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U1 (Berlin)

Berlin U1.svg
Overview
System Berlin U-Bahn
Locale Berlin
Stations 13
Operation
Opened 15 February 1902
Events
Wittenbergplatz–Uhlandstraße extension 12 October 1913
Separation of U1 and U2 1912–1913
Technical
Line length 9.0 km (5.6 mi)
Track gauge
Electrification
Route map
8.7 Warschauer Straße (WA)Berlin S5.svg Berlin S7.svg Berlin S75.svg
from Warschauer Straße Depot
7.9 Schlesisches Tor (S)
7.0 Görlitzer Bahnhof (Gr)
6.3 Kottbusser Tor (Kbo)Berlin U8.svg
5.4 Prinzenstraße (Pr)
4.4 Hallesches Tor (Ho)Berlin U6.svg
3.9 Möckernbrücke (Mo)Berlin U7.svg
3.3 Gleisdreieck (Go)Berlin U2.svg
2.2 Kurfürstenstraße (Kus)
1.7 Nollendorfplatz (Nu/Nm)Berlin U2.svg Berlin U3.svg Berlin U4.svg
to Berlin U4.svg (ex. BI)
from Berlin U2.svg (ex. A)
0.9
.0
Wittenbergplatz (Wt)Berlin U2.svg Berlin U3.svg
to Berlin U2.svg (ex. AI)
to Berlin U3.svg (ex. AII)
0.8 Kurfürstendamm (Kfo)Berlin U9.svg
1.2 Uhlandstraße (U)
1.4 Uhlandstraße Reversing Point

U1 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn, which is 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) long and has 13 stations. Its traditional line designation was BII. It runs east-west and its eastern end is immediately south of the route of the historical Schlesischen Bahn (an extension of the Berlin Stadtbahn) at the Warschauer Straße S-Bahn station and runs through Kreuzberg, Wittenbergplatz on to the Kurfürstendamm.

The eastern section of the line is the oldest part of the Berlin U-Bahn, although it is largely above ground.

The U1 route was originally part of BII until 1957, where it was renamed to BIV until 1 March 1966. While the main section between Wittenbergplatz and Schlesisches Tor has been designated as line 1 since 1966, the western end of the line has changed twice. It was consequently renumbered to Line "3" and "U3" in 1993, before renaming to Line U15 until 2004.

The increasing traffic problems in Berlin at the end of the 19th century led to a search for new efficient means of transport. Inspired by Werner von Siemens, numerous suggestions were made for overhead conveyors, such as a suspension railway, as was later built in Wuppertal, or a tube railway as was built in London. Finally Siemens and some prominent Berliners submitted a plan for an elevated railway on the model of New York. These people opposed Siemens' suggestion of building an overhead railway in the major street of Friedrichstrasse, but the city of Berlin opposed underground railways, since it feared damage to one of its new sewers.

Finally, after many years and negotiations, Siemens proposal for an elevated railway line from Warschauer Brücke via Hallesches Tor to Bülowstraße was approved. This was only possible, however, because it passed through poor areas. The richer residents of Leipziger Straße pressed the city administration to prevent the line using their street. Siemens & Halske carried out all construction work and also owned the line. The first sod was turned on 10 September 1896 in Gitschiner Straße. The construction work had to be carried out quickly because the contract with the city of Berlin, signed with the granting of the concession, specified that the line had to be finished within two years, or a penalty of 50,000 marks would be payable.


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Wikipedia

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