Operations

At first, three pairs of trains ran over the line each day, while on Sundays there was a fourth.^[7]

Platform gates were installed at all stations in 1898. The line developed increasingly as the main line between Chemnitz and Leipzig, because among other things it was around 8 km was shorter than via Kieritzsch. It could also relieve the heavily used Leipzig–Altenburg section of the Leipzig–Hof railway. In order to increase capacity, the Leipzig–Liebertwolkwitz section was upgraded to two tracks from 1914 onwards. Operations using two tracks commenced in 1916.^[8] The construction of a second track to Belgershain at an estimated cost of about 800,000 Marks had already been approved in 1920, but this project was aborted because of a new cost estimates.^[9]

The line was largely undamaged by the Second World War. After the war, it was initially planned to dismantle the Liebertwolkwitz–Bad Lausick section of the line for reparations to the Soviet Union. As mining operations had already begun in Liebertwolkwitz, as a short-term measure, the Borna–Großbothen railway was dismantled instead of the Liebertwolkwitz–Bad Lausick section.^[10] The second tracks on the Engelsdorf Werkstätten–Liebertwolkwitz section was also dismantled in 1946.^[8] Since about 1970, many of the mechanical full-barrier level-crossing gates, in particular those on the open line, have been replaced by systems using train-operated half-barriers and stoplights. Most of the approach and several entrance signals were replaced by colour-light signals in the 1980s. In 1990, the tracks consisted entirely of a few sections of continuously welded rail on concrete sleepers.

In addition to a pair of goods trains in the 1980s, express and stopping passenger trains ran between Leipzig and Karl-Marx-Stadt and once a day to and from Cranzahl (now in Sehmatal) in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), as well as a pair of night fast trains (D728/729) to and from Karl-Marx-Stadt–Rostock.

Since 1990

Between June 2003 and December 2004, the Leipzig to Chemnitz via Bad Lausick line was modernised to increase the maximum speed to 160 km/h. More than €100 million were invested.^[11] This included the installation of an electronic interlocking of the Alcatel design in Geithain to control the section from Mölkau, while the section from Leipzig-Dresdener freight yard to Leipzig Werkstättenstraße is now controlled by the Leipzig Ost electronic control centre. The second track between Leipzig Hbf and Leipzig-Paunsdorf was reduced to a crossing loop in the Leipzig-Dresdener freight yard and all connections to the Engelsdorf freight yard and all other facilities previously used for freight transport were dismantled. All level crossing protection systems were replaced by those of the RBÜT type. Since the middle of the 1990s, the track infrastructure has been prepared for an increase in speeds. Missing bridges were also replaced during the track possession, although no consideration was given to restoring two tracks between Leipzig and Liebertwolkwitz.

Course

The starting point of the line is at Leipzig Hauptbahnhof. The line initially runs to the east parallel with the Leipzig–Dresden railway. In the suburb of Stünz, the line turns to the south. From Liebertwolkwitz, the line runs south-east to Geithain station.

Stations

Leipzig Hbf (51°20′52″N 12°23′06″E)

After the building of Leipzig Hauptbahnhof from 1902 to 1915, the line now started at the new central station. Previously, the line started at Dresdner Bahnhof (Dresden line station).^[20]

Leipzig-Liebertwolkwitz station (51°17′01″N 12°28′10″E)

Leipzig-Liebertwolkwitz (called Liebertwolkwitz until 13 December 2003) was originally the most important intermediate station after Lausigk. Liebertwolkwitz was opened as a halt (Haltestelle) and reclassified as a station on 1 July 1898. Numerous industrial enterprises were located in the immediate vicinity of the station. The station had to be expanded several times. A Kleinlok (small locomotive) was stationed for the extensive freight traffic and a shed was built for it. From 1913 to 1946, the line from Leipzig to Liebertwolkwitz was double track and directional operation (the operation of trains running in different directions on different tracks, in this case on the right) through the station continued until its reconstruction in 2003. Some peak-hour trains ended here and had to make elaborate moves because of the directional operation. The buildings consisted of an entrance building, a goods shed, two mechanical signal boxes of the Bruchsal I design (which controlled, in addition to numerous sets of points, three mechanical full-barrier systems at level crossings), a signal and telecommunication workshop and an official residence. At one time, a Bahnmeisterei (track maintenance supervisor’s office) was also based there. Freight trains for local delivery and pick-up (Übergabezügen) also operated from Liebertwolkwitz to the former sidings at Holzhausen (Sachs) station that were closed in 1971.

