History Hunsrück Railway

uerdingen railbus in front of old boppard station in 1970s

passenger services between simmern , pfalzfeld abandoned on 29 may 1983. there brief renaissance of passenger operations on simmern–kastellaun section on 11 october 1986, when there big demonstration against planned stationing of cruise missiles near kastellaun , series of special trains operated on section. freight operations closed between emmelshausen , pfalzfeld on 27 may 1983. freight operated between kastellaun , pfalzfeld until 31 december 1994 , between simmern , kastellaun until 1 june 1995. on 1 march 1996, simmern–pfalzfeld section closed. in years since 1998, section has been gradually dismantled , schinderhannes cycle path built on emmelshausen–simmern route, popular cyclists, skaters , walkers.

with restriction on operations boppard–emmelshausen section in 1983, services operated first time class 213 diesel locomotives hauling 2 silberling carriages, 1 of equipped control compartment. use of class 213 locomotives lasted until 1995, when ten locomotives drawn , transferred use on plaue–themar railway in thuringia. replaced class 215 locomotives , later class 218 diesels. in addition class 218 diesel locomotives, modernised silberling intermediate carriage began operations on 15 april 2011 , driving trailer of class bybdzf (also known wittenberg control car) used.

the operation heavy diesels not without problems. @ end of 2005, operations had suspended few weeks because of damage tracks , wheel sets. possibly result of using 80-ton , 2060 kw locomotives on tight curves of steep section. increasing wheel flange lubrication , after installation of rail wheel flange lubrication systems services restarted.

in 2008, line renovated. db netz ag invested € 9.3 million on line replace old tracks , sleepers. after renovation in august 2008, wear reoccurred on wheel sets, causing discontinuation of traffic in order research cause several months until 16 february 2009.

change of operator

workshop of rhenus veniro in boppard, 1 of 3 regio-shuttle sets left

rhenus veniro contracted take on passenger operations on hunsrück railway @ timetable change in december 2009. public transport association of rhineland-palatinate north (zweckverband schienenpersonennahverkehr rheinland-pfalz nord) in koblenz had awarded company contract operation in february 2008. contract period of 20 years. rhenus veniro contracted operate 3 stadler regio-shuttle rs1 diesel multiple units modified steep grades of route. operation of these new vehicles had still not been approved federal railway authority (eisenbahn-bundesamt) in december 2009, line continued operated db regio southwest locomotive-hauled push-pull trains.

in autumn of 2010 emmelshausen station rebuilt. 2 new switches installed , new platform built on track 1 enable trains stop there again. signal box @ entrance station became redundant during conversion work.

on last day before easter school holidays on 15 april 2011, zweckverband spnv-nord terminated operations of db regio on line. during holidays, platforms @ boppard-fleckertshöhe , ehr stations renewed. on 29 april 2011, federal railway authority issued limited operating license rhenus veniro 3 rs1 dmus (650350–650352), valid 31 december 2011, allowing them used. further modifications brake system necessary obtain full permit. until these carried out dmus not operated @ full occupancy.

after few, minor repairs manufacturer, stadler rail, rhenus veniro commenced operations on 4 may 2011 @ 05:23, 3 days after announced date scheduled operations. however, not 3 trains used repairs not complete. therefore, route operated 1 train, additional buses used school transport. 8 august 2011, first day of school after summer holidays, rhenus veniro operated 2 coupled dmus student traffic, allowed reduction in operation of school buses.

one of 3 dmus received unrestricted approval federal railway authority in december 2011. other 2 vehicles received full approval @ beginning of january 2012. since then, three-carriage dmus have been able run, no additional school buses required.