100-587: Bedburg–Horrem railway (also known in German as the Erftbahn —Erft Railway) is a line in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia . The non-electrified main line was originally built as a line of the Bergheim District Railway and operated as a metre gauge railway. Later, the line was converted to standard gauge . The Erft Railway is listed as table 481 of the German railway timetable. It
200-536: A 1st class open compartment, better ventilation and a dividing wall between the driver's cab and the passenger compartment. Externally the front and back were more angled, the triple headlamp was moved down and a train destination display added in order to improve the vehicle's appearance and to keep passengers better informed. In all, 150 of these units were procured between 1986 and 1989. At the Kiel locomotive depot ( Betriebswerk ) several of these railcars were driven for
300-802: A 628.4 from FKE in 2008. All the Class 628.0 prototype vehicles were finally homed at the depot ( Bahnbetriebswerk ) in Kempten im Allgäu . From there they were deployed to all the lines in the Allgäu region until the end of 2002. From 2003 they reduced their radius of action to the Ausserfernbahn , and in January 2005 the last vehicle of this class (628 008/018) was finally withdrawn. Several have already been scrapped, others sold to Poland , where they have been repainted and were placed in service again in
400-562: A framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. The two main parties are, as on the federal level, the centre-right Christian Democratic Union and the centre-left Social Democratic Party . From 1966 to 2005, North Rhine-Westphalia was continuously governed by the Social Democrats or SPD-led governments. The state's legislative body is the Landtag ("state parliament house"). It may pass laws within
500-544: A general election to elect at least 181 members of the Landtag. Only parties who win at least 5% of the votes cast may be represented in parliament. The Landtag, the parliamentary parties and groups consisting of at least 7 members of parliament have the right to table legal proposals to the Landtag for deliberation. The law that is passed by the Landtag is delivered to the Minister-President, who, together with
600-430: A number of refinements, especially air-conditioning, but also modern passenger information systems and easier, more accessible, disabled-friendly doors, because immediately behind the doors (one double or single door in the center and one single door next to each driver's position) there are two steps in order to reach low platforms. On some 628s, new passenger information systems with automatic announcements and displays for
700-488: A sharp left turn approaching from Horrem. In 1988, the station was relocated, but the old entrance building was preserved in its original place. Commissioning of the new station took place on 18 April 1988. The platform tracks in Bergheim ;(Erft) station were put into operation on 27 June 1988. It is located in a new position with straight platform tracks 1 and 2, which have external platforms. Except for
800-561: A while at up to 140 km/h (87 mph), but because this seriously increased wear and tear, these express duties were soon terminated again. The Class 628.2 with the DB's Regionalbahn in Schleswig-Holstein was given a redesign with new seats, new interior decor, wheelchair ramps etc. Several years before, a Karlsruhe 628.2 had also been given a fundamental modernisation of its interior. A few units were sold to private operators in
900-768: Is a station of the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn and is served by lines S 12 (Horrem – Cologne – Siegburg/Bonn – Au (Sieg)), S 13 (Düren – Cologne – Cologne/Bonn Airport – Troisdorf ) and S 19 (Düren – Cologne – Cologne/Bonn Airport – Troisdorf – Au (Sieg) ). In addition, the Erft-Bahn, the NRW-Express and the Rhein-Sieg-Express stop in Horrem. Long-distance trains currently pass through
1000-498: Is also the most densely populated state in Germany. Covering an area of 34,084 km (13,160 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest German state by size. North Rhine-Westphalia features 30 of the 81 German municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants, including Cologne (over 1 million), the state capital Düsseldorf (630,000), Dortmund and Essen (about 590,000 inhabitants each) and other cities predominantly located in
1100-643: Is hosted in Cologne . It is the largest video game convention in Europe. North Rhine-Westphalia has always been Germany's powerhouse with the largest economy among the German states by GDP figures . In the 1950s and 1960s, Westphalia was known as Land von Kohle und Stahl ( Land of Coal and Steel ). In the post-World War II recovery, the Ruhr was one of the most important industrial regions in Europe, and contributed to
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#17328022809221200-582: Is located in the area served by the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (Rhine-Sieg Transport association), was shortened to the Bedburg–Cologne section at the timetable change. the section beyond Bedburg was taken over at the timetable change by a new RB 39 ( Düssel-Erft-Bahn ) service operated by the private transport company VIAS . Passengers wishing to travel beyond Bedburg now have to transfer there. The reason for this division are plans of
