straße – Ebertplatz – Friesenplatz – Barbarossaplatz – Eifelstraße | – Zollstock | |
| 15 | Chorweiler – | Longerich – | Wilh.-Sollmann-Straße – Ebertplatz – Friesenplatz – Barbarossaplatz – Eifelstraße | – Chlodwigplatz – Ubierring |
[edit] High-floor Lines
The high-floor network consists of all lines operated by "classic" light rail vehicles with a floor height of roughly one meter above street level. Since the separation from the low-Floor network. high platforms are being built in stations in the city center at a rate of one or two per year. As of 2007, the most frequented stations have been upgraded with the exception of the Ebertplatz and Barbarossaplatz stations. On lines 3 and 4, only one station without a high platform remains, while the western branch of line 5 still has several stations without any platform at all, requiring passengers to climb into the trains from street level.
Line 13 is also referred to as the "beltway" (Gürtel) line, because it is the only line that does not touch the city center. Most of the line runs along a series of roads of the same name. The northern part of the 13 is built as an elevated railway.
Lines 16 and 18 are the longest lines in the network, connecting Cologne to Bonn via railway lines.
| 3 | Mengenich – Bocklemünd – Venloer Straße/Gürtel – Hans-Böckler-Platz – Friesenplatz – Neumarkt – Severinstraße – Deutz/Messe Rail – Buchheim – Holweide – Dellbrück – Thielenbruch |
| 4 | Bocklemünd – Venloer Straße/Gürtel – Hans-Böckler-Platz – Friesenplatz – Neumarkt – Severinstraße – Deutz/Messe Rail – Mülheim – Höhenhaus – Dünnwald – Schlebusch |
| 5 | Ossendorf – Subbelrather Str./Gürtel – Hans-Böckler-Platz – Friesenplatz – Dom/Central Station – Ebertplatz – Reichensperger Platz |
| 13 | Sülzgürtel – Zülpicher Straße/Gürtel – Dürener Straße/Gürtel – Aachener Straße/Gürtel – Venloer Straße/Gürtel – Subbelrather Straße/Gürtel – Nußbaumer Straße – Escher Straße –Neusser Straße/Gürtel – Amsterdamer Straße/Gürtel – Slabystraße – Mülheim – Buchheim – Holweide |
| 16 | Bonn-Bad Godesberg – Bonn Main Station – Wesseling – Sürth – Rodenkirchen – Ubierring – Barbarossaplatz – Neumarkt – Dom/Central Station – Ebertplatz – Reichensperger Platz – Niehl |
| 18 | Bonn Main Station – Brühl – Klettenberg – Sülzgürtel – Barbarossaplatz – Neumarkt – Dom/Central Station – Ebertplatz – Reichensperger Platz – Slabystraße – Mülheim – Buchheim – Holweide – Dellbrück – Thielenbruch |
[edit] Future expansion
The current expansion project under construction is a new North-South tunnel (Nord-Süd-Stadtbahn, NSS). This 3 km tunnel is due to be completed in 2010 and will be the first newly built line since the opening of the original downtown tunnel in 1968. Every line opened in between had been just a replacement for current or previous surface lines.
The oldest tunnel of the Cologne Stadtbahn is currently served by 30 trains per hour in each direction. Many consider this beyound the tunnel's capacity. Because the tunnel was built using a cut-and-cover technique, it follows major roads distant from the old city center with its narrow alleys. To solve both problems, an additional pair of tunnels was bored directly underneath the historic downtown areas. As a bonus, travel time of line 16 will decrease by about 10 minutes, because the NSS enables it to avoid the detour from Ubierring to Barbarossaplatz, only to return to the Rhine at the Central Station. It is also the final step in the separation of the high-floor and low-floor networks.
In order to avoid the possible destruction of archaeological artefacts underneath one of the oldest cities in Germany, the NSS was bored down to nearly 30 meters below ground level. At the location of the future stations however, archaeological digs were still required and are cited as one of the reasons for the already significant cost overruns. While initially estimated to cost around 600 million euro, the current price tag is calculated at around 960 million euro. Because the second stage, connecting the tunnel to the line along the Rhine river has not yet been tendered, but is expected to cost another 100 million, total cost is likely to exceed 1000 million euro.
[edit] Rolling stock
Since the last tram cars were retired in 2006, the active rolling stock consists exclusively of light rail vehicles. All of them are slightly below 30 meters long, 2.65m wide, seat around 70 passengers and are approved for 80 km/h or more. With rare exceptions all lines ar operated by trains of two coupled units.
In 1973, Cologne received two prototypes of the Type B LRV. Since then, 172 units of four generations were delivered to Cologne until 1996. The first generation (series 2000) is currently being retired, while the second generation (series 2100) is due to receive a major overhaul for at least another 15 years of service.
After tests with a low-floor tram from Vienna, a similar vehicle was developed for Cologne by Bombardier Transportation, later labeled as the Flexity Swift family. A total of 124 low-floor LRVs was deliverd between 1995 and 1998, referred to as "K4000". These vehicles received numbers starting with 4001.
When DUEWAG, producer of the Type B light rail vehicle was sold to Siemens Transportation Systems and later dissolved, additional Type B cars were no longer available. When a new series of high-floor vehicles, to be named "K5000", was needed, Siemens presented the "CitySprinter". In August 1999, after two months of testing, the CitySprinter prototype crashed into another train at 50 km/h at the "Christophstraße/Mediapark" U-Bahn station. The accident was caused by a simultaneous electronics shutdown resulting in the train's inability to apply its brakes. Eight people sustained serious injuries. The second prototype produced was never delivered. Instead, Bombardier derived a high-floor train from the K4000. 59 units were delivered in 2002 and 2003. The numbering was changed to 5101 at short notice to avoid re-using the number 5001, which had been the number of the ill-fated CitySprinter. Another 15 vehicles are exprected to be delivered before 2010.
When it was decided to create a second low-floor network, an option for more K5000 was changed to additional low-floor vehicles. Bombardier developed a new low-Floor vehicle based more on the K5000 than on the K4000. These new trains were named "K4500". Delivery of 69 units started in 2005 and was completed in the fall of 2007.
[edit] External links
- Kölner Verkehrsbetriebe Homepage
- Kölner Verkehrsbetriebe Timetable Search in English
- VRS/Rhein-Sieg Transit Authority Timetable Search in English
- Official Homepage for the Nord-Süd-U-Bahn Construction Project (in German only)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- German/English
- Christoph Groneck: Köln/Bonn Stadtbahn Album, Robert Schwandl Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-936573-07-7
- German
- Dieter Höltge/ Axel Reuther: Straßen- und Stadtbahnen in Deutschland Band 7: Köln, Düren, Aachen, EK-Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3-88255-338-3
- Doris Lindemann / Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (Hg): Kölner Mobilität - 125 Jahre Bahnen und Busse, Du Mont Verlag 2002, ISBN 3-8321-7177-0
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