Blankenburg (Harz) station
Encyclopedia
Blankenburg station is the most important station in Blankenburg in the Saxony-Anhalt
district of Harz in central Germany.
to the north, it made a railway route into the Harz Mountains very costly.
On 3 July 1875 a 3.5 kilometre long line from Blankenburg station to the smelting works in the west of the town was completed. It was known as the Erzstufen Railway and was a cog railway using the Abt rack system. It was the oldest industrial siding in the Harz. But it was closed again in 1885 because, from 1880, the Blankenburg–Tanne line
, also built by the HBE, provided a better link to the factory.
For topographical reasons the line had to leave Blankenburg station in a northwesterly direction, thus resulting in a railway terminus. This line became the Harz Railway (Harzbahn) and since 1950 has been called the Rübeland Railway
(Rübelandbahn).
From 1960–65 the Rübeland Railway was electrified. Its electrification
system is different from the normal systems. Because this line is isolated from the rest of the electrified railway network, a variation optimised for the railway was able to be chosen. For a long time, however, this required the employment of special locomotives of Class E 251
, later the Class 171, that were maintained at the depot
near the station in Blankenburg.
After the sections of the Rübeland Railway to Tanne and Königshütte
were closed, in 2005 passenger services on the rest of the line to Elbingerode were ceased.
As well as Blankenburg station, that is mainly used for passenger services, Blankenburg also has a goods station and the North station, both responsible for marshalling trains for the Rübeland Railway.
Both lines are worked by goods trains. These trains use a bypass curve north of the station, so that no change of direction is needed.
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
district of Harz in central Germany.
Location
The station lies in the north of the town. Whilst this simplified its accessibility from HalberstadtHalberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
to the north, it made a railway route into the Harz Mountains very costly.
History
Blankenburg station was opened on 31 March 1873 by the Halberstadt-Blankenburg Railway Company (Halberstadt-Blankenburger Eisenbahn or HBE). In its early years trains only ran to the station from Halberstadt. The main purpose of the line was to provide a connexion for the Blankenburg smelting works to the railway network.On 3 July 1875 a 3.5 kilometre long line from Blankenburg station to the smelting works in the west of the town was completed. It was known as the Erzstufen Railway and was a cog railway using the Abt rack system. It was the oldest industrial siding in the Harz. But it was closed again in 1885 because, from 1880, the Blankenburg–Tanne line
Rübeland Railway
The Rübeland Railway is a railway link from Blankenburg via Rübeland and Königshütte to Tanne in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It was built by the Halberstadt-Blankenburg Railway between 1880 and 1886. The route length is 30.6 kilometres, the height difference over 300 metres...
, also built by the HBE, provided a better link to the factory.
For topographical reasons the line had to leave Blankenburg station in a northwesterly direction, thus resulting in a railway terminus. This line became the Harz Railway (Harzbahn) and since 1950 has been called the Rübeland Railway
Rübeland Railway
The Rübeland Railway is a railway link from Blankenburg via Rübeland and Königshütte to Tanne in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It was built by the Halberstadt-Blankenburg Railway between 1880 and 1886. The route length is 30.6 kilometres, the height difference over 300 metres...
(Rübelandbahn).
From 1960–65 the Rübeland Railway was electrified. Its electrification
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
system is different from the normal systems. Because this line is isolated from the rest of the electrified railway network, a variation optimised for the railway was able to be chosen. For a long time, however, this required the employment of special locomotives of Class E 251
DR Class E 251
The East German electric locomotives of DR Class E 251 were not standard engines either within the Deutsche Reichsbahn's or subsequently the Deutsche Bahn's fleet, due to the different specification of their electrical system. They were only used on the Blankenburg – Königshütte line...
, later the Class 171, that were maintained at the depot
Bahnbetriebswerk
A Bahnbetriebswerk is the equivalent of a locomotive depot on the German and Austrian railways. It is an installation that carries out the maintenance, minor repairs, refuelling and cleaning of locomotives and other motive power. In addition it organises the deployment of locomotives and crews...
near the station in Blankenburg.
After the sections of the Rübeland Railway to Tanne and Königshütte
Königshütte (Harz)
Since 1 January 2004 Königshütte has been a village in the borough of Oberharz am Brocken in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.- Location :...
were closed, in 2005 passenger services on the rest of the line to Elbingerode were ceased.
As well as Blankenburg station, that is mainly used for passenger services, Blankenburg also has a goods station and the North station, both responsible for marshalling trains for the Rübeland Railway.
Operation
Passenger services continue to be operated on the Halberstadt–Blankenburg railway, worked hourly by trains operated by Veolia Verkehr Sachsen-Anhalt.| Line | Route | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | Magdeburg Magdeburg Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station in the city of Magdeburg in the northern part of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.-Importance :The station is the main station of Magdeburg and along with Halle Hauptbahnhof the centre of long-distance rail transport in Saxony-Anhalt... – Halberstadt – Blankenburg |
Hourly |
Both lines are worked by goods trains. These trains use a bypass curve north of the station, so that no change of direction is needed.
Sources
- Werner Steinke: Die Halberstadt-Blankenburger Eisenbahn. Berlin 1982, ISBN 3-87094-200-2.
- Gerhard Zieglgänsberger, Hans Röper, Werner Steinke: Eisenbahnreviere Harz. transpress 1992, ISBN 3-344-70738-8.