1300-421: Is no likelihood of the 628.9/629s being procured for use on lines which are predominantly level. The 628.9/629s do not need double the fuel of a 628, because the two power cars have shorter periods under load. A sixth set has been procured by motorising a driving coach. Another set was formed in 2004 from two 628.4 sets whose driving trailers were damaged in accidents. This set has no first class accommodation, as
1400-615: Is not a uniform area; there are significant differences, especially in traditional customs, between the Rhineland region on the one hand and the regions of Westphalia and Lippe on the other. Its economy is the largest among German states by GRDP but is below the national average in GRDP per capita . The state of North Rhine-Westphalia was established by the British military administration 's "Operation Marriage" on 23 August 1946 by merging
1500-668: Is on the other side of the triangular junction from the main platforms). The service has the line number of RB 38 and is operated every half hour on the Bedburg–Horem section and hourly on the remainder by DB Regio NRW. Between Horrem and Cologne, it runs along the Cologne–Aachen high-speed line . Until the timetable change on 10 December 2017, the RB ;38 ( Erft-Bahn ) operated from Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof or Neuss (on weekends) via Bedburg to Köln Messe/Deutz . This service, which
1600-406: Is primarily related to the Class 628.4, and is largely valid for the other variants as well) Each coach rests on two twin-axle bogies . Only the bogie at the close-coupled end of the coach is driven. Power transmission from the motor is achieved using a Voith hydrodynamic transmission system with a converter ( Wandler ) and a T 311r coupling. Up to Class 628, a T 320 double-converter transmission
1700-735: Is pursuing the goal of relieving the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne by eliminating the RB 38 services. This would involve running line S 12 services over the Erft Railway from Horrem to Bedburg. The section of the S 12 from Horrem to Düren was taken over by line S 13 and line S 19 from the timetable change in December 2015. A feasibility study from 2012 confirms this option as having a high cost-benefit ratio, partly because part of
1800-556: Is served only by the Erftbahn Regionalbahn service. The Bedburg–Horrem–Mödrath line was opened in 1896 as part of the Bergheim District Railway ( Bergheimer Kreisbahn ). The line was built as a metre-gauge line and was built by GmbH Lenz & Co , which initially managed it. The line was opened between Mödrath and Zieverich (and continuing to Elsdorf) on 5 November 1896 for freight and on 20 February 1897 for passenger transport. The extension from Zieverich to Bedburg
1900-680: Is situated near Selfkant close to the Dutch border, the easternmost near Höxter on the Weser . The southernmost point lies near Hellenthal in the Eifel region. The northernmost point is the NRW-Nordpunkt near Rahden in the northeast of the state. The Nordpunkt has located the only 100 km to the south of the North Sea coast. The deepest natural dip is arranged in the district Zyfflich in
2000-406: Is static and the drive has been emptied. It is activated with compressed air . Behind the scenes, engineers continued to develop the railcar apace. In 1981 they demonstrated the Class 628.1. The most important difference was that the second power car was dropped, because the remaining one was strong enough to move the coupled pair. The second unit could therefore be used as a driving car (designated
2100-691: Is strong in the eastern and northern parts with numerous free churches. Münster and especially Paderborn are thought of as Catholic. Osnabrück is divided almost equally between Catholicism and Protestantism. After the defeat of the Prussian Army at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt , the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807 made the Westphalian territories part of the Kingdom of Westphalia from 1807 to 1813. It
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#17328022809222200-469: The Alzey–Mainz railway . In particular they can be told by the lack of a 1st class compartment and the two toilets in the centre of the train. There are also no folding seats as found in the driving cars or in the 629. The Luxembourg State Railways, CFL , owns two 628.4/928.4, which are numbered as per the DB system (628 505-0/928 505-7 und 628 506-8/928 506-5). These are identical with their counterparts in
2300-522: The Charlevoix region as the Charlevoix tourist train . Multiple units of sub-classes 628.2 and .4 are used across virtually the whole of Germany, on main lines as well as branch lines. Currently multiples comprising two, coupled, Class 628 power cars work the Worms–Bingen Stadt railway as well as lines in the area around Ulm and which are thus different from the 628.9/629 compositions on
2400-456: The Charlevoix tourist train Voith T 320r transmission systems are installed in these railcars. Experimentally some vehicles were fitted with an H-brake . Technical data for the transmission: The reversing gear is combined with the fluid drive and serves to change the direction or running. Reversing can be achieved during idling and also when the motor is switched off, but only when the vehicle
2500-781: The Duchy of Cleves and about a century later Upper Guelders and Moers also became Prussian. At the peace of Basel in 1795, the whole of the left bank of the Rhine was resigned to France, and in 1806, the Rhenish princes all joined the Confederation of the Rhine . After the Congress of Vienna, Prussia was awarded the entire Rhineland , which included the Grand Duchy of Berg , the ecclesiastic electorates of Trier and Cologne ,
