Fröndenberg–Kamen railway

Fröndenberg–Kamen

Northern part of line

Route number:

437 (Fröndenberg–Unna)
450.4 (Unna–Unna-Königsborn)

Line length:

Track gauge:

1435

Voltage:

Unna–Unna-Königsborn:
15 kV 16.7 Hz AC

Maximum speed:

9.6

5.0

3.9

S-Bahn line to Dortmund Stadthaus S 4

1.4

Westig Stahlwerk siding

1.1

Unna West

0.9

Alter Hellweg colliery siding

From Dortmund-Hörde

From Hagen

0.0

12.4

Unnaterminus of S 4

To Hamm

To Soest

11.1

Strothmann siding

10.5

Bertulies siding

10.3

VEW Unna siding

9.6

Industriepark Unna siding

7.4

Kessebüren

5.5

Frömern

3.4

Ardey

1.4

W Köhle siding

1.1

Fröndenberg West

0.0

The Fröndenberg–Kamen railway is a single-track, partially electrified and partially disused railway line in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It runs from Fröndenberg via Unna to Unna-Königsborn and formerly on to Kamen.

The Fröndenberg-Kamen line was built at the turn of the 20th Century as a railway branch line by the Royal railway divisions (German: königliche Eisenbahndirection) of Elberfeld and Essen of the Prussian state railways to connect, in the form of an S-shaped curve, four stations on major east-west routes, which were built in the second half of the 19th century by three competing major private railway companies in Westphalia (from north to south):

The first section was opened by the Royal Railway Division of Elberfeld on 2 January 1899 between Fröndenberg and Unna.

The next section from Unna to Unna-Königsborn was a joint project with the Royal Railway Division of Essen and built in just over a year. It was opened on 1 April 1900, originally for freight only.

The last part, from Unna-Königsborn to Kamen was the responsibility of the Essen Division alone. Only half a year later, the line was completed on 1 November 1900 and opened for freight. Almost a year later, on 1 October 1901, the first passenger train ran between Unna and Kamen.

In early 1926, passenger traffic was discontinued on the northern section between Unna and Kamen. The Unna-Kamen-Werne light railway was opened in 1909 on a similar route as an overland tramway (interurban). It closed on 14 December 1950.

On 3 June 1955, freight traffic between Königsborn and Kamen was also discontinued and the line was subsequently dismantled. The former line can easily be identified from aerial photographs.

Electrification of the Unn–Königsborn section was completed on 25 May 1984. The Fröndenberg–Unna section is still a non-electrified branch line with a top speed of 60 km/h. To increase speeds, level crossings are being upgraded. It is served only by the Hönnetal-Bahn (RB 54), which continues over the Letmathe–Fröndenberg line via Menden and the Hönne Valley Railway to Neuenrade at 60 minute intervals.

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Wikipedia