Hochneukirch - Jülich - Frenz (- Stolberg)

The Bergisch-Märkische railway company opened this railwayline in 1873.
Passenger service was stopped between Hochneukirch and Jülich in 1980, while goods transport from Hochneukirch up to Ameln lasted a while longer, till 1984, thanks to the sugar factory in Ameln. Passenger service between Stolberg and Jülich ended in 1984, only the last 10 km between the connection to the power plant at Frenz and Stolberg were kept open for goods transport. In 2004 passenger traffic was restarted from Stolberg to Weisweiler, while a new connection from Weisweiler to Langerwehe is planned, where it will connect to the Köln-Aachen line.
Between Frenz and Hochneukirch the railwayline has been removed shortly after it was closed down, though it can still be clearly recognised in the landscape as a long line of trees. Not for much longer though, because it is threatened by two seperate lignite mines.
(source: Reinhard Gessen)

15,16,17-10-2005
On foot I can reach almost every place as I am not dependant on roads or paths and it is hard to miss anything. It just takes a bit longer. For that reason I took my backpack and camping gear with me.