After the Second World War, the connection towards Bavaria was interrupted by the border between the American and Soviet occupation zones. In 1946, the second track on the line was removed as part of reparations to the Soviet Union, except on the Gehlberg–Oberhof section. The track still remained an important link between southern Thuringia and Erfurt. Thirty years later, the second track was restored on the section from Neudietendorf to Plaue. In 1984, the Neudietendorf–Arnstadt section was electrified, because there was insufficient capacity available in Erfurt Hauptbahnhof for the nightly changes of locomotives of the "Städteexpress" ("city express") service from Meiningen to Berlin, as well as the adding of extra passenger coaches and freight wagons. These services ran through the Thuringian Forest with seven carriages and more carriages were needed east of Erfurt. The electrification between Neudietendorf and Arnstadt was taken out of operation in 1996 and later dismantled.