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Hamburgs railway history from the Harburg point of view
A chronology, composed by Gerhard Rocco
[Abstract]
Sections
The beginning of the railway era in Hamburg
Seven years after the opening of the first german railway line between
Nuremberg and Fürth the first railway between Hamburg and Bergedorf
should be ceremonially opened on May 7, 1842. The original building
of the staion Bergedorf is maintained till now. Unfortunately
the opening ceremony was failed, the frist trains run several days
before, because of the great fire in Hamburg many fugitives have
brought from Hamburg to Bergedorf and firefighters the way back.
Continuance in Altona
After opening of the Altona - Kieler railway in 1844 the junction
of the harbour of Altona take place in 1845 via the harbour line;
till 1849 drawn by horses, till 1876 with cable transmission.
Afterwards the trains were drawn by steam engine using a 432yds
long tunnel. In 1895 the harbour line tunnel called 'haddock tunnel'
was extended to 1051yd, at that time the longest tunnel of nothern germany.
Growing up of more private railways
In 1846 opening ot the Berlin - Hamburg Railway with expansion of the
former "Bergedorfer" station to the "Berliner" station, a terminal
station at the Amsinckstr. (in 1957 renamed to Högerdamm). The time
of travel from Hamburg to Berlin in a passender train lasted 8 hours!
In 1847 opening the line (Hanover -) Celle - Harburg with a terminal
station at the Schellerdamm (previous Bahnhofstr.) by the Königlich Hannöversche
Staatseisenbahn (Royal Hanover state railway). In 1849 the junction
to the harbour of Harburg opened, a long time before a junction of
the harbour of Hamburg. In 1865 the line Lübeck to Hamburg by the
Lübeck-Büchener-Railway (LBE) put into operation with a terminus station
at the Spaldingstr. At that time there was a interchange track from
the "Lübecker" station via Rothenburgsort to the "Berliner" station.
The advanced private railway LBE was assume by the state railway
not until 1938. The double deck trains of the LBE with its streamlined
locomotive is running on our layout. In 1866 the line (Verbindungsbahn)
from Hamburg (station Klostertor) to Altona (until 1864 Altona belongs
to the Danish Kingdom) was opened and also the harbour of Hamburg
get his junction at the Sandthorquai with connection to the
"Berliner" station. In 1866 the Prussian Kingdom annexed
the Kingdom of Hanover.
Hamburg and Harburg attems a rapprochement
Until 1872 the towns of Hmaburg and Harburg where separated by the
northern and southern Elbe as well as barely tapped island of
Wilhelmsburg and the hollows. There were ferry services on the
northern and southern Elbe and a direct "steam-shipping" between
Hamburg, Altona and Harburg. In their timetable from 1853 the trains
from and to Hanover, Kiel and Berlin were mentioned. In 1872 both
railway bridges over the elbe opened (the bridges for cars was opened
not until 1899). At the same time the temporary station of Harburg was
completed in 1872 (until 1897) at the Grubestr. (today nothern of the
Hanover Str. to the southern brigde over the elbe), to operate the
trains from Hanover and Bremen to Harburg and in addition to Hamburg.
Thereby in 1872 it was cleared to extend the line from Hanover via
Harburg to the "Venloer" (or Parisian) station, from 1892 forward called
Hamburg Hanover station. Here existed a connection for delivery runs
to the Klostertor station and in addition to the Verbindungsbahn. The
layout at the Lohseplatz was planed als terminus station with a
great hall and some tracks for freight goods (represented on our
layout). In 1874 follows the opening of the line from Bremen to Harburg
(called Venloer line, build and operated by the Cologne - Mindener
railway) with connection to the existing line from Harburg to the
Hamburg-Venloer station. From now on the "Gate to Hamburg" was
opened. Traders, haulier, load carrier, ferry services and
landlords from Harburg were right to fear the recession of their
businesses. In 1881 the line from Cuxhaven to Harburg with an own
station Unterelbe. There was a connection track between station Unterelbe
and station Harburg. In 1889 the first HAPAG-spezial train
(HAPAG is a big shipping company) ran from Hamburg to Cuxhaven
with passenger for the north-american-line.
Rearrangement of the railway in Harburg
First after the nationalisation of the Venloer railway, the
Cologne - Mindener railway and the Unterelbe Bahn Harburg could get a
new station, connecting all the lines from Hanover, Bremen and Cuxhaven
in one station. The station Harburg opened in 1897 in the today's form
and position and was called Harburg main station. The prominent building
with its layout for the passenger trains is operating until today and
is presented in 1 gauge on our layout. In 1907 the Seehafen station,
connected with the station Unterelbe, could be openend. From now on
bigger ships could pass the harbour of Altona and Hamburg and land
in the harbour of Harburg.