2600-754: The Ems , the Lippe , and the Weser . The Rhine is by far the most important river in North Rhine-Westphalia: it enters the state as Middle Rhine near Bad Honnef, where still being part of the Mittelrhein wine region . It changes into the Lower Rhine near Bad Godesberg and leaves North Rhine-Westphalia near Emmerich at a width of 730 metres. Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands,
2700-570: The Germanic tribes who fought at this battle came from the area of Westphalia. Charlemagne is thought to have spent considerable time in Paderborn and nearby parts. His Saxon Wars also partly took place in what is thought of as Westphalia today. Popular legends link his adversary Widukind to places near Detmold , Bielefeld , Lemgo , Osnabrück, and other places in Westphalia. Widukind
2800-782: The Moselle and Lower Lorraine on the Meuse. The Ottonian dynasty had both Saxon and Frankish ancestry. As the central power of the Holy Roman Emperor weakened, the Rhineland split into numerous small, independent, separate vicissitudes and special chronicles. The old Lotharingian divisions became obsolete, although the name survives for example in Lorraine in France, and throughout the Middle Ages and even into modern times,
2900-693: The Prussian provinces of Westphalia and the northern part of Rhine Province ( North Rhine ), and the Free State of Lippe by the British military administration in Allied-occupied Germany and became a state of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949. The city of Bonn served as the federal capital until the reunification of Germany in 1990 and as the seat of government until 1999. Culturally, North Rhine-Westphalia
3000-875: The Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area , the largest urban area in Germany and the fourth-largest on the European continent . The location of the Rhine-Ruhr at the heart of the European Blue Banana makes it well connected to other major European cities and metropolitan areas like the Randstad , the Flemish Diamond and the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region . North Rhine-Westphalia was established in 1946 after World War II from
3100-1024: The Stemmer Berge . The terrain rises towards the south and in the east of the state into parts of Germany's Central Uplands . These hill ranges are the Weser Uplands – including the Egge Hills , the Wiehen Hills , the Wesergebirge and the Teutoburg Forest in the east, the Sauerland , the Bergisches Land , the Siegerland and the Siebengebirge in the south, as well as the left-Rhenish Eifel in
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3200-547: The province of Westphalia and the northern parts of the Rhine Province , both being political divisions of the former state of Prussia within the German Reich . On 21 January 1947, the former state of Lippe was merged with North Rhine-Westphalia. The constitution of North Rhine-Westphalia was then ratified through a referendum . The first written account of the area was by its conqueror, Julius Caesar ,
3300-667: The 17th and 18th centuries, but most of it remained divided duchies and other feudal areas of power. The Peace of Westphalia of 1648, signed in Münster and Osnabrück, ended the Thirty Years' War . The concept of nation-state sovereignty resulting from the treaty became known as " Westphalian sovereignty ". As a result of the Protestant Reformation , there is no dominant religion in Westphalia. Catholicism and Lutheranism are on relatively equal footing. Lutheranism
3400-590: The Class 628 began as far back as the early 1970s, when the Class 795 and 798 railbuses were reaching the end of their estimated useful life. The Bundesbahn's central office ( Bundesbahn-Zentralamt ) in Munich, in cooperation with the Waggonfabrik Uerdingen , began with the concept of a Class 628 local, passenger, multiple-unit, that were to replace the railbuses, the accumulator railcars of Class 515 . The new vehicles were also to be capable of being used on main lines, which required an increase in their top speed, stronger brake systems and greater comfort compared with
3500-413: The Class 628.2, by flying stones. In order to install a double door at the close-coupled end of the two coaches in the multiple, they were both extended in length by about 50 cm each. Between November 1992 and Januar 1996 a total of 309 railcars were built, of which several were delivered to other railway companies, including those in Luxembourg (see Operations ) and Romania . The first vehicles in
3600-507: The Class 928.1). Together with a few other changes, such as a simplified electrical system, the omission of one of the two toilets and one of the four entrances each side, and the installation of equipment to enable one-man operation, the new variant was even more economical. In addition there was a single-coach version again, the Class 627.1, of which 5 prototypes were procured. The new vehicles were tested for two years and, like their predecessors, proved to be outstanding, so that nothing stood in
3700-475: The Czech Republic. The second series was able to benefit from the everyday experience that had been gained in using the railcars. In 1992 Duewag (formerly Waggonbau Uerdingen ) proposed the Class 628.4 railcar, which once again had technical improvements and other refinements. The power of the diesel engine was increased by about 20% by using "charge cooling". The lower window panes on the doors were omitted as they had occasionally been broken on its predecessors,
