Vennbahn

Aachen – Troisvierges

Route number (DB) :

2563 Aachen-Rothe Erde - Hahn
2572 Stolberg - Walheim border

Course book section (DB) :

most recently 247f / m (1960)

Gauge :

1435 mm ( standard gauge )

Legend

		SFS from Aachen Hbf
	0.0	Aachen-Rothe Erde
		SFS to Cologne
	0.6	Philips ( Anst )
	0.7	Aachen-Rothe Erde Eifel connection ( Anst )
	5.2	Brand (Rheinl)
	7.4	Niederforstbach
		Rollefbach Viaduct
	9.3	Kornelimünster
		Itertal Viaduct
		Route from Stolberg
	12.2	Rooster
	13.2	Walheim (near Aachen)
	15.1	Schmithof

	17.3	Walheim (b Aachen) border ( Gp ) State border Germany / Belgium

	19.7	Raeren
		Route to Eupen
	~ 20, 0		from here tracks dismantled

		State border Belgium / Germany (stretch of Belgian territory)

	27.8	Roetgen
		Bundesstrasse 258
	30.4	Roetgen South
	36.6	Lammersdorf
	41.2	Conc
	45.4	Monschau
		Reichenstein Viaduct
		State border Germany / Belgium
	52.3	Kalterherberg	from here tracks are available again
	59.4	Sourbrodt	from here tracks dismantled
		Former field railway of the Elsenborn camp
		Robertville
		Weywertz Viaduct
	64.7	Weywertz- Nidrum
		formerly Vennquerbahn from Bütgenbach, Jünkerath
	66.5	Weywertz
	71.1	Faymonville
	71.8	Waimes
		former route to Stavelot
	74.3	Ondenval
	79.3	Montenau
		former route from Vielsalm
	82.9	Born (Eifel)
	88.9	St. Vith
		former route to Libramont
		Lommersweiler tunnel (120 m / 166 m)
	95.1	Lommersweiler
		formerly to the Westeifelbahn
		Elcherath Tunnel (385 m)
		Ourtal Viaduct
		Belgium / Germany border
		State border Germany / Belgium
		Owl
		Reuland
	99.9	Burg-Reuland
	104.9	Oudler
	108.4	Lengeler
		Wilwerdingen tunnel (790 m)
	111.4	Belgium / Luxembourg border

	114.5	Wilwerdingen
		Stretch of spa
		Ulflingen tunnel (165 m)
		Troisvierges
		Route to Luxembourg

Swell:

The Vennbahn is a former railway line between Aachen and Ulflingen (French: Troisvierges ) in Luxembourg via Monschau and St. Vith with connections to Stolberg (Rhineland) , Eupen , Malmedy , Jünkerath and Prüm . As a result of the demarcation of borders and the transfer of territory after the First World War , the originally German route changed in some sections of its course from Aachen to Ulflingen from German to Belgian territory.

The Vennbahn originally connected the industrial centers of Aachen- Rothe Erde with Luxembourg via the shortest route. Most of the track has been removed and a long-distance cycle path has been built on the embankment .

history

Construction and operation until the First World War

Document for the St. Vith - Ulfingen route from 1884

The once important Belgian train station Sourbrodt after the facade renovation

Typical Vennbahn station building at Walheim station

Since 1873, the towns and districts of Malmedy, Monschau , Eupen and Stolberg in the Rhine Province had been demanding a railway line that would connect the industrial towns with one another and lead to Luxembourg . With a resolution by the Prussian government, the line was built from 1882 and the section from Aachen-Rothe Erde to Walheim was put into operation from 1885. However, delays occurred when the Stolberger Talbahn was connected.

