Connection of Fulda to the new Hanover – Würzburg line

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The connection of Fulda to the new Hanover – Würzburg line was the subject of a long-standing discussion in the 1970s. Original plans to route the line to the west or east past Fulda and to connect the Fulda train station via links between the new line and existing lines were discarded in the course of the discussion. Today the Fulda train station is directly connected to the high-speed line.

history

While the route was still being developed, the German Federal Railroad announced in mid-December 1971 that it would route the route between Hanover and Würzburg west of Fulda. In March 1972 the Federal Railroad announced that the Fulda station should be connected to the line. At the beginning of the 1970s, the Federal Railroad had also developed a bypass to the east of Fulda.

During a conversation between the Hessian Minister for Economics and Technology and the state planning authorities on September 9, 1971, the DB presented the planned route: The route coming from Kassel was to be led through the forest area east of Fulda, cross the Fulda valley at Glasseszell and then run via Maberzell to Haimbacher Straße; A stop for tourist traffic was planned between Haimbach and the barracks area. Then the route should lead over the Haderwaldsiedlung, east of the Sickels airfield into the Fulda valley and cross the road Kohlhaus - Johannesberg there. Junction points were planned to the north and south to connect the Fulda train station. These should initially be used operationally and only later if necessary for traffic.

The DB asked to submit a statement on the routing by December 1, 1971 and not to involve the press yet. During an information meeting on November 4, 1971, the DB stated that fast passenger trains would not stop in Fulda. First of all, the development of the city of Fulda and the regional planning of the state should be awaited; the arrangement of platforms on the supplementary line is possible at any time; The area around Haimbacher Strasse was named by DB as the preferred location. A relocation of the route to the east, requested by the city, was refused by the DB with reference to topographical and railway traffic-related reasons; In particular, there would be no way of linking the extension line in Kerzell with the existing network. However, the DB agreed to investigate the possibility of shifting the route to the west. The city of Fulda favored such a west route, as a planned building area west of Neuenberg would have been touched by the east route. At a meeting between the city and DB in February 1972, the possibility of a west route was further discussed. This should run west of Haimbach and west of Sickels. In April 1972, the Kassel Federal Railway Directorate recommended that the Central Transport Management, which was responsible for route planning, incorporate the western variant into the regional planning procedure. In June 1972, the Kassel Federal Railway Directorate informed the city of Fulda that the west variant should be implemented and the east variant was discarded.

The pre-routing of 1972/1973 provided for the route to be quickly navigable past Fulda. The route would therefore have been led past Haimbach and Sickels to the west - largely above ground and in bends, then would have run between Johannesberg and Harmerz , and then pass Bronnzell southwest. Fulda was to be connected to the existing lines south-west of Maberzell ( construction kilometer 214) or at Lassenrod (kilometer 223/224) via curved, height-free connections . The Maberzell – Fulda section of the Gießen – Fulda railway line was to be expanded to two tracks for a minimum speed of 100 km / h and all seven level crossings removed.

When in 1973 project officers for the new line were appointed in the Federal Railway Directorate, their planning assignment already included links to the existing north-south line in Kassel and Fulda; The order made no further specifications.

With the decree of the Hessian Prime Minister of January 23, 1974, the spatial planning procedure for the new line in Hesse was initiated. On February 7, 1974, the city of Fulda received the first documents as part of the regional planning procedure. The regional planning procedure for the section between Körle and the state border was thus formally initiated. The proposed route should run in the Fulda area via Lütterz and Schulzenberg west past Haimbach and Sickels to Johannesberg / Harmerz, from there via Ziegel to Kerzell . Additional noise exposure of up to 5  dB (A) was expected, and extensive explanations were necessary for driving through the salt slopes southwest of Fulda.

The regional planning procedure for the section between the Fulda area and the Hessian-Bavarian state border was initiated with a decree of the Hessian Prime Minister of 23 January 1974. On February 7, 1974, the city of Fulda was requested to comment by the district president Kassel .

