Darmstadt–Worms railway

The Darmstadt–Worms railway is a standard-gauge railway that is now partially closed. It runs through southern Hesse through the Hessian Ried (Hessische Ried) and so it is also called the Riedbahn (Ried Railway).

Darmstadt–Worms railway
Overview
Line number
  • 3541 (Darmstadt–Goddelau)
  • 4010 (Goddelau–Biblis)
  • 3570 (Biblis–Worms)
LocaleHesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
TerminiDarmstadt
Worms
Service
Route number655
Technical
Line length43.5 km (27.0 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationGoddelau–Worms: 15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Route map

Main-Neckar Railway from Bensheim
61.6
Darmstadt Hbf
Main-Neckar Railway to Aschaffenburg
Main-Neckar Railway to Frankfurt
Main-Neckar Railway from/to Aschaffenburg
Main-Neckar Railway from Frankfurt
58.6
Darmstadt Bergschneise
(junction)
Rhine-Main Railway to Groß-Gerau
several sidings
Darmstadt-Griesheim Röhm
A 5
A 67
51.6
Griesheim
47.7
Wolfskehlen
Riedbahn from Groß-Gerau
45.7
Riedstadt-Goddelau
89 m
42.7
Stockstadt (Rhein)
39.6
Biebesheim
Siding from Gernsheim port
36.4
Gernsheim
RMV / VRN fare border
31.5
Groß Rohrheim
Siding from Biblis Nuclear Power Plant
28.1
10.0
Biblis
92 m
Riedbahn to Bürstadt
Weschnitz
Nibelung Railway from Bürstadt
5.6
Hofheim (Ried)
old route until 1900
former line from Weinheim
Landdamm
(junction)
Rosengarten station
(1869–1900)
Rhine Bridge,
Hesse / Rhineland-Palatinate state border
Worms Port Railway
2.3
Worms Brücke
line from Mainz
former line from Gundheim
0.0
Worms Hbf
Worms–Bingen railway to Monsheim
former line to Grünstadt
line to Ludwigshafen
Source: German railway atlas[1]

The section between Darmstadt and Riedstadt-Goddelau is now largely closed. The section between Riedstadt-Goddelau and Biblis, which is now considered part of the Mannheim–Frankfurt railway, is of great importance for long-distance passenger services and rail freight traffic. The last section from Biblis to Worms is used by regional passenger services and rail freight traffic.

History

The Darmstadt–Worms railway was originally built by the Hessian Ludwig Railway (Hessische Ludwigsbahn), to connect Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, with Worms, the second most important city in the province of Rheinhessen of the Grand Duchy. The riparian communities contributed significantly to the financing of the project.[2]

On 29 May 1869, the line from Darmstadt via Riedstadt-Goddelau and Biblis to Rosengarten station, on the opposite side of the Rhine from Worms, was opened by the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, Reinhard Carl Friedrich von Dalwigk. From Rosengarten station, trains crossed the Rhine from 1870 to 1900 using the Worms-Rosengarten train ferry, as there was no bridge across the Rhine at Worms.[3]

In December 1900, a railway bridge was opened over the Rhine to Worms, creating a direct connection to Worms and replacing the existing terminus at Rosengarten and the ferry crossing over the Rhine.

In 1975, the railway between Darmstadt and Goddelau was closed due to lack of traffic and partly dismantled. All that remains of the line is a siding from Darmstadt to Weiterstadt-Riedbahn, where the line ends.

Operations

Darmstadt–Riedstadt-Goddelau

A siding to the industrial area of Weiterstadt-Riedbahn still exists on the largely disused section between Darmstadt Hauptbahnhof and Riedstadt-Goddelau and it is occasionally used by freight traffic.

Riedstadt-Goddelau–Biblis

Almost all Intercity-Express and InterCity trains between the Frankfurt railway node in the north (the stations of Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, Frankfurt South station and Frankfurt Airport) and Mannheim Hauptbahnhof in the south run on the middle section between Riedstadt-Goddelau and Biblis.

In addition, the RE 70, a Regional-Express service, runs from Frankfurt via Groß Gerau-Dornberg, Riedstadt-Goddelau, Biblis and Lampertheim to Mannheim.

Biblis–Worms

The southern section is operated only by two Regionalbahn services: RB 62 from Biblis to Worms Hbf and RB 63 on the route from Hofheim (Ried) to Worms Hbf (originating in Bürstadt and Bensheim, see also Nibelung Railway).

References

  1. Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland [German railway atlas] (in German). Schweers + Wall. 2009. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.
  2. Magistrat der Stadt Lampertheim, ed. (1977). Rosengarten. Beiträge zur Geschichte der Gemeinde Rosengarten - Zum 40jährigen Bestehen der Gemeinde Rosengarten (in German). Lampertheim. p. 90.
  3. Magistrat der Stadt Lampertheim, ed. (1977). Rosengarten. Beiträge zur Geschichte der Gemeinde Rosengarten - Zum 40jährigen Bestehen der Gemeinde Rosengarten (in German). Lampertheim. p. 91.
  • Heinz Schomann (2005). Heritage Office of the State of Hessen (ed.). Eisenbahn in Hessen. Eisenbahnbauten und -strecken 1839–1939 (in German). 2.1. Stuttgart. pp. 351ff. ISBN 3-8062-1917-6. (line 020).
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