Dresdner Parkeisenbahn

Dresdner Parkeisenbahn
Steam locomotive 003 (Moritz)
Overview
Type	Light railway
Locale	Dresden
Stations	5
Operation
Opened	1950
Operator(s)	Staatliche Schlössen und Gärten Dresden
Depot(s)	at Station Zoo
Technical
Line length	5.6 km (3.5 mi)
Track length	7.2 km (4.5 mi)
Track gauge	381 mm (15 in)
Operating speed	20 km/h (12 mph)
Route number	12249
Route map

Battery-electric locomotive EA02

The Parkeisenbahn car sheds

Double track section of line

The Dresdner Parkeisenbahn (Dresden park railway) is a 381 mm (15 in) minimum gauge railway in Dresden, Germany. The line opened in 1950 and has previously been known as the Kindereisenbahn and the Pioniereisenbahn. As these names suggest, the line is largely operated by children, and is a survivor of the many children's railways that were built in the former Eastern Bloc countries.

Operation

The railway operates within the Großer Garten, a large city centre park, from April to October. It is some 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) long and attracts approximately 250 000 visitors every year.^[1]

The line starts from An der Gläsernen Manufaktur station, which takes its name from the adjacent Gläserne Manufaktur, an iconic Volkswagen car factory. From here to Zoo station the line is double track, and served by trains in both directions. Zoo station takes its name from the nearby Dresden Zoo and is the headquarters of the line, with locomotive and car sheds. Beyond Zoo station, trains normally operate on a one-way single track loop via stations at Carolasee, Karcherallee and Palaisteich, before returning to Zoo station. A shorter loop is also available that omits Karcherallee station, but this is rarely used.^[1]

There are four locomotives belonging to the park railway. Of these, two are nearly identical steam locomotives built in 1925 with numbers 001 (Lisa) and 003 (Moritz). There are also two battery electric locomotives with EA01 built in 1962 and EA02 built in 1982. The locomotives haul 35 passenger cars and a number of ancillary vehicles.^[2]

Trains are run by a team of, in 2009, 165 children together with four full-time adult employees and some 50 seasonal and part-time staff. During the winter months, the children are trained in their tasks for the forthcoming summer.^[1]

History

The Parkeisenbahn was founded in 1950 as the Kindereisenbahn with only one track of 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) between Zoo and the former Stübelplatz (later known as Fučíkplatz and Straßburger Platz). This railway was planned to only last for one year, but it was kept and renamed the Pioniereisenbahn in 1951. The line was owned by Dresden City Council, but operated by the pioneer movement.^[3]

Also in 1951 the track was extended to 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi) running from Zoo via Carolasee and Palaisteich back to Zoo. Later in the same year the station Karcherallee was opened and the line reached its final length of 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi). In 1968 the track between Zoo and Fučíkplatz was doubled.^[3]

In 1990, after German reunification, the railway was renamed as the Parkeisenbahn. In 1993, ownership of the line was transferred to the state of Saxony. In 2000, the construction of the new Gläserne Manufaktur meant that the station at Straßburger Platz had to be relocated. The new station was opened in 2000, and subsequently renamed An der Gläsernen Manufaktur.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Parkeisenbahn - Interesting facts" (in German). Castles and Gardens Dresden. http://www.schloesser-dresden.de/index.php?entry_id=38. Retrieved 2010-05-04. 
2. ^ "Parkeisenbahn - Vehicle overview" (in German). Castles and Gardens Dresden. http://www.schloesser-dresden.de/index.php?entry_id=128. Retrieved 2010-05-04. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Parkeisenbahn - History" (in German). Castles and Gardens Dresden. http://www.schloesser-dresden.de/index.php?entry_id=37. Retrieved 2010-05-04. 

External links

• Dresdner Parkeisenbahn web site (German)
• Dresdner Parkeisenbahn web site (English subset)

Coordinates: 51°2′34″N 13°45′11″E / 51.04278°N 13.75306°E / 51.04278; 13.75306