Zeithain–Elsterwerda railway

Zeithain–Elsterwerda railway
Overview
Locale	Brandenburg and Saxony
Termini	Zeithain Bogendreieck junction Elsterwerda
Line number	6273
Technical
Line length	20.05 km (12.46 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Minimum radius	1000 m
Electrification	15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed	120 km/h (74.6 mph) (maximum)
Maximum incline	0.3%
Route number	520
Route map  Operating points and lines  from Leipzig Hbf from Jüterbog 0.00 Zeithain Bogendreieck junction to Dresden-Neustadt 1.04 Zeithain 99 m 2.30 Zeithain Rohrwerk III works station 98 m 6.32 Wülknitz 97 m 9.28 Tiefenau 96 m 10.66 Geißlitz (24 m) 11.1 flood bridge 12.21 Gröditz (Riesa) 95 m 12.51 Große Röder (11 m) 14.84 Prösen West 94 m 16.56 Prösen 93 m from Dresden-Friedrichstadt Pulsnitz Schwarze Elster 20.07 Elsterwerda 93 m Connecting curve to Elsterwerda-Biehla to Berlin

The Zeithain–Elsterwerda railway, also known as the Riesa–Elsterwerda railway, is a two-track, electrified main line in the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg, which was originally built and operated by the Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company (Leipzig-Dresdner Eisenbahn-Compagnie). It runs from Riesa via Bogendreieck Zeithain to Elsterwerda on the Berlin–Dresden railway. The line is part of the long-distance line between Chemnitz and Berlin.

Since 1872, a connection from Riesa to Elsterwerda had been considered useful by various private railway companies, such as the Berlin-Dresden Railway.

The Leipzig-Dresden Railway was particularly interested in extending its route network to the north. It was considered that a projected connection from Moldova (German: Moldau) via Freiberg and Nossen to Riesa would create an attractive route for the transport of Bohemian coal to Prussia.

The project was authorised by a treaty between Prussia and Saxony on 26 August 1874. Construction of the line began on a relatively easy route on 15 March 1875. It was opened on 15 October 1875.

The Leipzig–Dresden Railway was nationalised on 1 January 1876. The line was then incorporated into the network of the Royal Saxon State Railways. This line was subsequently operated as double-track secondary line.

After the Second World War, the second track as dismantled for reparations to the Soviet Union.

During the time of East Germany, rail traffic shifted to run mainly north–south. Of particular importance was the connection between Karl-Marx-Stadt and Berlin. As a result, the line was doubled again and it was electrified in the mid-1980s. Electric operations started on 13 December 1986. A day later—on 14 December 1986—the route was declared to be a main line. Long-distance services between Chemnitz and Berlin ran over the line until 2006, when the IR 34 service was abandoned; it then ran for a few kilometres over the Leipzig–Dresden railway and continued from Riesa over the Riesa–Chemnitz railway.

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