Main-Lahn Railway

Main-Lahn Railway
Route number:	627 645.2 (S Bahn)
Line number:	3610
Line length:	66.5 km
Gauge:	1,435 mm
Voltage:	15 kV 16.7 Hz AC
Stations and structures
Legend Lahn Valley Railway from Koblenz Limburg–Altenkirchen Railway to Au (Sieg) and Limburg-Staffel–Siershahn Railway Limburg (Lahn) Cologne–Frankfurt HSL 66.5 Eschhofen Lahn Valley Railway to Wetzlar 63.4 Lindenholzhausen 60.8 Niederbrechen 58.2 Oberbrechen 54.1 Niederselters 49.3 Bad Camberg 44,6 Wörsdorf 39.7 Idstein (Taunus) 36.5 Niederseelbach (1903–1971) 31.9 Niedernhausen (Taunus) terminus of S2 Ländches Railway to Wiesbaden 28.6 Eppstein-Niederjosbach 27.1 Eppstein-Bremthal (since 2001) 25.7 Eppstein Tunnel (200 m) reconstruction: 339 m 25.4 Eppstein 21.2 Lorsbach 17.0 Hofheim (Taunus) 14.6 Kriftel 12.4 Frankfurt-Zeilsheim (since May 2007) 11.3 Frankfurt-Höchst Farbwerke Ültg junction Taunus Railway from Wiesbaden S1 10.4 Frankfurt-Höchst Farbwerke Königstein Railway from Königstein 9.3 Frankfurt-Höchst Soden Railway to Bad Soden Taunus Railway to Frankfurt Hbf Nidda 7.3 Frankfurt-Nied 4.5 Frankfurt-Griesheim Connecting line from Frankfurter Osthafen Frankfurt Airport loop S8S9 Main Railway from Mainz and from Riedbahn S7 Taunus Railway from Frankfurt-Höchst 2,1 Frankfurt Kleyerstr. junction Frankfurt Außenbf To Frankfurt marshalling yard Main-Neckar Railway from Darmstadt South Main line from Offenbach Main-Weser Railway from Gießen Homburg Railway from F–West S3S4S5S6 0.0 Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (since 1888) S7 Frankfurt (Main) Hbf tief (since 1978) City Tunnel to Frankfurt South and Offenbach S3S4S5S6 / S1S2S8S9 Frankfurt western stations (until 1888)

Main-Lahn railway near Idstein

The Main-Lahn railway (Main-Lahn-Bahn in German), also called the Limburg railway (Limburger Bahn), is a double-track, electrified main railway line in Germany. The 66.5-kilometer (41.3 mi) long line extends from Frankfurt am Main Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) to Eschhofen, a borough of Limburg an der Lahn.

From Frankfurt to Niedernhausen, it operates as Rhine-Main S-Bahn S-2 and carries Deutsche Bahn route number 645.2. From Frankfurt Central Station to Frankfurt-Höchst, it also carries S-Bahn S-1 (which then follows the Taunus railway to Wiesbaden). From Niedernhausen to Eschhofen, it takes over Route number 627 from the Ländchesbahn. From Eschhofen, the line leads into the Lahn Valley Railway.

History

A middle route through the Taunus between the Main and Lahn River valleys had been considered since 1850. However, construction was only begun under Prussian rule on March 25, 1872. The concession was awarded to the Hessian Ludwig Railway (Hessische Ludwigsbahn, or HLB). The construction began from Eschhofen and each finished section initially served mainly to transport material to the construction further forward.

The first section between Eschhofen and Niederselters was opened to traffic on February 1, 1875. The entire track was completed on October 15, 1877. The line from Niedernhausen to Wiesbaden Central Station, called the Ländchesbahn, was launched on July 1, 1879.

Between 1911 and 1913, the single-track line was converted to double track. In 1971, the track was electrified between Frankfurt-Höchst and Niedernhausen, and in 1986 between Niedernhausen and Limburg.

References

This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding German Wikipedia article as of 2009-01-01.