Arsenal – Klotzsche / Hellerau suburban railway

Arsenal – Klotzsche / Hellerau
Stop Hellerau , the later branch to Hellerau (1911)
Route length:	Arsenal – Klotzsche (1911): 3.675 km Branch to Hellerau – Hellerau (1913): 1.645 km
Gauge :	1450 mm
Power system :	600 V  =
Dual track :	Stauffenbergallee – Karl-Marx-Straße (Klotzsche) Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz – Arkonastraße (Klotzsche) Am Hellerrand – Moritzburger Weg (Hellerau) (2019)
Legend from Albertplatz Stauffenbergallee former Arsenal Army Bakery Industrial site former coupling point Hellersiedlung Diebsteig track loop Moritzburger Weg Infineon South former branch to Hellerau Track loop Start of single-track line At the Hellerrand (landward) End of single-track line At the Hellerrand (towards the city) formerly Am Pfarrlehn (1913–1918) Heinrich-Tessenow-Weg Hellerau Festival Hall Start of single-track line Brunnenweg Hellerau former Klotzsche tram station Street station Klotzsche (1916–1994) Infineon North Karl-Marx-Strasse Start of single-track line To the New Bridge End of single-track line Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz former Gleisdreieck Arkonastrasse Start of single-track line North industrial park Fuchsberg Hp. Weixdorf Bad Weixdorf

The suburban railway Arsenal – Klotzsche / Hellerau was an overland tram built in the Dresden gauge of 1450 millimeters by the Saxon state from 1910 and subsequently extended several times , which had its starting point at the Arsenal in the then independent manor district of Albertstadt and in the then independent municipalities of Hellerau and Klotzsche led. It replaced the Dresden Haide-Bahn or its successor, a horse-drawn bus line .

Through various changes of shareholder and rebuilt several times, it is still part of the Dresden tram network, which was regularly used in regular service, in its network expansion to Weixdorf or Rähnitz , which was achieved before 1945 .

prehistory

After the shutdown of the Haide-Bahn built by Carl Stoll in 1904, the citizens of Klotzsche repeatedly asked the Saxon state to build a tram as the successor to the Stoll company. The Saxon tax authorities reacted in a wait-and-see manner, because the arsenal, where the Dresden tram ended (today: Königsbrücker Strasse , at the height of the former Lindengarten restaurant ), was joined by increasingly expanded military installations and a military training area to the north .

On June 13, 1907, the entrepreneur Karl Schmidt ultimately turned to the Saxon state government in connection with the unification of his various branches of business in relation to the construction of his unified workshops: he had turned away from the politician Friedrich Naumann and the architect Richard Riemerschmid developed garden city concept and was ready to implement this at the gates of Dresden - but not without a transport connection, from the point of view of the time, a tram. He combined this with the serious threat that otherwise he would move to Berlin.

This led to the fact that the Saxon state now had projects made that provided for a tram between Arsenal and Klotzsche . He refused a guided tour to Hellerau because there was only planning there.

After various discussions, the construction between Arsenal and Klotzsche began on July 13, 1910, and on December 21, 1910 the official inspection took place. The release for public operation - the converter plant in Klotzsche was not completed on time - took place on January 21, 1911.

History until 1941

Arsenal – Klotzsche suburban railway with branch to Hellerau (1911–1927)

The 3.675 km long, single-track line with a turnout initially met the expected traffic needs between Klotzsche and Dresden. The route left inland immediately behind the old coupling point at the Arsenal in the street to the left (at the same point as today) in its lateral position, just before the development in Klotzsche (this point is still up to a few meters even today the same) to change back to the road surface, where the former dome end point at Schänkhübel was at the confluence of today's Klotzscher Hauptstrasse , named after a restaurant that no longer exists. A connection from Hellerau was initially dispensed with, which was under construction but did not yet have a specific traffic requirement.

The Dresden tram was commissioned to operate the new route, which linked it to the existing line 7 to the Arsenal (Arsenal line ) and from then on let every second train run to Klotzsche.