3800-440: The DB apart from the company logo at the front: initially painted in peppermint green and white, but since 2001 in red livery. They ply between Trier and Luxembourg (as do German 628s; on this route mostly in double traction together) as well as providing passenger services within Luxembourg itself. Class 628.2 and 628.4 are used on the following services in the different regions (2012): With Deutsche Bahn, only 628 685 remains and
3900-402: The DB's standard driving consoles. Safety equipment includes the dead man's switch system, Sifa , which is mandatory in Germany, as well as PZB 90 based on the I60R (Class 628.4) or I60 with ER24 recording device (Class 628.2) and train radio. Class 628 units have proved to be reliable and economical in practice. Now that newer vehicles have appeared, though, passengers on the 628s will miss
4000-409: The Duisburg operations centre. The remaining loading track was disconnected. In the past, branch lines branched off in Bergheim to Bedburg (Erft), Horrem and Rommerskirchen and from Zieverich to Elsdorf Ost. There was also a siding to the Martinswerk aluminum plant and a railcar depot. Passenger trains ran via Horrem to Kerpen among other places. The halt of Quadrath-Ichendorf has existed since
4100-399: The Erft Railway; the extension of the line to Mödrath was closed in 1978 and has since been dismantled. The Erft Railway is connected with the high-speed line at the station via a rail triangle . Trains beginning and ending in Horrem stop on the western curve towards Aachen and the trains running to and from Cologne stop on the eastern curve. Horrem is therefore a "triangular" station. Horrem
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4200-415: The Erft shortly before Bergheim. Otherwise, the Erft is not in the immediate vicinity of the railway tracks. The railway is a single-track branch line. Bedburg station is located at line-kilometre 21.2 and was opened in 1869. The line to Horrem was opened in 1897 and the Bedburg–Ameln railway , which was popularly known as the Amelner Johännchen (Ameln Johnny), commenced operations in 1898. Bedburg station
4300-510: The Fortuna-Garstorf open-cast mine. The line passes the Hambach Railway ( Hambachbahn ) of RWE Power, which is used exclusively for the transport of coal and overburden. Immediately after, the railway reaches the halt of Paffendorf at line-kilometer 4.1. The RWE Power Information Centre is located at the local palace ( Schloss ). The two-part halt of Zieverich , built in 1897, is located in greenery at line-kilometre 6.1. The trains running towards Cologne and towards Düsseldorf do not stop at
4400-425: The German Wirtschaftswunder . As of the late 1960s, repeated crises led to contractions of these industrial branches. On the other hand, producing sectors, particularly in mechanical engineering and metal and iron working industry, experienced substantial growth. Despite this structural change and an economic growth which was under national average, the 2018 GDP of 705 billion euro (1/4 of the total German GDP) made NRW
4500-451: The Prussian state railway took over the Bergheim District Railway, as had been envisaged in the concession, and the narrow gauge operations were discontinued. After the First World War, the track was straightened largely within its own right of way and rehabilitated. Passenger traffic was terminated on the Mödrath–Horrem section on 28 May 1972 and freight traffic was abandoned on 1 October 1978. The Horrem–Quadrath-Ichendorf section
4600-571: The Rhine splits into many branches. The Pader , which flows entirely within the city of Paderborn , is considered Germany's shortest river. For many, North Rhine-Westphalia is synonymous with industrial areas and urban agglomerations. However, the largest part of the state is used for agriculture (almost 52%) and forests (25%). The state consists of five government regions ( Regierungsbezirke ), divided into 31 districts ( Kreise ) and 23 urban districts ( kreisfreie Städte ). In total, North Rhine-Westphalia has 396 municipalities (1997), including
4700-446: The Rhine, and by the end of the fifth century had conquered all the lands that had formerly been under Roman influence. By the eighth century, the Frankish dominion was firmly established in western Germany and northern Gaul, but at the same time, to the north, Westphalia was being taken over by Saxons pushing south. The Merovingian and Carolingian Franks eventually built an empire which controlled first their Ripuarian kin, and then
4800-404: The Rhine, but the Romans never succeeded in gaining a firm footing on the right bank, where the Sugambri neighboured several other tribes including the Tencteri and Usipetes . North of the Sigambri and the Rhine region were the Bructeri . As the power of the Roman empire declined, many of these tribes came to be seen collectively as Ripuarian Franks and they pushed forward along both banks of
4900-409: The Saxons. On the division of the Carolingian Empire at the Treaty of Verdun , the part of the province to the east of the river fell to East Francia , while that to the west remained with the kingdom of Lotharingia . By the time of Otto I (d. 973), both banks of the Rhine had become part of the Holy Roman Empire , and the Rhenish territory was divided between the duchies of Upper Lorraine on
5000-447: The authority that is responsible for rail services south of Bedburg, the Zweckverband Nahverkehr Rheinland (Rhineland local transport association), to electrify the Bedburg–Cologne section and operate it as an S-Bahn service. Furthermore, first class has been dropped on the Erft-Bahn service, because of its low use and because trains are always crowded during the peak hour. Before the 1990s, class 150 accumulator cars were operated on
