[ RURAL RAILWAYS IN FRANCE ][ CHEMINS DE FER RURAUX DE FRANCE ]

[ Lauterbourg - Strasbourg ]

( Photos by Patrick Bennett - October 2005 )

Lauterbourg is 56 km ( 35 miles ) north of Strasbourg on the border with Germany.  The double track railway is close to the river Rhine.  The railway crosses the border and continues to Wörth where connections are available to Karlsruhe and Mainz

The origins of this line as well as the rest of the rail network in Alsace and Lorraine can be found in the Prussian invasion of France in 1870.  Until 1918, and during WWII, these regions were part of Germany and the rail infrastructure reminds us of that today.

But the line is now being modernised and the last A-L semaphore signals were removed in 2006.

The TER from Strasbourg arrives at Lauterbourg after a journey of 65 minutes,

on Sept 30th, 2005

A few minutes later, next to an impressive array of semaphore signals, the connecting DB railcar arrives from Wörth, 19 minutes away across the border to the north.

Lauterbourg on a quiet week day at 13.30.   The DB railcar comes about every hour.

The red brick part of Lauterbourg station is typical of the architecture of the Alsace-Lorraine network.

Another typical station building at Herrlisheim, 22 km from Strasbourg

Here is Gambsheim, next station up the line towards Strasbourg at Km 18.

Approaching Strasbourg now, this is La Wantzenau in a more modern style.

An old fashioned ground frame remains at Roeschwoog, Km 37.

Thanks to my correspondant, Patrick, for these interesting glimpses of an AL line just before completion of re-signalling works which swept away the last semaphores in the area.

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all rights  reserved 2005 - 2007 | text J.G.Skinner | photos P.Bennett

Page text revised March 2007

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