Suddenly the air vibrates with a low rumble. It is a sound synonymous with progress. Right here stands the Havelländische Eisenbahn AG HVLE. Since 1892 the company has been shaping rail transport. Back then it started as the Osthavelländische Kreisbahnen.
The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG started small. It was designed to connect the district of Osthavelland with railway lines. The district and the communities of Nauen and Ketzin wanted to develop the area. The Zuckerfabrik Nauen also had an interest. The Kreistag Westhavelland even commissioned the OHK. They were tasked with the construction and operation of the Westhavelländischen Kreisbahnen. The Nauen to Ketzin route opened in 1893.
Fast forward to today and the Havelländische Eisenbahn AG is a modern company. It is focused on freight transport. They are especially known for their Kalktransporte. They are also active in construction logistics. Werkstattservice is another field. They also offer Anschlussbahnverkehr and consulting. Passenger transport was abandoned after World War II.
In 1941 the company changed its name. It became Osthavelländische Eisenbahn AG or OHE. Besides the district also the Prussian state held shares. The province of Brandenburg was also involved. The cities of Ketzin and Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe BVG were shareholders too. In 1946 the Soviet occupation force expropriated the company. The railways were initially placed under the control of the Landesbahnen Brandenburg. Later they were controlled by the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
Only the Berlin part of the Bötzowbahn remained with the company. Freight transport continued there. Passenger transport continued until 1950. In 1948 the British military government confiscated the Berlin assets. From 1950 the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe administered them. In 1972 the company was re-established. The old company shares were retained. By 1982 the company had four four-axle diesel locomotives. Annually between 600000 t and 700000 t were transported.
After 1990 the company expanded its operations. It returned to its old field of activity. The OHE locomotives were active on many routes. However the same abbreviation was also used by the Osthannoverschen Eisenbahnen. This often led to confusion.
In 2006 the company was renamed Havelländische Eisenbahn AG HVLE. The locomotives received a completely new color scheme. In 2002 the OHE took over the Anschlussbedienung of the former Chemiefaserwerkes Premnitz. Trains ran three times a week to and from Wustermark. Operations for Bombardier Transportation in Hennigsdorf also increased. Test runs are regularly carried out with HVLE locomotives.
The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG acquired the Rangierbahnhof Wustermark in 2008. The DB AG wanted to close the station. It was located just outside Berlin. The HVLE wanted to keep the station open. They wanted to generate new traffic projects. The HVLE subsidiary Rail Logistic Center Wustermark GmbH RLCW was founded. The 22-hectare Rangierbahnhof was purchased.
The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG also expanded into Eastern Europe. They aimed to develop new business areas in Russia Belarus and Poland. Together with a Polish partner transport solutions were developed. These used TRAXX multi-system locomotives. Denmark Sweden the Netherlands and Austria are now also served.
The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG developed its own Schüttgutwagen. It has a length over buffers of 12.68 meters. It can carry 70 tons of load. A six-axle Voith Maxima can transport 3200 net tons. This requires only a one-man crew.
The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG is committed to innovation. They bought eighteen new six-axle Eurodual hybrid locomotives. These have 7000 kW of electrical continuous power. They also have 3800 PS of diesel-electric power. The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG and Stadler Rail Valencia received the Innovation Award. They were awarded for the development of the Stadler Eurodual 2159.
From its humble beginnings the Havelländische Eisenbahn AG has become a major player in rail transport. Its history is a testament to innovation and adaptability. The Havelländische Eisenbahn AG continues to shape the future of rail transport.