Main-Lahn Railway

Main-Lahn Railway
Overview
Native name Main-Lahn-Bahn
Type Heavy rail, passenger rail,
regional rail, commuter rail
Status Operational
Locale Hesse, Germany
Termini Frankfurt (Main) Hbf
Eschhofen
Stations 21
Line number 3610
Operation
Opened Stages between 1875-1877
Owner Deutsche Bahn
Operator(s) DB Bahn
Technical
Line length 66.5 km (41.3 mi)
Number of tracks Double track
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification 15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead
Operating speed 120 km/h (75 mph)
Route number
  • 627
  • 645.2 (S Bahn)
Route map

 Lahn Valley Railway from Koblenz
 Limburg–Altenkirchen Railway to Au (Sieg) and
 Limburg-Staffel–Siershahn Railway
 Limburg (Lahn)
 Cologne–Frankfurt HSL
 66.5 Eschhofen
 Lahn Valley Railway to Wetzlar
 63.4 Lindenholzhausen
60.8 Niederbrechen
 58.2 Oberbrechen
 54.1 Niederselters
 49.3 Bad Camberg
 44,6 Wörsdorf
 39.7 Idstein (Taunus)
 36.5 Niederseelbach (1903–1971)
 31.9 Niedernhausen (Taunus) terminus of S2
 Ländches Railway to Wiesbaden
 28.6 Eppstein-Niederjosbach
 27.1 Eppstein-Bremthal (since 2001)
 (new tunnel, in operation since Easter 2013)
 25.7 Eppstein Tunnel (new 338 m, old 200 m)
 (new tunnel, in operation since Easter 2013)
 25.4 Eppstein
 21.2 Lorsbach
 17.0 Hofheim (Taunus)
 14.6 Kriftel
 12.4 Frankfurt-Zeilsheim (since May 2007)
 11.3 Frankfurt-Höchst Farbwerke Ültg junction
 Taunus Railway from Wiesbaden S1
 10.4 Frankfurt-Höchst Farbwerke
 Königstein Railway from Königstein
 9.3 Frankfurt-Höchst
 Soden Railway to Bad Soden
 Taunus Railway to Frankfurt Hbf (regional traffic)
 Nidda
 7.140 Frankfurt-Nied
 4.455 Frankfurt-Griesheim
 City Link Line to Osthafen
 from Mainzer Landstraße
 to/from Niederrad
 2.061
Frankfurt am Main Kleyerstraße
(flying junction) Frankfurt Airport loop S8S9
 Main Railway from Niederrad
 Taunus Railway from Frankfurt-Höchst
 Homburg embankment from Mainzer Landstraße
 5.494 Frankfurt (Main) Außenbahnhof
to Galluswarte
 Main-Neckar Bridge– Galluswarte line
1,130 Frankfurt (Main) Hoch/Tief (Bft of Ffm Hbf)
 Main-Weser Railway from Gießen
 from Galluswarte S3 S4 S5 S6
 Frankfurt City Tunnel
Homburg Railway from Westbf S3 S4 S5 S6
 0.000 Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (tief)
 Frankfurt (Main) Hbf north side
Source: German railway atlas[1]
Main-Lahn railway near Idstein

The Main-Lahn railway (German: Main-Lahn-Bahn), also called the Limburg railway (Limburger Bahn), is a double-track, electrified main railway line in Germany. The 66.5-kilometer (41.3 mi) long line extends from Frankfurt Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) to Eschhofen, a borough of Limburg an der Lahn.

From Frankfurt to Niedernhausen, it operates as Rhine-Main S-Bahn S-2 and carries Deutsche Bahn route number 645.2. From Frankfurt Central Station to Frankfurt-Höchst, it also carries S-Bahn S-1 (which then follows the Taunus railway to Wiesbaden). From Niedernhausen to Eschhofen, it takes over Route number 627 from the Ländches Railway (Ländchesbahn). From Eschhofen, the line leads into the Lahn Valley Railway (Lahntalbahn).

History

Eschhofen station

A middle route through the Taunus between the Main and Lahn River valleys had been considered since 1850. However, construction was only begun under Prussian rule on 25 March 1872. The concession was awarded to the Hessian Ludwig Railway (Hessische Ludwigsbahn, or HLB). The construction began from Eschhofen and each finished section initially served mainly to transport material to the construction further forward.

The first section between Eschhofen and Niederselters was opened to traffic on February 1, 1875. The entire track was completed on 15 October 1877. The line from Niedernhausen to Wiesbaden Central Station, called the Ländchesbahn Railway, was launched on 1 July 1879.

Between 1911 and 1913, the single-track line was converted to double track. In 1971, the track was electrified between Frankfurt-Höchst and Niedernhausen, and in 1986 between Niedernhausen and Limburg.

Eastern portal of the old Eppstein tunnel

Starting in 2009 the tunnel in Eppstein was replaced with a new tunnel because the old tunnel needed to be restored urgently and doing this with full operation of services would have led to years of disruption of rail services. In addition, a new tunnel would be cheaper in the long run, as a new concrete lining inside the tunnel would reduce the cross-section to the extent that it could no longer be operated as two tracks, and therefore a new tunnel would have to be built for traffic in the opposite direction anyway. The line was rerouted through the new tunnel during the Easter of 2013 and the old tunnel was subsequently filled.

In this context, Eppstein station is being rebuilt. The old station, which is a heritage-listed building, is no longer used by the railway. It was refurbished in 2007 and is now used as a government shopfront and a restaurant. The freight hall, which was also a heritage-listed building, has been demolished.

Operations

The operation of steam locomotives ended in 1972. In 1978, S-Bahn line S 2 opened between Frankfurt Hbf and Niedernhausen. The S-Bahn line is operated with class 423 electric multiple units. Regionalbahn RB 22 (hourly) and Regional-Express RE 20 (every two hours on weekdays) services have been operated mainly by DB Regio with class 143 locomotives since early 2006 and modern double-deck carriages since 2008. In addition RB 21 services run every two hours (less on the weekend) on the section from Limburg to Niedernhausen are operated with Siemens Desiro Classic sets by Hessische Landesbahn, continuing over the Ländches Railway to Wiesbaden.

Notes

  1. ↑ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2009. pp. 76, 152. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.

References

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