Friedberg–Hanau railway

The Friedberg–Hanau railway is a 32.2 km long double-track, electrified mainline in the German state of Hesse. It connects Friedberg and Hanau. The line has the timetable number of 633 and it is integrated in the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (Rhine Main Transport Association) as Regionalbahn service RB 49.

Friedberg–Hanau Railway
Overview
Native name	Bahnstrecke Friedberg—Hanau
Type	Heavy rail, passenger/freight rail Regional rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Hesse, Germany
Termini	Friedberg Hanau Hbf
Stations	7
Line number	3742
Operation
Opened	1 December 1879 (1879-12-01)
Completed	15 September 1881 (1881-09-15)
Owner	Deutsche Bahn
Operator(s)	DB Bahn
Technical
Line length	32.2 km (20.0 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 line
Operating speed	140 km/h (87 mph)
Route number	633
Route map Main-Weser Railway from Kassel Friedberg–Mücke railway from Wölfersheim-Södel 0.0 Friedberg (Hess) 0.9 Friedberg freight yard Line to Friedrichsdorf former route to Friedrichsdorf Main-Weser Railway to Frankfurt 1.4 Friedberg Hohl (junction) L 3351 Wetter 4.9 Assenheim (Oberhess) Nidda bridge, Assenheim Erbstadt-Kaichen B 521 Nidder bridge (L: 85 m; H: 12 m) Nidder Valley Railway from Glauburg-Stockheim 15.5 Nidderau (formerly Heldenbergen-Windecken) Nidder Valley Railway to Bad Vilbel 17.7 Ostheim (Kr. Hanau) 21.7 Bruchköbel ~24.5 Former Langendiebach airbase A 66 Track construction yard siding 26.8 Hanau Nord former Hanau Light Railway to Hüttengesäß Kinzig B 43 Kinzig Valley Railway from Fulda Connecting line from the Kinzig Valley Railway 25.3 Rauschwald (siding) Connecting line to Main-Spessart Railway Main-Spessart Railway from Aschaffenburg Odenwald Railway from Eberbach 32.2 Hanau Hbf North bank line to Frankfurt South bank line to Frankfurt Source: German railway atlas[1]

History

The line was authorised under an act of the Prussian parliament of 11 June 1873 and opened by the Prussian state railways in two phases. The first section was opened from Hanau to Heldenbergen-Windecken (now Nidderau) on 1 December 1879. The second section opened from Heldenbergen-Windecken to Friedberg for freight on 15 September 1881 and for passenger traffic on 15 October 1881.

Significance

The importance of the route lies in freight traffic. It forms part of a trunk route from the Ruhr region to Bavaria via the Ruhr–Sieg railway, the Dill Railway and the Main–Weser Railway from Giessen to Friedberg via and continuing from Hanau via the Main–Spessart Railway.

The line is used as a detour during operational failures that occasionally occur due to the high utilisation of the Main–Weser Railway between Frankfurt and Friedberg or during construction work.

In passenger transport, the line was formerly served by the Regionalbahn trains of the Hessische Landesbahn (HLB), using GTW 2/6 rolling stock. There were no passenger services from Saturday evening until Monday morning and on public holidays. Although the line is electrified, the only vehicles used for passenger transport are diesel multiple units.

Since December 2011, DB Regio Hessen has had the concession to operate services on the line with Bombardier Talent 2 electric multiple units. As the vehicles were not yet approved for operations the line continued to be served by GTW 2-6 operated by HLB. These were staffed by DB Regio Hessen.[2] From June 2013, DB Regio Hessen has operated this service at 2-hour intervals (every hour at peak hour on weekdays) with Talent vehicles, now numbered as RB 49.

• 
  A FLIRT passes through the former Erbstadt-Kaichen station
• 
  Crossing of GTW 2/6 and trains on the Nidder Valley Railway in Nidderau
• 
  GTW 2/6 coupled set towards Friedberg stops in Hanau Nord
• 
  Freight train in Nidderau

Notes

1. Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2009. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.
2. "HLB-Triebzüge mit DB-Personal". Eisenbahn-Revue International (in German) (1): 6. 2012.

References

• Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen, ed. (2005). Eisenbahn in Hessen. Kulturdenkmäler in Hessen. Denkmaltopographie Bundesrepublik Deutschland (in German). 2.2. Stuttgart: Theiss Verlag. pp. 605ff (line 40). ISBN 3-8062-1917-6.
• Dieter Eckert (2006). "Güterzüge prägten das Bild der Bahn. 135 Jahre Eisenbahn Friedberg-Hanau: Bestandteil einer Hauptdurchgangslinie". Hessische Heimat (in German) (5): 17–20.