Schiefe Ebene

Steam special on the Schiefe Ebene (2010)

Route number:

512, 820, 850

Line number:

5100

Track gauge:

1,435 mm

Maximum incline:

2.5% %

Maximum speed:

120 km/h

from Bamberg

74,4

Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg

to Bayreuth

Schlömener Kurve from Bayreuth

Bundesstraße 303

Schiefe Ebene

Blockstelle Streitmühle

81,8

Marktschorgast

to Hof

The Schiefe Ebene (German pronunciation: [ˈʃiːfə ˈeːbənə] literally: 'inclined plane') is a steep railway incline on the course of the Bamberg–Hof section of the Ludwig South-North Railway in the region of Upper Franconia, in Bavaria, Germany.

The Schiefe Ebene is located in the Landkreis (country district) of Kulmbach, beginning east of Neuenmarkt–Wirsberg station and ending at Marktschorgast. The route is not electrified, but has been widened to two tracks. On the adjacent incline between Marktschorgast and Stammbach, the second track has been subsequently dismantled. On its way into the Franconian Forest mountains the ramp climbs 157.7 metres over a distance of 6.8 kilometres and therefore has an average incline of 23‰. It was built between 1844 and 1848 as part of the Ludwig South-North line and was opened on 1 November 1848. With its numerous supporting walls, cuttings and stone embankments it was technically one of the great engineering feats of its time. The cost of construction was 917,318 Gulden.

In the era of steam, the ramp proved a real challenge for locomotives and crews. The majority of trains had to be reinforced by heavy pusher locomotives. These were stationed in the well-known locomotive depot at Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg. They included famous locomotives such as the DRG Class 95 (ex-Prussian T 20) and DRG Class 96 (ex-Bavarian Gt 2x4/4), as well as DRG Classes 57 (ex-Prussian G 10) and 50.

...
Wikipedia