After the completion of the Stolberg line on November 4, 1889, the Prussian State Railroad started operating as a single track and was primarily used to transport coal from the worm and Indian territories in the direction of Luxembourg and in the opposite direction from iron ore to the Thomasstahlwerk in Aachen Rothe Earth and to the Konkordia hut in Eschweiler . In addition, the route opened up the structurally weak economic areas of the West Eifel and the Hohem Venn by providing a means of driving to workplaces in Aachen's industry. The connected town of Breinig received a train station building, and other businesses along the route received their own sidings. From 1893 the double-track expansion of the line from Stolberg via Hahn (connection from Aachen) to Walheim (border) began, which was finally ended on May 8, 1909 with the section between Walheim and Lommersweiler. The expansion was primarily due to the tight curves with radii from 300 meters and frequent gradients of up to 1.7%. The Aachen - Hahn section remained a single track.

St. Vith was an important railway junction. Quote: Especially the economic life in St. Vith and the surrounding area has been promoted by the railway. In its heyday (1910–1925), St. Vith railway station employed around 1200 people and was the largest company in the area. St. Vith's population increased steadily. In the 1920s, almost 30 passenger trains passed the St. Vither station every day. There were also around 80 freight trains. 1200 to 1500 wagons were shunted in St. Vith every day .

World War I and Treaty of Versailles

During the First World War, the Vennbahn gained further importance as a deployment and supply route due to its proximity to the western front and via the Schlieffenplan . From August 2, 1914, troops were unloaded along the route for the attack on the Liège fortress ring. Later on, further railway lines were built, so that the Vennbahn became the core line of a whole network of strategic railways .

Due to the Treaty of Versailles , the German Empire had to cede the Prussian districts of Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium on January 10, 1920. Due to the new demarcation, the route now changed several times between the German Reich and Belgium. Belgium demanded that the Vennbahn be placed under Belgian administration, as it was of particular economic importance for the cities of Malmedy and Eupen, and was able to prevail. On March 27, 1920, a border assessment commission made up of representatives from France, England, Italy and Japan determined that the Belgian state should own the railway line and its stations between Raeren and Kalterherberg (the station of which is now in the Belgian town of Leykaul ). From Raeren the railway line became Belgian territory. Operation on the Vennbahn has been carried out by the Belgian state railway NMBS / SNCB since November 1, 1921 . In 1924 the second track was dismantled at the instigation of the Allied occupiers.

A curiosity are five German exclaves that were created when the railway line became Belgian territory. These exclaves still exist today because the route of the Vennbahn is officially Belgian national territory and the places to the west of it cut off from German national territory. It is a matter of:

Ruitzhof (to Kalterherberg, district of Monschau),
Mützenich (district of Monschau),
the homestead Rückschlag (zu Konzen , district of Monschau),
the western part of Lammersdorf (district of Simmerath ) and
Parts of Roetgen .

The railway area was and is accessible without Belgian customs or police control. Another exclave existed at Hemmeres until the route section there was returned to Germany in 1958.

Operation around the Second World War

Ondenval stop during World War II

Vennbahn tunnel near Lommersweiler destroyed by a blast

The initially high volume of traffic decreased after the war, as Luxembourg in particular relocated its iron ore markets to France in connection with the global economic crisis . In addition, there was the newly introduced tariff , which made Luxembourg ores more expensive in the German Empire. From January 1, 1932, there were no more coke transports on the route. Cross-border traffic to Luxembourg was finally completely stopped shortly before the Second World War .

During the Second World War, the Vennbahn became a theater of war during the Battle of the Bulge . Many bridges and tunnels were destroyed. The reconstruction took a long time, between Lommersweiler and Burg-Reuland it did not take place due to the extensive destruction. The northern remnant could therefore no longer be used for its original purpose despite the emerging European unification and was also gradually shut down. Passenger traffic between Raeren and Sourbrodt ceased in 1945. Passenger traffic was carried out between Wilwerdingen and Troisvierges until November 17, 1950, between Aachen and Brand until November 22, 1959 and between Stolberg and Schmithof until December 31, 1961.

