Leutkirch–Memmingen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Baden-Württemberg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line number | 4570 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 31.540 km (19.598 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route number | 971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: German railway atlas
The Leutkirch–Memmingen railway is a 31.540 km long, single-track, non-electrified railway in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, which connects Leutkirch and Memmingen.
Two years after the completion of the construction of the Neu-Ulm–Kempten railway in 1863, the citizens of Wangen campaigned for a cross-border line connecting the Bavarian Allgäu railway with the new line in Memmingen. Since this proposal lacked political support, the plans came to nothing and the Württemberg Allgäu Railway was opened through the Württemberg Allgäu in various stages until 1880. Nevertheless, there continued to be support for a connection to Bavarian Swabia and Upper Bavaria.
In 1876 and 1886 there were further proposals from Memmingen for building a direct connection to Lindau through Württemberg. The second proposal resulted in negotiations between the two countries, although this was initially unsuccessful because Bavaria insisted on responsibility for the management of the entire line to Lindau. However, starting in 1870, the German military increasingly urged the closure of the last gaps in the railway between the garrisons in southern Bavaria and Württemberg and southern Alsace, finally leading to the signing of a treaty in 1887.
After nearly three years of construction, the line from Leutkirch im Allgäu to Memmingen was opened on 2 October 1889. Leutkirch was connected to the existing Württemberg Allgäu Railway from Aulendorf via Kißlegg to Wangen and Isny. A new “wedge” station (Keilbahnhof) was built at Leutkirch.