This changed a few months later: On April 15, 1913 (according to other sources on March 15, 1913), the line from the Hellerau junction (today Infineon South) - its own railway body - Am Hellerrand - Breiter Weg (Karl-Liebknecht-Straße) - Hellerau, Post (Beim Gräbchen) - Breiter Weg / Am Pfarrlehn opened as a 1.645 km long double-track line, the branch to Hellerau was designed as a track triangle. From then on, the second train coming from Dresden alternated between Klotzsche and Hellerau. At the junction to Hellerau a shuttle railcar was waiting to serve the other branch. The route to Hellerau also served the city tram to test the high-chain catenary .

The first changes to the route were made in 1915: Due to the strong increase in traffic since the beginning of the First World War, the route from Dresden to the stop at the artillery workshops (today: stop at the industrial site) was expanded to two tracks and there was a coupling point for other lines or lines. Reinforcement trains set up in the form of a central track. At the same time, construction began on a tram station in Klotzsche, which was inaugurated in 1916 and was the smallest of the Dresden tram stations for the time it was in existence. The exit was always uphill on the turnout side in order to provide safety when a car rolled out of the depot; When moving out towards the city, the points were set by a plate that was occupied by a servant (i.e. it was adjusted by gravity ) and held the points in this direction of travel. After the attendant left this platform, the switch turned uphill again by spring force: Although theoretically the switch would have changed even if the train had left the platform, this system still worked without accidents until it was replaced after 1945.

In 1918, on the one hand, the Hellerau branch from the street "Am Pfarrlehn" was shortened to the Post stop (today: Am Hellerrand, however approx. 150 meters west of the Post stop, the tracks were later expanded for material extraction), and on the other hand, the overhead contact line became final reduced.

In 1922, the double-track expansion of the line from the (now former) artillery workshops to the Schänkhübel in Klotzsche began, but this was to continue until 1928. On December 13, 1925, the single-track extension from Klotzsche, Schänkhübel on the Königsbrücker Landstrasse to Klotzsche, Kurhaus (today: Zur Neue Brücke) was put into operation.

Even before the addition of further shareholders and the renaming of the Loschwitz - Pillnitz GmbH tram to Dresdner Überland-Verkehr (DRÜVEG) on December 10, 1926, the Klotzscher and Hellerau routes were extended on November 28, 1926, namely the Klotzsche branch from Klotzsche, Kurhaus (the end point became a siding) on ​​a single track via Königsbrücker Landstrasse to Klotzsche, Deutsche Eiche (today: Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz, there installation of a track triangle). With this extension, the previous end point of the Haide Railway was only reached 22 years after it was discontinued. The Hellerau branch has been extended to two tracks on a special railway body from Hellerau, Post along the Breite Weg to Rähnitz-Hellerau, Moritzburger Weg. The end of the dome was located in front of its confluence with Breite Weg.

DRÜVEG (1927–1941)

Weixdorf route branch

In accordance with the license applied for and approved by the Saxon state on September 19, 1927, the DRÜVEG, on the basis of Section 12 of the concession contract, not only planned the Lößnitzbahn but also, above all, the plans Klotzsche - Lausa - Hermsdorf (Section 12 No. 3) and also Hellerau / Rähnitz - Wilschdorf (§ 12 No. 4) ahead.

In fulfillment of this contract, the DRÜVEG built the first extension: On November 28, 1928, the single-track line from Klotzsche, Deutsche Eiche, to Fuchsberg-Lausa (today: Fuchsberg) was opened. This original route initially followed in the middle of the Königsbrücker Landstrasse. After just a few dozen meters, there was a swiveling inland right onto the subgrade of the former narrow-gauge Klotzsche - Königsbrück line , which was converted to standard gauge in 1897 and, in this context, a completely new route from Klotzsche station to " Lausa Bad " (today: Weixdorf Bad) had received. On June 15, 1929 the opening of Fuchsberg-Lausa - Königsbrücker Landstrasse - Brühler Strasse - Lausa-Weixdorf, Bad Bahnhof (today: "Hp Weixdorf Bad") followed and on July 2, 1929 the opening of Lausa-Weixdorf, Bad Bahnhof - own railway body - Weixdorf, Rathenaustraße.

There were no further extensions, the former Arsenal line had thus reached its northern end point in Weixdorf in the direction of Klotzsche, which is still used today as the “Weixdorf” end point of line 7.

In February 1932, the intermediate line 107, which had existed since 1928, was extended from the arsenal to the industrial site coupling terminal; it was discontinued in 1940 due to a lack of staff.

