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Wilkau-Haßlau–Carlsfeld narrow-gauge railway

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The Wilkau-Haßlau–Carlsfeld narrow-gauge railway (Schmalspurbahn Wilkau-Haßlau–Carlsfeld) was the first, steepest and longest of the narrow-gauge railways in Saxony. The line was around 42 kilometres long, had a track gauge of 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) and ran from Wilkau-Haßlau via Kirchberg and Schönheide to Carlsfeld through the Ore Mountains. Only near Rothenkirchen did the line pass through the Vogtland region The railway, opened in 1881 in four stages, was one of the busiest narrow-gauge railways. Services were gradually closed down between 1965 and 1977.

Wilkau-Haßlau–Carlsfeld narrow-gauge railway
Carlsfeld station (museum)
Overview
Line number6973
Service
Typenarrow-gauge railway
Operator(s)Royal Saxon State Railways, Deutsche Reichsbahn, DR
Depot(s)Kirchberg, Schönheide, Carlsfeld
History
OpenedOctober 16, 1881
ClosedApril 30, 1977
Technical
Line length41.961 km (26.07 mi)
Track gauge750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Minimum radius60 m (196.9 ft)
Operating speed25 km/h (16 mph)
Maximum incline50‰ or 5%
Route map

Legend
-0.228
 Wilkau-Haßlau
279 m
 (connection with the Zwickau–Schwarzenberg line)
1.123
 Wilkau-Haßlau Hp
281 m
1.260
A 72
3.070
 Culitzsch
(until 1923/24)
3.670
 Cunersdorf (b Kirchberg/Sachs)
307 m
4.479
 Cunersdorf (b Kirchberg/Sachs) Hst
317 m
6.498
 Kirchberg (Sachs)
335 m
7.499
 Kirchberg (Sachs) Hp
348 m
8.873
 Saupersdorf unt Bf
370 m
10.052
 Saupersdorf ob Bf
386 m
11.650
 Hartmannsdorf (b Saupersdorf)
410 m
13.867
 Oberhartmannsdorf (Sachs)
447 m
15.045
 Bärenwalde (Sachs)
476 m
16.828
 Obercrinitz
511 m
21.504
 Rothenkirchen (Vogtl)
618 m
23.498
 Stützengrün
old: Oberstützengrün
629 m
23.964
Viaduct Weißbachtal
24.536
Viaduct Stützengrün
24.900
 Stützengrün-Neulehn
until 2001
25.455
 Stützengrün Hp
old: Neulehn
today Stützengrün Bürstenfabrik
656 m
26.970
 Schönheide Nord
old: Neuheide
650 m
28.810
 Schönheide Mitte
old: Schönheide
678 m
29.580
 Schönheide West
old: Ober-Schönheide
686 m
33.754
Viaduct Muldetal
Chemnitz–Aue–Adorf railway
33.978
Bridge Zwickauer Mulde
34.303
 Schönheide Süd
old: Wilzschhaus
596 m
34.425
Bridge Zwickauer Mulde
36.235
 Wiesenhaus
633 m
37.918
 Wilzschmühle
680 m
39.398
 Blechhammer
738 m
41.634
 Carlsfeld
(Museumsbahnhof)
816 m

Since the Wende, two railway societies have operated a progressively rebuilt section of the line as a heritage railway. So far a four kilometre section near Schönheide Mitte as well as the two station yards at Schönheide Süd and Carlsfeld have been partially reconstructed.

History edit

Background edit

In the mid-19th century the transport links to the town of Kirchberg and the surrounding area were extremely poor. There was just a messenger post four times a week - daily from 1850 - between Kirchberg and Silberstraße, which was supplemented in 1855 by a twice daily post coach. Thanks to the rise of the textile industry in the Kirchberg area, traffic volumes rose even more during the 1860s.[1] Any further unfettered development of the textile industry, however, was limited by the need for water to provide power; this not only limited expansion, but also subjected the industry to seasonal variations.[2] The construction of a railway would improve links to the emerging Zwickau Coalfield.[3] In addition to reduced transport costs, the industry would also become more independent of the hydropower, in a region where the importation of coal from other areas was very difficult.[4] Lignite imports from Bohemia, which were common in large parts of the Ore Mountains and its foreland until well into the 20th century,[5][6] and were often one of the reasons for the construction of railway lines[7] played no role in the Kirchberg area.

In 1864 a private company was granted the concession for the construction of a railway but, like another one in 1875, the project was not carried out due to financial problems. In 1866/67 only a road was built between Wilkau and Kirchberg[1] and, in 1868, Wilkau Halt was erected on the Schwarzenberg–Zwickau railway, opened in 1858, but even these measures considerably improved Kirchberg's transport links.

