▁from ▁the ▁northern ▁termin us ▁of ▁the ▁line , ▁at ▁the ▁An hal ter ▁Bahnhof ▁in ▁Berlin , ▁for ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ 6 3 ▁kilom eters ▁to ▁J ü ter b og . ▁ ▁The ▁ 3 2 - kil ometer - long ▁gap ▁between ▁J ü ter b og ▁and ▁W itten berg ▁was ▁closed ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁September ▁ 1 8 4 1 . ▁ ▁This ▁meant ▁that ▁Kö then ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁railway ▁node ▁in ▁Germany , ▁where ▁the ▁new ▁B AE ▁line ▁met ▁with ▁the ▁Mag de burg - Le ip zig ▁Railway , ▁which ▁had ▁opened ▁for ▁service ▁on ▁ 9 ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁ ▁It ▁took ▁until ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁before ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁original ▁plan ▁of ▁running ▁a ▁rail ▁line ▁from ▁J ü ter b og ▁via ▁Fal ken berg ▁to ▁R iesa . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁July ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁trains ▁started ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁Herz berg ▁an ▁der ▁El ster , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁they ▁reached ▁R öder au / R iesa . ▁ ▁About ▁ 1 0 ▁years ▁later ▁the ▁rail ways ▁of ▁the ▁Berlin - An halt ische ▁Eisen bahn - G es ellschaft ▁reached ▁the ▁railway ▁nodes ▁of ▁Halle ▁( Sa ale ) ▁and ▁Leipzig . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁a ▁line ▁ran ▁initially ▁from ▁D ess au ▁to ▁B