The objections raised against the route at the public hearing (on August 27, 1974 in Fulda ) led to the development of alternative routes and additional investigations by an engineering office. From preliminary discussions between the city and DB, the spatial planning road (now referred to as variant I ) was supplemented by a route a few hundred meters to the west, also passing Fulda, as so-called variant II . This should lead from Lütterz via Haimberg and Mittelrode west of Niederrode and east of Istergiesel through the nature reserve Zeller Loch , from there on to Tiefengruben and Dorfborn . At Neuhof the route of variant I should be reached. This route was considered difficult, among other things, due to the passage through a salt leaching area for 15.4 km and the increase in sound pollution by up to 20 dB (A) locally.

In March 1975, an engineering office commissioned by DB presented a comparison of variants between Lütterz and the Hessian-Bavarian border (km 210 to 250). Two variants were examined, each with a strip of around 1500 m on both sides along the route. As a variant I doing a route has been designated, submitted in January 1974 the regional planning process and in the course of discussion of public issues with carriers was changed places. In addition, the later developed variant II , which runs further west, was examined. For the narrower station area, a guidance of the new line was examined both in level and in elevation.

Both variants led past the city of Fulda to the west. The new line was to be linked to the existing network at several points and the Fulda train station to be connected with it:

  • As part of variant I, it was planned to connect the new line coming from Kassel north of Fulda at kilometer 215 (east of Unterbimbach ) with the Fulda – Gießen railway line on two tracks . The connecting curve running in a south-easterly direction should thread south of Maberzell in the direction of Fulda. South of Fulda, north of Kerzell (kilometers 224/225), a link with the existing Fulda – Frankfurt line was planned in a short parallel section of both lines. It was planned to link the new line from Kassel to Frankfurt as well as to link the line from Fulda to Würzburg.
  • As part of variant II, it was planned to link the new line coming from Kassel southeast of Dorfborn (between km 227.0 and 227.5) with the Fulda – Hanau line in the direction of Frankfurt as well as the line coming from Fulda with the new line in the direction of Würzburg . Both connections were planned to be double-track and free of height.

The regional planning procedure has meanwhile been interrupted. The proceedings were finally resumed with a letter dated November 21, 1975, whereby the urban area of ​​Kassel was not included.

The city of Fulda saw no significant advantages or disadvantages of the two variants, but overall preferred variant I due to the possibility of connecting the city. The DB finally suggested the so-called Variant III after the general conditions (large clearance profile, design speed) had changed . The city planning office had rejected variant II in a letter dated August 12, 1975, in particular because of interventions in various industrial sites.

Variant III continued south of variant I at km 190. Via the planned Langenschwarz overtaking station , today's Rombachtalbrücke and today's Dietershan tunnel , this route reached a parallel position at km 215 with the existing route from Bebra , which it was to follow up to km 223. In addition to the four-track expansion, an expansion of the Fulda train station and a link between the lines were also planned. After crossing the Fliedetal , the tunnel under the Kerzeller Laß and other structures, the route of variant I was reached in the Hartberg tunnel . The originally planned route was reached in the south near Kalbach. After variant III had been submitted, the regional planning procedure was resumed.

On April 29, 1976, the Federal Railroad submitted a noise study of variant III in the urban area to the Fulda city building authority. The municipality of Fulda approved variant III. On May 24, 1976, an information event was held for members of the transport committee, the city council and the local councils for the 24 districts. Of the 24 local posts, 19 subsequently spoke out in favor of variant III; Bronnzell , Edelzell and Kohlhaus voted against, Dietershan and Kämmerzell did not give an opinion.

On June 10, 1976, the building and transport committees declared that the parliamentary group would have to wait and see. the city council decided on June 14, 1976 to postpone the deliberations.

At the discussion meeting on June 15, 1976, variant III met with overwhelming approval from the affected communities and public bodies ; in some cases a shift by 150 to 200 meters to the east was requested. Variants I and II were strictly rejected by several municipalities. The city of Fulda had not yet taken a decision at this time and requested a number of written commitments, including guarantees with regard to the maintenance of the existing railway operations and the operation by intercity trains. The DB had already promised to let IC trains stop in Fulda, but had not yet been able to say at the hearing how many trains would stop exactly.

In a letter dated July 6, 1976, the Federal Railroad submitted a series of declarations and binding commitments. The DB emphasized again that Fulda would remain connected to the long-distance network; The relevant traffic volume continues to be decisive for the decision on train stops . Trains from IC line 3 should continue to stop in Fulda, trains from IC line 4 should have individual stops in Fulda. Around three quarters of the D-trains running via Fulda should still stop in Fulda.