5100-443: The centre of the carriage. On some of the units, the doors were also fitted with sensors. A special variant based on Class 628.4 was procured for duties on the hilly Alzey–Mainz railway . Five multiples were bought, both coaches in each pair being motorised. These trains were designated as Class 628.9/629, but apart from having two power cars were identical with the Class 628.4. Due to their higher maintenance and operating costs there
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#17328022809225200-403: The city of Kranenburg with 9.2 m above sea level in the northwest of the state. Though, the deepest point overground results from mining. The open-pit Hambach reaches at Niederzier a deep of 293 m below sea level. At the same time, this is the deepest human-made dip in Germany. The most important rivers flowing at least partially through North Rhine-Westphalia include: the Rhine , the Ruhr ,
5300-434: The competency of the state, e.g. cultural matters, the education system, matters of internal security, i.e. the police, building supervision, health supervision and the media; as opposed to matters that are reserved to Federal law. North Rhine-Westphalia uses the same electoral system as the Federal level in Germany: " Personalized proportional representation ". Every five years the citizens of North Rhine-Westphalia vote in
5400-399: The cost for the necessary rehabilitation of the line would have had to be invested in maintaining the current operations anyway. Subject to an agreement with the VRR, the S-Bahn service would later replace the Regionalbahn service to Grevenbroich. A planning agreement was signed with the state in August 2017. The Erft Railway runs next to the Erft from Bedburg to Bergheim. The line crosses
5500-404: The economically strongest state of Germany by GRP figures , as well as one of the most important economical areas in the world. Of Germany's top 100 corporations, 37 are based in North Rhine-Westphalia. On a per capita base, however, North Rhine-Westphalia remains one of the weaker among the Western German states. North Rhine-Westphalia attracts companies from both Germany and abroad. In 2009,
5600-437: The engines was already apparent on occasions. Initially it did not go into production, because for political reasons local passenger rail services were just being reorganised and it was not yet clear, which and how many vehicles would be needed. So the Class 628 project stalled for almost four years. The following diesel motors are used on the Class 628.0 diesel multiple units : MAN D 3256 BTXU KHD V 12 L 413F For
5700-407: The former kingdom, including the town of Osnabrück , had become part of the states of Hanover and Oldenburg . The flag of North Rhine-Westphalia is green-white-red with the combined coats of arms of the Rhineland (white line before green background, symbolizing the river Rhine), Westfalen (the white horse) and Lippe (the red rose). After the establishment of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946,
5800-659: The free cities of Aachen and Cologne, and nearly a hundred small lordships and abbeys. The Prussian Rhine province was formed in 1822 and Prussia had the tact to leave the lower Rhenish districts in undisturbed possession of the liberal institutions to which they had become accustomed under the republican rule of the French. In 1920, the districts of Eupen and Malmedy were transferred to Belgium (see German-speaking Community of Belgium ). Around AD 1, numerous incursions occurred through Westphalia and perhaps even some permanent Roman or Romanized settlements. The Battle of Teutoburg Forest took place near Osnabrück and some of
5900-501: The interior ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia reported that the number of mosques with a Salafist influence had risen from 3 to 9, which indicated both an actual increase and improved reporting. According to German authorities, Salafism is incompatible with the principles codified in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany , in particular: democracy , the rule of law , and political order based on human rights . The politics of North Rhine-Westphalia takes place within
6000-416: The internal layout has not been changed. Two more 629s appeared in 2004 based on former 628.2s, that work with another 628.2 instead of a driving car. Two sets have been stationed at Ulm Hauptbahnhof with running numbers 628/629 340 (629 340 ex 628 341) and 628/629 344 (629 344 ex 628 349). Since 8 August 2008 Regio Südwest also has a set numbered 628 301/629 301 (629 301 ex 628 257), which should follow
6100-410: The largest city of Dortmund and the Rhenish cities of Bonn , Cologne and Düsseldorf . 30 of the 80 largest cities in Germany are located within North Rhine-Westphalia. The state's capital is Düsseldorf; the state's largest city is Cologne. In 2022, there were 164,496 births and 234,176 deaths. The following table shows the ten largest cities of North Rhine-Westphalia: The following table shows
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#17328022809226200-438: The line from Augsburg to Füssen . At their last general inspection in 2001/2002 the vehicles underwent a number of modifications in order to standardise them with the sub-class 628.2. In early 2008 all 628.1s were withdrawn and, in that year, they were transferred to Hamm. In 2012 two units - 628 102 and 103 - were sold to the Sodema Inc. Société de gestion des équipements publics de Charlevoix in Canada where they operate in
