Hardt Railway
Encyclopedia
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The junction to the Karlsruhe tram network
is at the Yorckstrasse halt, the section between Yorckstrasse and Haus Bethlehem is counted however as tramway so the kilometrage of the Hardt Railway does not start until Haus Bethlehem.
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The Hardt Railway is a railway line in the Karlsruhe
region of Germany
. Originally built as part of a through main line, it now forms a branch line from Karlruhe to Hochstetten. The line runs along the western edge of the forest of Hardtwald, from which it takes its name.
Today the line is owned and operated, as part of the Stadtbahn Karlsruhe
, by the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
(AVG).
and was built in 1870 as part of the Rhine Railway from Mannheim to Karlsruhe. In 1895, after a shorter link was built as part of the strategic railway from Graben via Blankenloch to Karlsruhe, the Karlsruhe–Graben section – henceforth known as the Hardtbahn – lost a lot of its traffic and was downgraded into a branch line as a result. Because the demand for passenger services fell significantly after the Second World War, it was closed in 1967 and the Leopoldshafen–Graben section subsequently dismantled.
In 1979 a tram service
was opened on the section in the Karlsruhe quarter of Neureut operated by the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
(AVG). This was extended in 1986 to Leopoldshafen and in 1989 to Hochstetten. In Leopoldshafen, Linkenheim and Hochstetten the trackbed was moved closer to the villages.
(AVG). A typical off-peak service consists of six trains an hour, of which three terminate at Kirchfeld, and three continue to Hochstetten. More trains may operate during peak periods, and fewer on a Sunday or in the evenings.
The S1 and S11 continue south of the Hardtbahn, across city tram tracks operated by the Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe
, and then to the south of Karlsruhe on the AVG owned Albtalbahn, to Ettlingen
, Bad Herrenalb
and Ittersbach.
Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe
The Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe , is the municipal transport company of the city of Karlsruhe in Germany. It runs the tram and bus network within the city, as well as the Turmbergbahn funicular railway....
is at the Yorckstrasse halt, the section between Yorckstrasse and Haus Bethlehem is counted however as tramway so the kilometrage of the Hardt Railway does not start until Haus Bethlehem.
The Hardt Railway is a railway line in the Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
region of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Originally built as part of a through main line, it now forms a branch line from Karlruhe to Hochstetten. The line runs along the western edge of the forest of Hardtwald, from which it takes its name.
Today the line is owned and operated, as part of the Stadtbahn Karlsruhe
Stadtbahn Karlsruhe
The Karlsruhe Stadtbahn is a German tram-train system combining tram lines in the city of Karlsruhe with railway lines in the surrounding countryside, serving the entire region of the middle upper Rhine valley and creating connections to neighbouring regions...
, by the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
The Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft is a company, which is owned 100% by the city of Karlsruhe and operates rail and bus services in the Karlsruhe area....
(AVG).
History
The Hardtbahn originally ran between Karlsruhe and GrabenGraben-Neudorf
Graben-Neudorf is a town in Northern Karlsruhe County in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-Early history:The village of Graben was probably created between the 5th and 7th Century, though this isn't entirely certain. An ancient Roman road connecting Kehl, Mühlburg, Heidelberg, and Neuenheim runs...
and was built in 1870 as part of the Rhine Railway from Mannheim to Karlsruhe. In 1895, after a shorter link was built as part of the strategic railway from Graben via Blankenloch to Karlsruhe, the Karlsruhe–Graben section – henceforth known as the Hardtbahn – lost a lot of its traffic and was downgraded into a branch line as a result. Because the demand for passenger services fell significantly after the Second World War, it was closed in 1967 and the Leopoldshafen–Graben section subsequently dismantled.
In 1979 a tram service
Stadtbahn Karlsruhe
The Karlsruhe Stadtbahn is a German tram-train system combining tram lines in the city of Karlsruhe with railway lines in the surrounding countryside, serving the entire region of the middle upper Rhine valley and creating connections to neighbouring regions...
was opened on the section in the Karlsruhe quarter of Neureut operated by the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
The Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft is a company, which is owned 100% by the city of Karlsruhe and operates rail and bus services in the Karlsruhe area....
(AVG). This was extended in 1986 to Leopoldshafen and in 1989 to Hochstetten. In Leopoldshafen, Linkenheim and Hochstetten the trackbed was moved closer to the villages.
Operation
The passenger services of the Hardtbahn are provided by routes S1 and S11 of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn, which are operated by the Albtal-Verkehrs-GesellschaftAlbtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
The Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft is a company, which is owned 100% by the city of Karlsruhe and operates rail and bus services in the Karlsruhe area....
(AVG). A typical off-peak service consists of six trains an hour, of which three terminate at Kirchfeld, and three continue to Hochstetten. More trains may operate during peak periods, and fewer on a Sunday or in the evenings.
The S1 and S11 continue south of the Hardtbahn, across city tram tracks operated by the Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe
Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe
The Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe , is the municipal transport company of the city of Karlsruhe in Germany. It runs the tram and bus network within the city, as well as the Turmbergbahn funicular railway....
, and then to the south of Karlsruhe on the AVG owned Albtalbahn, to Ettlingen
Ettlingen
Ettlingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about south of the city of Karlsruhe. Ettlingen is the second largest town in the district of Karlsruhe, after Bruchsal.-Geography:...
, Bad Herrenalb
Bad Herrenalb
Bad Herrenalb is a municipality in the district of Calw, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the northern Black Forest, 15 km east of Baden-Baden, and 22 km southwest of Pforzheim....
and Ittersbach.