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Limburg–Altenkirchen railway

Upper Westerwald Railway
Oberwesterwaldbahn01.png
Overview
Native name Oberwesterwaldbahn
Locale Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Termini Limburg (Lahn)
Altenkirchen (Westerw)
Line number 3730
Technical
Line length 65.1 km (40.5 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Operating speed 60 km/h (37.3 mph) (maximum)
Route number 461
Route map
from Wetzlar
0.0 Limburg (Lahn)
HesseRhineland-Palatinate border
Rhineland-Palatinate–Hesse border
to Koblenz
Hesse–Rhineland-Palatinate border
2.1 Diez Ost (formerly: Freiendiez)
Rhineland-Palatinate–Hesse border
Lahn
5.3 Limburg-Staffel
Cologne–Frankfurt HSL
to Siershahn
7.1 Elz
9.2 Niederhadamar
10.9 Hadamar
13.4 Niederzeuzheim
18.3 Frickhofen
21.6 Wilsenroth
Hesse–Rhineland-Palatinate border
23.9 Berzhahn
25.3 Willmenrod
from Montabaur
28.6 Westerburg
to Herborn
34.3 Langenhahn
37.2 Rotenhain (formerly: Rotzenhahn)
38.5 Enspel Uhrmacher (siding)
39.0 Enspel
39.6 Enspel Adrian (siding)
40.7 Büdingen (Westerw)
Erbach-Fehl-Ritzhausen line
Nister
from Fehl-Ritzhausen
42.4 Nistertal-Bad Marienberg (formerly: Erbach)
45.0 Unnau-Korb
Nister
50.6 Hachenburg
52.6 Marienstatt
54.4 Hattert
55.9 Marzhausen
58.3 Ingelbach
61.4 Niederingelbach
from Au (Sieg)
65.1 Altenkirchen (Westerw)
to Engers (freight only)
Source: German railway atlas

The Limburg–Altenkirchen railway is a 65.1 km long branch line from Limburg via Westerburg to Altenkirchen and connecting via the Engers–Au railway to Au through the Westerwald. The line is also known in German as the Oberwesterwaldbahn (Upper Westerwald Railway). It runs through the German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate.

In 1845, there were early plans to build a rail link between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden and Cologne. In 1848/49, a group was formed that advocated the construction of this line through the Westerwald. These plans were initially given some positive attention by the policy makers of Prussia and the Duchy of Nassau, but were rejected in 1853 and a licence was issued to build the East Rhine Railway instead.

In 1861, several local committees in Prussia and Nassau, published a publication supporting the construction of a "Main-Lahn-Sieg Railway", connecting Frankfurt and Cologne via the shortest route and also contributing to the development of mineral deposits (such as basalt and clay) in this area.

On 17 February 1868 the Prussian parliament passed a law that among other things, authorised the construction of a line from Limburg to Hadamar. It was built to plans developed by Moritz Hilf and opened on 1 January 1870.

On 4 December 1873 the Hessian Ludwig Railway (Hessische Ludwigsbahn, HLB) was awarded a licence to continue the line towards Troisdorf on the Sieg via Hachenburg, where a branch line to Wissen was proposed. In 1872, it had been decided to build the Main-Lahn Railway (Main-Lahn-Bahn) from Frankfurt to Limburg via Idstein, Camberg and Eschhofen. The HLB undertook the first survey and preparatory work on the extension towards Troisdorf, but further work was stopped due to financial problems. In May 1879, the Royal Railway Division (KED) of Wiesbaden received permission to continue the construction.


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Wikipedia

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