Mölln – Hollenbek railway line
| Hollenbek – Mölln | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Route number (DB) : | 1142 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Course book range : | 114 n (1959) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route length: | 11.7 km | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gauge : | 1435 mm ( standard gauge ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Mölln – Hollenbek railway was located in the Duchy of Lauenburg district of the state of Schleswig-Holstein . Known as "Hein Hollenbek", it primarily served to connect the city of Mölln to the Berlin – Kiel connection , which bypassed the city to the northeast.
history
The history of about eleven kilometer link is closely related to the imperial railway line Berlin- Hagenow - Ratzeburg - Bad Oldesloe - Kiel connected. This was opened to traffic in 1897 on the Zarrentin – Ratzeburg – Bad Oldesloe section . The city of Mölln, linked by the Lübeck-Büchener Railway ( Lübeck – Lüneburg route ) since 1851 , feared a connection to the capital of the Reich and tried to find a direct route to the Kaiserbahn.
However, since this connection only brought advantages for Mölln, no private investors were found. The Prussian state railways consequently took over the construction and operation. After a few years, it was opened to traffic on April 1, 1899. The single-track line ran out at Hollenbek and had - besides the two terminal stations - only one train station. The traffic was accordingly thin. The trains were therefore partially extended to Bad Oldesloe / Ratzeburg and Hagenow, so that the Kaiserbahn and the new route were operated alternately. Freight traffic was much more important.
Before the Second World War, an ammunition factory was opened about two kilometers south of Mölln. This received a siding. Shortly before the end of the war, a train presumably leaving this factory was bombed in Hollenbek, creating a very large hole in the station area. However, operations could be resumed in the same year.
Since the division of Germany interrupted the Kaiserbahn, the trains were no longer tied and passenger traffic to Mölln – Hollenbek was reduced. It showed how unprofitable this was, so the decision was made to stop. In the mid-1950s the company switched from steam to diesel operation before it was shut down on October 4, 1959.
The route has now been completely removed and in the western part is partly used as a cycle path . Some sections in the Mölln urban area are now built over with houses. The eastern third before Hollenbek, on the other hand, still partly has the old gravel bed and is only passable on foot.