Germany

Putbus - Goehren The 750 mm-gauge network of the Ruegen Island was built in 1895/96 and had once a length of 100 km. By closing down most of the lines in 1967-1971 the length of the network was reduced down to 24 km. The last surviving line, Putbus - Goehren, was intended to be close down until the end of the year 1976. The rescue came on 27.02.1975, when the line became a status of a regional monument. Facing this fact the Deutsche Reichsbahn had to renewal the tracks and the rolling stock. Because of low capacity and otherwise set priorities the work went on to beginning of the 80's. The character as typically Pomeranian narrow-gauge railway remained: Sand-bedded wooden sleepers, small rails and a very simple equipment at the station gave still a harmonious impression.

The only thing that was changed was the rolling stock. The old original Pomeranian locomotives of class "m" (0-8-0T, DR-class 99.463) and the two engines of class 99.480 (2-8-0T) kept in use, but in 1983 two big 2-10-2T (class 99.77-79) came from Saxony to take over the main services. The passenger cars there modernized too, but kept it's typical green color.

Although in Pomerania the clocks are ticking a little bit slower than in the rest of Germany the radical changes after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 still reached the Ruegen Island. The railway lost the status of a regional monument, was privatized and modernized. Several new operators changed in a short time and changed the character of the railway basically too. Here just a small review to a former time…

99.4801-9 in the depot of Putbus.		99.4802-7 in the forrest near Sellin West.
99.4802-7 at the end of the line in Goehren.		99.4632-8 at the beautiful staion of Binz East.
99.4632-8 with full steam near Seelvitz.		99.4632-8 in Serams.
99.1782-4 in Sellin.		99.1784-0 in the tight curve near Seelvitz.