Германиядағы Кирницштал трамвайы

Tramway in Saxony, Germany

The Kirnitzschtal tramway, also known as the Kirnitzschtalbahn, is an electric tramway in Saxony, Germany. The line runs through the valley of the Kirnitzsch river in Saxon Switzerland, from the town of Bad Schandau up to the Lichtenhain Waterfall, in the municipality of Sebnitz. The line is principally a tourist service, being the only tramway to serve a National Park in Germany, and uses historical rolling stock built between 1925 and 1968. The line is operated by the Regionalverkehr Sächsische Schweiz Osterzgebirge GmbH (RVSOE). This company also operates local and regional bus services in Saxon Switzerland and the adjoining Osterzgebirge (Eastern Ore Mountains), together with boat services on the Elbe river.

The first plans for the line were introduced in 1893. These were for a tramway from Bad Schandau to Kirnitzschschänke (now cs in the Czech Republic). The decision on the form of propulsion to use was controversial, with both steam locomotives and electric traction proposed. However steam propulsion proved uneconomic, and electrification was chosen, requiring the construction of a power plant. The line opened from Bad Schandau as far as the Lichtenhain Waterfall on Saturday, May 28, 1898. The remainder of the line, to Kirnitzschschänke, was never built for economic reasons, and service was initially limited to the summer months. The initial vehicle fleet comprised six enclosed motorcars and six open trailers, which were built by Busch in Bautzen. In 1926, the overhead electricity supply was completely renewed, the existing cars were modernised and two new cars were purchased from Waggonbau Görlitz. However, during the night of 26 July 1927, fire destroyed the depot and the entire fleet. Service was restored on August 12 and continued until October 31 using cars borrowed from the Lößnitz Tramway. In 1928, a new fleet of five motorcars and six trailers built by MAN were put into service and the Lößnitz Tramway cars were returned to Radebeul. However a maintenance car from the Lößnitz Tramway remained on the Kirnitzschtal tramway until 1954, over 20 years after the other borrowed cars had been scrapped. It was transferred to the Lockwitztal tramway, where it remained in regular transport service until 1968. In 1992, the line acquired two motor cars similar to the trailers acquired in 1984. A further two motor cars and two trailers were acquired in 1995 and a final motor car in 2007. These vehicles came from various East German cities, and, along with the trailers acquired in 1984 are collectively known as Gothawagen. Their arrival allowed the retirement of the remaining Erfurter motor cars and MAN trailers. Between October 1993 and May 1994, the line underwent extensive construction work, including rebuilds of the depot and the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall stop. As of January 1, 2019, the Oberelbische Verkehrsgesellschaft Pirna Sebnitz mbH (OVPS), which had previously operated the line, became part of the Regionalverkehr Sächsische Schweiz Osterzgebirge GmbH (RVSOE), which now operates the tramway. Principally a tourist service, the line transports passengers to the waterfall and to a number of access points for hiking, including along the lt=Malerweg or Painters' Way. Adjacent to its waterfall terminus is the half timbered Lichtenhainer Wasserfall hotel, which has been described by The Guardian as "delightfully kitsch". The line is unusual in that it is mostly "gutter running", a type of track layout once common on rural tramways in Germany. In this tramway, the track is laid in the southern, eastbound, lane of the S165 Kirnitzschtalstrasse road. Thus westbound trams heading towards Bad Schandau travel against the normal flow of road traffic, requiring heightened attention from both tram and road vehicle drivers. Although some of the line's tramcars are double ended, only the doors on the south side are used, as all the stops are on the south side of the road. In the 1990s the line installed solar cells on the roof for the depot, which contribute about 20% of the electricity used by the system. Although RVSOE is a member of the Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe (VVO), that organisation's common fare structure does not apply to the Kirnitzschtal Tramway, reflecting its predominantly tourist nature. The line is paralleled throughout by OVPS bus route 241, which accepts VVO fares. On the parallel stretch, bus service varies from half hourly, on summer weekends, to a few journeys a day, on winter weekdays.

ImageNumbersTypeDateNotes1 4,6Gothawagen motor car1957 1960Acquired from various East German tram systems at various times. Cars 1 2 were acquired from the Plauen tramway in 1992, 3 from Plauen in 1995, 4 from the Zwickau tramway in 1995 and 6 from the Jena tramway via Radeburg in 2007. These cars, together with matching trailers 21 to 26, provide the main service on the line.8Erfurter motor car1938Built for use on the Erfurt tramway, where it was used until 1968. It was then acquired and rebuilt for use on the Lockwitztal tramway. When that line closed in 1977, car 8 and four other ex Erfurt cars were acquired by the Kirnitzschtal line, where they provided the main motor car service until replaced by Gothawagen motor cars in the 1990s. The only Erfurter car still on the Kirnitzschtal line, it is now used for special services.9Bautzen motor car1925Built for use on the Lockwitztal tramway. The car was restored in 1976 for the 70th anniversary of the Lockwitztal line, but after the line closed the following year it was slated for scrapping. At the last minute this was avoided and the car was transferred to the Kirnitzschtal in 1979. It is now used for special services.12MAN trailer1928Built for the Kirnitzschtal tramway as one of the class of trailers that provided the main service on the line from 1928 to the 1980s, when they were replaced by Gothawagen trailers. Car 12 was restored to working order in 1991, and is now used for special services hauled by matching motor car 5.21 26Gothawagen trailer1963 1968Cars 21 24 were acquired and rebuilt in 1984 using bodies from the standard gauge Leipzig tramway married with metre gauge trucks from the Halle tramway. Cars 25 26 were acquired from Zwickau in 1995. These cars, hauled by matching motor cars 1 to 4 and 6, provide the main service on the line.

During 2008, motor car 5 and trailer 12 were used in the filming of The Reader, based on Bernhard Schlink's novel of the same name. Filming took place both on the Görlitz tramway and on the Kirnitzschtal line. During filming on the Kirnitzschtal line, the actress Kate Winslet acted as the conductress of the tram set.