|
The lines U5 (Leinfelden Bahnhof -- Freiberg) and U6
(Möhringen -- Feuerbach Pfostenwälde) changed from tram operation to
light-rail service on November 3rd, 1990. At that time the tram
section Leinfelden to Echterdingen closed.
The new southern terminus for line U5 is now
Leinfelden Bahnhof with an 80m long island
platform. There is connection to the S-Bahn lines S2 and S3. Maybe in
the future the U5 will be extended by using the S-Bahn rail tracks as
a dual-system light rail line to the Airport and via Filderstadt to
Neuhausen. From Filderstadt (S-Bahn station) to Neuhausen a new
surface light rail section would need to be built.
From Leinfelden Bahnhof to Degerloch Albplatz station the
U5 runs on a private right of way with ballasted tracks. The former
single track section between Möhringen Freibad and Vaihinger
Landstraße was rebuilt for light rail operation with two tracks,
partly in a new cutting. The stations Unteraichen and
Leinfelden Frank have 40m side platforms,
Möhringen Freibad has a 40m island platform and
Rohrer Weg two 80m side platforms. All stations from
here to Pragsattel have long platforms because the lines U6 and U7
operate with two cars. The bridge over the highway A8 was rebuilt,
after the line U5 changed to light rail opertion. The U5 used
a temporary roadbridge with a short single-track street running
section. The new bridge opened on July, 31st 1993 with two
tracks. North of Möhringen Freibad the tracks are going down into a
cutting to cross under a road. A track triangle north of Rohrer Weg
station connects this line with the Möhringen depot. Before reaching
Vaihingen Landstraße, the route unites with the tracks
of the lines U3, U6, and U8. In 1966 the road bridge at this station
replaced a dangerous level crossing. Vaihingen Landstraße was
redesigned in 2003.
Just before arriving at Möhringen Bahnhof
station the tracks separate. The line U3 uses the two southern ones,
the other lines the two in the north. Therefore Möhringen Bahnhof has
four tracks and three platforms, only the south platform is 40m
long. West of Möhringen Bahnhof station there are reverse tracks for
some trains of the lines U5 and U6, which reverse here.
The tracks for the lines U5, U6 and U8 curve to the north
to reach Riedsee station with side platforms. The private right
of way follows the Rembrandtstraße at the west side through an area
without buildings. At the Sonnenberg station the tracks
curve to north-east. The Peregrinastraße station was
rebuilt 1993 further to the east, because the new Degerloch
Albplatz station opened on April, 17th 1993 near a new office
and housing buildings. This station is an above ground "U-Bahn"
station, because the tracks are completely equipped with signals and
the side platforms can be reached by a pedestrian bridge at the west
side and a pedestrian tunnel at the east end. The former inbound
platform of Peregrinastraße station (a island platform between the
inbound track and a reverse track) is now used only for reverse trains
of line U5 (which sometimes ends here) or the special line U17. This
platform lies a short distance to the west of Albplatz station.
After leaving Degerloch Albplatz the trains go down by a
ramp into a tunnel leading to the underground station of
Degerloch. This station lies in an inclination,
therefore there is no mezzanine at the west end of the 120m long
island platform. At this side stairs and a lift connect the platform
directly with the surface bus stops. At the east side of the platform
a pedestrian ramp leads to the mezzanine and a further ramp and stairs
from there to the surface with the terminus of the rack line 10.
The following tunnel is built in shotcrete tunneling
construction and goes down with a gradiente of 5,3 % to the
Weinsteige station. At this station the trains get out
of the hill and reach the so called "Fenster" (Window) section to
create a great view for the passengers down on the city. The inbound
platform of Weinsteige station is reached about a lift and stairs. The
tunnel and the two stations opened on November, 3rd 1990 together with
the light rail lines U5 and U6. A short stretch behind Weinsteige
station the tracks for the part-time line U8 turn right into a tunnel
towards Waldau station. The lines U5 and U6 reach a short tunnel and
than the second "Fenster". After that the light rail vehicles run down
the 1285m long "Neue Weinsteige" tunnel with a gradiente of 7% down
to the valley. The tunnel was opened on September 26th 1987 and used
by the tram cars until 1990. A short distance after entering this
tunnel the tracks unit with the U7 tracks. The U7 outbound track
crosses under the U5 / U6 tracks. The s-curved tunnel is built in the
shotcrete mining tunneling construction method. It ends in the
Bopser ramp station. The side platforms are nearly
horizontal, but the road lies in a steep gradient. The south entrance
is equipped with stairs, while the north is at grade with a pedestrian
level crossing.
The route follows the steep Hohenheimer Straße in a
grassed central reservation until the Dobelstraße
station. Beyond that station the Hohenheimer Straße gets narrow.
