It runs from Roßwein through the Striegis valley to Hainichen and on to Frankenberg and Niederwiesa, where the line ends at a junction with the Dresden–Werdau railway.

The accident claimed 10 dead and 53 wounded and is still regarded as the worst rail disaster in Saxony.

The Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt) approved the closure of the Hainichen–Roßwein section on 11 July 2001 and it was completed on 30 September 2001.

In August 2002, during the most severe flood in Saxony, bridges on this section were completely destroyed and parts of the track were washed away by the flow of the Striegis.

In 2005, it was abandoned by Regio Infra Service Sachsen and the city of Hainichen decided to dismantle the tracks in order to build a cycle path on the route.