Feldbahn

A , or , is the German term for a narrow-gauge field railway, usually not open to the public, which in its simplest form provides for the transportation of agricultural, forestry () and industrial raw materials such as wood, peat, stone, earth and sand. Such goods are often transported in tipper wagons, known in German as , hence such a railway is also referred to as a .

Military use

During the First World War, the enormous logistical demands of trench warfare led to the development of military narrow-gauge railway or networks, also referred to as trench railways. Throughout World War I, the British and French also used trench railways, called War Department Light Railways and Decauville railways respectively. However, the German approach was less improvised and more permanent. With each successful advance, the British and French forces faced ever lengthening supply lines, while the Germans retreated deeper towards their homeland. As a result, the was an organic growth of existing agricultural, industrial and mining railways. After the war, much remaining trackage and rolling stock was put to use in more conventional narrow-gauge applications throughout Europe.

General use

In the processing industry, these narrow-gauge railways once held an important role. As a result, Feldbahnen were frequently associated with refractory clay factories, brickyards, sugar factories and iron and steel mills. They were also used for pulling canal barges, transporting military materiel and personnel and removing materials from large-scale building sites and the rubble () from ruined cities after the Second World War. Rail gauges were between and .

The track (rails and sleepers) utilised, ranged from light, rail frames that could be carried and laid by two men and were often laid directly on the ground with no trackbed, to properly laid, ballasted lines for heavy loads and extended use. Tight curves enabled lines to be more easily routed, largely without structures being required, even in difficult terrain. Provisional track laid along the edges of ditches as they were being extended forward, often on soft ground, led occasionally to derailments. As a result, on many , wooden planks and other lifting gear were carried. Turntables were usually operated by hand.

Simple and robust vehicles characterised everyday operations. Locomotives were not always available, so it was quite common for individual wagons - even when loaded - to be moved with horses or by human muscle power alone. In tight spaces or where access was difficult, the help of children and youngsters was enlisted to haul tipper wagons.

Frequently rolling stock was hand-built or was manufactured to order in small batches. Usually no signals were installed, the low speeds enabling trains to be driven by sight. At level crossings on larger roads, temporary bells or light signals were installed, that enabled trains to cross safely.

In the munitions depots of the German Federal Navy (), narrow-gauge railways with a rail gauge of were used to move ammunition and materiel. In the depot at Laboe type S 14 () rail profiles were laid and later changed to new S 20 () rails . One type DS 60 locomotive and 18 DIEMA DS 90 locomotives were used. The railway stock there also included a fire fighting train, a snow blower and even a rotary snow plough. Three seated coaches were available for the transport of personnel. The line at Aurich depot was closed in 1982 and last operations in Laboe took place in 1993. Finally, in December 1996, the Laboe railway was closed. Its total track length was . A DS 90 locomotive, no. 9, is still in the depot at Laboe as a memorial.

Today's situation

The use of declined dramatically in the late 20th century, as their tasks have been taken on by lorries and electrically driven conveyor belts. They are now used only where the ground conditions (e.g. moorland or peat bogs) or lack of space (mining) render the routine use of other means impractical. The is still widely used in Germany in industrial peat extraction, especially in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. In addition they are still used occasionally in brickworks and other industrial premises. As a result, increasing numbers of museums and societies dedicate themselves to the protection of historical railways. This includes efforts in many places to restore closed again and to give them new life as museum railways.

Feldbahn museums and working lines

Germany

Baden-Württemberg

Bad Wurzach Buchen Mannheim Technoseum Neckarbischofsheim Spiegelberg Wiesloch Feldbahn and Industrial Museum

Bavaria Fürstenfeldbruck: Fürstenfeldbruck Model Railway Club Hengersberg Nuremberg: Feldbahn-Museum 500 Rottau am Chiemsee: Bavarian Moor and Peat Museum Sankt Oswald-Riedlhütte: Riedlhütte Feldbahn and Waldbahn, , Length: Petersaurach/Rügland (Ansbach district): Franconian Feldbahn Museum

Berlin

Berlin – FEZ Wuhlheide: Feldbahn project at FEZ Wuhlheide Berlin – Britzer Garten: museum railway (built from Feldbahn components on the former BUGA site, several vehicles are replicas of historic prototypes)

Brandenburg Mildenberg: Mildenberg Brickworks Park, 2 clay tipper railways, and

Hesse Frankfurt am Main: Frankfurt Feldbahn Museum Eichenberg: Eichenberger Waldbahn Bad Schwalbacher Kurbahn Solms–Oberbiel: Feldbahn and Fortuna Pit Railway Museum Bad Orber Light Railway: reactivated in 2002 with a Feldbahn track

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Alt Schwerin: Historical Agriculture Museum Bad Sülze: salt museum, peat railway

