and more under threat of total closure despite the modernisation carried out by SWEG. On 1 June 1986, the Odenheim–Odenheim Ost section was closed. Acquisition by the AVG and upgrade for the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn (since 1994) In order to preserve both the Katzbach and the neighbouring Kraichtal lines from total closure, the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (Alb Valley Transport Company, AVG) took over both sections from the SWEG in 1994. The line was originally operated with DMUs, including the class NE 81s that had been taken over from the SWEG. As part of the founding of the Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund (Karlsruhe Transport Association, KVV), the service on the Katzbach line was named line R 31. Initially the AVG services was operated under the most recent timetable of the SWEG, but six months later the AVG introduced a regular interval schedule, which had not existed previously. At the same time as the line was acquired by AVG, it was decided to upgrade the line to Stadtbahn standards. After the Stadtbahn operations were opened in 1996 on the Kraich Valley Railway, a few improvements were made to services on the Katzbach Railway, because more rolling stock was now available. Also associated with the opening of Stadtbahn services on the Kraich Valley Railway between Bruchsal and the Ubstadt Ort stations, two new stations were opened at Bruchsal Schlossgarten and Bruchsal Stegwiesen, which were then also included in the services on the Katzbach Railway. In the summer of 1998, just months before the start of Stadtbahn operations, two diesel railcars (AVG VT VT 453 and 454) collided in Zeutern as one of the drivers had overlooked a signal. On 26 September 1998, Stadtbahn operations commenced on the Katzbach Railway, which were then integrated into the network as line S 31 of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn. Just two weeks earlier, Stadtbahn sets were deployed for student transport. Zeutern Sportplatz station was opened along with Stadtbahn operations. Above all, Odenheim station was completely rebuilt for the Stadtbahn: the station building was torn down and a depot was built. Since not enough sets were available at the time of the opening of Stadtbahn operations for all services, a pair of services had to be operated by an Esslingen railbus, which was purchased from the SWEG; this was replaced after several years by Stadtbahn vehicles. Operations Timetable The Katzbach Railway is operated as line S 31 (Odenheim–Bruchsal–Karlsruhe Central Station—Malsch–Rastatt–Freudenstadt) of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn.