|
The Stadtbahn Line U1 between Vaihingen and Fellbach
changed from metre-gauge tram into standard-gauge Stadtbahn service on
April 19, 1986. The new southern terminus is Vaihingen
Bahnhof. The former tram line continued further to the south,
ending in Rohr. This suburb can now be reached by the S-bahn, which
opened there in 1985. Vaihingen Bahnhof is also the terminus for line
U3 and during rush hour for the lines U6 and U8. There are three
platforms and four tracks, two tracks on the east side for line U1 and
two on the west side for the other lines. The platform length is 80
metres, but only the U6 operates in twin-unit trains. The trains
reverse behind the station. There is connection to the S-bahn lines
S1, S2 and S3.
The next stop Vaihingen Schillerplatz is
one of the few low platform stations of the network. The passengers
have to use the folding steps to get into the light rail
vehicles. High level platforms will be built in the future. This stop
is the highest point of the line U1 with about 440m above sea level
(the deepest point is near the Neckar River with ca. 220m above sea
level.) Behind the Schillerplatz the route goes down into the
Nesenbach valley.
The following section lies on a reserved right of way on
ballasted tracks. The side high platforms are of a standard design,
the length is 40 metres. At Fauststraße station a
pedestrian bridge connects the stop with the surroundings.
A big railway viaduct crosses the valley at
Vaihingen Viadukt station. There is also a large
double-deck bridge for cars, pedestrians and bicycles. The cars use
the lower level of the bridge. In this section the tracks are on a
reservation at the west side of the Kaltentaler Abfahrt. From
Engelboldstraße station the tracks are again on a
central reservation.
The suburb Kaltental can be reached from
three light rail stops. After Waldeck station the tracks
change from central onto side reservation.
The Heslach Vogelrain station is the
terminus of line U14, which uses the middle of the three tracks. There
is a 40 metres long side platform for the outbound U1 trains and a 80
metres long island platform. At the west side of this station there is
a yard for the Stadtbahn trains. A main road viaduct crosses the
valley over the tracks of the yard.
The route continues on side reservation to
Südheimer Platz station. 400 metres beyond this stop the
reserved right of way ends and the light rail uses the narrow
Böblinger Straße in mixed traffic. The high platforms of
Bihlplatz station are integrated into the sidewalks.
At Schreiberstraße station, with an island
platform, is the beginning of a short section of central
reservation. Both this and Bihlplatz stations, with the high
platforms, are newly built at the end of the 1990s. The former
Schreiberstraße stop lies on the other side of the road intersection,
the passengers boarded the light-rail vehicle directly from the street
at the inbound side. The former low platforms at both stations were
integrated in the sidewalks.
After 300 metres on the central reservation a steep ramp
leads to the city light rail tunnel. The tunnel section with three
subway stations from here to Charlottenplatz opened on September 9,
1971 for tram service. The tunnel is built in the cut-and-cover
method, and the stations all look similar and are rather functionally
plain. The mezzanines are not opened to the platform area.
At Marienplatz station the entrance is in
the middle of the station. On the surface is the lower terminus of the
metre-gauge rack line, #10, which connects the south of Stuttgart with
Degerloch on a steep route. Escalators lead directly from the
Stadtbahn platforms to the rack line platforms. Beyond the Marienplatz
station the light rail enters a sharp curve in the tunnel under the
Hauptstädter Straße.
Österreichischer Platz has two mezzanines
on both sides of the platform hall. Beyond that station there is a big
underground track triangle, without track intersections. The line U14
turns left to Rotebühlplatz station, while the U1 runs straight to
Rathaus station.
Rathaus station has three tracks, one side
platform for trains to Österreichischer Platz and Rotebühlplatz and an
island platform toward Charlottenplatz. The outer track comes from
Rotebühlplatz station. Before it reaches Rathaus station it crosses
under the U1 tracks and therefore it lies on an incline within the
station. The former trams were single-ended vehicles. Because of this
the Rathaus station had only side platforms on each track. When
changed into Stadtbahn service, the station was remodeled. There are
two entrances on both sides. New escalators were built at the north
end of the platforms. From here the lines U2, U4 and sometimes the
line U11 run on the same tracks as the line U1 in the city tunnel.
The lower platform level (-2) at the intersection station
of Charlottenplatz was the first underground station
used by tram lines in Germany. It opened on May 10, 1966. Temporary
ramps connected the tunnel tracks with the sections of tracks that
still ran above ground. On the upper level the lines U5, U6, U7 and
the last tram line #15 cross. Parallel to the U1 light rail tunnel
there is a road tunnel. The high level platforms were built in 1988
and lengthened in 2004.
