Kleinbahn
Encyclopedia
The term Kleinbahn was a light railway
concept used especially in Prussia
for a railway line that "on account of its low importance for general railway transport" had less strict requirements placed on its construction and operation that main lines (Hauptbahnen) or secondary lines (Nebenbahnen i.e. normal branch lines). Even public railway lines built for constructional or industrial purposes were counted as Kleinbahnen.
In several former German states such as (Mecklenburg
, Oldenburg
and Baden
) the concept Kleinbahn was partially adopted for lines of limited length and light construction. In the other German-speaking states, the terms Lokalbahn (Baden, Bayern, Austria), Sekundärbahn (Saxony) or Vizinalbahn (Bayern) were preferred.
In everyday speech the term Kleinbahn is widely used as a synonym for narrow gauge
lines or garden railway
s. Despite that, Kleinbahnen may be built in either standard gauge
(1,435 mm) as well as in narrow gauge.
was the 'Pomeranian state railways' (Pommerschen Landesbahnen) founded in 1940.
, the Kleinbahn law has been superseded everywhere by new national railway laws. The former Kleinbahnen are classified today as Nebenbahnen (branch lines).
Links:
Kleinbahn Co., : http://www.kleinbahn.com/kontakt_index.html
Kleinbahn product catalog. : http://www.kleinbahn.com/produkte_index.html
Kleinbahn in Wikipedia (German edition): http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleinbahn_(Modelleisenbahn)
Light railway
Light railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
concept used especially in Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
for a railway line that "on account of its low importance for general railway transport" had less strict requirements placed on its construction and operation that main lines (Hauptbahnen) or secondary lines (Nebenbahnen i.e. normal branch lines). Even public railway lines built for constructional or industrial purposes were counted as Kleinbahnen.
Origin and use
The concept was defined in the Prussian Kleinbahn law of 28 July 1892, that was designed to encourage the construction of local railway lines by private companies. The word Kleinbahn was chosen by a majority of MPs in the Prussian parliament instead of a range of other options - Lokalbahn (local line), Bahn unterster Ordnung (line of the lowest order) or Bahn untergeordneter Bedeutung (line of secondary importance) - because it was neither a foreign word nor had negative overtones.In several former German states such as (Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
, Oldenburg
Oldenburg (state)
Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...
and Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
) the concept Kleinbahn was partially adopted for lines of limited length and light construction. In the other German-speaking states, the terms Lokalbahn (Baden, Bayern, Austria), Sekundärbahn (Saxony) or Vizinalbahn (Bayern) were preferred.
In everyday speech the term Kleinbahn is widely used as a synonym for narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
lines or garden railway
Garden railway
A garden railroad or garden railway is a model railway system set up outdoors in a garden. While G is the most popular scale for garden railroads, 16 mm scale has a dedicated and growing following especially in the UK. Model locomotives in this scale are often live steam scale models of British...
s. Despite that, Kleinbahnen may be built in either standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
(1,435 mm) as well as in narrow gauge.
Construction and operation
The construction and operation of Kleinbahnen were carried out to less stringent requirements, e.g. tracks were laid in a gravel rather than a normal ballast bed, and usually by private companies, which nevertheless in many cases involved substantial participation by the state, the province or local communities. The Kleinbahn company with the largest railway network in the whole of the German EmpireGerman Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
was the 'Pomeranian state railways' (Pommerschen Landesbahnen) founded in 1940.
Today
Except in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, the Kleinbahn law has been superseded everywhere by new national railway laws. The former Kleinbahnen are classified today as Nebenbahnen (branch lines).
Model Railway
The name Kleinbahn, German for small train, is also the name of a model railway manufacturer based in Vienna, Austria. The company was founded in 1947 by Erich Klein. The HO scale models produced by the company are destined primarily for the Austrian market: most of the models are based on Austrian Railway prototypes. Their current catalogu offers a selection of locomotives; passenger and freight rolling stock; track and switches as well as catenery and signaling equipment. Kleinbahn produces an economically priced product that is readily affordable to a wider market. Kleinbahn has eschewed extreme detail and sophistication and has instead focused on the development and manufacture of models of a simpler and more robust finish. The models are not widely available as their models are not available through the usual hobby shops. Instead, their product is available almost exclusively through company outlets located in a number of Austrian cities including Vienna where the company is headquartered, as well as Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Linz, and Bregenz, all in Austria. Their products may also be purchased by mail order.Links:
Kleinbahn Co., : http://www.kleinbahn.com/kontakt_index.html
Kleinbahn product catalog. : http://www.kleinbahn.com/produkte_index.html
Kleinbahn in Wikipedia (German edition): http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleinbahn_(Modelleisenbahn)
List of Kleinbahnen
There is a list of German Kleinbahnen in the list of former German railway companies.See also
- German Railway SocietyGerman Railway SocietyThe German Railway Society or GRS is a UK-based society which was founded in 1981 by Stephen Rabone and has a membership of over 600 .- Aim :...
which runs a preserved Kleinbahn museum railway near BremenBremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. - Light railwayLight railwayLight railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
External links
- There is an English-language discussion forum at Railways of Germany