Löbau–Zittau railway

Löbau (Sachs)–Zittau
Overview
Locale	Saxony, Germany
Line number	6214
Technical
Line length
No. of tracks	2: Oberoderwitz–Zittau
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Minimum radius	400 m (1,312 ft)
Operating speed	100 km/h (62.1 mph) (maximum)
Maximum incline	0.11%
Route number	231, 235
Route map Legend  Operating points and lines  from Görlitz 60.701 Löbau to Dresden-Neustadt to Großpostwitz 56.154 Großschweidnitz 310 m Höllengrund Viaduct 54.810 Höllengrund junction to Ebersbach (Sachs) 53.603 Niedercunnersdorf 320 m Obercunnersdorf Viaduct 50.370 Obercunnersdorf 340 m Narrow gauge line from Bernstadt 45.457 Herrnhut 345 m Herrnhut Viaduct 42.010 Ruppersdorf 325 m Oderwitz Viaduct from Wilthen 38.372 Oberoderwitz(former island station) 311 m 36.470 NiederoderwitzMitteloderwitz until 1910 307 m Mandau viaduct, Mittelherwigsdorf from Eibau–Varnsdorf 32.697 Mittelherwigsdorf, 278 m (Keilbahnhof) Scheibe, until 1927 28.790 Zittau-Pethau(loading point) 260 m 26.745 Zittau 263 m to Görlitz Narrow gauge line to Oybin/Jonsdorf and to Hermsdorf to Liberec

The Löbau–Zittau railway is a line in the German state of Saxony, originally built and operated by the Löbau-Zittau Railway Company. The line opened in 1848 and it was one of the oldest lines in Germany. Only part of the line is still in service. It starts at Löbau and originally ran via Herrnhut and Oderwitz to Zittau.

History

The Löbau-Zittau Railway Company (German: Löbau-Zittauer Eisenbahngesellschaft) received a concession on 25 June 1845 to build a line from Löbau to Zittau. The line was opened on 10 June 1848. The line was also operated by the Löbau-Zittau Railway.

On 1 January 1871 the line was acquired by the Royal Saxon State Railways

At the end of May 1998, passenger services were abandoned between Löbau and Zittau via Herrnhut. As a result, the Herrnhut–Oberoderwitz section lost virtually all of its traffic because local freight traffic ran only from Löbau to Herrnhut. Then, on 31 May 1999, the Herrnhut–Oberoderwitz section closed. Until the end of 2001, freight trains still served Obercunnersdorf (scrap trade) and Herrnhut (coal and timber). Afterwards only Niedercunnersdorf (gas, agricultural traffic) was served. At the end of February 2002, an application was made to close the Niedercunnersdorf–Herrnhut section, but final closure only occurred on 28 February 2003. At the December 2002 timetable change, passenger services between Ebersbach and Löbau were finally abandoned. Thus there are no any regular passenger services on the northern section of the Löbau-Zittau line. The remaining section from Oberoderwitz to Zittau connects with the Oberoderwitz–Wilthen line and is served by passenger services to Dresden.

Since 2007 the Löbau–Oberoderwitz section has been leased to Deutsche Regionaleisenbahn (DRE).

Route

The line leaves Löbau station through a cutting to the south. Beyond Großschweidnitz station is the first deep cutting on the line, which then crosses the valley of the Großschweidnitzer Wasser on a seven span viaduct. Immediately after the viaduct, the line to Ebersbach turns off to the south, while the Löbau–Zittau line turns to the southeast towards Herrnhut and Zittau. After Niedercunnersdorf station the line runs parallel with Niedercunnersdorf village. Just before Obercunnersdorf station the line crosses Obercunnersdorf viaduct. After Herrnhut station the line turns south again and runs over a viaduct over the Petersbach. The next viaduct follows in the village of Ruppersdorf, just before the station. Further on, within sight of Kottmar mountain, the line reaches the Landwasser valley and the town of Oderwitz. First another viaduct is crossed before the line reaches Oberoderwitz station. The route now follows the Landwasser valley to the southeast. In Mittelherwigsdorf it crosses the Mandau and then reaches the village’s station. The line then follows that Mandau valley to Zittau.