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Across the Harz Railways 2010

part No. 1

Our friends from Iron Monument Club in Plzen ordered autumn trip to Harz Narrow Gauge Railways and they offered us participate this trip together with them. Because we have some Harz models on our garden railway, we accepted their invitation. Transport was individual this time, regarding lower number of participantes and we met in a hostel on the edge of small town Meisdorf where we spent next three night. Catering by Mircev - Kopal was famous as ever. We pay homage their cookery.

Origins of building Harz Narrow Gauge Railways HSB (Harzer SchmalspurBahnen) go down till 1887. The first narrow line was opened from Gernrode to Mägdesprung 7th August 1887 by company Gernrode-Harzgeroder Eisenbahn. This line was extended from Mägdesprung through Alexisbad to Harzgerode and from Alexisbad through Silberhütte (Anhalt), Lindenberg (today Strassberg/Harz), Güntersberge and Stiege to Hasselfelde during next years by the year 1892. The Nordhausen-Wernigeroder Eisenbahn company started operation the first section from Nordhausen to Ilfeld 12th July 1897. The entire line from Nordhausen to Wernigerode with a branch from Drei Annen Hohne to Brocken mountain peak was opened 27th March 1898. Südharzeisenbahngesellschaft company opened next line from Walkenriedu through Brunnenbachsmühle to Braunlage and line from Brunnenbachsmühle through Sorge to Tanne about 1899. This line was used for goods transport only. Company Gernrode-Harzgeroder Eisenbahn built cross-connecting line between stations Stiege and Eisfelder Talmühle. This line got through both railways. Companies Nordhausen-Wernigeroder Eisenbahn and Südharzeisenbahngesellschaft agreed on building of throat track in station Sorge in 1913. This track got through all three railways and Harz region got network of 1,000 mm gauge railways with lenght 200 km.
Harz narrow gauge railways supplied transport services for locals, local companies and turist all one century because this scenery around Brocken mountain peak attracted the attention. But future of Harz Narrow Gauge railways was unsure in the first days after fall of the "fire-curtain". The operation was preservation thanks to successor company Harzer SchmalspurBahnen GmbH (HSB).
So, you try to get on a train and you drift along beatiful atmosphere of steam locomotives and smoky railway stations ...

Station Gernrode

The first day our touring we started in station Gernrode on Selketalbahn. Just from this station was opened first section narrow gauge line to Mägdesprung on 7th August 1887. It was end station of HSB until 2005. Only 18th April 2005 was opened 8.5 km long narrow gauge line to Quedlinburg. The parallel normal gauge line was canceled before long. We waited for steam passenger train No. 8951 here. We wanted to keep track of this train to the station Eisfelder Talmühle.

Station building.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station schedule on the round-house.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Round-house Gernrode.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

A view on gridiron towards
Quedlinburg.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station little houses.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station little house.
(phto © Martin Siler)

The station building of normal gauge
line came down to this day.
(photo © Lukas Randysek)

A part of excursion tour
during morning briefing.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

The main cameraman Jiri Kansky.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

A traction staff.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Steam locomotives 99 6101
and 99 247 in the round-house.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Railmotor 187 012-0.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Passenger car KB 900-513.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Service car Pw4i 904-153.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Arrival of train No. 8951 with steam locomotive 99 5906-5 from Quedlinburg to Gernrode:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Passenger car in station Gernrode:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Departure of train from station Gernrode:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

And then pursuit of steam train started, because we wanted to photo its on a different places.
The first stop was on the grade crossing near way station Sternhaus Haferfeld:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station Mägdesprung

We took a snap of trains crossing in station Mägdesprung. Our train No. 8951 crossed with train No. 8960 from Harzgerode. This train was drawn by steam locomotive 99 6001-4.
The first catch from model rolling-stock of our garden railway:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Trains crossing in station
Mägdesprung.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Car for bicycle shipping.
(photo © Martin Siler)

Derailer.
(photo © Lukas Randysek)

Preparing for photographing
and filming.
(photo © Jiri Polak)

Photographer in action.
(photo © Jiri Polak)

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station Alexisbad

We are waiting for train arrival.
(photo © Jiri Polak)

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station Silberhütte

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station Stiege

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Interior of railmotor.
(photo © Martin Siler)

Interior of railmotor.
(photo © Lukas Randysek)

Engineer's cab.
(photo © Lukas Randysek)

The train 8951 departure on the reset loop near gridiron after taking up and exit of passengers.
It turned round on this loop and it continued through station Stiege into station Eisfelder Talmühle:

Arrival to reset loop.
(photo © Martin Siler)

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station Eisfelder Talmühle

Train No. 8920 from station Nordhausen Nord with steam locomotive 99 7245-6 arrived at the first. Locomotice crew eked a water after arrive:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Our morning train No. 8921 arrived as second in line and it finished in station Eisfelder Talmühle.
It was prepared for departure to Gernrode after water refilling, lubricate and steam locomotive relayed, now as No. 8952:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Passenger car KB 900-441.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Passenger car KB 900-487.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Service car KBD 902-309.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Service car KDaai 905-151.
(photo © Tomas Randysek)

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Parallel departure of trains No. 8952 and No. 8920 from station Eisfelder Talmühle:

(photo © Martin Siler)

(photo © Jiri Polak)

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

(photo © Martin Siler)

Station Wernigerode

We arrived into Wernigerode together with a passenger train No. 8932 from Brocken,
with a steam locomotive 99 7243-1:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

This steam locomotive 99 7243-1 was equipment by coal:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Stand-by locomotives in depot:

(photo © Tomas Randysek)

Station Wernigerode Westerntor

There are HSB workshop in station Wernigerode Westerntor. We missed their sightseen,
but we explored shunting lines with interesting things:

Line of the Harz Railway passes through centre of one´s traveled crossing in Wernigerode.
Car traffic stops for a while and everyone watch passing train:

Operating day for steam locomotive 99 7234-0 finished in the Wernigerode depot meanwhile.
Engine driver eked water and he executed another necessary operations to be locomotive ready
for next engine roster: