Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Looking at a light rail service the German city of Karlsruhe that included existing city centre tramlines, new build tracks and sections of main line railway where the passenger service had been withdrawn - but the railway had remained open for goods / freight trains.
Initially known as Line A this service included the operation of light rail vehicles over a section of main line railway to the north of Karlsruhe known as the Hardtbahn. The national railway operator (DB) had withdrawn passenger services in 1967, so the introduction of the new service effectively reopened the route to passenger trains. As this section of railway used diesel trains it needed to be electrified, this was done at the normal light rail 750v DC.
The new light rail service included a new-build deviation away from the main line railway to better serve nearby residential communities. Much of this was alongside existing roads but where the line gets very close to pre-existing houses special measures including the use of concrete and hedge barriers overgrown with trailing plants protect local residents from visual and noise intrusion.
Also included in the new build light railway was a section of street tramway through the village of Linkenheim. Here the road was traffic calmed and a by-pass offers traffic an alternative through route.
To the south of Karlsruhe Line A extended over a former metre gauge railway that as a different project years earlier had been converted to a standard gauge light railway which used tram type of rolling stock. Known as the Albtalbahn this is only briefly seen in the film. The first few minutes of this film also include a few views from Karlsruhe city centre.
Because these light rail vehicles also travel on main line railway tracks they are sometimes known as tram-trains.
This film includes rides inside the light rail vehicles, especially showing how some of them included panoramic high windows, curtains and two different types of luxurious 1st class style 2 + 1 seating.
In 1994 Line A was rebranded as part of the evolving Stadtbahn (city railway) network and renamed as S1 / S11 - depending on the destinations served. This is not seen in this film.
Filmed between 1992 and 1994.
Looking at a light rail service the German city of Karlsruhe that included existing city centre tramlines, new build tracks and sections of main line railway where the passenger service had been withdrawn - but the railway had remained open for goods / freight trains.
Initially known as Line A this service included the operation of light rail vehicles over a section of main line railway to the north of Karlsruhe known as the Hardtbahn. The national railway operator (DB) had withdrawn passenger services in 1967, so the introduction of the new service effectively reopened the route to passenger trains. As this section of railway used diesel trains it needed to be electrified, this was done at the normal light rail 750v DC.
The new light rail service included a new-build deviation away from the main line railway to better serve nearby residential communities. Much of this was alongside existing roads but where the line gets very close to pre-existing houses special measures including the use of concrete and hedge barriers overgrown with trailing plants protect local residents from visual and noise intrusion.
Also included in the new build light railway was a section of street tramway through the village of Linkenheim. Here the road was traffic calmed and a by-pass offers traffic an alternative through route.
To the south of Karlsruhe Line A extended over a former metre gauge railway that as a different project years earlier had been converted to a standard gauge light railway which used tram type of rolling stock. Known as the Albtalbahn this is only briefly seen in the film. The first few minutes of this film also include a few views from Karlsruhe city centre.
Because these light rail vehicles also travel on main line railway tracks they are sometimes known as tram-trains.
This film includes rides inside the light rail vehicles, especially showing how some of them included panoramic high windows, curtains and two different types of luxurious 1st class style 2 + 1 seating.
In 1994 Line A was rebranded as part of the evolving Stadtbahn (city railway) network and renamed as S1 / S11 - depending on the destinations served. This is not seen in this film.
Filmed between 1992 and 1994.