On September 9, 1976, city representatives traveled to Rheda station to inspect a measuring section for noise emissions and noise protection devices for high-speed lines on the Bielefeld – Hanover railway line at the invitation of the Federal Railroad .

On October 4, 1976, residents of Fulda-Bronnzell presented a list of 737 signatures against variant III.

An additionally developed variant IV envisaged leading the route in the east of the city along the federal motorway and reaching the route originally planned at Kerzell. This variant was rejected by the Federal Railroad in a letter dated October 8, 1976. In addition to a high level of structural effort, among other things, trains to and from Würzburg could not have stopped in Fulda.

Comparison of variants (planning status: June 1977)
variant I. II III IV
proportion of km % km % km % km %
tunnel 6.2 35 8.4 49 7.7 43 8.1 40
bridge 3.3 18th 1.4 8th 0.2 1 2.7 13
incision 5.0 28 2.4 14th 4.0 23 5.5 27
at ground level - - - - 1.7 10 - -
total 17.9 100 17.1 100 17.7 100 20.4 100

On October 3, 1977, the city council of Fulda took note of a "comparative study of route proposals by the German Federal Railroad / new line in the Fulda section". The study was based on the material submitted by the Deutsche Bundesbahn. Initially, it remained unclear when the municipal authorities would take a decision on the routing of the new line. The study was initially published as a brochure in a preliminary edition of 100 and was already completely out of stock on the day of publication, so that a waiting list was set up with the city administration. At the beginning of November 1977, the main edition of 10,000 copies was made available in various public places. The Fulda SPD parliamentary group spoke out in favor of variant III, as other planning variants would not offer any chance for trains to stop in Fulda.

A citizens' initiative of residents on the existing track system criticized the comparison of variants. Variant III had the shortest exposure areas in terms of length, but due to the dense development (especially in Bronnzell) the largest number of citizens was affected. A modified variant II presented by the initiative was not considered. Shortly afterwards, 14 mayors and a citizens' initiative from western districts spoke out against the existing route comparison; this did not take into account some essential shortcomings of variant III. The Union of Railway Workers in Germany criticized the protests against the route; they lead to thousands of additional unemployed in the construction industry and stand in the way of a sustainable transport infrastructure.

The mayor of Fulda criticized in June 1977 that the alternative west route presented by the citizens' initiative did not take into account existing water protection zones or the geological conditions in the Neuhof area.

In mid-January 1978 the magistrate took note of the comparison of variants and recommended that the city council adopt variant III. The stipulations included improved immission control, a high-quality connection between Fulda and passenger and freight traffic, as well as the full maintenance of the functionality of the Bundesbahn repair shop and the Fulda – Gersfeld line.

On April 26, 1978, the district council's traffic committee voted for variant III. The cities of Fulda and Hünfeld and the municipality of Neuhof had previously approved variant III. The municipality of Kalbach had refused the route; she feared a high level of noise pollution and impairment of the drinking water supply. Eichenzell still had to make a decision.

With the completion of the regional planning procedure in the Fulda area in July 1978, the route through Fulda was determined along the existing routes (original variant III).

One of the special trains for the opening of the new Fulda – Würzburg section in Fulda station (end of May 1988)

The construction work in the Fulda area continued in the 1980s. The section was put into operation at the end of May 1988. Further construction work was carried out before ICE traffic commenced in June 1991.

The construction costs of the new line at the Fulda junction were put at 40 million DM per kilometer. On the free stretch between Kassel and Fulda, DM 32 million per kilometer was incurred.

Web links

  • Railway systems in the Fulda area (including the implemented form of the new line) with track positions, permissible speeds and signals on the OpenRailwayMap

