– Spe yer ▁railway ▁was ▁bom bed ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁but ▁not ▁so ▁badly ▁dam aged ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁un tra ff ick able . ▁The ▁fixed ▁bridge ▁that ▁had ▁replaced ▁the ▁p onto on ▁bridge ▁in ▁Spe yer ▁ ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁was ▁blow n ▁up ▁by ▁retre ating ▁German ▁troops ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁O fter s heim – Spe yer ▁section ▁was ▁closed . ▁Only ▁a ▁short ▁branch ▁line ▁from ▁Schw etz ingen ▁station ▁to ▁the ▁industrial ▁area ▁of ▁H ock en heim - T al haus ▁remained ▁open ▁for ▁fre ight . ▁ ▁The ▁Rh ine ▁railway ▁was ▁elect r ified ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁ ▁The ▁Heidel berg – E ppel heim – Pl ank stadt – Sch w etz ingen ▁tram way , ▁which ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁H SB ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁ran ▁right ▁through ▁the ▁villages , ▁which ▁was ▁convenient ▁for ▁passengers , ▁and ▁provided ▁strong ▁competition ▁to ▁the ▁Heidel berg – Sch w etz ingen – Spe yer ▁railway . ▁Due ▁to ▁low ▁demand ▁the ▁remaining ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁was ▁closed ▁for ▁passengers ▁and ▁fre ight ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁A ▁few ▁years ▁later , ▁however , ▁the ▁Heidel berg – Sch w etz ingen ▁tram way ▁was ▁closed