Düsseldorf–Elberfeld railway

It then swung east and followed the Düsseldorf-Derendorf–Dortmund Süd line of the Rhenish Railway Company.

The biggest challenge in the construction of the line was dealing with the climb between Erkrath and Hochdahl.

For many years trains had to be hauled by cable, originally driven by a stationary steam engine.

A few months later haulage by cable attached to a stationary steam engine was changed to haulage by cable attached via pulleys to a locomotive running downhill on an additional track.

Between Gruiten junction and the Düsseldorf-Gerresheim station the long distance line is only single track.

Realignment of the lines, former BME line in red, new combined lines in green
Beginning of the climb in Erkrath station
Gruiten station , with the Solingen line to the left, the two line S-Bahn station to the right and the single-line long distance in front and further right.