Narrow-gauge railways in Germany

A number of narrow-gauge lines survive, largely as a consequence of German reunification, in the former East Germany where some of them form part of the public transport system as active commercial carriers. Most extensive of those still employing steam traction is the Harz mountain group of metre-gauge lines, the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen. Other notable lines are the Zittau–Oybin–Jonsdorf line in Saxony, the Mollibahn and the Rügensche Kleinbahn on the Isle of Rügen on the Baltic coast and the Radebeul-Radeburg line, Weisseritztalbahn in the suburbs of Dresden. Although most rely on the tourist trade, in some areas they provide significant employment as steam traction is particularly labour-intensive.

In the Western part of Germany, Selfkantbahn (close to Heinsberg near Aachen) and Brohltalbahn (Linz/Rhine) are the best known ones, offering services in summer weekends.

Baden-Württemberg

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

381 mm (15 in) gauge lines

Bavaria

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

900 mm (2 ft 11+716 in) gauge lines

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Neuhauser Bockerlbahn; 12 km, closed in 1922
  • Spiegelauer Waldbahn; 100 km, closed in 1960
  • Zwieselauer Waldbahn; 14,5 km, closed in 1958

Berlin

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Berliner Parkeisenbahn; 7,50 km
  • Britzer Museumsbahn; 5,0 km

Brandenburg

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

  • Spreewaldbahn („Bimmelguste“) from Lübben to Cottbus via Burg (Spreewald); most lines closed until 1970, last spurs converted to standard gauge in 1983.

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

  • Jüterbog-Luckenwalder Kreiskleinbahnen (JLKB, „Märkische Bähnle“); closed in 1965
  • Kleinbahnen der Kreise West- und Ostprignitz; closed until 1969, heritage railway "Pollo" relaid on a 9 km stretch.
  • Kreisbahn Rathenow-Senzke-Nauen; 51,7 km, parts closed in the 1930s and in 1949, finally closed in 1961

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Cottbuser Parkeisenbahn; 3,20 km, in service

Hesse

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

  • Biebertalbahn; 9,5 km, closed

900 mm (2 ft 11+716 in) gauge lines

  • Spessartbahn; 21,2 km, closed in 1951

800 mm (2 ft 7+12 in) gauge lines

  • Ernstbahn; 7,6 km, closed

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Bad Orber Kleinbahn; former standard-gauge railway, partly relaid as a feldbahn to serve as a museum railway
  • Frankfurter Feldbahnmuseum
  • Kuhrbahn Bad Schwalbach; closed.

410 mm (16+532 in) gauge lines

  • Kinderstraßenbahn Frankfurt am Main; 220 m.

Lower Saxony

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

900 mm (2 ft 11+716 in) gauge lines

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

  • Bleckeder Kreisbahn; 47,25 km, closed.
  • Gartetalbahn Göttingen – Duderstadt; 35,6 km, closed in 1957
  • Hümmlinger Kreisbahn; 28,9 km, converted to standard gauge in 1957.
  • Kleinbahn Lingen–Berge–Quakenbrück; 55,3 km, closed in 1952.
  • Kleinbahn Ocholt – Westerstede; 7 km, converted to standard gauge in 1904.
  • Kreisbahn Cloppenburg; 29,2 km, closed in 1952.
  • Kreisbahn Osterode–Kreiensen; 32,7 km, converted to standard gauge in 1967.

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Inselbahn Baltrum; 0,6 km, Goods traffic from 1949 to 1985, tracks lifted.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

  • Franzburger Kreisbahnen; 67,22 km, closed in 1971

900 mm (2 ft 11+716 in) gauge lines

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Mecklenburg-Pommersche Schmalspurbahn (MPSB); closed in 1969, part revived as a heritage railway

