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THE SIEMENSBAHN WAS a short, “spur”-style urban railroad that served Berlin’s northwestern district of Siemsstadt from 1929 until 1980. Consisting of only three stations, it originated at Jungfernheide (a still-active station on the present-day Ringbahn), crossing the Spree and passing through the Wernerwerk and Siemensstadt stations before ending at Gartenfeld.

The line was finally done in by the West Berlin S-Bahn strike, which saw its ridership plummet and never recover. The elevated tracks and stations still remain, rising above residential and business districts on overgrown embankments. (For more on the history of the Siemensbahn, as well as additional pictures from along the length of the tracks, click here.)

Siemensstadt station from street level.

Siemensstadt station from street level.

Siemensstadt station is perched on an overpass above Rohrdamm, just a few blocks from the present-day Rohrdamm U-Bahn station. The platforms follow a long curve, and retain some recognizable features from the station’s active era, including track number signs, round metal lightboxes, electrical panels, and shelters for station agents. Some smaller trees and plants grow in the station itself, but larger vegetation is mostly limited to the tracks leading from either end of the station.

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Access: U-Rohrdamm (U7) is the closest station to the abandoned Siemensstadt station. The tracks generally proceed from southeast to northwest through the district.

All stations and tracks are closed to the public, and while entering the stretch between the former Siemensstadt and Gartenfeld stations is relatively easy, it is done at one’s own risk, as is proceeding along the tracks, which are unmaintained.