Hellerau branch

In the 1930s, the Hellerau branch of the former suburban railway Arsenal – Klotzsche / Hellerau was extended : On August 22, 1935, the first was the inauguration of the extension from Rähnitz-Hellerau, Moritzburger Weg - Moritzburger Weg - Ludwig-Kossuth-Straße - Rähnitz- Hellerau, town hall (today: Brunnenweg).

In addition, the Hellerau branch of the Arsenal line was detached on February 1, 1937 from the previously existing (reciprocal) network of line 7 and was given the independent line number 8. Historically, the line number of "8" was initially one with the line reform of 1909 Amplifier line has been assigned, which u. a. in the Südvorstadt on the Bergstrasse supplemented the then line 6, but was obsolete when it was discontinued in 1932. Since then, however, line number “7” has always been linked to the northern end point of the Dresden route network (and the former suburban railway) in the direction of Klotzsche and Weixdorf.

In connection with the construction of the motorway , the single-track extension Rähnitz-Hellerau, Rathaus - Ludwig-Kossuth-Straße - Birkenweg - Rähnitz-Hellerau, Kiefernweg with a bridge over the motorway was put into operation. With this, the Hellerau branch of the former suburban railway had reached its present size.

Dresdner Straßenbahn AG and successor

History 1941–1990

The suburban railway systems were not affected by the destruction of the air raids on Dresden in 1944/45. With the great attacks of 13-15 February 1945, however, there were significant disruptions to operations: From February 14, 1945, due to the destruction, the lines only ran from Weixdorf and Hellerau to the industrial site coupling point, and were extended to Bischofsweg from February 20. From April 23rd to April 28th 1945 the operation of all Dresden tram lines (with one exception) was shut down due to lack of electricity and on May 7th 1945 operations were completely stopped with the invasion of the Red Army.

The northern lines were one of those lines that resumed operations in May 1945, returned to Postplatz on July 4, 1945, and reached the eastern city center again by late summer 1945.

In 1948, due to the lack of rails at the time, the second track in Hellerau (from Moritzburger Weg to the junction to Hellerau, the remainder was single-track anyway) to replace worn rails elsewhere in the Dresden tram network.

By shifting the traffic flows, the connection of the new residential areas and the industrial centers through commuter traffic and amplifier lines was introduced. This also included the Arsenal – Klotzsche / Hellerau line, and there was considerable potential for jobs on this line, particularly with the industrial site and the facilities that are still used by the military. In 1948, the vehicle situation of the now KWU - Verkehrsbetriebe had stabilized to such an extent that new line connections from the outskirts to the workplaces, as well as reinforcement lines for commuter traffic, could be established: The special line (as these lines were named) S 7 was one of the first connections in 1948 which followed the route 7 and ended at the industrial site or in Klotzsche. In 1954 her line service ended.

In the following year, commuter traffic lines (internally as HVZ lines from HVZ = rush hour ) with the 50 line numbers were introduced. From 1957 on, line 52 ran from Radebeul Ost via Bischofsweg to the industrial area, line 55 on line 8 from Leutewitz to Edwin-Hoernle-Straße (today: Am Festspielhaus), line 56 from Südvorstadt to the industrial area and the commuter traffic line 57 completely from Wölfnitz to Weixdorf as part of line 7. This was changed as early as June 10, 1958: Line 55 was renamed to line 58 (in order to create a connection with line number 8), and line 56 was given a new route who no longer touched this route. Line 53 now ran from the industrial site via the Platz der Einheit to Laubegast, for which the double-track arch on the Platz der Einheit was specially placed by the Bautzner in Königsbrücker Strasse. Line 56 was replaced on the route from the industrial site to Südvorstadt by line 6, which was used regularly.

A track loop was laid in Weixdorf on December 30, 1959.

T4D as delivered (left) and modernized T4D (right) in the Diebsteig track loop (2007)

To put an end to the unbearable situation at the industrial site's coupling point (three lines ended there during rush hour, three additional lines had their stop there), the track loop at Diebsteig was laid north of the railway and put into operation in 1965. After decommissioning, the track position was changed (the landward continuous track was led over the former central track), so that there was space for the construction of a pedestrian bridge, through which the industrial site stop, which was operated from 1970, was connected to the Dresden – Görlitz railway line.