North Rhine-Westphalia

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

  • Bielefelder Kreisbahnen; 23 km, closed in 1956
  • Drachenfelsbahn, cog railway; 1,5 km
  • Dürener Eisenbahn; closed in 1965.
  • Euskirchener Kreisbahnen; 57 km, closed in 1959
  • Herforder Kleinbahn; 40,8 km, closed in 1966.
  • Hohenlimburger Kleinbahn; closed in 1983
  • Iserlohner Kreisbahn; 1900–1964
  • Kleinbahn Haspe–Voerde–Breckerfeld; 18,39 km, closed in 1963
  • Kreis Altenaer Eisenbahn; 14,6 km, closed in 1976.
  • Leppetalbahn (Engelskirchen-Marienheider Eisenbahn); 18,4 km, closed in 1958.
  • Märkische Museums-Eisenbahn e. V. (MME) – Sauerländer Kleinbahn, Museumseisenbahn im Elsetal, Herscheid-Hüinghausen – Köbbinghauser-Hammer; 2,3 km
  • Plettenberger Kleinbahn (Plettenberger Straßenbahn AG); closed in 1962.
  • Geilenkirchener Kreisbahn – in Kreis Heinsberg, partly operating as a heritage railway, the Selfkantbahn (GKB)
  • Straßenbahn Essen; 52,5 km
  • Tecklenburger Nordbahn; converted to standard gauge in 1935

785 mm (2 ft 6+2932 in) gauge lines

  • Bröltalbahn; 87,3 km, first narrow-gauge railway in Germany.

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

  • Heisterbacher Talbahn; 7,2 km, 1891–1950
  • Kleinbahn Steinhelle–Medebach; 36,3 km, closed in 1953.

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

Rhineland-Palatinate

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

  • Kreuznacher Kleinbahnen; 28 km, closed in 1936.

Saxony

Saxony-Anhalt

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

900 mm (2 ft 11+716 in) gauge lines

  • Pfännerschaftliche Kohlebahn in Halle (Saale); 5.6 km, industrial railway, closed

Schleswig-Holstein

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

  • Apenrader Kreisbahn; 86 km, closed (reunited with Denmark in 1920)
  • Eckernförder Kreisbahnen; 28,7 km, closed in 1959.
  • Flensburger Kreisbahn; 49,5 km, closed in 1953.
  • Haderslebener Kreisbahn; 18,5 km, closed (reunited with Denmark in 1920)
  • Kleinbahn Niebüll–Dagebüll; 13,7 km, opened in 1895, converted to standard gauge in 1926
  • Kreisbahn auf Alsen (Danish: Amtsbanerne på Als); 19 km, converted to standard gauge in 1933 (reunited with Denmark in 1920).
  • Kreisbahn Norderdithmarschen; closed in 1937
  • Rendsburger Kreisbahn; 46 km, closed in 1957.
  • Sylter Inselbahn, closed in 1970.

900 mm (2 ft 11+716 in) gauge lines

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

Thuringia

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) gauge lines

  • Feldabahn; 27,7 km, converted to standard gauge in 1934.
  • Schmalspurbahn Eisfeld–Schönbrunn (Gründerla) in the Thuringian Forest; 17,8 km, closed in 1973.
  • Heldburger Bahn in Grabfeld; 29,7 km, closed in 1946.
  • Gera-Meuselwitz-Wuitzer Eisenbahn; 30,1 km, closed in 1969.
  • Weimar-Buttelstedt-Großrudestedter Eisenbahn; 54 km, 1946 stillgelegt
  • Part of the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen at Nordhausen

750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) gauge lines

600 mm (1 ft 11+58 in) gauge lines

  • Parkeisenbahn Gera; 0,8 km
  • Feldbahn Brotterode-Wernshausen; in use only 1896/1897, later partly replaced by Trusebahn

See also

References

  • Machel, Wolf-Dietger (2011). Enzyklopädie der deutschen Schmalspurbahnen [Encyclopedia of the German Narrow Gauge Railways] (in German). München: GeraMond Verlag. ISBN 9783862451012.
  • Organ, John (2004). North East German Narrow Gauge: Harz Mountains and Baltic Region. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1904474446.
  • Organ, John (2005). Saxony Narrow Gauge: featuring the extensive 75cm, 60cm and 38cm lines. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1904474470.
  • Organ, John (2007). West German Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 978-1904474937.
  • Organ, John (2014). Harz Revisited: Metre Gauge Railways in Central Germany. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781908174628.
  • Organ, John (2015). Saxony & Baltic Germany Revisited. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781908174710.

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