Bremen State Railway
Encyclopedia
The Bremen State Railway was a railway line built by the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen on Prussian state territory. In spite of its name and although owned by the state it was operated under Prussian law as a private railway
. Constructionally it formed the 97 km long Uelzen–Langwedel railway
, the western section of the America Line
.
After the annexation
of the Kingdom of Hanover
by Prussia and the foundation of the North German Confederation
Bremen had a major interest in a shorter railway link to Berlin, in order to improve the competitiveness of its ports. After Prussia had refused to pay a proportion of the costs, Bremen decided to construct the line at its own expense. The obligatory state treaty with Prussia was concluded on 17 July 1870. Because funding from Bremen's national budget was not immediately available as a result of the cost of the recently completed Weser diversion, the Union Bank in Berlin was engaged and they had the line built at a cost of 2 million talers. The Magdeburg-Halberstadt Railway Company
was contracted to operate the railway, the contract being signed on 20 May 1870, i.e. before the state treaty. The company had also been given running powers on the Stendal–Salzwedel–Uelzen line.
Construction could not start until after Franco-Prussian War
. The line was taken into service for goods traffic on 15 April 1873; passenger services began a month later. The freight rates for transportation between Berlin and Bremen over this route were the same as on the Berlin-Hamburg line. Passengers generally had to change at Stendal however. Up to the end of the Second World War D-Zug express trains ran on the Berlin–Bremen–Wilhelmshaven
route over this line and also on the Norddeich-Berlin route. Connexions between Bremen and Berlin via Hamburg or Hanover were much quicker. The line was nicknamed the America Line
because there were connexions to emigration ships from Bremerhaven to America.
In 1883 the Bremen State Railway and the Bremen sections of the old Hanoverian railway network were transferred to the ownership of the Prussian state railways
for a one-off cost of 36 millionen mark
s.
As a result of the division of Germany the railway link from Bremen to Stendal via Uelzen was severed between Bergen an der Dumme and Salzwedel
from the end of the Second World War to 1999. The Bremen-Langwedel–Uelzen line is worked today by Regionalbahn
trains that shuttle between Bremen and Uelzen. Since 2005 more modern passenger shelters and station signs have been installed at several stations. The line is still waiting for a comprehensive overhaul however.
Private railway
A private railroad is a railroad run by a private corporation, as opposed to a railroad run by a public sector.-Japan:In Japan, refers to a railway line owned and operated by private sector. Although Japan Railways Group companies are private entities, they are not considered private railways...
. Constructionally it formed the 97 km long Uelzen–Langwedel railway
Uelzen–Langwedel railway
The Uelzen–Langwedel railway runs through the Lüneburg Heath in north Germany in an east-west direction.- Imperial era :The Bremen State Railway, as it was first called, was originally built by the Bremen Senate and opened in 1873. It runs from Lower Saxon Langwedel eastwards through the Lüneburg...
, the western section of the America Line
America Line
The America Line is the unofficial name of a railway line in northern Germany which is mainly of regional importance today...
.
After the annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
of the Kingdom of Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
by Prussia and the foundation of the North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
Bremen had a major interest in a shorter railway link to Berlin, in order to improve the competitiveness of its ports. After Prussia had refused to pay a proportion of the costs, Bremen decided to construct the line at its own expense. The obligatory state treaty with Prussia was concluded on 17 July 1870. Because funding from Bremen's national budget was not immediately available as a result of the cost of the recently completed Weser diversion, the Union Bank in Berlin was engaged and they had the line built at a cost of 2 million talers. The Magdeburg-Halberstadt Railway Company
Magdeburg-Halberstadt Railway Company
The Magdeburg-Halberstadt Railway Company was a railway in Prussia. It was nationalized in 1879.-History :The Magdeburg-Halberstadt Railway Company received a concession on 14 January 1842 from the Prussian government to build the 58 km long railway line from Magdeburg–Oschersleben–Halberstadt...
was contracted to operate the railway, the contract being signed on 20 May 1870, i.e. before the state treaty. The company had also been given running powers on the Stendal–Salzwedel–Uelzen line.
Construction could not start until after Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. The line was taken into service for goods traffic on 15 April 1873; passenger services began a month later. The freight rates for transportation between Berlin and Bremen over this route were the same as on the Berlin-Hamburg line. Passengers generally had to change at Stendal however. Up to the end of the Second World War D-Zug express trains ran on the Berlin–Bremen–Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
route over this line and also on the Norddeich-Berlin route. Connexions between Bremen and Berlin via Hamburg or Hanover were much quicker. The line was nicknamed the America Line
America Line
The America Line is the unofficial name of a railway line in northern Germany which is mainly of regional importance today...
because there were connexions to emigration ships from Bremerhaven to America.
In 1883 the Bremen State Railway and the Bremen sections of the old Hanoverian railway network were transferred to the ownership of the Prussian state railways
Prussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
for a one-off cost of 36 millionen mark
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
s.
As a result of the division of Germany the railway link from Bremen to Stendal via Uelzen was severed between Bergen an der Dumme and Salzwedel
Salzwedel
Salzwedel of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salzwedel is located on the German Framework Road.-Geography:...
from the end of the Second World War to 1999. The Bremen-Langwedel–Uelzen line is worked today by Regionalbahn
RegionalBahn
The Regionalbahn is a type of local passenger train in Germany.-Service:Regionalbahn trains usually call at all stations on a given line, with the exception of RB trains within S-Bahn networks, these may only call at selected stations...
trains that shuttle between Bremen and Uelzen. Since 2005 more modern passenger shelters and station signs have been installed at several stations. The line is still waiting for a comprehensive overhaul however.
Literature
- Hartmut Roder (Hrsg.): Verkehr in Bremen, Steintor-Verlag, Bremen, 1987, ISBN 3-926028-15-7
