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Battery electric multiple unit 515616 with trailer 815690 behind at Horrem on 10 May 1990.
Once a common sight on the shorter branch lines in West Germany, the Akkutriebwagons or BEMU's (Battery Electric Multiple Units). These single coach railcars were built in three batches as class ETA 150's latter becoming class 515/0 and 515/1 which had 390kWh traction batteries with a nominal range of 200kms and the more powerful 515/5 units with 520kWh batteries and a 300km range. 161 of the latter were built in the early 1960's as class ETA150-5's with production ending in 1965. The first withdrawals came in 1982 and by the late 1980's as new class 628/2 DMU's appeared the ranks of the BEMU's dwindled rapidly. Being a large class though the last one ended its career with DB on 23/09/96.
515 604 is seen at Hilgen with the 08.08 from Opladen. The train doesn't attract much custom as the driver talks to the signalman before working back to Opladen with the 08.56 departure back down the 13.6km branch. The line was once a through route across the Bergisches Land hills to Remscheid south of Wuppertal but had shut beyond Hilgen to passengers in May 1983 and Freight in June 1985. With the sparse service and lack of passengers it was hardly surprising when a year after I took this photo the Hilgen branch from Opladen closed throughout on the 1st June 1991.
Despite being in the heart of the Rheine/Rhur industrial belt the branch to Wuppertal Wichlinghausen by 1990 had a very sparse service with just two trains a day each way Monday to Friday. The line ran parallel to the Düsseldorf - Wuppertal - Hagen mainline so was very much the poor relation. The section between Düsseldorf Gerresheim and Mettman survives as an S-Bahn route with a frequent passenger service. Beyond Mettman including the connection from Wuppertal Vohwinkel on the mainline to Wuppertal Sonnborn on the branch has now been lifted. Passenger services were withdrawn on 29/09/1991 and goods on 17/12/1999. As can be seen by the size of the station here it was once an important junction station on the lines from Wuppertal Langerfeld to Hattingen and Blankenstein to the north much of which closed in December 1952 leaving Wichlinghausen as a dead end.
This picture was taken just over a year before the end of passenger services and shows a BEMU set at Wuppertal Wichlinghausen formed of driving trailer 815 713 leading with 520kWh rated BEMU power car 515 526 trailing waiting to form train 6034 the 17.43 to Wuppertal Vohwinkel.
Battery electric unit, 515604 is seen at Hilgen on 8 May 1990 prior to its working with train 6108, 08:56 Hilgen to Opladen.
The line survived for another year closing in May 1991 following storm damage.
Battery electric multiple unit no. 515633 at Jülich on 10 May 1990 forming the 12:54 departure for Düren. The lines in the area were handed over from DB to regional operator Rurtalbahn GmbH in the early 2000s.
DB Akkubetriebwagen 515507 at Rheydt (which won't come up on the Flickr geotag) with a Munchengladbach to Dalheim service. The 515 class were battery railcars, originally classified ETA150.
515507, originally ETA150.507, was Orenstein & Koppel 320007/7 of 1959, one of the first batch of the ETA150.5xx variety which had larger batteries and an extended range compared with the ETA150.0xx.
10 August 1990
The 6kms long branch from Neuss Hbf to Kaarst was visited on the evening of 10 May 1990. Worked by a single car Battery Electric Unit. Seen here is 515525 forms train 8757, 19:12 Kaartst to Neuss Hbf.
The branch still survives, in fact passenger trains continue on a little further to Kaarster See having been extended the 1km or so in 1999 along which was freight only. Current operator is Regiobahn GmbH.
Over 200 of these battery powered rail cars and 216 driving trailers were built for DB in the 1950s and in service for up to 40 years. Seen here at the long closed branch to Wuppertal Witchlinghausen on 10 May 1990 is power car 515526 with trailer 815713. Train 3034, 17:43 Wuppertal Witclinghausen to Wuppertal Vohwinkel.
Photo Taken : 10.05.1990.
One of DB's 520kWh Battery Electric Railcars no. 515 507 sits waiting non existant custom at Dalheim on the German Dutch border. These class 515/5 Akkutriebwagen units had a 300km range and would spend the night being charged on depot before running around on branch lines during the day. Other than wheel noise they were dangerously quiet. The view here shows 515 507 waiting to return with the 09.46 to Monchengladbach Hbf. The driver and conductor take a break on the platform but my friend and I were the only passengers to this DB backwater. The lines behind the unit then carried on into Holland as freight only tracks joining the mainline at Roermond but have since closed making Dalheim a branch.