Drachenfels Railway
| Drachenfels Railway | |
|---|---|
Electric railcar at the summit station
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| Overview | |
| Locale | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Operation | |
| Opened | July 13, 1883 |
| Closed | Still open |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 1.5 km (0.93 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) |
| Electrification | 750 V DC Overhead line |
| Highest elevation | 289 m (948 ft) |
| Maximum incline | 20% |
| Rack system | Riggenbach |
The Drachenfels Railway (German: Drachenfelsbahn) is a rack railway line in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. The line runs from Königswinter to the summit of the Drachenfels mountain at an altitude of 289 m (948 ft). Besides the two terminal stations, an intermediate station serves the Schloss Drachenburg.
The Drachenfels Railway is one of only four rack railways still operational in Germany, along with the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway, the Stuttgart Rack Railway and the Wendelstein Railway.
The line is 1.5 km (0.93 mi) long and is single track. There are two terminal stations, Königswinter Drachenfelsbahn and Drachenfels, and a single intermediate station, Drachenburg, which also has a passing loop. The line has a rail gauge of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) and uses the Riggenbach rack design to overcome a height difference of 220 m (722 ft) and a maximum gradient of 20%. The line is electrified, with overhead supply at 750 V DC.
The service is operated with a fleet of four four-wheel electric railcars, built in Rastatt between 1955 and 1960, plus a fifth identical railcar built by the railway itself in 1979. Although double-ended, the railcars are unusual in that they have doors only on one side, as all platforms are on the same side of the track. They can operate either singly or in pairs.
From March to October, trains operate every 30 minutes, with additional trains if the traffic requires it. In November, January and February trains are less frequent, whilst no trains operate in December.
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