Oldenburg–Leer railway

Oldenburg–Leer railway
Overview
Line number1520[1]
LocaleLower Saxony, Germany
Service
Route number390
Technical
Line length55 km (34 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed120 km/h (74.6 mph) (maximum)
Route map

Legend
 from Bremen and from Osnabrück
0
 Oldenburg (Oldb) Hbf
from Osnabrück
former line to Brake
0
 Oldenburg (Oldb) Hbf
old course of line (until 1966)
Pferdemarkt bridge
Rosenstraße
Heiligengeiststraße
Georgstraße
Peterstraße/Ziegelhofstraße
0.9
 Ziegelhofstrasse
1.2
 Line to Wilhelmshaven
2
 A 28
3
 Logemann
(siding)
3
 Oldenburg-Wechloy
3.4
 Wechloy
6
 Bloh
10.8
 Kayhauserfeld
from Edewechterdamm
15.2
 Bad Zwischenahn
from Westerstede
23.2
 Westerstede-Ocholt
to Sedelsberg
29.5
 Apen
32.2
 Augustfehn
39.6
 Stickhausen-Felde
42.8
 Filsum
47.9
 Nortmoor
49.9
 Stadt Leer
(siding)
 from Emden
55.0
 Leer
to Rheine and Groningen
Source: German railway atlas[2]
Augustfehn railway station

The Oldenburg–Leer railway is a 55 km (34 mi) single-track electrified main line in the north-west of the German state of Lower Saxony.[1] It connects the Emsland line near Leer with the city of Oldenburg. Thus, it serves traffic from the direction of Hanover and Bremen to the port of Emden, the Emsland and western East Frisia, including the islands of Borkum, Juist and Norderney, which are important tourist destinations. Together with the Leer–Groningen line, it also has international significance.

The line was opened on 15 June 1869 by the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg State Railways and is one of the oldest railways in Germany. During 1992 it was electrified, which made expensive and time-consuming locomotive changes in Oldenburg unnecessary for the route to East Frisia.

In the 2013 timetable, daily InterCity services connect Leipzig or Berlin and Hanover with Emden and Norddeich Mole. Together with Regional-Express services, trains operate approximately hourly. Since mid-December 2010, an hourly service has been operated on the Oldenburg–Bad Zwischenahn route by the Bremen S-Bahn.

The Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan makes provision for the duplication of the line in the long term to improve freight links with ports, but no work has progress has been made on this proposal.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Lower Saxony Ministry for Industry, Works and Transport (2 September 2008). "Zustand und Zukunft des Bahnverkehrs in Niedersachsen" (PDF) (in German). Lower Saxony Parliament. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  2. ^ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2009. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.