With the political changes of 1989/90, the freight traffic drastically declined and the second track at the station was dismantled in two stages.^[21]

The "Lt" and "Ls" signal boxes were dismantled in 2003 and 2004.

Großpößna (51°16′00″N 12°29′20″E)

Although the municipality of Großpösna was already campaigning for a station during the construction of the railway, it was only opened on 8 October 1933. Previously, the railway had always directed the locals to Liebertwolkwitz station or later Oberholz. The facilities consist merely of a platform on the ground, which had been prepared for the construction of two tracks, (this was demolished in the 1920s) and a massive waiting room.^[22] The railway crossing, which was located directly at the station, has now been replaced by a road underpass slightly further north.

Belgershain (51°14′01″N 12°32′35″E)

Belgershain station was originally opened as a halt, but was reclassified as a station on 1 May 1905. Since numerous surrounding localities used the station, the station had to be expanded by 1900. A loading road, a freight shed and a side ramp were available for freight transport. The two-storey^[23] entrance building housed baggage handling and the ticket office as well as the main signal box "Bn". Guard signal box "Bw" and a railway residence were also built. In the 1930s, the town, which had only about 700 inhabitants, was served by long-distance services with several express trains passing through the station, which had three mainline tracks.^[24] The third mainline track was dismantled after the end of the war.

Even today, Belgershain still functions as a station where trains pass, although, in the course of work on the line in the 1990s, all remaining tracks were removed except for the two main tracks. The island platform on the main tracks was demolished with the 2003–2004 upgrade, thus only every second of the hourly trains could stop at Belgershain station. This unsatisfactory situation was only resolved in 2009 by the construction of a second external platform and a pedestrian bridge.

Bad Lausick (51°08′37″N 12°38′56″E)

At the start of operations, Lausigk station was the most important intermediate station on the railway line after Liebertwolkwitz. Initially equipped with five tracks, the station was soon expanded to cope with the increasing traffic. Lausigk developed into a health resort, as a result of its railway connection, among other things, although, until the end of the First World War, the express trains running along the line did not stop there.

As early as the beginning of the 1920s, it was planned to rebuild the station for the Borna–Großbothen railway. The line was not opened until 1937, but it was dismantled for reparations in 1947.

In the 2000s, the still remaining railway tracks were radically rebuilt, leaving only two tracks, but Bad Lausick still serves as a crossing station.^[25]

Hopfgarten (Sachs) (51°06′21″N 12°39′42″E)

The station has had four different names during its operating period:

• originally: Hopfgarten
• until 30 June 1911: Hopfgarten i Sachsen
• until 21 December 1933: Hopfgarten (Sa)
• since 22 December 1933: Hopfgarten (Sachs)

At first Hopfgarten was only a halt, but on 1 May 1905 it was reclassified as a station. Apart from a loading track, there were almost no other facilities at the time. Hopfgarten station was expanded when a crossing loop between Bad Lausick and Geithain became necessary in about 1915 because of increased traffic. After the upgrade, Hopfgarten had three tracks with nine sets of points, an entrance building, a signal box and a freight shed. In addition there was a loading road and a loading ramp.

Hopfgarten was reclassified as a halt on 1 June 1987 and all the tracks were dismantled except the main track. The station was already practically unused for freight.^[26] Because of the need to control the sequence of trains to make the timetable work effectively, a block post (Blockstelle) was established in Hopfgarten in about 2010.

Tautenhain (51°05′24″N 12°40′44″E)

Like Hopfgarten, Tautenhain was originally only a halt. Tautenhain was reclassified as a station on 1 May 1905, but was again reduced to a halt on 1 September 1933.^[26] The only track at the halt is now the main railway line. The entrance building and the goods shed still exist.

Geithain (51°03′30″N 12°41′50″E)

Originally only a transit station on the Kieritzsch–Chemnitz line, Geithain station was completely rebuilt before the opening of the Leipzig–Geithain railway. In addition, a locomotive depot was built. Geithain also became of great importance in freight transport since large quantities of building materials from nearby brickworks and quarries have been loaded at the station since the end of the 19th century.

The present appearance was given to the station from 2002 onwards, as large parts of the station were reconstructed with the upgrade of the Leipzig–Chemnitz line.^[27] The electronic control centre at Geithain, which was built by Thales, has controlled the whole line from Mölkau since December 2004 and also the Neukieritzsch–Chemnitz railway between Frohburg and Wittgensdorf Mitte and the Borsdorf–Coswig railway between Naunhof and Leisnig, which is part of the central Saxony regional network (Regionalnetz Mittelsachsen).