The Hildesheim loop (German: Hildesheimer Schleife), also known as the Sorsum curve or the Hildesheim curve, is a 3.7 km long German passenger railway. It is single-track and electrified throughout. The line was opened in 1991.

Hildesheim loop
Overview
Native nameHildesheimer Schleife
LocaleLower Saxony, Germany
Service
Route number1774
Technical
Line length3.7 km (2.3 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification15 kV/16.7 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed130 km/h (81 mph) (maximum)
Route map

Hannover–Würzburg HSL
from Göttingen
29.5
0.0
Sorsum junction
to Hanover
3.5
45.4
Himmelsthür junction
from Nordstemmen
Lehrte–Nordstemmen line
Source: German railway atlas[1]

Route

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An ICE train running south off the loop on to the HSL

The southern end of the line branches off the Hanover–Würzburg high-speed line at Sorsum junction, 29.5 km south of Hanover. The loop leaves running northeast from the HSL, which is running to the northwest. At Himmelsthür junction, 4.7 km west of Hildesheim, it connects with the double-track line from Hanover and Nordstemmen to Hildesheim, which runs east–west, at the 45.4 km mark. There is a down grade towards Hildesheim.

The line connects the high-speed line with Hildesheim station, conveying Intercity-Express trains running between Frankfurt am Main and Berlin. ICE trains run from Hildesheim to Brunswick and the Weddel loop to Wolfsburg and Berlin via the Hanover–Berlin high-speed line. During the day, trains run hourly both ways on the loop.

References

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  1. ^ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2009. p. 43. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.
 
An ICE running south on the single track loop line

52°09′23″N 9°52′05″E / 52.15639°N 9.86806°E / 52.15639; 9.86806