From December 24, 1964, the first tests of a Tatra T3 in regular service were carried out on the route . a. between Neustädter Markt and Klotzsche tram station, which was followed by two more on January 13 and 27, 1965. At the beginning of September 1967, the first T4D model car was delivered from Czechoslovakia, which ran on scheduled services between the industrial site and Südvorstadt from September 14, 1967. From the autumn of 1968, series deliveries were made with the T4D and the specially developed B4D sidecar.

The use of the Czechoslovak T4D / B4D was the main reason for the line reform of May 4, 1969, in which all 50 lines were omitted, but these have now been replaced by E-lines as commuter traffic lines . Lines E (industrial site - Südvorstadt) and E7 (industrial site - Wölfnitz) ran from the Diebsteig track loop.

From February 17, 1969, the first T4D operated as a wing (T4D + T4D) with three scheduled trains in regular traffic. Lines 7 and 8 were still equipped with T4Ds in 1969. The Gotha large-capacity trains that had operated up to that point were handed over to Berlin. The Hechtwagen came to the line reform still on the lines E 7 and 8 used to have it completely with supplies to 1970 equipped with T4D / B4D. In Hellerau, a track loop was laid on April 26, 1968 before it was used.

In 1986, after a construction period of more than 15 years, the new reinforced concrete bridge was opened in the course of Königsbrücker Strasse over the Dresden – Görlitz railway line in a curved S-shape that formed the ailing bridge over the railway tracks, which originated from the time of the Haide Railway . replaced.

Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG (from 1990)

Track loop at the industrial park Klotzsche stop southwards (2014)

Branch to Hellerau after renovation (2019)

After the fall of the Wall, nothing changed in terms of the existing facilities. Nevertheless, those responsible reacted to the economic and social changes as well as the rapidly growing number of cars: On May 31, 1992, the first line reform was carried out, in which some regular and all E-lines were canceled. However, lines 7 and 8 swapped their northern endpoints. Line 7 now went to Hellerau and line 8 to Weixdorf. This caused considerable public anger, especially in Klotzsche, this change was reversed with the line reform of October 29, 1995 (line 8, however, received a new southern end point in Coschütz ).

In 1994, in connection with the planned construction of Infineon and the concentration of the tram depots, the Klotzsche tram station was shut down. Also in the 1990s, the dual track system in Hellerau was gradually restored 50 years after it was dismantled. The single-track section between the stops “Abzweig nach Hellerau” and “Am Hellerand” (towards the city), which runs through the Dresdner Heide , remains an exception in the long term .

With the construction of a new residential area on Arkonastraße in Klotzsche-Nord, the existing two-track passing point at Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz was extended by about 400 meters to the north, leaving the street on the special railway track moved to the right to the north and the stop Arkonastraße , also still in the double-track area, newly furnished. The subsequent single-track route to the North Business Park was replaced by a track loop. In this context, the Gleisdreieck at Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz was shut down.

In 2004 the former Klotzsche tram station was demolished and the area renatured, only five sandstone pillars along the route and the rectifier substation still remind of its location. In this context, the previously existing double track on the Klotzscher Ast was extended by about 150 meters to the north of the junction with Karl-Marx-Straße (and the stop Karl-Marx-Straße, formerly “Schänkhübel” was relocated there), whereby for road traffic now also optically this is led into the Karl-Marx-Straße in order to relieve the through traffic of Klotzsche (- Königswald ) from the through traffic flowing to the north.

A new, clockwise single-track loop was built at the junction to Hellerau (now Infineon South , December 23, 2017), the loop on Diebsteig was closed on February 4, 2018 and the switch connections were expanded immediately afterwards (it has since been renatured, the former track positions are only recognizable by the height of the terrain). Also at Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz, the two switch connections to the disused Gleisdreieck to Selliner Straße were expanded in 2018.

Future plans

An NGT12DD at the "Zur neue Brücke" stop in Klotzsche (2017)

In 2018, the city and the Dresden public transport company presented plans to remove the last remaining single-track sections of this route between Karl-Marx-Straße and Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz. While DVB could carry out this planning in the existing street space analogous to the expansion of Leubener Straße in Laubegast and Leuben , the creation of parking spaces and the construction of a 2.50 meter wide cycle path means an intervention in the properties adjacent to the street. The planning time until the start of construction is put at five years. In this context, the tracks of the former Gleisdreieck at Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz and Selliner Straße are to be expanded; they were subsequently closed.

