Germany (July 2005)

Falkenberg was a big railway-cross in the east of Halle' rail district and an important knot of Deutsche Reichsbahn' railway-net too. It always was a center of freight engines, first of all class 52. The locomotives were used to haul heavy coal trains from the Lausitz district and Silesia. Beside the reconstructed class 52.80 also some class 52 in original design survived here until the beginning of the 80s, mostly used for stationary services (e.g. heating). The last regular line-services consisted of a pair of freight trains to Jueterbog and back. 31th of December 1986 was the last day of regular steam. Afterwards only sporadic services of the reproached machines were to be observed. The last representatives of their kind were 52.8044, 8063, 8120 and 8174 - easy to identify as Falkenberg' engines by the blue painted handles of the cabin-ladders...

52.8044-1 awaiting next service in Jueterbog.		52.8174-6 with a very short train ready for departure in Jueterbog.
52.8120-9 is passing the former shed at Schlieben.		52.8120-9 at Herzberg Stadt (Herzberg City station).
52.8120-9 in Herzberg Stadt.		52.8120-9 after arrival in Falkenberg lower station.