The Mellrichstadt–Fladungen railway, also called the Streu Valley Line (Streutalbahn), is a Bavarian branch line that connects Mellrichstadt in Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) with the town of Fladungen, which nestles in the Rhön mountains.
Public transport arrived in the Streu Valley in 1838, but only a few of the local inhabitants could afford the luxury of travelling by post coach. Ostheim, an enclave of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach pressed for a railway link as early as 1853. But it was only in 1866 that Bavaria decided to extend the railway network into the remote and poorly served Rhön mountains in the north of the state. In 1871 the line from Schweinfurt to Bad Kissingen was opened, but it was another 18 years before the Lokalbahn AG was initially tasked with building a line from Mellrichstadt to Ostheim, only for it to be cancelled. Finally, in 1897, work began, and the line was completed on 20 December 1898.
The early years were dominated by goods transportation for agriculture, forestry and emerging local industries. Increasing tourist traffic also generated business for the line and surrounding hostelries. Until 1911, management of the line was based at Fladungen; from that time it transferred to Mellrichstadt.
South of Ostheim the sawmill Nix & Zinn still had to load its products at the line; later an industrial siding was built. From the factory site to the loading ramp a narrow-gauge industrial line handled the movement of goods, mainly railway sleepers. During the First World War, services had to be cut to two pairs of trains daily and the shortage of coal meant that operations even had to be ceased for a while at the end of the war, restarting in January 1920. In 1927 the route was raised 7 metres higher by Stockheim station in order to cross the state road.
Soon after the opening of a basalt works in Fladungen, the capacity of the terminus there proved inadequate and significant expansion was needed. The station tracks were extended to the north via an embankment. A ramp was erected on the station approach where building material for the new High Rhön Road (Hochrhönstrasse) was transshipped.
Passenger services were withdrawn in 1976 and the last goods train ran in 1987 when the Streu Valley line was finally closed by the Deutsche Bundesbahn.
Museum Railwayedit
In 1996 the branch was opened again as far as Ostheim as a museum railway operating the so-called Little Rhön Train (Rhön-Zügle). In 2000, the entire route to Fladungen was opened again. The museum's jewel in the crown is its restored Bavarian GtL 4/4 steam engine, number 98 886, which is on loan from the town of Schweinfurt. The museum railway is part of the Franconian Open Air Museum (Fränkisches Freilandmuseum) and the railway is operated by the Lower Main Railway Friends (Eisenbahnfreunden Untermain).[1]
98 886 at Stockheim in August 2006
98 886 heading for Ostheim
98 886 at Heufurt level crossing heading down the valley
98 886 by Nordheim heading down the valley
Sourcesedit
German Wikipedia article at Bahnstrecke Mellrichstadt–Fladungen
^Kursbuch der deutschen Museums-Eisenbahnen 2008 (Handbook of German Museum Railways), Verlag Uhle und Kleimann, ISBN978-3-928959-50-6, serial 264
Literatureedit
Fränkische Nebenbahnen - Mittel- und Unterfranken / W. Bleiweis, E. Martin / Bufe-Fachbuch-Verlag
Die Lokalbahn Mellrichstadt - Fladungen / W. Bleiweis / H&L-Publikationen Verlag W. Bleiweis
Eisenbahn in Unterfranken / W. Bleiweis, Th. Mäuser / Bufe-Fachbuch-Verlag
Nebenbahnen in Unterfranken / A. Kuhfahl / Eisenbahn-Fachbuch-Verlag
External linksedit
Media related to Mellrichstadt–Fladungen railway at Wikimedia Commons
April 13, 2024