6300-407: The line's opening in 1897 at line-kilometre 18.7. From 1983 to 1996, the line was electrified to the Martinswerk junction in Quadrath-Ichendorf. At this point, the Strategic Railway Embankment from Neuss branched off the Erft Railway. Horrem station is located at line-kilometre 15.9 of the Erft Railway and connects with the Cologne–Aachen high-speed railway . Horrem station is now the terminus of
6400-588: The line. In the 1990s, class 212 diesel locomotives and later class 215 and 218 locomotives were used together with Silberling carriages. In the late 1990s, the locomotive-hauled trains were replaced with class 628 diesel multiple units. In 2003, two and three carriage class 643 ( Bombardier Talent ) diesel multiple units was added; two carriage sets were used until the 2010/2011 timetable. Currently RB 38 services are operated exclusively with class 628 diesel multiple units, mostly as coupled sets with four carriages. Single class 628 sets (two carriages) are used on
6500-400: The loading track to the head loading ramp, all the other tracks and the railcar shed have been dismantled. The entrance building was demolished at the beginning of 2017 as part of reconstruction work. The old "Bf" signal box was closed on 28 October 2007, when the control of operations on the track was taken over by the Köln-Ehrenfeld computer-based interlocking , which is controlled from
6600-437: The middle of 2017, there were also a few class 628 sets operating between Bedburg and Horrem, as some of the class 644 sets were being renovated. These were repainted, received new seat cushions and headrests and were thoroughly cleaned. The class 644 sets remain on the new RB 38 service after a thorough refurbishment. It had been planned to runs triple sets on the "long RB 38" (Bedburg–Cologne) route, but this plan failed because
6700-658: The ministers involved, is required to sign it and announce it in the Law and Ordinance Gazette. These are the minister-presidents of North Rhine-Westphalia : For the current state government, see Wüst cabinet . The state has Aachen Cathedral , the Cologne Cathedral , the Zeche Zollverein in Essen , the Augustusburg Palace in Brühl and the Imperial Abbey of Corvey in Höxter which are all World Heritage Sites . North Rhine-Westphalia hosts film festivals in Cologne , Bonn, Dortmund , Duisburg , Münster , Oberhausen and Lünen . Other large festivals include Rhenish carnivals , Ruhrtriennale . Every year Gamescom
6800-420: The next stop have been installed and in many regions ticket machines have also been fitted, as had been planned in the design. Over the years the vehicles have not been completely free of technical problems, but the list of deficiencies is very short. For example, the coolant has a tendency to overheat on hot days if the radiators are not thoroughly cleaned. When traction conditions are poor, the 628 may not reach
6900-425: The nobility of these areas often sought to preserve the idea of a preeminent duke within Lotharingia, something claimed by the Dukes of Limburg , and the Dukes of Brabant . Such struggles as the War of the Limburg Succession therefore continued to create military and political links between what is now Rhineland-Westphalia and neighbouring Belgium and the Netherlands . In spite of its dismembered condition and
7000-401: The north and northeast, Rhineland-Palatinate to the south and Hesse to the southeast. Approximately half of the state is located in the relative low-lying terrain of the Westphalian Lowland and the Rhineland , both extending broadly into the North German Plain . A few isolated hill ranges are located within these lowlands, among them the Hohe Mark, the Beckum Hills , the Baumberge and
7100-435: The northern part of the route (Düsseldorf–Bedburg). This part of the route has been operated by VIAS since December 2017 and the track is shared in Bedburg. The Zweckverband Nahverkehr Rheinland (Rhineland local transport association, NVR) still plans to upgrade the southern section of the line by around 2020, including electrification and a flying junction in Horrem to connect to the existing S-Bahn line to Cologne. The NVR
7200-519: The other two. Because in the early 1990s hardly any other railcars were available, several private railways also bought railcars of this type. In 1993/94 Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser (EVB) took delivery of five 628.4/928.4 sets, in 1994 Frankfurt-Königsteiner Eisenbahn (FKE) bought one 628.4/928.4 and, in 1995, two 628.9/629s. In 1995 Westerwaldbahn GmbH took over the Daadetalbahn line with one DB 628.4/928.4 (628 677); it added
7300-543: The plains of the Lower Rhine region and parts of the Central Uplands ( die Mittelgebirge ) up to the gorge of Porta Westfalica . The state covers an area of 34,083 km (13,160 sq mi) and shares borders with Belgium ( Wallonia ) in the southwest and the Netherlands ( Limburg , Gelderland and Overijssel ) in the west and northwest. It has borders with the German states of Lower Saxony to
7400-587: The platforms in Glesch, Paffendorf and Zieverich were not long enough. In the 1990s, it was planned (as part of a network targeted for 2015) to extend the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn network from Horrem via Bedburg to Düsseldorf. The plans for the extension of the S-Bahn on the northern section of the line have not been pursued further by the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR), which is responsible for