Decline after World War II

Train ride on the Vennbahn line 1998

After the Second World War, the load fell steadily, so that the line was finally completely shut down and partially dismantled by 1989. Goods traffic between Burg-Reuland and Wilwerdingen ended as early as 1962, between Wilwerdingen and Troisvierges in 1977, between Aachen-Rothe Erde and Brand on August 31, 1984, between Raeren and Sourbrodt on June 30, 1989 and between Stolberg-Mühle and Walheim- Schmithof on June 1, 1991. The Raeren - Sourbrodt section passed in 1989 from SNCB to the German-speaking Community in Belgium. The last freight trains on a rather short section of the Vennbahn served the Belgian Sourbrodt station with military equipment for the nearby Elsenborn military training area until 1999, but these heavy tank transports reached Sourbrodt primarily via the Vennquerbahn , coming from Jünkerath via Bütgenbach and Weywertz , where people turn heads had to. From Stavelot via Malmedy and Weywertz there were also wood transports to the sawmill in Büllingen until the beginning of 2004. When this traffic was discontinued at the beginning of 2004, not only did freight traffic on the last passable sections of the Vennbahn end, but also all traffic in the former Vennbahn network.

After the SNCB ceased freight traffic in 1989, an attempt was made to establish the scenic route as a museum railway for tourism via a non-profit association . Since then, there has been weekend and holiday traffic between Raeren and Bütgenbach in the summer season with steam and diesel-hauled museum trains; some trains even went to Stavelot and Trois Ponts. After twelve very successful years, however, this form of use had to be discontinued at the end of 2001 because the superstructure was completely worn out and the German-speaking community was unwilling to raise the double-digit million amounts necessary for a possible renovation. That was the end of it; the conversion of the route into a cycle path followed.

Historical topographic maps

The Deutsche Fotothek lists photographs of historical topographic maps (so-called measuring table sheets) from the years 1895 to 1935, which also contain the route of the Vennbahn.

Route description

Rothe Erde station

Philipswerk stop

In a wide right curve, the route runs parallel to the railway path. After about 1.5 kilometers, it crosses Philipsstrasse at the Philipsstrasse intersection. A few meters behind this crossing there used to be a siding that crossed the railway path and connected several companies in the Freunder Weg area. A short distance further at kilometer point 1.8, the Philipswerk stop used to be.

This stop was only a temporary facility, presumably designed for the staff of the Philips factory and the other industrial companies located there. Built at the beginning of the 1950s, the breakpoint only remained until the end of passenger traffic in 1960. Today nothing of this breakpoint exists anymore.

The Philips works siding was also located there. Starting from this connection, individual tracks branched out over the entire area of the Philipswerke. The pull-out track ran a long way parallel to the main track to behind the bridge of the Madrid Ring.

Today the tracks end at the factory gate. After the decommissioning of the main line, the remaining part of the fuselage was swiveled firmly onto the siding. There used to be a switch on which the Vennbahn track continued straight ahead.

Brand station

Former Vennbahn station in Brand (Rhineland)

The route runs along the western outskirts of Brand, between the settlement and the motorway. At the level of the commercial space on Nordstraße, the route curves to the left and reaches Brand train station before the intersection with Trierer Straße.

Brand train station was located between Trierer Strasse and Eckenerstrasse (see location ) at kilometer point 5.2. It was opened as Brand Bahnhof on December 1, 1885 and renamed to Brand (Rhineland) in the 1950s . Passenger traffic was stopped on May 29, 1960, and finally freight traffic on April 1, 1980. In addition to two tracks for passenger traffic, there was also a stub track for the attached goods shed and the loading route. Between 1913 and 1928 there was a siding of the Goosens wagon factory in the station, whose headquarters were in what is now Camp Pirotte. Behind the station area at the kilometer point 7.0, there was a siding for the Becker cloth factory. The tracks from Brand to Kornelimünster were dismantled in 1982, after the line was closed on August 31, 1984, the remaining section was dismantled to Aachen-Rothe Erde in 1985. ! 550.7529685506.158554550.75296766 6.15855419

The former railway line between Rothe Erde and Walheim is now used as a cycle and pedestrian path and is known as the Vennbahnweg . The reception building of the station was bought by the city of Aachen and placed clubs from fire to use. In 2006 the station building was sold again and converted into a restaurant. The clubs can still use the facilities.

