Line 82 is a sleepy single-track rural route linking Bramming, just east of Esbjerg, with Tønder, just north of the German border. It normally only sees DMUs but for two brief periods in the summers of 2014 and 2015 there were Danish and German diesels on diverted international freights a well.
The line to Tønder leaves the Esbjerg - Fredericia line at Bramming, 16km east of Esbjerg and turns south to run 64km to Tønder, a few km north of the German border. The route is through fairly flat country covered with mixture of farmland and woodland with only the occasional village or small town.
Passenger services over the line were operated by Arriva at the time of my visit using 2-car articulated Siemens Desiro DMUs, similar to DB Class 643, and ran approximately hourly through the day. There was no regular freight traffic on the line.
Two extended periods of engineering work on the main line between Lunderskov, west of Kolding, and Padborg in 2014 and 2015 meant that freights between Denmark and Germany were diverted via Esbjerg with diesel haulage. Nohab built, GM engined MZ Class Co-Cos worked between Fredericia and Esbjerg with DB Class 232s taking over for the run south through Tønder and Niebüll to Hamburg. My two visits to the line were during the period of the diversions.
Passenger services over the line were operated by Arriva at the time of my visit using 2-car articulated Siemens Desiro DMUs, similar to DB Class 643, and ran approximately hourly through the day. There was no regular freight traffic on the line.
Two extended periods of engineering work on the main line between Lunderskov, west of Kolding, and Padborg in 2014 and 2015 meant that freights between Denmark and Germany were diverted via Esbjerg with diesel haulage. Nohab built, GM engined MZ Class Co-Cos worked between Fredericia and Esbjerg with DB Class 232s taking over for the run south through Tønder and Niebüll to Hamburg. My two visits to the line were during the period of the diversions.