For years, there have been discussions about the extension permit granted to the DRÜVEG as early as 1927 in the concession from the current end point of Weixdorf to the north: In the Ottendorf-Okrilla community in particular , there have been repeated initiatives that have been taking place since the route to Königsbrück was changed from Schmal- auf Standard gauge 1897 never removed numerous rail- level level crossings to reduce. One of the possibilities would be to use the considerably simplified provisions of the BOStrab . This is offset by considerable problems: the Dresden city gauge with 1450 mm and the standard gauge are incompatible in this respect, requiring re-gauge systems . Alternatively, a slightly asymmetrical four-rail track, similar to a track loop, could be used for the section of the route that may be used jointly by regional and trams. An operating concept with vehicles that are approved according to both BOStrab and EBO (the Klotzsche – Königsbrück route is licensed on the basis of the EBO) appears to be economically problematic due to the traffic conditions. An operating concept, how the previous travel time advantage that railway users from Weixdorf and from the communities north of it currently enjoy when traveling to Dresden, could be compensated by the tram, remained open.

Ultimately, on the basis of various studies, the Bautzen district council decided at the beginning of 2018 to pursue the upgrading of railways and to refrain from the tram extension plans for the time being.

Nevertheless, the city's goal is to find at least one solution to double- track the single-track sections between the historic Schänkhübel and the Deutsche Eiche (today between Königsbrücker Landstrasse / Karl-Marx-Strasse and Käthe-Kollwitz-Platz).

In 1994, the city of Dresden's traffic concept included an extension from the current end point of Hellerau in a northerly direction to the Rähnitz / Hellerau industrial park or towards Wilschdorf. Even if since then only various variant investigations have been carried out, route clearances have nevertheless been made, which could also enable an extension in the future if the corresponding need emerges.

See also

• History of the Dresden tram network

literature

• Gerhard Bauer, Norbert Kuschinski: The trams in East Germany. Volume 1: Saxony. Schweers + Wall, Aachen 1993, ISBN 3-921679-79-6 .
• Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe (Ed.): From coachmen and conductors. The 135-year history of the Dresden tram. 3rd, extended and additional edition. Junius, Dresden 2007, ISBN 978-3-88506-018-5 .
• Michael Kochems: Trams and light rail vehicles in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2017, ISBN 978-3-8446-6854-4 , pp. 40–215.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2017, p. 76.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2017, p. 77.
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Bauer / Kuschinski: The trams in East Germany ... , p. 19.
4. ^ ^{A b c d} Michael Kochems: Trams and light rail vehicles in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2017, p. 78.
5. ^ DVB: Of coachmen and conductors. The 135-year history ... , p. 93.
6. ^ Mario Schatz: Meter gauge trams in Dresden. Kenning, Nordhorn 2007, ISBN 978-3-933613-76-9 , p. 23.
7. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 82.
8. ↑ Tram line 8: Bergkeller - Trachenberger Platz ( Memento from February 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
9. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 109.
10. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 110.
11. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 113.
12. ↑ The reinforcement lines "S" ( Memento from February 12, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
13. ^ The fifties tram lines ( Memento from February 12, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
14. ^ Collective of authors under the direction of Gerhard Bauer: Tram Archive 2 - Room Görlitz - Dresden. , P. 113.
15. ↑ Werner Kreschnak: History of Dresden tram 2nd edition, tribune, Berlin 1981, pp 182/183.
16. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 120.
17. ↑ Werner Kreschnak: History of the Dresden Tram 2nd Edition, tribüne, Berlin 1981, p. 184.
18. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 122.
19. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 136.
20. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 140.
21. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 134.
22. ↑ Michael Kochems: trams and light rail in Germany. Volume 18: Saxony (1) , p. 143.
23. ↑ Tram lines 7 and 8 run shortened , DNN report from November 7, 2018 ( online ), accessed on February 1, 2019.
24. ↑ Online at nahverkehr-dresden.de , accessed on February 1, 2019.
25. ↑ DVB: Expansion of Königsbrücker Landstrasse . DVB AG press release of June 7, 2018 ( online , accessed August 11, 2019)
26. ↑ Frank Oehl: Tram is off the table . ( Online at saechsische.de , accessed on August 13, 2019)