7500-694: The population of the state since 1930. The values until 1960 are the average of the yearly population, from 1965 the population at year end is used. Source: Statistische Ämter des Bundes Und der Länder As of 2020 , 50% of the population of the state adhered to the Roman Catholic Church , 25% to the Protestant Church in Germany , and 28% of the population is irreligious or adheres to other denominations or religions. North Rhine-Westphalia ranks first in population among German states for both Roman Catholics and Protestants. In 2016,
7600-401: The railbuses, but which were not to be more expensive to run than a railbus. In 1974, only 2 years later, Waggonfabrik Uerdingen and MaK demonstrated the prototypes of the two-unit Class 628.0 and also a single-coach variant, the Class 627, for use on routes with lower numbers of passengers. The vehicles were tested and proved themselves exceptionally well, even though the lack of the power from
7700-480: The regions of Rhein-Ruhr and the Southwest were given a modernisation of the interior. The railcars were matched to the current DB interior design. The seats have blue cushions and arm rests made of beech wood, the walls are silvery, the luggage section completely white, the windows are equipped with emergency hammers. The colour of the entrance area is white, and in some cases larger bicycle sections were installed in
7800-420: The same platform. The line towards Elsdorf Ost, which was also built by the Bergheim District Railway, branched off here until 1967. Bergheim station was opened in 1897 at line-kilometre 7.6. The old station had an electromechanical dispatcher’s signal box "Bf" (E 43) in the entrance building with semaphore signals as entry and exit signals. Three to four tracks were available for train crossings. There
7900-432: The short shuttles between Düsseldorf/Neuss and Grevenbroich and between Bedburg and Horrem. From December 2014 to December 2016 only Bombardier Talent (class 644) sets were used on the whole line between Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof and Köln Messe/Deutz in coupled sets and additional services ran between Bedburg and Horrem and between Grevenbroich and Neuss in the peak as previously. From the timetable change in December 2016 to
8000-699: The southwest of the state. The Rothaargebirge in the border region with Hesse rises to height of about 800 m above sea level. The highest of these mountains are the Langenberg , at 843.2 m above sea level, the Kahler Asten (840.7 m) and the Clemensberg (839.2 m). The planimetrically determined centre of North Rhine-Westphalia is located in the south of Dortmund- Aplerbeck in the Aplerbecker Mark (51° 28' N, 7° 33' Ö). Its westernmost point
8100-659: The speeds required by the timetable due to its low adhesive weight. Because the vehicles by today's standards are quite underpowered, its use on hilly routes results in long journey times. On newer vehicles, such as the Desiro (642) , the Talent (643 and 644) or the LINT (648) , which have partly replaced the 628s, two power cars have been used and the higher resultant costs accepted. Single-unit class 650 (Regio-Shuttle) has received two engines, so all axles are powered. The development of
8200-556: The state had the most foreign direct investments ( FDI ) anywhere in Germany. Around 13,100 foreign companies from the most important investment countries control their German or European operations from bases in North Rhine-Westphalia. DB Class 628 The DB Class 628 is a twin-car , diesel multiple unit operated by the Deutsche Bahn for local passenger rail services. (The following description
8300-464: The state of the art with flashing lights. The crossing at Bahnhofstraße in Holzheim had been equipped with a full barrier and a gatekeeper who visually checked whether the tracks were free of vehicles; this is now done with a radar scanner. The Regionalbahn service ( Erft-Bahn ) operates from Bedburg to Horrem via Bergheim or to Cologne Messe/Deutz (with a stop in Horrem on platform track 19, which
8400-410: The state's borders is 1,645 km. The following countries and states have a border with North Rhine-Westphalia: North Rhine-Westphalia has a population of approximately 18.1 million inhabitants (more than the entire former East Germany , and slightly more than the Netherlands ) and is centred around the polycentric Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region , which includes the industrial Ruhr region with
8500-498: The station without stopping. The line to Mödrath crossed the main line to Düren west of the station on a bridge. North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia , commonly shortened to NRW , is a state ( Land ) in Western Germany . With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states ( Berlin , Hamburg and Bremen ), it
8600-411: The sufferings it underwent at the hands of its French neighbours in various periods of warfare, the Rhenish territory prospered greatly and stood in the foremost rank of German culture and progress. Aachen was the place of coronation of the German emperors, and the ecclesiastical principalities of the Rhine bulked largely in German history. Prussia first set foot on the Rhine in 1609 by the occupation of
8700-696: The territories west of the Rhine were occupied by the Eburones and east of the Rhine he reported the Ubii (across from Cologne) and the Sugambri to their north. The Ubii and some other Germanic tribes such as the Cugerni were later settled on the west side of the Rhine in the Roman province of Germania Inferior . Julius Caesar conquered the tribes on the left bank, and Augustus established numerous fortified posts on