The Rolleftal Viaduct

Niederforstbach stop

The halt (km 7.4) was built in 1949 and was on Beckerstrasse. Its equipment was simple. With the cessation of passenger traffic in 1960, the stop was demolished again. There are no more leftovers.

Rollefbach Valley Viaduct

The well-preserved and renovated Rollefbachtal viaduct is located at km 7.7. The viaduct is 128 meters long and a maximum of 24 meters high. It was not destroyed in World War II.

Kornelimünster station

The former Kornelimünster train station, now a restaurant

Kornelimünster station was built in 1885 - the same year as Brand station. It stood at the kilometer point 9.3 and previously had two platforms for passenger traffic with three tracks. There were also two tracks and a branch track with a head ramp and loading lane for freight traffic. In the station there was an additional siding for the nearby lime works. After the end of passenger traffic in 1960, goods handling was stopped in 1980.

The reception building including the goods shed has been preserved, renovated and is a listed building. In its current function, the building houses a restaurant called Bahnhofsvision .

Iterbachtal viaduct

The Iterbachtal viaduct

Behind Kornelimünster lies the listed Iterbachtal viaduct at kilometer point 9.8. The viaduct is 130 meters long and 22 meters high. During the Second World War, the last two arches of the bridge were blown up by the Wehrmacht and after the war they were rebuilt in their original form.

Stop cock

Up until 1895 there was a junction at km 11.2 - about half a kilometer behind the Falkenbach Viaduct - where the line from Stolberg joined the Aachen-Rothe Erde - Walheim line (Aachen branch of the Vennbahn). From there the traffic was led on a track to the Walheim train station. In 1895, due to the high volume of traffic, a separate track was laid for the line from Stolberg parallel to the track from Aachen to Walheim station, which thus became the new end point of the line. In 1951 the new Hahn stop was set up on the line from Aachen. It was not until 1955 that the stop at kilometer 11.7 was also served by trains to and from Stolberg and was given up again in 1961. At the Hahn junction there used to be a signal box, which has now been demolished just like the stop.

Walheim train station

Schmithof stop

The Schmithof stop was built between 1927 and October 2, 1932 as a German border stop because of the consequences of the First World War. It was located at kilometer point 15.1 and had a simple design with a side platform and a small station building. In the period from the end of World War II in May 1945 to May 29, 1960, the Schmithof stop was the terminus for passenger traffic on the German side of the Vennbahn. After leaving the stop, the route crosses Frennetstrasse; The route continues almost in a straight line in a south-westerly direction through the Münsterwald. There the route passes the German-Belgian border at km 17.3.

Dismantling of the tracks and consequences for the border

Exclaves through the Belgian Vennbahntrasse

In January 2008, the deputy Belgian District Commissioner Marcel Lejoly remarked that the planned dismantling of the rails could have "international consequences". It cannot be ruled out that the former railway line and its superstructures will have to be returned to Germany. The German-Belgian border treaty of 1956 ( Federal Law Gazette 1958 II p. 262 ) does not contain any regulation for this case.

However, both the Belgian Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Office in Germany declared that the borders were finally contractually regulated and that no change would therefore take place.

In addition, the option of rail transport has not been given up. Even the bike path that has now been built does not prevent this.

In the southern part of the Vennbahn, on the other hand, where the tracks had been dismantled since 1954, the border treaty of 1956 also returned the line from Belgium to Germany, which ran for a good kilometer through Rhineland-Palatinate near Hemmeres .

