51.5 million guilders, ten years to build – it was a mammoth task that the royal bavarian state railroads decided to undertake in 1841: a rail line between lindau and hof, divided into three sections. The northern section alone, from nurnberg to hof and on to the saxon border, had a length of 203 kilometers, and the opening ceremony took place 160 years ago, on the 25th of june. August 1848, the birthday of king ludwig I. From bavaria. He also gave the line its name: ludwig-sud-north railroad.
Evidence of those days still exists today, even in front of our house. The tilting trains of the railroad and also of the "agilis" still travel the two sandstone bridges in the main meadows between kulmbach and mainleus. The ravages of time have not only gnawed at the buildings, they have literally chewed on them. This is why DB netz AG is planning a comprehensive refurbishment this summer.
Roadway slab made of reinforced concrete
The press office of the bahn AG in munich says that this is to be done in consultation with the monument protection authorities. The vaults of the sandstone bridges will therefore be preserved and each will be given a new reinforced concrete roadway slab, which will be attached to the existing structure with micropiles. The rails will be mounted on it. According to information from the railroad, the cost of the renovation will be around 3.5 million euros. In the meantime, the first clearing work has begun so that the construction vehicles can reach the bridges.
For rail travelers, this means changes. The work is scheduled for the summer vacations. During the renovation work from 29. July until 9. September all trains between kulmbach and mainleus will be cancelled. However, a rail replacement service will be set up. According to a railroad spokeswoman, passengers will be informed of the restrictions in good time.
According to its own information, bahn AG has to maintain a total of 25700 bridges in germany, of which 6200 are toll bridges, including the sandstone structures near kulmbach. For the entire route network in upper franconia, the railroad wants to invest about 250 million euros in 2018.