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Danke, Ihre HSB GmbH

Fahrpläne	Unser Streckennetz

The history of the Harzquer Railway

The Harzquer Railway cuts through the Harz Mountains through their North-South axis. The tracks along the 60 km or so stretch between Wernigerode and Nordhausen take trains along a fantastic tableau, embracing all of the attractions of the Harz region.

Harzquerbahn

The journey first of all takes you straight through the town of Wernigerode, idyllically surrounded by houses and front gardens. After Sternerne Renne the train starts the long, demanding climb to Drei-Annen-Hohne, a genuine paradise for walking in. The journey then takes you along the narrow bends of the Drängetal (Dränge Valley) and through the only tunnel you will find on any narrow-gauge railway route in former East Germany.

As the trip continues on towards Nordhausen, it climbs up as far as the Benneckenstein (Bennecken Rock) and then drops down through deep wooded valleys to Ilfeld, the mountainous gateway to Southern Harz. The amazing journey finally comes to an end at the impressive reception building at the Nordhausen North Railway Station. Ever since the green signal disc was first lifted for a train back in 1987, the track has been travelled by steam-powered trains. And you can still feel the flair of the last century as you sit on the train for the ride which takes about three hours or so.

History

27.05.1896	The licence was granted to build and operate a narrow-gauge railway from Nordhausen to Wernigerode with a branch line leading to Brocken Mountain
25.06.1896	Establishment of the Nordhausen-Wernigerode Railway Company (NWE)
12.07.1897	Opening of the first section of the track between Nordhausen - Ilfeld
01.05.1898	Opening of the line between Ilfeld - Netzkater
20.06.1898	Opening of the line from Wernigerode to Schierke via Drei-Annen-Hohne
28.07.1898	Ceremony to mark the laying of the foundation stone at Mount Brocken Railway Station
15.09.1898	Opening of the section of the track between Netzkater and Benneckenstein
27.03.1899	Formal opening of the lines from Drei-Annen-Hohne to Benneckenstein and from Schierke to Mount Brocken. The NWE's 79.41 km railway network was thus open to rail traffic throughout
01.04.1908	The NWE takes over the running of "Eisenbahnbau- und Betriebsgesellschaft Berlin" (the Berlin Railway Construction and Operation Company)
01.04.1916	The management at NWE moves its offices from Nordhausen to Wernigerode
01.04.1918	Eduard Scharnhorst takes up a managerial position at NWE and, thanks to his far-sighted innovative actions, makes a significant contribution in the ensuing years to the economic boom experienced by the railways
1926	Establishment of the NWE's bus company running scheduled route travel and special excursions. The "Harz Roller" symbol is displayed on the buses
06.07.1927	The worst ever accident in the history of the Harzquer Railway. Heavy rain causes a railway embankment at the Thumkuhlental Bridge to flood. The locomotive and two railcars to derail, killing six people
1945-1949	Restriction or complete interruption of rail traffic on the Harzquer and Mount Brocken Railway due to pressure from the Soviet Forces of Occupation
19.01.1949	The NWE is expropriated by virtue of the issue of the certificate of expropriation from the Soviet Military Administration
01.04.1949	he Harzquer and Mount Brocken Railway is handed over to Deutsche Reichsbahn (East German State Railways) for its administration and use
1954-1956	17 new Babelsberg locomotives are purchased. To the present day they from the backbone of the scheduled rail services of the Harz Narrow-Gauge Railways
13.08.1961	Rail excursion to Mount Brocken are interrupted due to the construction of the Berlin Wall; passengers may now only travel from Drei-Annen-Hohne on to Schierke with a permit
1963-1964	Introduction of rolling stock transport on the Harzquer and Mount Brocken Railway
1972	The East German Ministry of Transport classifies the Harzquer Railway as a monument to engineering
03.06.1984	Resumption of regular rail excursions on the Straßberg-Stiege line
March 1991	Formation of a (Civil Law) Company in Preparation for the Establishment of a Municipal Service Company. It is owned by the rural districts of Wernigerode, Quedlinburg and Nordhausen, the towns and villages along the line, Quedlinburg and Tanne town councils and the Braunlage Cure Company. Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB) [Harz Narrow-Gauge Railways) is formed from the Municipal Founding Company on 19.11.1991
27.05.1991	The first steam locomotive arrives at Mount Brocken Railway Station since 1987. Work gets under way to overhaul the Mount Brocken section of the line. Scheduled rail services to Mount Brocken are resumed one year later
19.11.1991	Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB) [Harz Narrow-Gauge Railways) is formed
15.09.1991	The resumption of rail services from Schierke to Mount Brocken is marked with great festivities and two special trains. An excursion train travels along the line for the first time in over thirty years. Scheduled rail services to Mount Brocken are resumed on 1.7.1992
26.11.1992	The Ministry of Ecomonic Affairs, Technology and Transport of the State of Saxony-Anhalt awards HSB construction and operating rights
01.02.1993	HSB takes over the regional patronage of Harzquer and Mount Brocken Railway (as well as the Selketal Railway). This handover, which is completed in a record time of 13 months, makes this the first non-state owned railway service to operate regular rail excursion services in the new federal states.

Line profile