The following part of tunnel opened on May 9, 1972 with
two underground stations. The Staatsgalerie station is
similar to Rathaus with three tracks because the lines U9 and U14
reach this station from Hauptbahnhof station and run further on the
same tracks to Stöckach station. The platforms are only partly at high
level and there is still an unused side platform for the former tram
service on the outer outbound track. The station may by demolished if
"Stuttgart 21", a large railway project, will be built. "Stuttgart 21"
includes a new underground main railway station with tunnels on both
sides under the hills of Stuttgart. Because of one of these tunnels,
the Staatsgalerie station would have to be rebuilt at a higher
level. But Stuttgart waits still for the final decision concerning
this expensive project.
At the Staatsgalerie and Neckartor
stations, the mezzanines are in the middle of the platform halls. They
are open at one side to the platform hall, so you can see the light
rail trains down below. The high platforms in these stations were
built in 1988. The underground stations in the city of Stuttgart were
built for 120 metres long metro trains. In the end of the 1960s and
the beginning of the 1970s a U-bahn like that one in Munich was
planned for Stuttgart, but this was too expensive, leading to the tram
and Stadtbahn services.
Not long behind Neckartor station the light rail vehicles
reach via a steep ramp the surface Stöckach station. The
platforms were rebuilt to a high level in 1994 and 1995. Beyond that
station the Lines U4 and U9 turn right while the other lines continue
straight. The section in the Neckarstraße is in a central reservation
with ballasted tracks. The Metzstraße SWR station got
its high level platforms in 1990, they were lengthened to 80 metres in
2004.
At the end of the Neckarstraße the tracks curve left onto
a private-right-of-way in a park. The Mineralbäder
station lies above a road tunnel. The station was rebuilt to its
current architectural appearance in 1977 when a big garden show took
place in the park. High platforms were built in 1990. This station
will be rebuilt into an island platform station with the length of 80
metres. The inbound platform will remain, such that the light rail
vehicles can open the doors on both sides on this track. Beyond this
station the line separates and the line U14 turns left and there is
also a siding track. A track link from the U14 branch toward
Mercedesstraße station is used by the special line U16.
The other lines cross the Neckar in a central reservation
(open tracks without ballast and sleepers) on the König-Karl-Brücke
with the Mercedesstraße station on it. This station got
high level platforms in a special reconstruction in the 1990s. Beyond
the station the special lines U11 and U16 (service only for events)
turn right to the Cannstatter Wasen and Daimlerstadion across a track
triangle. In preparation for the 2006 World Cup, the remaining short
platforms between Rathaus and Mercedesstraße stations (except
Staatsgalerie) are being lengthened to 80 metres. This will allow
two-car operation of the Line U11. In this section there is also a
third rail for the metre-gauge old-timer tram line #23.
Before the lines U1 and U2 arrive at Bad Cannstatt
Wilhelmsplatz station they cross under the railway bridge. The
Wilhelmsplatz station was remodeled in 2002 with new high platforms
and a big glass ceiling and the line U2 was changed into Stadtbahn
service on June 26, 2002. The pedestrian bridge leads to the S-bahn
platform at the Bad Cannstatt railway station. There is also a
connection to the line U13 which stops in the Badstraße. Beyond the
station the lines separate. The line U1 turns right onto a central
reservation on the Waiblinger Straße with ballasted tracks. The line
U13 runs on the same tracks to Augsburger Platz station.
At Uff-Kirchhof station both lines
stop. Before reaching Augsburger Platz station the line U13 turns
right and stops on its own low level platforms. The U1 platforms are
at high level, built in 1989 in a unique design.
The line U1 crosses under the Nürnberger
Straße S-bahn station and stops than at the light rail station
with the same name. The six Stadtbahn stations from here to
Schwabenlandhalle station in Fellbach have had their high platforms
since the Stadtbahn service started in 1986.
As far as Besikdenstraße station the line
U1 ascends on a central reservation in the Nürnberger Straße. Before
reaching Esslinger Straße station the U1 turns right
onto a reservation on the west side of the street. This section was
newly built for the light rail service, because the former tram line
had used narrow streets in the city of Fellbach.
The U1 turns again left in a big curve and arrives at
Schwabenlandhalle station. The section from here to the
terminus is on a reservation at the south side of the Tainer Straße
with grass tracks. The Fellbach Lutherkirche still has
two low side platforms. High platforms will be built in the next few
years.
|
