A whisper of steam a ghost of the past. That’s the Bibertbahn for you. Right here we stand near its former glory.
The Bibertbahn a local railway line. It connected Nuremberg-Stein to Unternbibert-Rügland. People affectionately called it the Bibertbärbala or Bärbel a diminutive of Barbara. This charming nickname adds to its local lore. The line branched off from the Nuremberg-Crailsheim railway. It wound its way through the Biberttal valley. It passed through Großhabersdorf before reaching its final destination.
The Bibertbahn’s story is one of ambition and missed opportunities. In 1894 Cadolzburg’s mayor Hans Brandstätter proposed extending the Rangaubahn. He wanted to connect Unternbibert to the rail network. The Lokalbahn Aktien-Gesellschaft LAG however rejected the proposal. They cited unfavorable terrain conditions. Zirndorf was suggested instead as a starting point.
A committee formed to build a railway from Zirndorf to Rügland. They proposed a branch line to Altenberg then through the Biberttal to UnternbibertRügland. The LAG rejected this plan too. The city of Fürth showed no interest. The project lay dormant for twenty years.
Nuremberg then took over planning. They chose Nuremberg’s main station as the starting point. A branch line would leave from Nuremberg-Stein station. In 1908 they received permission to build the new local railway to Unternbibert-Rügland. Fürth’s inaction cost them. They missed the chance for passenger and extensive freight transport from the Fürth hinterland. Numerous brickworks in Leichendorf could have benefitted. Their goods could have easily been transported to Zirndorf and Fürth’s main station.
Construction began in 1912. Fürth only got one stop Fürth-Süd. It was far from any Fürth buildings. It was even located in Nuremberg-Gebersdorf. The Fürth stop opened late on October 26 1921. The city requested it much earlier on March 15 1916. Years later a bus connection to the Straßenbahnendhaltestelle Flößaustrasse was established. This highlights the ongoing struggle for better transportation access.
A remarkable bridge a fishbelly bridge in steel framework crossed the Rednitz river. Only a short section about 10 meters and the right abutment of this bridge lie in Fürth. A total of only about 90 meters of the track are in Fürth’s area. On September 30 1912 the bridge underwent a load test. Two steam locomotives pulled heavily laden freight cars. The line from Nuremberg-Stein to Dietenhofen opened in May 1914. It extended to Unternbibert-Rügland as its final stop on June 1 1915. Its total length was 32.78 kilometers.
A branch line served the former Fürth barracks. The German army used it until 1918. The Reichswehr and Wehrmacht followed. After 1945 the U.S. Army Johnson Barracks used the sidings near Fürth-Süd. They supplied their depot. Thousands of tons of coal were stored nearby. This connection was dissolved in 1994. Its decommissioning took place in February 2014.
Passenger service ended in 1986. The Fürth-Süd stop closed at that time. The Bibertbahn though a small railway played a big part in the region’s history. It carries tales of ambition missed opportunities and the echoes of steam trains.