In the year 1883, the train station was built west of the Brandleitetunnel portal and inaugurated on August 1, 1884. Due to the growing passenger traffic of the emerging resort town Oberhof, an extensive reconstruction took place in the years 1910/11. A multi-story, representative reception building was built. The platforms were relocated to an exterior position and accessed through a covered walkway and stairs above the railway tracks. During the era of steam locomotives, trains stopped in Oberhof to refill water. Additionally, a brake test was conducted before descending into the valleys. In the 1930s, special trains ran from Erfurt to Oberhof when there was sufficient snow for winter sports. Trucks with posters advertised these trains in Erfurt, and a corresponding flag was raised on the tower of the Reichsbahndirektion Erfurt. For example, during the ski championships in February 1951, up to 120,000 spectators, including 48 special trains, arrived over a single weekend. As most holidaymakers arrived by train until the late 1980s, Oberhof station was so important for passenger traffic that even express trains (D-Züge) made stops there. In the year 1965 a renovation was carried out, including the addition of a ticket hall. During the time of the GDR, the station locally had the additional designation “Bahnhof der Deutsch-Sowjetischen Freundschaft”.
Between 1993 and 1996, partial renovation work was done on the reception building. On March 18, 1996, the station was entered into the monument book of Thuringia. The protection status applies not only to the reception building but to the entire station facility. In 2006, a partial renovation was carried out on the reception building, including the renewal of the roof with its supporting structure, windows, facade, and heating system.
The reception building was auctioned by the Deutsche Bahn AG in 2014 and sold for the minimum bid of 25,000 euros. After plans to close the station were announced, the Thüringer-Bahn-Initiative launched a petition in August 2015 to preserve the station and maintain train services. Despite presenting 3,245 valid signatures, a total of 11,000 signatures would have been required for succeeding. Since the timetable change on December 10, 2017, Oberhof station is no longer served in passenger traffic.
Note: Some rooms seem to still be used for the controlling of the signs and other railway stuff (power still there). We advise everyone who explores it NOT to touch anything there.
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