If you're unfamiliar with the line, the layout of the Dresden to Riesa route may seem incongruous to you - there's clearly what looks like a fast line, but while it bypasses a few stops, surely, you might think, a new, high speed line might be... well, higher speed, and a lot straighter. As it is, it doesn't even require LZB, not exceeding 160 km/h. The reason is, it's not a new line, it's been around for over 100 years, and took its current form as part of a clever rationalisation by DB earlier this century. To understand how the lines fit together, you have to think of it, historically, as three routes: 1. The Leipziger Bahn, which is the main route through Neustadt, Coswig, Riesa and beyond - the one with all the stations in TSW 2. 2. The Berliner Bahn, which branches off immediately at Dresden Hbf, and follows the south side of the river Elbe (not in TSW), before crossing that, and the Leipziger Bahn. just before Coswig, with the junction at Zitscheweig allowing trains to swap between it and the Leipziger Bahn. It then continues north, forming what is now the fast line, to Grossenhain and beyond. 3. The Cottbuser Bahn, which is the single line which branches off at Priestewitz. It goes under the Berliner Bahn, then, after Grossenhain, continues north-east to Senftenberg, Cottbus and Hoyerswerda. Until 2000, the Berliner and Leipziger railways were two separate, routes, running parallel, and both served by mixed traffic, with many of the towns - Weinbohla, Coswig, etc - having a station on both lines. DB, however, decided simplify things - the local stations on the Berliner Bahn (north of Zitscheweig) were closed, with all regional services running on the Leipziger Bahn, stopping at its stations. This means that a commuter from Weinbohla to Dresden can catch a frequent service from one station, rather than, if they miss a train, having to wait longer or cross town. All regional services services from Dresden to the Berliner Bahn and the Cottbuser Bahn now take the Priestwitz - Grossenhain connection, with trains to Elsterwerda joining the Berliner Bahn just north of Grossenhain, where local stations resume. This also facilitated the closure of one of the two Grossenhain stations, the one you see in TSW was formerly the Cottbuser Bf. with - you've guessed it - the nearby Berliner Bf. closing. Although Berlin to Dresden trains could run along this uninterrupted stretch, it wasn't until 10 years later that the Weissig-Bohla curve was opened. This is the connection from the Berliner Bahn back towards Riesa, an entirely new railway which means Dresden - Leipzig trains can bypass a few stops, reducing journey times.
