Narrow-gauge railways in Germany explained
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
gauge lines
- Albbähnle Amstetten (Württemberg) – Laichingen; closed in 1985, Currently Amstetten – Oppingen is a heritage railway
- Odenwaldexpress – Mosbach–Mudau; 27,51 km, closed in 1973.
- Filderbahn; from Möhringen to Vaihingen, Hohenheim, Degerloch, and Neuhausen auf den Fildern respectively Leinfelden-Echterdingen; converted to standard gauge in 1990.
- Härtsfeldbahn – Aalen–Dillingen an der Donau; 55,49 km, closed in 1972; heritage railway on part of the line.
- Lokalbahn Rhein–Ettenheimmünster; converted to standard gauge in 1922/1927
- Mittelbadische Eisenbahnen; converted to standard gauge in 1973, now closed.
- Obere Wiesentalbahn (Todtnauerli.);, closed in 1967
- Oberrheinische Eisenbahn – Mannheim–Heidelberg–Weinheim–Mannheim; currently operating as an electrified tram.
- Schmalspurbahn Nagold–Altensteig („Altensteigerle“); closed in 1967.
gauge lines
gauge lines
Bavaria
gauge lines
- Bayerische Zugspitzbahn from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Zugspitze; 19 km, electrified cog railway
- Chiemsee-Bahn from Prien to Prien-Stock; 1,91 km
- Kleinbahn Wallersdorf–Münchshöfen; 7,7 km, closed in 1949
- Eichstätt-Kinding Bahn; 46,4 km, converted to standard gauge in 1934
- Staatliche Waldbahn Ruhpolding–Reit im Winkl; 22,5 km, closed in 1940
- Walhallabahn from Regensburg to Donaustauf; 23,4 km, closed in 1968
- Wendelsteinbahn from Brannenburg to Wendelstein; 7,66 km, electrified cog railway
gauge lines
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
gauge lines
- Berliner Parkeisenbahn; 7,50 km
- Britzer Museumsbahn; 5,0 km
Brandenburg
gauge lines
- Spreewaldbahn („Bimmelguste“) from Lübben to Cottbus via Burg (Spreewald); most lines closed until 1970, last spurs converted to standard gauge in 1983.
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
gauge lines
- Cottbuser Parkeisenbahn; 3,20 km, in service
Hesse
gauge lines
- Biebertalbahn; 9,5 km, closed
gauge lines
- Spessartbahn; 21,2 km, closed in 1951
gauge lines
- Ernstbahn; 7,6 km, closed
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.
gauge lines
Lower Saxony
gauge lines
- Inselbahn Juist; 2,8 km, from 1896 to 1982, tracks lifted.
- Inselbahn Langeoog; 2,6 km.
- Kehdinger Kreisbahn; 51,8 km, closed.
- Kleinbahn Bremen–Tarmstedt; 27,0 km, closed in 1956.
- Kleinbahn Hoya – Syke – Asendorf
- Kreisbahn Aurich; 84,6 km, closed in 1969.
- Kreisbahn Emden–Pewsum–Greetsiel; 22,8 km, closed in 1963.
- ; 3,5 km, heritage railway.
- Steinhuder Meer-Bahn StMB; 52,7 km
- Südharz-Eisenbahn Walkenried–Wieda–Braunlage–Sorge–Tanne;
- Wangerooger Inselbahn; 5,9 km.
gauge lines
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.
gauge lines
- Inselbahn Baltrum; 0,6 km, Goods traffic from 1949 to 1985, tracks lifted.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
gauge lines
- Franzburger Kreisbahnen; 67,22 km, closed in 1971
gauge lines
gauge lines
gauge lines
- Mecklenburg-Pommersche Schmalspurbahn (MPSB); closed in 1969, part revived as a heritage railway
North Rhine-Westphalia
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
gauge lines
- 87,3 km, first narrow-gauge railway in Germany. gauge lines
- Heisterbacher Talbahn; 7,2 km, 1891–1950
- Kleinbahn Steinhelle–Medebach; 36,3 km, closed in 1953.
gauge lines
Rhineland-Palatinate
gauge lines
gauge lines
- Kreuznacher Kleinbahnen; 28 km, closed in 1936.
Saxony
See main article: Narrow-gauge railways in Saxony.
Saxony-Anhalt
gauge lines
gauge lines
gauge lines
- Pfännerschaftliche Kohlebahn in Halle (Saale); 5.6 km, industrial railway, closed
Schleswig-Holstein
gauge lines
- ; 86 km, closed (reunited with Denmark in 1920)
- ; 28,7 km, closed in 1959.
- ; 49,5 km, closed in 1953.
- ; 18,5 km, closed (reunited with Denmark in 1920)
- ; 13,7 km, opened in 1895, converted to standard gauge in 1926
- (Danish: Amtsbanerne på Als); 19 km, converted to standard gauge in 1933 (reunited with Denmark in 1920).
- ; closed in 1937
- ; 46 km, closed in 1957.
- , closed in 1970.
gauge lines
gauge lines
Thuringia
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
gauge lines
gauge lines
- Parkeisenbahn Gera; 0,8 km
- Feldbahn Brotterode-Wernshausen; in use only 1896/1897, later partly replaced by Trusebahn
See also
References
- Book: Machel. Wolf-Dietger. Enzyklopädie der deutschen Schmalspurbahnen. Encyclopedia of the German Narrow Gauge Railways. 2011. GeraMond Verlag. München. 9783862451012. de.
- Book: Organ, John. North East German Narrow Gauge: Harz Mountains and Baltic Region. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. 2004. Middleton Press. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK. 1904474446.
- Book: Organ, John. Saxony Narrow Gauge: featuring the extensive 75cm, 60cm and 38cm lines. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. 2005. Middleton Press. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK. 1904474470.
- Book: Organ, John. West German Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. 2007. Middleton Press. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK. 978-1904474937.
- Book: Organ, John. Harz Revisited: Metre Gauge Railways in Central Germany. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. 2014. Middleton Press. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK. 9781908174628.
- Book: Organ, John. Saxony & Baltic Germany Revisited. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. 2015. Middleton Press. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK. 9781908174710.
