Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

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Introduction

This list is based on the timetable dated from 13 December 2009 to 11 December 2010, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.

In the heading to each entry the map reference for the line in the Schweers+Wall Eisenbahn Atlas (2007/2008 edition) is shown, in italic, in addition to the reference to M.G. Ball's European Railway Atlas.

Obscure services

Minden (Westf) – Hamm (via Goods Line)

[370,400] (25A1, 41C1-52B1) DE09/351

Hamm to Minden is the longest quadruple line in Germany. Between Bielefeld and Gütersloh the goods lines fly over the passenger lines, and between Heessen and Ahlen they dive under. The goods lines are sometimes used by relief trains between Hannover and the Ruhr in order to overtake stopping services. They are also used when engineering work is taking place on the main line, which may be indicated by stopping trains being advertised not to call at certain stations.

Münster (Westf) avoiding line: Westbevern (Sudmühle) – Appelhülsen (Mecklenbeck)

(24B1, 134C1-134B2) DE09/352

This line enables trains to run between the Osnabrück and Recklinghausen lines without passing through Münster (Westf) Hbf. There is also a curve to the Hamm line, but that is not used by any passenger trains.

E	FO	DZ1250	Hamburg-Altona – 14:27 Osnabrück Hbf – Cerbere
E	SO	DZ1253	15:10 Cerbere – Hamburg-Altona
E	WO	AZ13317	13:43 Hamburg-Altona – Verona Porta Nuova
H	WO	AZ13328	19:08 Innsbruck Hbf – Hamburg-Altona

Dortmund Hbf (Abzw Lütgendortmund) – Witten Hbf (Abzw Stockumer Straße)

[427,455] (34B3, 138D3) DE09/353

This east to south curve is used by trains running non-stop between Dortmund Hbf and Witten Hbf or Hagen Hbf. There are hourly services of ICE/IC trains to Hagen and RE trains to Witten.

Dortmund Aplerbeck Süd (Abzw Schwerte Heide) – Fröndenberg (Schwerte Ost)

[438] (35A1, 139C3) DE09/354

This north to east curve connects the Dortmund and Brilon Wald lines east of Schwerte (Ruhr). It is used by through trains between Dortmund Hbf and Bestwig, Brilon Wald or Winterberg (Westf), approximately hourly, except RB29535 23:23 from Dortmund Hbf, which reverses at Schwerte (Ruhr).

Hagen-Vorhalle – Schwerte (Ruhr) (Abzw Hohensyburg)

(35A1, 139A4-139B4) DE09/355

This route allows trains to run between the Witten and Schwerte lines without reversing at Hagen Hbf. It is not normally used by passenger trains, but a special Ruhrtalbahn Zechenexpress service runs this way on the fourth Saturday of the month from March to October. See www.ruhrtalbahn.de.

E	SO		08:06 Bochum-Dahlhausen – Dortmund-Bövinghausen
E	SO		13:50 Zeche Nachtigall – Dortmund-Bövinghausen
E	SO		10:32 Dortmund-Bövinghausen - Zeche Nachtigall
E	SO		15:32 Dortmund-Bövinghausen - Bochum-Dahlhausen

Düsseldorf-Rath – Oberhausen-Sterkrade (Oberhausen Hbf Obn) (via Duisburg-Wedau and Abzw Mathilde)

(33B1-33B3, 141A2 - 137A2) DE09/356

This freight route avoids Duisburg Hbf and Oberhausen Hbf. It is used by:

ThFSO

CNL400

Milano Centrale – 09s18 FSSuO Düsseldorf Hbf – Amsterdam Centraal

Düsseldorf-Wehrhahn (Abzw. Düsseldorf-Rethel) – Düsseldorf-Rath Mitte (Abzw. Düsseldorf-Vogelsang) (via Düsseldorf-Dehrendorf Dnf and Düsseldorf-Dehrendorf Dn)

(33A1 not shown, 140D2) DE09/356A

This freight-only route (part of line 2410) drops down on the east side of the main line at Düsseldorf-Wehrhahn and passes under the main line to the west side, running parallel through Düsseldorf-Dehrendorf yard before flying over the main line on line 2401 to join the S-Bahn route towards Rath. It is used by:

ThFSO

CNL400

Milano Centrale – 09s18 FSSuO Düsseldorf Hbf – Amsterdam Centraal

See also

• Germany
• Germany - General Information
• Germany - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services