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ North-South express connection of the Federal Railroad without stopping in Fulda? . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , December 17, 1971.
  2. ↑ The express line of the Federal Railroad will touch the Fulda station . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , March 2, 1972.
  3. ↑ The Hessian Prime Minister - State Chancellery -: Short minutes of the informational meeting between representatives of the Deutsche Bundesbahn, the regional planning communities for North Hesse, East Hesse and Untermain and the state planning authorities on September 9, 1971 in Wiesbaden . File number III B 31 -93e 08 / 05-561 / 71 . Wiesbaden, September 18, 1971.
  4. ^ Various file notes, correspondence in the archive of the traffic planning department of the city of Fulda.
  5. ↑ Central Transport Management Mainz (ed.): New Hanover-Gemünden line. Pre-routing. Km 208.00 - 229.00 . Plan 410.4101 Nv 101/23 from November 27, 1973.
  6. ^ A b Walter Engels, Peter Nußberger, Helmut Weber: Planning and implementation of the new Hanover – Würzburg line . In: Knut Reimers, Wilhelm Linkerhägner (Ed.): Paths to the future. New construction and expansion lines of the DB . Hestra Verlag Darmstadt, 1987, ISBN 3-7771-0200-8 , pp. 97-104
  7. ↑ a b c d e f g h Magistrat der Stadt Fulda, Urban Planning Office (ed.): DB new line: route comparison of variants I – IV in the city of Fulda . 22-page brochure dated July 1977, p. 5 f.
  8. ^ Hessian Prime Minister, State Chancellery, file number III B 31 - 93 c 08/05 - 86/74 .
  9. ↑ File number P / 6/93 c 08/05 a at the Kassel regional council.
  10. ↑ District President in Kassel: Expansion program of the German Federal Railroad (DB), new Hanover – Würzburg line. Here: State planning statement . Letter dated December 18, 1978. File number P / 6 - 93 c 08-05 a , p. 10.
  11. ↑ a b c d Engineer-Geological Institute Dipl. Ing. S. Niedermeyer: New line Hanover - Gemünden. Comparison of variants. Fulda - Hessian / Bavarian border km 210-250. Document from March 1975, pp. 1, 2, 4, 112, Annex K 2-a.
  12. ↑ Without a source
  13. ↑ District President in Kassel: Expansion program of the German Federal Railroad (DB), new Hanover – Würzburg line . Letter dated November 21, 1975. File number P 6 - 93 c 08 - 05 a . Letter of November 21, 1975, p. 7 f.
  14. ↑ Around the DB route in the Fulda area . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , October 20, 1976.
  15. ↑ City of Fulda: Decision No. 592/76.
  16. ↑ resolutions 44/76 and 38/76 BA MA.
  17. ↑ Decision 52/75.
  18. ↑ District President in Kassel: Minutes of the discussion meeting with the public authorities and representatives of the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) for the section from Schlitz (Vogelsbergkreis) to Kalbach (Fulda district) as part of the spatial planning procedure for the new line and the traction power line (110 kV) of DB Guthagen - state border Hesse / Bavaria on June 15, 1976 in Fulda . Reference number P 6-93 08-05 c a , Kassel on June 25 1976th
  19. ↑ Letter 410.4124 Nv 101/23 from the Central Transport Management of the Deutsche Bundesbahn to the City of Fulda Magistrate from July 6, 1976.
  20. ↑ Decision on route guidance in sight? . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , No. 230, October 4, 1977.
  21. ↑ Brochure now available . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , November 10, 1977.
  22. ↑ SPD parliamentary group for variant III . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , November 12, 1977, No. 264, p. 13.
  23. ↑ Massive criticism of the route comparison . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , November 19, 1977, No. 269, p. 13.
  24. ↑ Western districts are demanding that the route comparison be corrected . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , No. 277, November 23, 1977, p. 14.
  25. ↑ Rapidly expand high-speed rail lines . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , November 26, 1977.
  26. ^ Letter from the Mayor of Fulda dated January 16, 1978, No. 56/78.
  27. ↑ DB route guidance in the Fulda district approved despite critical points . In: Fuldaer Zeitung , April 28, 1978.
  28. ^ Hörstel / Niedt (1991): ICE - New trains for new routes . Orell-Füssli-Verlag, Zurich / Wiesbaden, 1991, pp. 14-19, ISBN 3-280-01994-X .
  29. ↑ Deutsche Bundesbahn, project group H / W Mitte of the Bahnbauzentrale (ed.): New line Hanover - Würzburg, planning area center, planning section (PA) 17: city area Fulda , Frankfurt am Main, no year, six A4 pages (landscape format).
  30. ↑ Dieter Goebel, Klaus Marten: The new line in the Fulda station - planning and implementation of the intersection structures in the middle and north . In: The Federal Railroad . tape 60 , no. 10 , 1984, ISSN  0007-5876 , pp. 739-746 .