Remscheid Hauptbahnhof
Encyclopedia
Remscheid Hauptbahnhof is in the Bergisch
city of Remscheid
in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
. It is located in Willy-Brandt-Platz near central Remscheid and is classified by Deutsche Bahn
as a category 5 station
.. It is one of a only few Hauptbahnhöfs (central station
s) in major German cities, which are not served by long-distance services.
(then called Rittershausen) to Lennep
, together with a branch line to Remscheid, giving the city its first rail connection. Remscheid station (now called Remscheid Hauptbahnhof) and its attached buildings were built of timber.
A branch line to Hasten was opened on 1 September 1883, and the Lennep–Remscheid line was duplicated up to 1891. Five years later, a branch to Bliedinghausen was added, but has only ever been used for freight.
As part of the construction of the line to Bliedinghausen the platforms were modified. Passenger trains to Hasten previously ran from their own terminal platform west of the station building. The sidings located east of Bismarckstraße later became the Remscheid East yard, which was connected to the station by a four track bridge over Bismarckstraße in 1900.
During the construction of the connecting line to Solingen via Güldenwerth over the Müngsten Bridge
the locomotive depot was closed due to lack of space in early 1896 and locomotive maintenance was transferred to the depot in nearby Lennep.
In 1897 the gap between Solingen Süd and Remscheid was finally closed and in 1907 the route was duplicated. Thus Remscheid station now had rail connections in four directions (and also via Lennep towards Opladen
). On 10 August 1911, a formal station building made of stone was inaugurated, replacing the existing building, which was called the Zigarrenkiste ("cigar box") because of its limited space. The line to Hasten ended again at a bay platform to the west of the station building. The main two tracks ran between a central platform and a "home" platform (next to the station building), connected by a pedestrian bridge and a tunnel for the railway post office. The new building included a rebuilt section of the hall of Elberfeld-Döppersberg station (which was closed in 1848 when Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof opened). Freight operations were moved in 1911 to the southern side of the station’s track field.
Until 1911, the station forecourt was called An der Quatsche; it was called Adolf Müller-Strasse during the Third Reich.
In 1914, Remscheid station was renamed Remscheid Hauptbahnhof to emphasise its importance as the most important station in the city of Remscheid. In 1922 passenger services to Hasten were discontinued. Freight traffic continued with general freight traffic to Hasten and Vieringhausen freight yards as well as wagon-load traffic to ten sidings of industrial enterprises. Freight operations closed to Hasten in 1986 and to Vieringhausen in 1988; the line was officially closed on 31 December 1990. The line was dismantled between March 1993 and September 1996. In 2006 the line was reconstructed as the Trasse des Werkzeugs ("tool path").
The importance of Remscheid station was always less than the nearby Lennep station, which became the most important station when Lennep was incorporated into Remscheid in 1929.
On 28 April 1974, centralised interlocking
was opened at the southwestern end of the railway land next to the Papenberger Straße level crossing.
and Wuppertal
), it was decided to carry out the complete reconstruction of the station. The old station building was demolished between December 2006 and February 2007. The old pedestrian overpass was replaced by a temporary bridge built by Technisches Hilfswerk
in November 2006, which was in place until the completion of the new works. In April 2009, the new station was completed.
to Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof, now known as the Regionalbahn
service Der Müngstener (RB 47), stopping at Remscheid. Since the closure of the remaining lines branching off at Lennep, there are also no other passenger services in Remscheid city, The route from Remscheid Hauptbahnhof to Bliedinghausen is only used for freight traffic.
Two platform tracks are available for passengers and there are also several freight tracks. Located on the forecourt of the station is Remscheid bus station, which is served by many urban and regional bus routes operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Remscheid and other transport companies.
Bergisches Land
The Bergisches Land is a low mountain range region within the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, east of Rhine river, south of the Ruhr. The landscape is shaped by woods, meadows, rivers and creeks and contains over 20 artificial lakes...
city of Remscheid
Remscheid
Remscheid is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is, after Wuppertal and Solingen, the third largest municipality in Bergisches Land, being located on the northern edge of the region, on south side of the Ruhr area....
in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. It is located in Willy-Brandt-Platz near central Remscheid and is classified by Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
as a category 5 station
German railway station categories
About 5,400 railway stations in Germany that are owned and operated by the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Station&Service are assigned into seven categories, denoting the service level available at the station....
.. It is one of a only few Hauptbahnhöfs (central station
Central station
A central station usually designates the principal passenger railway station of cities which have multiple stations. The central station functions as the main transport hub for rail transport, normally with interchange with other modes of public transport...
s) in major German cities, which are not served by long-distance services.
History
On 1 September 1868, the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company opened the first section of the Rittershausen–Opladen line from OberbarmenWuppertal-Oberbarmen station
Wuppertal-Oberbarmen station is a station in the city of Wuppertal in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was long an important railway junction, connecting to four railway lines...
(then called Rittershausen) to Lennep
Remscheid-Lennep station
Remscheid-Lennep station is in the city of Remscheid in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the second most important station in the city after Remscheid Hauptbahnhof...
