The Roßwein–Niederwiesa railway is a branch line in the German state of Saxony. It runs from Roßwein through the Striegis valley to Hainichen and on to Frankenberg and Niederwiesa, where the line ends at a junction with the Dresden–Werdau railway. Since 2004, only the 16.8 km long section between Niederwiesa and Hainichen is still operating.
In the spring of 1867 construction began on the railway line between Niederwiesa and Hainichen. On 1 March 1869, the Royal Saxon State Railways (German: Königlich Sächsische Staatseisenbahnen) opened the line as a branch of the main line between Chemnitz and Dresden. Initially, only about two to three trains ran daily.
The Hainichen-Rosswein Railway Company (Hainichen-Rossweiner Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft), which had been founded in 1872, opened, on 15 August 1874, a new 17 km-long section from Hainichen to Roßwein to the Borsdorf–Coswig railway of the Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company. It was taken over by the Royal Saxon State Railways on 10 August 1876, which had managed operations on it from its opening.
Harras Tunnel on a postcard appr. in 1915
The Harass (or Harrassprung—"Haras’ leap", referring to the legend of a leap on horseback off the rocks into the river said to have been made by Dietrich von Harras in 1449) tunnel runs through the Harass rocks (Harrasfelsen) between Braunsdorf and Frankenberg. It was the site of a serious railway accident on 14 December 1913. During a winter storm, about 100 m³ of rock broke away from the Harass rocks and blocked the southern exit of the tunnel. Shortly after 22.15, a passenger train from Frankenberg to Niederwiesa ran into the debris. The accident claimed 10 dead and 53 wounded and is still regarded as the worst rail disaster in Saxony.
Saxony cancelled passenger services between Roßwein and Hainichen on 24 May 1998. Freight traffic on this section was also closed on 1 January 2000. The Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt) approved the closure of the Hainichen–Roßwein section on 11 July 2001 and it was completed on 30 September 2001. In August 2002, during the most severe flood in Saxony, bridges on this section were completely destroyed and parts of the track were washed away by the flow of the Striegis. The reconstruction and reopening of the line is therefore out of the question.
In October 2002, the whole line was leased to Regio Infra Service Sachsen. After several years of renovation, the City-Bahn Chemnitz reopened the Niederwiesa–Hainichen section on 11 December 2004. As part of the renovation, the old Frankenberg (Sachs) Süd halt was abandoned and replaced by a newly established halt of the same name about 800 metres closer to the centre of Frankenberg, near the Auf dem Wind housing estate. Two services an hour run on the line on weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays services run every two hours. Services are operated using a Regio-Shuttle diesel railcar.
RailtrailEdit
Abandoned track at former Grunau station (May 2017)
The lower section between Hainichen and Roßwein, however, remains unused. In 2005, it was abandoned by Regio Infra Service Sachsen and the city of Hainichen decided to dismantle the tracks in order to build a cycle path on the route.
ReferencesEdit
^Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2009. ISBN978-3-89494-139-0.
SourcesEdit
Erich Preuß, Rainer Preuß (1991). Sächsische Staatseisenbahnen (in German). Berlin: transpress Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. ISBN3-344-70700-0.
Andreas Petrak (2006). Die Eisenbahn Niederwiesa–Roßwein (in German). Nordhorn: Kenning. ISBN3-927587-84-2.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roßwein–Niederwiesa railway.
