Not sure if this belongs in this heading or Preservation.
Are there any preserved railways within distance of Dresden that run during the day in December?
Thanks in advance.
I must admit to being slightly surprised to see a question like this as I (perhaps stupidly) thought that the former DDR (aka communist East Germany) narrow gauge steam lines were well known in railway enthusiast circles (various UK railway magazines have covered them over the years).
To sum up, Germany as a whole from formation in 1871 had a huge number narrow gauge (mainly 750mm gauge but some 1000mm and 600mm gauge) railways. Due to accelerated economic development, most of the lines in 'West Germany' closed in the 1960s. In contrast, those which ended up on the Eastern side of the iron curtain survived much longer - and without large scale dieselisation - so retaining steam operations which had survived with steam due to the (how do I put this politely) poor economic development / lack of modernisation which pertained during the communist era in Eastern Europe.
In the end, many even in the DDR closed in the 1970s, but - famously (so I thought!) - eight networks survived with daily services right up to the 'fall of the wall' - and then beyond up to this day.
They are (north to south) :
- Island of Rugen: Ruegensche Baderbahn “Rasender Roland” (Lauterbach - Putbus - Goehren
- Mecklenbugische Baderbahn Molli (Bad Doberan - Ostseebad Kuehlungsborn)
- Harz narrow gauge network: Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (Wernigerode - Brocken summit, Wernigerode - Nordhausen Nord, and Eisfelder Talmuehle - Quedlinburg plus branches Hasselfelde and Harzgerode)
- Oschatz - Mugeln (freight only in the latter days of the DDR)
- Loessnitzgrundbahn. (Radebeul Ost - Radeburg)
- Weisseritztalbahn. (Freital Hainsberg - Kurort Kipsdorf)
- Zittau - Kurort Oybin and Kurort Jonsdorf
- Fichtelbergbahn (Cranzahl - Kurort Oberwiesenthal)
All of the lines were nationalised under the DDR 'Deutsche Reichsbahn' (DR) during the communist era and gradually privatised after 1989. None of the lines were /are considered to be 'preserved' in the UK sense (ie closed as if for ever by the original operator and later reopened by 'enthusiasts'), and some of the lines kept their early morning (eg 4.30am !) workers or school trains for a good few years right into the 1990s.
There is one more well known line that did close in the latter days of the DDR (Wolkenstein - Johstadt) and this has reopened as a preserved line in the UK sense of the word.
