Düsseldorf rail freight bypass

The Düsseldorf freight bypass railway (Güterumgehungsbahn Düsseldorf) is a now partly disused railway line in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It connects the Düsseldorf-Reisholz freight yard and the Düsseldorf-Derendorf freight yard (near Düsseldorf-Derendorf station), both located on the Cologne–Duisburg railway, via the former Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld freight yard.

Düsseldorf freight bypass railway
Overview
Native nameGüterumgehungsbahn Düsseldorf
Line number
  • 2401 (D-Derendorf–D-Vogelsang)
  • 2410 (D-Lierenfeld–D-Derendorf)
  • 2411 (D-Reisholz–D-Derendorf)
  • 2416 (D Hbf–Präsident Loewel)
LocaleNorth Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Service
Route number(freight only)
Technical
Line length12 km (7.5 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map

4.9 42.7
Präsident Loewel junction
(5.4) 000
(Düsseldorf-Vogelsang junction)
4.4 00.0
Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dn
Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dp junction
3.7 00.0
Heinrich junction
Düsseldorf-Derendorf
3.1 40.0
Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dnf
Düsseldorf Zoo
38.3
Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dsf
38.2
Markmann
(siding)
37.9
Rethel junction
Düsseldorf Wehrhahn
0.9 00.0
Düsseldorf Hbf north head
0.0 00.0
Düsseldorf Hbf
36.5
Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld
35.8
Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld (old)
(Wersten junction)
(Düsseldorf-Oberbilk station+junction)
Former connecting line to Sturm junction
33.9
Berg junction
Düsseldorf-Eller Süd
31.7
Düsseldorf-Reisholz Rn
30.9
Düsseldorf-Reisholz marsh. yard and st.
30.6
Düsseldorf-Reisholz junction
Source: German railway atlas[1]

The freight bypass allows freight trains to avoid the busy Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof using a separate and direct line.

History

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The Cologne-Minden Railway Company had already established a freight line between the then Lierenfeld junction and Wehrhahn in 1863, but this was closed in 1880.[2] In 1932 the old line was returned to service and connected by a grade-separated junction with the Cologne–Duisburg railway.[3][4][5][6]

Current situation

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The closing of the former Düsseldorf-Derendorf marshalling yard means that the bypass railway has lost most of its purpose. Of the three tracks passing under the main line, only the northernmost track at Rethel junction remains in operation. Concrete pillars have been erected for supporting overhead wire on the western ramp of the southernmost passage under the main line, which gave direct access to Lierenfeld.

References

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  1. ^ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2017. p. 141. ISBN 978-3-89494-146-8.
  2. ^ "Line 2411: Düsseldorf-Reisholz Rgf - Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dsf (low)". NRW Rail Archive (in German). André Joost. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Line 2401: Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dnf - Abzw Vogelsang". NRW Rail Archive (in German). André Joost. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Line 2410: Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld - Düsseldorf-Derendorf Dnf (high)". NRW Rail Archive (in German). André Joost. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Line 2416: Düsseldorf Hbf - Düsseldorf-Unterrath". NRW Rail Archive (in German). André Joost. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Line 2417: Sturm junction - Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld". NRW Rail Archive (in German). André Joost. Retrieved 19 December 2013.