In 1876/77, the idea of a narrow-gauge railway was presented in the Saxon parliament for the first time, after it appeared impossible to build and profitably operate a standard-gauge line alongside the chaussee that ran parallel to it. Although the line was approved as early as November, in 1877 Kirchberg townsfolk presented a petition, because they questioned the capability of a narrow-gauge railway. Its inherent disadvantages, were also pointed out, such as the labour-intensive transhipment of all goods that would be needed compared with a standard-gauge line. The Saxon government referred to the benefits, that narrow-gauge railways, whose the construction was backed by a royal decree of 5 November 1877, would bring for the country's development. For example, their construction costs were lower and stations could be built closer to the actual villages. Despite this, there was still no majority support in parliament for the narrow-gauge railway.[8]

In 1879, the next decree again proposed the construction of narrow-gauge railways. For example, as well as the railway to Kirchberg, other narrow-gauge lines were to be built. These were the Oschatz–Mügeln–Döbeln line, with a branch to Wermsdorf, the Hainsberg–Schmiedeberg and Leipzig–Geithain lines, the last-named being the only one to be built subsequently to standard gauge. Advantages of the narrow-gauge railway that were stressed were the option of an extension to Saupersdorf and the possibility of installing numerous branch-off points. On 2 March 1880 the Wilkau-Kirchberg railway project achieved a majority. Its construction cost was estimated at 705,000 marks and included an extension to Saupersdorf.[8]

Construction to Kirchberg and Saupersdorf edit

In April 1880 preparation work finally began on Saxony's first narrow-gauge railway. In the spring of 1881 the exact route and the award of construction contracts was announced. Construction began on 10 May 1881 at the so-called Hasenloch ("rabbit hole") with the construction of a retaining wall to the Rödelbach stream. Because most of the rails were laid by the side of the road or chaussee from Wilkau to Kirchberg, elaborate earthworks were unnecessary and work progressed quite rapidly. An average of 112 people were employed in the building of the railway, the highest number was 226 workers in August 1881. The first time the station at Kirchberg was used was when a construction locomotive owned by the firm of Lehmann arrived on 25 September 1881. After less than half a year's work, the track and almost all the associated buildings were completed and it was ceremonially opened on 16 October 1881 with the active participation of the population. Scheduled services began on 17 October 1881. The first railway administration office (Bahnverwalterei) was established in Kirchberg. It looked after the management and administration of all of the line with the exception of the Wilkau station. It was run in accordance with the "regulation for operations on narrow-gauge secondary railways by the Royal Saxon State Railways".

On 30 November 1881 Saxony's Finance Minister, Léonçe von Könneritz, invited the two chambers of the Saxon parliament to visit the narrow-gauge railway; the intention was that local representatives should visit the railway and assess its capability. Since the result was convincing, more and more narrow-gauge lines were subsequently approved.

In the September that year work began on the extension to the neighbouring village of Saupersdorf. Although the new section was very short (it was no longer than 4 kilometres), construction became a very complicated matter, as many retaining walls and bridges along the Rödelbach were needed. That explains why this short section from Kirchberg to Saupersdorf was officially opened more than a year later on 30 October 1882. Scheduled services on this section began on 1 November 1882.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Heinrich, Rainer; Parzyk, Gordon. Die Schmalspurbahn Wilkau-Haßlau–Carlsfeld (in German). p. 6.
  2. ^ Schattkowsky (2010), pp. 99 ff.
  3. ^ Karlsch, Rainer; Schäfer, Michael (2006). Wirtschaftsgeschichte Sachsen im Industriezeitalter (in German) (Leipzig ed.). Dresden/Leipzig. pp. 90 ff.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ Schattkowsky (2010), pp. 100 ff.
  5. ^ Petrak, Andreas W. (2006). Die Schmalspurbahn Wolkenstein–Jöhstadt — Nebenbahndokumentation 68 (in German). Nordhorn: Verlag Kenning. p. 22. ISBN 3-933613-78-7.
  6. ^ Petrak, Andreas W. (2007). Links und rechts des Erzgebirges, Vol. 2: edition bohemica – Durch Böhmens Hain und Flur (in German). Himmelkron. p. 18. ISBN 978-3-940819-00-0.
  7. ^ Baldauf, Günter (2001). Die Flöhatalbahn (in German) (2nd expanded ed.). Friedrichsthal: Altis-Verlag. p. 19. ISBN 3-910195-30-X.
  8. ^ a b Preuß, Erich; Preuß, Rainer (2002). Schmalspurbahnen in Sachsen (in German). Stuttgart: transpress Verlag. p. 12. ISBN 3-613-71205-9.
  • Schattkowsky, Martina, ed. (2010). Erzgebirge – Kulturlandschaften Sachsens Band 3 (in German) (Leipzig ed.). Dresden/Leipzig.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links edit

 
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