mellrichstadt, fladungen, railway, also, called, streu, valley, line, streutalbahn, bavarian, branch, line, that, connects, mellrichstadt, lower, franconia, unterfranken, with, town, fladungen, which, nestles, rhön, mountains, mellrichstadt, fladungenoverviewl. The Mellrichstadt Fladungen railway also called the Streu Valley Line Streutalbahn is a Bavarian branch line that connects Mellrichstadt in Lower Franconia Unterfranken with the town of Fladungen which nestles in the Rhon mountains Mellrichstadt FladungenOverviewLine number5243ServiceRoute number813TechnicalLine length18 4 kmTrack gauge1 435 mm standard gauge Route mapLegendfrom Schweinfurt0 00 Mellrichstadtto Meiningen1 2 Mellrichstadt Stadt5 2 Stockheim Mainfr 8 0 Ostheim v Rhon13 0 Nordheim v Rhon16 6 Heufurt18 4 Fladungen Contents 1 History 2 Museum Railway 3 Sources 4 See also 5 References 6 Literature 7 External linksHistory editPublic transport arrived in the Streu Valley in 1838 but only a few of the local inhabitants could afford the luxury of travelling by post coach Ostheim an enclave of the Grand Duchy of Saxe Weimar Eisenach pressed for a railway link as early as 1853 But it was only in 1866 that Bavaria decided to extend the railway network into the remote and poorly served Rhon mountains in the north of the state In 1871 the line from Schweinfurt to Bad Kissingen was opened but it was another 18 years before the Lokalbahn AG was initially tasked with building a line from Mellrichstadt to Ostheim only for it to be cancelled Finally in 1897 work began and the line was completed on 20 December 1898 The early years were dominated by goods transportation for agriculture forestry and emerging local industries Increasing tourist traffic also generated business for the line and surrounding hostelries Until 1911 management of the line was based at Fladungen from that time it transferred to Mellrichstadt South of Ostheim the sawmill Nix amp Zinn still had to load its products at the line later an industrial siding was built From the factory site to the loading ramp a narrow gauge industrial line handled the movement of goods mainly railway sleepers During the First World War services had to be cut to two pairs of trains daily and the shortage of coal meant that operations even had to be ceased for a while at the end of the war restarting in January 1920 In 1927 the route was raised 7 metres higher by Stockheim station in order to cross the state road Soon after the opening of a basalt works in Fladungen the capacity of the terminus there proved inadequate and significant expansion was needed The station tracks were extended to the north via an embankment A ramp was erected on the station approach where building material for the new High Rhon Road Hochrhonstrasse was transshipped Passenger services were withdrawn in 1976 and the last goods train ran in 1987 when the Streu Valley line was finally closed by the Deutsche Bundesbahn Museum Railway editIn 1996 the branch was opened again as far as Ostheim as a museum railway operating the so called Little Rhon Train Rhon Zugle In 2000 the entire route to Fladungen was opened again The museum s jewel in the crown is its restored Bavarian GtL 4 4 steam engine number 98 886 which is on loan from the town of Schweinfurt The museum railway is part of the Franconian Open Air Museum Frankisches Freilandmuseum and the railway is operated by the Lower Main Railway Friends Eisenbahnfreunden Untermain 1 nbsp 98 886 at Stockheim in August 2006 nbsp 98 886 heading for Ostheim nbsp 98 886 at Heufurt level crossing heading down the valley nbsp 98 886 by Nordheim heading down the valleySources editGerman Wikipedia article at Bahnstrecke Mellrichstadt Fladungen Lokalbahn von Mellrichstadt nach FladungenSee also editHistory of rail transport in Germany Royal Bavarian State Railways Deutsche Reichsbahn Deutsche BundesbahnReferences edit Kursbuch der deutschen Museums Eisenbahnen 2008 Handbook of German Museum Railways Verlag Uhle und Kleimann ISBN 978 3 928959 50 6 serial 264Literature editFrankische Nebenbahnen Mittel und Unterfranken W Bleiweis E Martin Bufe Fachbuch Verlag Die Lokalbahn Mellrichstadt Fladungen W Bleiweis H amp L Publikationen Verlag W Bleiweis Eisenbahn in Unterfranken W Bleiweis Th Mauser Bufe Fachbuch Verlag Nebenbahnen in Unterfranken A Kuhfahl Eisenbahn Fachbuch VerlagExternal links edit nbsp Media related to Mellrichstadt Fladungen railway at Wikimedia Commons Streutalbahn Eisenbahnfreunde Untermain Rhon Zugle 2008 timetable Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mellrichstadt Fladungen railway amp oldid 1203062652, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