Rearrangement of the railway in Hamburg
At the turn of the century the traffic on the streets slowed down
because carriages, trams, and trains mutual restrain. At that time
the tracks lie on street level and the traffic has to ensure by
sentinel, chain, or barrier. The trains couln't run according to
the time-table any more. The change of trains between four staions was
intolerable. After long negotiations between Hamburg, Lubeck and
Prussia cleaar the way for building the Hamburg main station at
the today's position and connections of the lines from Altona,
Lubeck, Berlin, and Harburg without similar level crossings. The
other four terminal stations could be closed. In 1906 the Hamburg
main station launched. For this reason - so the belief - the lines
and stations were a solid basis for the passenger traffics. But no
one expected the extraordinary high excursion traffic: more than 100
special trains have to summon up each sunday in the summer months,
i.e. to the Luneburg Heath. Because the main station couldn't
manage this rush, the tracks with platforms of the Hanover
station were reactivated in 1914 for dispatching these special
trains. Therefor it was possible to managed also up to 27 special
trains each day from and to Cuxhaven for emigrants and returnees to
America.
Distric reform in Harburg
In 1927 the township Harburg and Wilhelmsburg united to the new town
Harburg-Wilhelmsburg, the station renamed as Harburg-Wilhelmsburg main
station, and the flag stop Wilhelmsburg renamed as Harburg-Wilhelmsburg
North.
Distric reform in Hamburg
In 1938 the Prussian towns Altona, Harburg-Wilelmsburg, and Wandsbek
was suburbanised conformable to Great-Hamburg-law of April 1, 1937
to the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
Challange for the german railway
1962 storm fool in northern germany. The four tracks of the line
and all streets from Harburg to Hamburg were interrupted. For days
the connection could keep up with limitations only across the freight
yards Hamburg Hohe Schaar und Hamburg South in the harbour.
Main-line trains were rerouted via Luneburg - Buchen.
The catenary reached Hamburg
In 1965 the electric operation begined on the line from Hanover to
Hamburg. The beginning of the electric operation on the line from
Bremen to Hamburg and from Stade to Harburg was in 1968. The catenary
was simultaneously build on our layout. The beginning of the
electrical operation with the caterany was on April 5, 1965 in
attendance of the chairman of the head office Hamburg of the
german railway, Mr Artur Petzold - namely one day before the
festive beginning of the electrical operation by the german
railway. In Harburg there was special feature of the electrical
tram operating since 1903: the crossing of tram and train on
Schlossmühlendamm on the Unterelbe line. With beginning of
the building of electrical operation on the Unterelbe line in 1967
the crossing of the catenary has to arranged in mechanical and
electrical way, meaning switching between 15 kV AC main line
to 600 V AC tram line and pantograph with rolls. After the cut-off
of the tram line between Harburg and Wilhelmsburg in 1971 this
oddity was a thing of the past.
The end of an era
In 1972 the steam operation of the german railway in northern
germany ended with a last train run with loco 012 102 from Westerland
to station Hamburg-Altona. On our layout the identical loco 01 1100
regular haul the fast train from Hamburg to Cologne with stop in
Harburg station. Especially the steam engines with convenient
coaches and freight wagons are of course numerous represented
on our layout.
Highspeedtrains and infrastucture
In 1976 a perennial conversion and testing of the line
from Hamburg to Bremen with maximum speed of 124mph (200km/h) began
and was presented to the general public in 1979 in the context
of the international traffic exhibition in Hamburg with special
trains between the exhibition station Hamburg-Sternschanze and
Bremen. In 1987 followed the conversion of the line from Hamburg
to Hanover and in 2004 followed the line from Hamburg to Berlin
even wih maximum speed of 143mph (230km/h). On these lines used
trains (InterRegio, InterCity, and InterCityExpress) also
runs on our layout. In 1983 the DC powered suburban railway
reached the district Harburg and was extended to
Hamburg-Neugraben in 1984. The subterranean station of the
suburban railway at station Harburg we presents as a partial
view with two suburban railcars.
Progress of the lines for freight trains
Like the passengers get in and out and change trains, also
freight wagons has to managed. This was done on railway
shunting yards. The incomming freight trains were splitted
to trains to new destinations nearby. By reaching this
destination they have to split again and shunt to the
recipient. In Hamburg there were five shunting yards:
Rothenburgsort, the freight yard ot the Berlin - Hamburg
Railway since 1847, Wilhelmsburg (since 1890),
Harburg (since 1897), Eidelstedt (since 1922) and
Billwerder (since 1939). For the immediate supply of
goods wagons for local dealers and the handling of
express goods the former Hanover station get a
prominent relevance, since 1964 renamed to Hamburg
main freight yard (additional information below).
Hamburg Harbour Railway
With the connection to the railway in the harbour of Hamburg
the Hamburg Harbour Railway build an extensive track network,
beginning in 1866 with the connection to the Sandtorkai. The
network of the Hamburg Harbour Railway is owned by the city
of Hamburg and contain about 186mi of tracks. Not included were
several private connections of forwarding companies and
industrial plants, they had to build the connection on
their own costs. Approx. 200 trains run between the network
of the Hamburg Harbour Railway and the german railway. 70% of
the containers are carry by train. The big electrified
freight yards of Hamburg South, Hohe Schaar, Waltershof, and
also some bigger forwarding companies were approached by
block trains.
The huge change in goods traffic
Because the five big freight yards worked even more uneconomic,
the hole system of freigth lines and freight yards has to
rearranged. For this reason in 1977 the first construction section
of the shunting yard Maschen placing into operation. After completion
of the freight yard in 1980 the older five yards could be put
out of service by and by.