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The Stadtbahn line U6 was changed from metre-gauge tram
into standard-gauge light-rail service at the section Möhringen
Bahnhof to Feuerbach Pfostenwäldle on November 3, 1990, together with
line U5 Leinfelden - Freiberg. Light-rail operation from Pfostenwäldle
to Giebel started on September 26, 1992, after building a tunnel
through the suburb Weilimdorf. The further extension to Gerlingen
Siedlung opened on October 2, 1993. The tunnel in Gerlingen was
finished on May 31st 1997. Two-train operation on the line U6 started
on September 9, 1996. At the rush-hour the U6 starts at Vaihingen
Bahnhof and during the rest of the day at Möhringen Bahnhof. The
section Vaihingen Bahnhof - Möhringen Bahnhof can be seen at the Line
U3, the further section to Pragsattel is described on Line U5.
At Pragsattel station the long U6 trains open their
doors only to the central platform, because the side platforms are
divided into low and high parts. The low parts are still necessary for
the tram line 15. North of Pragsattel station in the tunnel the lines
U6 and U13 turn left towards Feuerbach and Gerlingen without track
intersections. The tunnel follows the busy Siemenstraße with the
underground Maybachstraße station. This tunnel opened on April 2nd
1984 with tram operation.
The Maybachstraße station has two side
platforms with a mezzanine in the middle of the station. Short parts
of the platform are still at low level, but not in use. After leaving
the tunnel the tracks cross over a tunnel portal for railways. The
next station lies in front of the station building of Feuerbach
Bahnhof. The side platforms are reached by level crossings at
both ends. After this stop the light rails turn left and reach a
further tunnel by a ramp. This tunnel opened on November 3rd 1990 and
replaced the former tram routes through the suburb of Feuerbach. The
tram used two different streets for outbound and inbound trains.
The Wilhelm-Geiger-Platz station lies in
level -1 with two side platforms (with unused lower parts). In the
middle of the station there is a great opening to the surface, this is
typical for new underground stations in Stuttgart. This tunnel ends
at the
Feuerbach Krankenhaus station, which lies partly in the
tunnel and partly at surface.
The next section is on a private-right-of-way, with
bridges over a small street and a main road. The Feuerbach
Sportpark station lies between the two bridges. The platforms
can be reached at the west end by a level crossing. Beyond the
Pfostenwäldle station there is a reverse track for line
U13 south of the other tracks. The route leads through a forest and
reaches the suburb Weilimdorf. Here is the first level crossing with
road traffic since Olgaeck. Up to Landauer Straße station the tracks
are on a grassed reservation at the north side. Beyond this station
the train goes down into a tunnel by a ramp. The Weilimdorf
Löwenplatz station is in level -1 without ceiling above the
high level side platforms. Only the unused low level parts of the
platforms are covered over.
The ramp station Rastatter Straße is in a
special design. The route follows the Solitudestraße on the west
side, with the Wolfbusch station on its way. The tracks
turn west along the Engelbergstraße. They change over a bridge from
the north side to the south side of this street between the stations
Bergheimer Hof and
Salamanderweg.
The Giebel station is the terminus for
line U13 during the rush hour. This line reverses at the north side of
the (outbound) platform. The Breitwiesen station is the
first station in the Gerlingen community. At Gerlingen
Siedlung station the route goes down into a tunnel. In the
tunnel are three tracks, the south one is a siding track. The
terminus station Gerlingen with central platform is only
at the east side of platform closed to the surface. The other side is
open.
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