Wikipedia page about the Lahntalbahn Info: All images in this suggestion are from the route and line itself except where indicated. Route on Google Maps Short information to note before: The Lahntalbahn generally origins at Koblenz and comes over Limburg (Lahn) up to Wetzlar and Gießen. However, the route is split nowadays between several services like the RB23 from Koblenz to Limburg (the route proposed here), the RE25 as an express service from Koblenz to Gießen and the RB45 from Limburg to Gießen. The former two services are used on this proposed route. I made a suggestion for the upper Lahntalbahn already. You can check it out here: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/lahntalbahn-re25-rb45-limburg-wetzlar-gießen.75520/ Length: 51km Stations: 14 Timetable: Here is a LINK to the service timetable of the RE25 from Koblenz to Gießen, RB45 from Limburg to Gießen and RB23 from Koblenz to Limburg. Operator: Deutsche Bahn Regio Mitte Trains: Bombardier Talent 1 (BR 643 version) - As possible layer from S-Bahn Vorarlberg [needs further reworking to make fit to the DMU route] Also used in double traction: Alstom-Coradia LINT 27/41 (BR 640) DB BR 628 (Legacy) - Possible as Layer from DLC "Niddertalbahn" DB BR 215/216 (Legacy - all photos from 1999) Here in 1985, in the background Lahneck Castle near Niederlahnstein: DB BR 611(Legay - all photos from 1999): Location: The route is located at the southwest of Germany, between Cologne and Frankfurt (Main), covering the landscapes of Rhineland-Palatinate in the west to Hesse in the east. The starting station, Koblenz station already does exist in TSW in the DLC "Linke Rheinstrecke". In fact the same direction will be used here like going towards Main in Linke Rheinstrecke, however after a short piece of route, the route of the Lahntalbahn crosses east over the Rhine reaching "Niederlahnstein" as its first station at the Rhine yet, before the route proceeds into the valley of the river Lahn. The end station of this route, Limburg (Lahn), is a relativley big regional station covering connections to the cities Frankfurt (Main), Koblenz, Gießen, Wetzlar, Montabaur and Siegen. In this map the complete route of the Lahntalbahn from Koblenz to Wetzlar is covered. Unfortunately, it didn't cover the 12 km portion from Wetzlar to Gießen. The route I propose with this suggestion starts in Koblenz and goes towards east to Limburg (Lahn), the lower Lahntalbahn. The part of the upper Lahntalbahn from Limburg to Gießen (over Wetzlar) is covered in a different proposal of mine. Remarkable spots and scenery: The route starts in Koblenz and short thereafter you will pass the Rhine and the route will move from the valleys of the Rhine into the valleys of the Lahn river. There are some well maintained castles but also castle ruines along the route at the top of the valley hills beside the river Lahn which you can see while driving in the train, for example the the castle Lahneck near Niederlahnstein, the castle Nassau in the same named city and castle Schaumburg near Balduinstein. Castle Lahneck: Castle Nassau: Castle Schaumburg near Balduinstein: More castles, ruin, churches and castle-like houses, you can see in the cab views. Cab views (sorted by quality): From Koblenz to Limburg: From Limburg to Koblenz: From Koblenz to Dausenau only:
Lahnstein Nassau Bad Ems, with a Class 66 powered freight train Balduinstein Balduinstein with Castle Schaumburg Balduinstein 1986 Lahnstein 1986 Near Dausenau 1996 Balduinstein in modern era Near Fachingen Near Oberhof In Bad Ems In Dausenau Nievern 2018 Here a rare picture from the era where the local operator vectus operated the routes around Limburg (up until 2014):
Very carefully prepared suggestion! It works well with a DB version of the Talent 1, which is already available as an ÖBB version and would only need to be modified slightly. The Lint railcar could be reserved for another route and later layered here too. There are also a lot of castles on the route, which makes things very interesting and also provides a romantic background for rail tours. You can therefore also use some castle models from LFR for the scenery. Koblenz could also be reused as an end point. As a very winding diesel route it would be comfortable regional traffic. If you were to take the 628, you would have to commit to the late 90s or early 2000s. From the second half of the 90s the Talent 1 trains were introduced, then there could also be a crossover on the same route with the 628s. Therefore it would be worth considering if you could take it around the turn of the millennium, when many older series were still in operation. So all in all a very good idea!
Excellent Idea and I do see this forming a route from Mainz to Limburg an Lahn if set in the early Deutsche Bahn era and merged with Linke Rheinstrecke.
Suggested route looks fun enough, but not interested in even more plastic modern trains. Would prefer to see such route in an older era.