Lower Saxony

Baltrum: island railway for luggage transportation, 1949–1985 Burgsittensen: Burgsittensen Moor Railway Deinste: German Feldbahn and Kleinbahn Museum Diepenau: Uchter Moor Railway Drochtersen–Aschhorn: Moorkieker Moor Railway Essern: Essern Moor Railway Fredenbeck-Wedel: Wedel Feldbahn Freistatt–Heimstatt: deaconry Flögeln: Ahlenmoor Moor Railway Goldenstedt-Arkeburg: Nature information centre Groß-Hesepe: Emsland Moor Museum Hildesheim: Hildesheim Feldbahn Museum Minsener Oog – Minsener Oog Coastal Defence Railway (Lorenbahn for light goods traffic) Neustadt am Rübenberge Ostercappeln-Hitzhausen: museum for narrow-gauge industrial railways Sassenburg-Westerbeck: moor railway and Euflor Peat Works (part of the moor nature trail at www.moorlehrpfad.de) Saterland–Ramsloh: moor railway services, Koch Peat Works Wiesmoor: Peat and Settlers Museum

North Rhine-Westphalia

Lengerich Lengerich Railway Society Lage: Feldbahn in the WIM »Lage Brickworks« Oekoven: Feldbahn museum Witten-Bommern: Theresia Mine Pit and Feldbahn Museum Bochum-Dahlhausen Railway Museum Schermbeck-Gahlen Feldbahn Eslohe Mechanical and Local History Museum

Rhineland-Palatinate

Bad Ems: Pit railway in the Ems Mining Museum Guldental Ramsen (Pfalz): Waldbahn stub line Serrig: estate Sondernheim: brickyard museum (Ziegeleimuseum Sondernheim)

Saxony

Chemnitz: Feldbahn in the Saxon Railway Museum Glossen bei Oschatz: Feldbahn viewing point Leipzig-Lindenau: Museum Feldbahn, Lindenau (Radebeul): Radebeul-Lindenau sawmill Feldbahn Löbau: Werner‘s Garden Railway Lohmen: Herrenleite Feldbahn Museum, Dresden Historic Feldbahn Niederwürschnitz (bei Chemnitz): "Old Brickworks" Feldbahn

Saxony-Anhalt Elbingerode: pit railway Bennstedt: Feldbahn under construction Schlanstedt: Schlanstedt Historic Feldbahn Bad Dürrenberg: 1836 opening of the Tollwitz–Dürrenberger Feldbahn () with the first German railway tunnel ()

Schleswig-Holstein Aumühle near Hamburg: Feldbahn on the terrain of the Verein Verkehrsamateure und Museumsbahn:de: Bad Bramstedt Bad Malente Gremsmühlen Neritz-Flogensee, chicken farm, , length Tolk-Schau in Tolk near Schleswig (Stadt) Nordstrandischmoor island: Lüttmoorsiel-Nordstrandischmoor island railway The line to the halligs of Oland and Langeneß are built to a gauge which is uncommon amongst Feldbahnen. (however the definition of a Feldbahn is not a question of gauge, but rather of purpose and operation.) Buchhorster Waldbahn, as museum railway operated remaining line of the former brickworks and matchworks near Lauenburg an der Elbe.

Thuringia

Ilfeld – Netzkater: pit railway Ilmenau: in the Volle Rose Show Mine Lichtenhain: Waldeisenbahn Trusetal: Hühn Pit – pit railway

Austria Lower Austria: Freiland in Türnitz, Feldbahn and industrial railway museum Lower Austria: Schwarzau im Gebirge, Rotte Naßwald: Naßwald Waldbahn (closed in 2008) Lower Austria: Schwechat, Schwechat Railway Museum Upper Austria: Wels, Scholz Feldbahn Vienna: Geriatriezentrum Am Wienerwald Feldbahn (closed 2011) Salzburg: Diabasbahn Saalfelden (closed in 2008 and replaced by a standard-gauge line) Salzburg: Großgmain Museum Feldbahn (rebuilt in 2009)

Austria/Switzerland Lustenau: International Rhine Control Railway (Bahn der internationalen Rheinregulierung)

Switzerland

Schinznach-Dorf: Schinznach Nursery Railway (www.schbb.ch) Otelfingen: Swiss Feldbahn and Werkbahn Society

Belgium Pairi Daiza zoo passenger steam train.

Czech Republic Kolínská řepařská drážka: sugar beet line (Rübenbahn)

Hungary Balatonfenyves narrow-gauge railway, museum railway Fishery Railway Hortobágy, museum railway Kecskemét Little Railway, museum railway only with draisine Nyírvidék Little Railway, closed in 2009 Fishery Railway Szeged, active fishery railway Fishery Railway Tömörkény, closed in 2021

Norway Kristiansand Kanonmuseum. Former ammunition railroad to Marinenküstenbatterie 6./502 "Vara'" (Norwegian name: Mövik fort). Built around 1941-1942, partially decommissioned around 1960. Restored back to running order in June 2016.

Feldbahn

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