Lothar Brill. "Photographs of tunnel portals" (in German). Tunnelportale. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
August 28, 2023
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The Rosswein Niederwiesa railway is a branch line in the German state of Saxony It runs from Rosswein through the Striegis valley to Hainichen and on to Frankenberg and Niederwiesa where the line ends at a junction with the Dresden Werdau railway Since 2004 only the 16 8 km long section between Niederwiesa and Hainichen is still operating Rosswein Niederwiesa railwayOverviewLine number6620ServiceRoute number516TechnicalLine length37 49 km 23 30 mi Track gauge1 435 mm 4 ft 8 1 2 in standard gaugeMinimum radius290 m 951 ft Operating speed80 km h 49 7 mph maximum Maximum incline1 4 Route mapLegendFrom Coswig Dresden 0 00 RossweinTo Borsdorf Sachs 1 20 Goldbornstrasse bridge1 70 Wannesiedlung bridge5 42 Grunau Sachs 5 45 Grunau paper factory siding9 30 Bohrigen12 00 Berbersdorf hard stone works siding12 35 Berbersdorf17 04 Kratzmuhle19 00 Hainichen brick works siding19 92 Hainichen26 32 Dittersbach b Frankenberg Sachs 28 29 Lutzeltal viaduct 104 m 29 09 Frankenberg Sachs 30 18 Frankenberg Sachs Sud ehem Gunnersdorf 32 62 Harrassprung tunnel 86 m 33 89 Braunsdorf Lichtenwalde34 64 Braunsdorf viaduct 255 m 34 82 Zschopau bridge 109 m 36 55 Niederwiesa viaduct 181 m From Dresden Hbf37 49 NiederwiesaTo Werdau arc triangle junctionOperating points and lines 1 Contents 1 History 2 Railtrail 3 References 3 1 Sources 4 External linksHistory EditIn the spring of 1867 construction began on the railway line between Niederwiesa and Hainichen On 1 March 1869 the Royal Saxon State Railways German Koniglich Sachsische Staatseisenbahnen opened the line as a branch of the main line between Chemnitz and Dresden Initially only about two to three trains ran daily The Hainichen Rosswein Railway Company Hainichen Rossweiner Eisenbahn Gesellschaft which had been founded in 1872 opened on 15 August 1874 a new 17 km long section from Hainichen to Rosswein to the Borsdorf Coswig railway of the Leipzig Dresden Railway Company It was taken over by the Royal Saxon State Railways on 10 August 1876 which had managed operations on it from its opening Harras Tunnel on a postcard appr in 1915The Harass or Harrassprung Haras leap referring to the legend of a leap on horseback off the rocks into the river said to have been made by Dietrich von Harras in 1449 tunnel runs through the Harass rocks Harrasfelsen between Braunsdorf and Frankenberg It was the site of a serious railway accident on 14 December 1913 During a winter storm about 100 m of rock broke away from the Harass rocks and blocked the southern exit of the tunnel Shortly after 22 15 a passenger train from Frankenberg to Niederwiesa ran into the debris The accident claimed 10 dead and 53 wounded and is still regarded as the worst rail disaster in Saxony Saxony cancelled passenger services between Rosswein and Hainichen on 24 May 1998 Freight traffic on this section was also closed on 1 January 2000 The Federal Railway Authority Eisenbahn Bundesamt approved the closure of the Hainichen Rosswein section on 11 July 2001 and it was completed on 30 September 2001 In August 2002 during the most severe flood in Saxony bridges on this section were completely destroyed and parts of the track were washed away by the flow of the Striegis The reconstruction and reopening of the line is therefore out of the question In October 2002 the whole line was leased to Regio Infra Service Sachsen After several years of renovation the City Bahn Chemnitz reopened the Niederwiesa Hainichen section on 11 December 2004 As part of the renovation the old Frankenberg Sachs Sud halt was abandoned and replaced by a newly established halt of the same name about 800 metres closer to the centre of Frankenberg near the Auf dem Wind housing estate Two services an hour run on the line on weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays services run every two hours Services are operated using a Regio Shuttle diesel railcar Railtrail Edit Abandoned track at former Grunau station May 2017 The lower section between Hainichen and Rosswein however remains unused In 2005 it was abandoned by Regio Infra Service Sachsen and the city of Hainichen decided to dismantle the tracks in order to build a cycle path on the route References Edit Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland German railway atlas Schweers Wall 2009 ISBN 978 3 89494 139 0 Sources Edit Erich Preuss Rainer Preuss 1991 Sachsische Staatseisenbahnen in German Berlin transpress Verlagsgesellschaft mbH ISBN 3 344 70700 0 Andreas Petrak 2006 Die Eisenbahn Niederwiesa Rosswein in German Nordhorn Kenning ISBN 3 927587 84 2 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rosswein Niederwiesa railway Lothar Brill Photographs of tunnel portals in German Tunnelportale Retrieved 16 January 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rosswein Niederwiesa railway amp oldid 1124897247, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