Therefore the outbound track is lying in this main road with mixed
traffic for about 150 metres. The inbound track is on a central
reservation with a ballasted track. A planned tunnel below the
Hohenheimer Straße was stopped in the seventies by the citizen of
Stuttgart. A short stretch before arriving at Olgaeck
station both tracks are on the central reservation again. From Olgaeck
station the tram line 15 runs together with the ligt rail lines on
tracks with three rails. The third rail from here back to Vaihingen
Landstraße and SSB-Zentrum (U3) is still in use to connect the tram
line with the main workshop.
A steep ramp leads to the city light rail tunnel. The
tunnel starts with the Charlottenplatz station with high
and low side platforms. This station in level -1 opened on May, 17th
1967. On level -2 the lines U1, U2 and U4 intersect (descripted on
line U1). Until Oktober, 1st 1978 over a tempory ramp at the other end
of the station the trams reached the surface again. Then the
connection tunnel between here and Hauptbahnhof opened with the curved
Schloßplatz station in the center of Stuttgart. The
station is desigend by Behnisch and Partner, the achitects who also
built the Munich Olympia tent-ceiling. The four underground station
have 120m long platforms, 80m high level and 40m low level for the
tram line.
Just before arriving at Hauptbahnhof
(Arnulf-Klett-Platz) station, the trains enter a sharp
curve. This station has four tracks and three platforms. The two
tracks in the south are used by the lines U5, U6, U7 and tram line 15,
the others at the north side by the lines U9 and U14. Connetions to
all S-Bahn lines in level -3, one level deeper. Open designed
entrances on both sides lead from the upper shoping level ot the
platforms. After leaving this station the tracks curve right and cross
under the U4 / U14 tracks. There is no track connection between the
different tunnels. The tunnels opened on Apil, 9th / 10th 1976.
The following Türlenstraße (Bürgerhospital)
station opens to the surounding area at the east side. The mezzanine
is in the middle of the platform . It is open at one side to the
platform hall, so you can see the light rail trains below. From April
10th 1976 until July, 27th 1977 the trams left the tunnel through the
side opening. Since 1997 the final tunnel stretch to the ramp in the
Heilbronner Straße is in use. Beyond the ramp the tram line 15 turns
right into the Friedhofstraße. The trains follow the Heilbronner
Straße to the Pragsattel station on a central reservation equipped
with signals and without road crossings.
An island platform was built at the
Eckartshaldenstraße (Pragfriedhof) station, reached by a
pedestrian tunnel at the south end and leve-crossings at the north
end. Behind the station the line U7 turns left towards Killesberg
Messe, there is also a siding track.
Löwentorbrücke station has also an island
platform. It can be reached at the south end by a level-crossing and
from the north by a pedestrian bridge. There is a connection from
here to the S-Bahn lines S4, S5 and S6 at the Nordbahnhof station.
A ramp leads to a further short tunnel section. Just
before reaching Pragsattel station, the tracks unit by track
intersection with the tracks for the lines U13 and 15 coming from the
right. The Pragsattel station (opened on July 17th 1990) lies in an
open cutting with a long island platform and two side platforms
divided into high and low parts. One-car light rail vehicles open the
doors to both sides. Entrances are at both ends and in the middle of
the platform. The middle entrance leads across a pedestrian bridge and
a lift or stairs to the island platform. Ramps lead from the side
platforms to the surface level. At the north end of the station the
tracks ly in different levels, becauce in the following tunnelsection
the lines U6 and U13 turn left without track intersection. The
outbound track to Feuerbach crosses above the inbound track of the
lines U5 and 15.
After leaving the short tunnel by a ramp, the lines U5
and 15 run in the Heilbronner Straße and the Ludwigsburger Straße on a
central reservation again. Stations with 40m high and 40m low side
platforms are at Sieglestraße,
Borsigstraße,
Friedrichswahl and at
Hohensteinstraße.
In the suburb Zuffenhausen the line U5 turns right into
the Haldenrainstraße. The line 15 goes straight and then turns left
towards Stammheim. Just after the curve the U5 stops at
Zuffenhausen Kelterplatz.
From here to Schozacher Straße station the
trains run on a central reservation with ballasted tracks. In the
following section through the suburb Rot the tracks are on a grassed
reservation at the north side of the Haldenrainstraße, including the
Fürfelderstraße station. The tracks turn left to the
Tapachstraße station, at the west side of this
street. Then the tracks curve right to a grassed side reservation
north of the Rotweg.
The reservation changes to ballasted tracks at the bridge
across the railway and follows the Mönchfeldstraße with the
Landesversicherung and Suttnerstraße
stations. This section was new built for the tram in 1970. The
station at Suttnerstraße was used as a temporary terminal while the
extension to Mönchfeld was being constructed. The former terminus
Freiberg was closed on April 2005 and is now
demolished. This station lied in a deeper level and had a 80m island
platform.
The new Freiberg station with an island platform lies on
street level. Beyond that station the tracks change to the south
side of the Mönchfeldstraße and reach the new terminus
Mönchfeld also with island platform by a short single
track stretch. This extension opened on December 10th,
2005.
|