Todays use

Special trip by the Eisenbahnfreunde Grenzland between Walheim and Schmithof in June 2015

Vennbahn cycle path near Ondenval in Belgium

Transition from the track to the cycle path in Kalterherberg

Kalterherberg train station with draisines (2012)

Since a resumption of operation for rail traffic between Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg would only have been possible after extensive renovation, a new long-distance cycle path was built on (or near the route) the Vennbahntrasse , which was officially opened in 2013. It has been integrated into the RAVeL network (French: Réseau Autonome de Voies Lentes).

Only the tracks between Walheim and Raeren, Walheim and Stolberg, Kalterherberg-Sourbrodt and the branch line Raeren-Eupen remained as rail line . On the short section between Stolberg (Rheinl.) Hbf and Stolberg-Altstadt, which was reactivated in June 2001, passenger traffic is now carried out with Euregiobahn railcars . The Stolberg Altstadt (Stolberg Hammer until 2001), Stolberg Town Hall, Stolberg Mühlener Bf and Stolberg Schneidmühle stops were newly built. In addition, freight trains run regularly between Stolberg (Rheinl) Gbf and Rüst.

The Stolberg - Raeren route is closed, but still passable and is partly used for special trips on the Euregiobahn. The route from Raeren to Eupen is generally passable, but is currently only used for occasional transfers to a locomotive dealer based in Raeren. The Belgian railways are considering reactivating this route in freight traffic with Cologne to bypass the Aachen junction. In January 2009, therefore, the sleepers were replaced from Raeren to the border in the direction of Walheim and the tracks were newly ballasted. The EVS Euregio Verkehrsschienennetz (EVS) as the owner of the Walheim (border) - Stolberg route and the Aachener Verkehrsverbund (AVV) plan to reactivate this section in the uncertain future (as of 2014).

As early as 2004, a Belgian entrepreneur introduced transport with bicycle trolleys called RailBike between the train stations in Kalterherberg and Sourbrodt .

On the section from Kornelimünster to just behind the motorway near Aachen-Brand, a six-kilometer-long planetary nature trail was created as an upper-level project for the Inda grammar school there. At the planetary stations distributed along the route there is a half-relief and some information about the respective planets. The sun is formed by a 1.5 meter large concrete ball.

Since October 2008 the association Eisenbahnfreunde Grenzland has been campaigning for the maintenance of the railway facilities in Walheim station. The Auf der Kier signal box and the barrier post at the Schleidener Straße level crossing have already been restored. Historical locomotives and railway wagons have also been and are being refurbished by members of the association in Walheim station with the aim of being able to drive the Stolberg - Raeren section again one day. For this reason, the route to the German-Belgian border is regularly cut by the club. Station festivals have been held annually at Walheim station since 2009 to finance maintenance.

literature

Bernd Franco Hoffmann: Disused railway lines in the Rhineland. Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt 2014, ISBN 978-3-95400-396-9 .
Heinrich Arenz: Coal from the north, ore from the south. Memories of the Vennbahn. In: Railway history. No. 24, October / November 2007, ISSN 1611-6283 , pp. 42-47.
Hans Schweers, Henning Wall: Railways around Aachen. 150 years of the international route Cologne - Aachen - Antwerp. Verlag Schweers + Wall, Aachen 1993, ISBN 3-921679-91-5 .
Vennbahn. Then and now / Hier et aujourd'hui / Vroeger en nu. Published by: Tourist Office of the Belgian Eastern Cantons 1991.
W. Vogt: 50 years of the Aachen - Monschau railway . In: The Hermit on the High Fens . 10th year, no. 7 . Monschau July 1935, p. 73–79 ( Digital Collections of the University of Cologne [accessed on August 8, 2015]).
Wilhelm Davids: The economic importance of the railway Aachen - Monschau - St. Vith . In: The Hermit on the High Fens . 10th year, no. 7 . Monschau July 1935, p. 80–84 ( digital collections of the University of Cologne [accessed on August 8, 2015]).
Bernhard Küpper: The fight for our railroad . In: The Hermit on the High Fens . 10th year, no. 7 . Monschau July 1935, p. 85–104 ( Digital Collections of the University of Cologne [accessed on August 8, 2015]).