Harmelen–Breukelen RailwayHarmelen–Breukelen RailwayRailway line Harmelen - Breukelen In order to provide an alternative to the connection between Amsterdam and Rotterdam via the Oude Lijn , the NRS (Nederlandsche Rhijnspoorweg-Maatschappij) built a short railway line between Breukelen and Harmelen . This made it possible to travel between Amsterdam and Rotterdam without having to travel via Utrecht or with the . The railway line has a length of 8.3 kilometers. Harmelen–Breukelen Railway History
In 186, construction of the railway line began. Harmelen–Breukelen Railway Opening & Commissioning The railway opened on November 5, 1869. Harmelen–Breukelen Railway Changes
The railway line only had the stations of Harmelen and Breukelen. There were no intermediate stations.
There were no connections to factories or other companies along the railway line. Harmelen–Breukelen Railway Timetable From 1 May 1870, express trains ran on the railway line from Rotterdam Maas to Amsterdam Weesperpoort . These trains were direct competitors for trains of the HIJSM (Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij) that used the Oude Lijn . The timetable of 10 May 1940 provided for the commissioning of the electrified railway. A two-hour service was planned between Woerden and Amsterdam. Due to the start of the Second World War, this timetable was never implemented. After the transport was stopped and the railway line was dismantled, freight trains were put on this railway line after the railway line was rebuilt from June 1950. With effect from the summer timetable of 1952, passenger trains also ran on the railway line again. This involved two pairs of trains per day between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Harmelen–Breukelen Railway Closure and Demolition Due to the mobilization of the Dutch army on August 28, 1939, the train service between Harmelen and Breukelen is stopped. The work on electrification continues as usual. On October 15, 1939, the train service is officially stopped. The railway line remains open for freight transport. In April 1940, the railway line is equipped with overhead lines. Between September 1944 and May 1945, the Germans dismantle a track, together with the overhead lines. In 1944, the NS dismantles the second track with overhead lines, because the materials are needed elsewhere for repair work. Harmelen–Breukelen Railway Accidents On 8 January 1962, the largest train accident in the Netherlands occurred. Near Harmelen, express train 164 (Leeuwarden – Utrecht – Rotterdam), consisting of locomotive 1131 + mat'24 B 5710 + Plan EA 6544 + Plan E RD 6969 + Plan EB 6614 + Plan EB 6691 + Plan EB 6604 + mat'24 B 5238 + Plan EB 6695 + Plan K AB 7361 + mat'24 B 5830 + mat'24 B 5237 collided in dense fog with local train 464 (Rotterdam – Woerden – Amsterdam), consisting of Materieel'46 ElD4 700 + ElD2 297. Train 164 was delayed by several minutes when it departed from Utrecht. As a result, the route near Harmelen was blocked. The local train is allowed to cross the main track before the express train and drive in the direction of Breukelen . Due to the fog, the driver of the express train does not see the yellow signal. Only at the red signal, just before the junction, does the driver notice that he had to brake. He tries to stop the train with an emergency brake, but this is too late. The express train crashes into trainset ElD4 700 at 107 kilometres per hour, whereby the first three carriages (BDk + B + A) are destroyed by the first five carriages of the express train. The locomotive is thrown to the right by the impact. The fourth carriage of the trainset (Bk), although slightly damaged, is also demolished after a few months. The locomotive and 5 carriages of the express train are damaged and the last 6 remain on the track. The carriages B 5710, A 6544, B 6614 and locomotive 1131 are removed and demolished. This accident left 91 people dead and 54 injured. | |||||
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