8800-440: The tricolor was first introduced in 1948, but was not formally adopted until 1953. The plain variant of the tricolor is considered the civil flag and state ensign, while government authorities use the state flag ( Landesdienstflagge ) which is defaced with the state's coat of arms . The state ensign can easily be mistaken for a distressed flag of Hungary , as well as the former national flag of Iran (1964–1980). The same flag
8900-524: The urban districts, which are municipalities by themselves. The government regions have an assembly elected by the districts and municipalities, while the Landschaftsverband has a directly elected assembly. The five government regions of North Rhine-Westphalia each belong to one of the two Landschaftsverbände : The state's area covers a maximum distance of 291 km from north to south, and 266 km from east to west. The total length of
9000-429: The way as the two-car version went into production. The single-unit variant did not, however, as it had only a few more seats than a bus and could not be deployed economically. Coach number 628 102 is unusual in being the only one of this small batch with a 1st class compartment. Before it became widespread, however, a number of short-term requirements from the future production Class 628.2 units were integrated, including
9100-540: The winter of 2005/2006 for the Koleje Mazowieckie . The three multiples of the transitional class, 628.1 (628 / 928 101, 102 and 103), were all stabled at Kempten im Allgäu from the outset. From here they were used until 8 December 2007 in regular services on the Ausserfernbahn and on the Illertalbahn . Until the timetable change in 2006 they also ran to other destinations in the Allgäu , e.g. on
9200-416: Was a three-track railcar shed on tracks 9-11. The platform-less track 12 ran from the back of the railcar shed; this allowed only entrances and exits from or towards Horrem. Tracks 7 and 8 were sidings that lay between the main tracks and the railcar shed. Two dead-end tracks ran from track 1 towards the entrance building, including track 13, which ended at a head loading ramp. The whole station could be seen on
9300-521: Was buried in Enger , which is also a subject of a legend. Along with Eastphalia and Engern , Westphalia ( Westfalahi ) was originally a district of the Duchy of Saxony . In 1180, Westphalia was elevated to the rank of a duchy by Emperor Barbarossa . The Duchy of Westphalia comprised only a small area south of the Lippe River . Parts of Westphalia came under Brandenburg-Prussian control during
9400-446: Was electrified because of its high freight traffic in 1983, but its catenary was dismantled in 1996. As of 2 June 1991, trains ran through from Neuss to Horrem, continuing in the peak hour to Cologne. The rail service was extended throughout the day to Cologne from 15 December 2002. On 1 November 2007, the rest of the line was also connected to the electronic signalling centre. At the same time, all older level crossings were upgraded to
9500-499: Was founded by Napoleon and was a French vassal state . This state only shared the name with the historical region; it contained only a relatively small part of Westphalia, consisting instead mostly of Hessian and Eastphalian regions. After the Congress of Vienna , the Kingdom of Prussia received a large amount of territory in the Westphalian region and created the province of Westphalia in 1815. The northernmost portions of
9600-473: Was located at line-kilometre 0.2 of this line. The traffic on the line to Ameln was closed on 17 March 1953 as it was no longer profitable. The Düren–Bedburg section was closed in 1995 and dismantled in 1995 to allow the expansion of the Hambach open cast mine. The remaining gravel on the former routes is a reminder of the once extensive track infrastructure. Bedburg had two signal boxes ("Bnf" and "Bsf"). "Bsf"
9700-407: Was opened on 8 May 1897. Although initially built as a narrow-gauge line, it had been designed to be upgraded to standard gauge . The track bed was correspondingly wide, it was laid with standard gauge sleepers at reduced spacing, and it used heavy rail. A third rail was installed in 1904. Passenger trains then ran on the narrow gauge track and freight trains ran on the standard gauge track. In 1913,
9800-431: Was taken out of service in 1995 with the decommissioning of the section to Düren and demolished after a fire. "Bnf" took control of the remaining turnouts and signals until it was taken out of service with the commissioning of the electronic interlocking in 2007. A halt was built the village of Glesch by the Bergheim District Railway in 1897 at its current location at line-kilometer 2.5. The line ran at this point close to
9900-700: Was used by the Rhenish Republic (1923–1924) as a symbol of independence and freedom. The horse on the coat of arms is a reference to the Saxon Steed , a heraldic motif associated with both Westphalia and Lower Saxony . The horse first featured in the 15th century coat of arms of the Duchy of Westphalia, before being inherited by the Prussian province of Westphalia and finally the modern state of North Rhine-Westphalia. North Rhine-Westphalia encompasses
10000-483: Was used. Motor and transmission are suspended elastically under the lightweight coach body. The operating brake is an automatic compressed air KE disc brake with automatic load braking and electronic anti-skid protection. In addition, for rapid braking, electromagnetic rail brakes are used; these can also be activated separately if required. Coupled running enables up to four coupled pairs of coaches to be driven from one driver's cab. The control panel resembles that of
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