Many young trees were felled along the embankment at the Wilhelmsruh S-Bahn station Photo: Ralf Lutter
By Oliver Ohmann
Around 100 trees were felled at the Wilhelmsruh S-Bahn station. Lots of birch trees on the ground. The embankment looks completely bare. Why the sudden cut?
These are preparatory measures for the Heidekrautbahn comeback. Since 1901, Berliners have been driving on the traditional route into the countryside, out into the Schorfheide.
There have long been plans to reactivate the full length of the route, which was partially closed after the Wall was built. Today only a section runs as the RB 27 to Groß Schönebeck and Schmachtenhagen.
The Heidekrautbahn operator is the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn AG (NEB). And she has big plans: “The main route should initially run to Wilhelmsruh, and by 2032 at the latest to Gesundbrunnen,” said an NEB spokesman.
This is how it should look like here Photo: Ralf Lutter
The trees stood where the new Heather Railway will stop in the future. “They have now been felled because this is only possible at certain times of the year. There is a possibility that the expansion will begin as early as this year. Exactly when, however, is not yet certain.”
Things aren’t going really fast anyway: The official groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the Heidekrautbahn was in December 2020…