, together with a branch line to Remscheid, giving the city its first rail connection. Remscheid station (now called Remscheid Hauptbahnhof) and its attached buildings were built of timber.
A branch line to Hasten was opened on 1 September 1883, and the Lennep–Remscheid line was duplicated up to 1891. Five years later, a branch to Bliedinghausen was added, but has only ever been used for freight.
As part of the construction of the line to Bliedinghausen the platforms were modified. Passenger trains to Hasten previously ran from their own terminal platform west of the station building. The sidings located east of Bismarckstraße later became the Remscheid East yard, which was connected to the station by a four track bridge over Bismarckstraße in 1900.
During the construction of the connecting line to Solingen via Güldenwerth over the Müngsten Bridge
Müngsten Bridge
Müngsten Bridge is the highest steel railroad bridge in Germany. The bridge is high and spans the valley of the river Wupper, connecting the cities of Remscheid and Solingen. This stretch is part of the Wuppertal-Oberbarmen–Solingen railway...
the locomotive depot was closed due to lack of space in early 1896 and locomotive maintenance was transferred to the depot in nearby Lennep.
In 1897 the gap between Solingen Süd and Remscheid was finally closed and in 1907 the route was duplicated. Thus Remscheid station now had rail connections in four directions (and also via Lennep towards Opladen
Opladen station
Opladen station is in the suburb of Opladen of the city of Leverkusen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is on the Gruiten–Köln-Deutz railway, which was opened on 25 September 1867 from Ohligs by the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company . It was extended to Mülheim BME station on 8...
). On 10 August 1911, a formal station building made of stone was inaugurated, replacing the existing building, which was called the Zigarrenkiste ("cigar box") because of its limited space. The line to Hasten ended again at a bay platform to the west of the station building. The main two tracks ran between a central platform and a "home" platform (next to the station building), connected by a pedestrian bridge and a tunnel for the railway post office. The new building included a rebuilt section of the hall of Elberfeld-Döppersberg station (which was closed in 1848 when Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof opened). Freight operations were moved in 1911 to the southern side of the station’s track field.
Until 1911, the station forecourt was called An der Quatsche; it was called Adolf Müller-Strasse during the Third Reich.
In 1914, Remscheid station was renamed Remscheid Hauptbahnhof to emphasise its importance as the most important station in the city of Remscheid. In 1922 passenger services to Hasten were discontinued. Freight traffic continued with general freight traffic to Hasten and Vieringhausen freight yards as well as wagon-load traffic to ten sidings of industrial enterprises. Freight operations closed to Hasten in 1986 and to Vieringhausen in 1988; the line was officially closed on 31 December 1990. The line was dismantled between March 1993 and September 1996. In 2006 the line was reconstructed as the Trasse des Werkzeugs ("tool path").
The importance of Remscheid station was always less than the nearby Lennep station, which became the most important station when Lennep was incorporated into Remscheid in 1929.
On 28 April 1974, centralised interlocking
Interlocking
In railway signalling, an interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junctions or crossings. The signalling appliances and tracks are sometimes collectively referred to as an interlocking plant...
was opened at the southwestern end of the railway land next to the Papenberger Straße level crossing.
Refurbishment
After the destruction of the war, the station was rebuilt in a simplified a form on the remaining foundation and on 14 August 1956, the entrance building was re-inaugurated. Only the most necessary work was carried out on the railway, the condition of which continued to deteriorate. As part of Regionale 2006 (a regional development program of Remscheid, SolingenSolingen
Solingen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the northern edge of the region called Bergisches Land, south of the Ruhr area, and with a 2009 population of 161,366 is the second largest city in the Bergisches Land...
and Wuppertal
Wuppertal
Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in and around the Wupper river valley, and is situated east of the city of Düsseldorf and south of the Ruhr area. With a population of approximately 350,000, it is the largest city in the Bergisches Land...
), it was decided to carry out the complete reconstruction of the station. The old station building was demolished between December 2006 and February 2007. The old pedestrian overpass was replaced by a temporary bridge built by Technisches Hilfswerk
Technisches Hilfswerk
The Bundesanstalt Technisches Hilfswerk is a civil protection organisation controlled by the German federal government...
in November 2006, which was in place until the completion of the new works. In April 2009, the new station was completed.
Rail services
Since the cessation of passenger services in 1922 to Hasten the only passenger service of the line is the service from Solingen HauptbahnhofSolingen Hauptbahnhof
Solingen Hauptbahnhof is the only train station in Solingen, Germany offering ICE and IC long distance trains....
to Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof, now known as the 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...
service Der Müngstener (RB 47), stopping at Remscheid. Since the closure of the remaining lines branching off at Lennep, there are also no other passenger services in Remscheid city, The route from Remscheid Hauptbahnhof to Bliedinghausen is only used for freight traffic.
Two platform tracks are available for passengers and there are also several freight tracks. Located on the forecourt of the station is Remscheid bus station, which is served by many urban and regional bus routes operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Remscheid and other transport companies.