Harz Narrow Gauge - HSB

That's quite mild. Last time I went up the Fichtelbergbahn (Cranzahl-Oberwiesenthal) it was -20°C at the top! (December 2009).

 

For those tempted to visit the Brocken today :

Current: 25.02.2017, 07:00 hours

Temperature: -5.7 ° C
Visibility: 100 m
Wind speed: 38 km / h
Snow level: 68 cm

Camera view at Drei Annen Hohne is dull but clear visibility :

http://www.hsb-wr.de/mehr-erkunden/webcams/kamera-drei-annen-hohne/

 

Just returned from a super tour of the Harz network.
Can anyone explain the numbering system(s) on the HSB steam loco's please
Thanks in advance.

 

99 refers to anything narrow gauge. The 59xx series are the Mallets, the 72xx series the heavy 2-10-2T, the 60xx series the one off 2-6-2T and the 61xx the two 0-6-0Ts. One of the 2-10-2Ts carries it's pre DDR number - 99 222. When DDR started computerising, a computer check digit was added to running numbers, e.g. 99 7241-5.

 

In addition note that the first digit of the 4-character serial number denotes the gauge on which the locomotive works. In the mid-1970s it was also used to identify oil-fired locomotives hence the current Class 99.23 (99.231-247 now 99.7231-7247) bearing the fleet numbers 99.0231-0247.

The class numbers were those used by the pre-WWII Deutsches Reichsbahn and continued by the post-WWII Deutsches Demoktratische Rechsbahn (DDR); these are taken from the fleet number hence 99.222 / 7222 is part of Class 99.22 which originally included 99.221-223 whilst Class 99.23 includes 99.231-247 (now 7231-7247). For anyone who is interested, information on the Harz / HSB network is contained in a personal book (which I am seeking to get published) that can be seen at :

https://www.albelli.co.uk/view-online-photo-book/929a379b-fe86-491f-8357-9848257e9963

 

So how doses that work with the 99.59 Mallets, the 99.60 2-6-2T and the 99.61 0-6-0Ts?

 

You'll need to ask the Germans that one BUT in my 1977 copy of Taschenbuch Deutsche Schmalspur-Dampflokomotiven these 3 classes are catalogued as 99.590, 99.600 and 99.610 respectively; these are the classifications that are still used today as far as more up to date books classify them. I can only think that the classification of the Saxon Meyers (Class 99.51-60 = 99.511-608 / 99.1511-1608) and the Saxon VK (Class 61 = 99.611-619) got there first but then I'm no expert on German traction or logic !

 

Thanks very much Gents.

I am now much enlightened.

 

Fred,

Love the photo-book. Good luck with getting it published - It certainly deserves a wider audience.

 

As you suggest, perhaps the system post dates all but the 99.72 class.

 

But note that there has never been a 99.72 class in the German narrow gauge systems. The current 99.72xx are actually 99.23 class (99.231-247) developed from the prototype 99.22 class (99.221-223) but in post WWII days the DR elected to prefix serial numbers with a digit indicating the gauge of the operating line hence the HSB fleet gaining "7" to become 99.7231-7247 whilst 99.222 has been operated as both 99.222 and 99.7222 by the HSB. If you look at images in the book (linked to above) you will note some images of the Class 99.23 locos having a "0" digit to denote oil-firing but when oil-firing was removed in the 1980s the digit reverted to "7". The current operation of 99.236 in its DDR guise, however, does not include the the leading "0" digit or the fitting of oil-firing AFAIK.

Thinking back to your earlier query re 99.600 / 610 it may be that the German "logic" simply added a trailing zero thus 99.60 becoming 99.600 and 99.61 becoming 99.610 as the 2-digit sub group had already been used. This would also follow some computer logics - especially where numbers as defined simply as characters rather than numerics hence class sequence being character order 60 600 61 610 rather than numeric order 60 61 600 610.

 

In case anyone off soon, the emergency TT on Selketalbahn has been replaced from today (8th July) with a different emergency TT. There was little notice of this change.

I think the old was better, with two returns to Eisfelder T. The new has no steam at all on the 0830 Quedlinburg, so Stiege Loop no longer sees steam and the possible parallel departure out of Eisfelder (which was erratic anyhow) is no more.

99.7237 did the last 0830 yesterday. The parallel departure looked likely, except 99.7243 on the Nordhausen was poorly and crew trying to fix (without success), so eventually 99.7237 left ahead. Fitters were at Drei Annen Hohne to meet 99.7243 and seemed to do the trick, but it was taken off the Nordhausen duty with 99.7240 taking charge and 99.7243 took the Wernigerode duty.

Busy day today with two specials up Brocken. 99.5902 + 99.5901 ready for one and the ecs to Gernrode yesterday for the special from there was 99.7235. So 13 steam trains up Brocken today.

David

 

Seems the whole of the system is currently shut due to flooding and storm damage. Yesterday there were no services from Schierke to the Brocken, but now it appears there are no services at all.

 

Wir sind glücklich, dass Klimaveränderung an der Wahlurne ignoriert werden kann.

If a post in my appalling German annoys you, trust me when I say that the translated sentiment would annoy you an awful lot more.

 

Hasserode looks a bit wet! Services should resume between Nordhausen and Ifield tomorrow, but no announcement about the rest of the network.

 

Not really related to this thread but would any German orientated enthusiasts be interested in 10 years worth [1980s to late 90s] of the German language magazine 'Lok Report'? I'm reducing my collection due to space considerations. Free to collect in Cheshire or North Wales or I can deliver in the North West/North Wales.

 

Very nice job indeed!

 

The HSB have issued their 2018 Summer timetable https://www.hsb-wr.de/mehr-erfahren/fahrplaene/sommerfahrplan/brockenbahn/ It looks to have little changed from last year except that the Th,F,SO second steam turn on the Selketal appears to have been re-introduced, which is good news indeed. My flights are already booked DSA-TXL as the times were much more convenient than via MAN or LPL as previously and there are good connections from Berlin to Wernigerode via Magdeburg.
Ray.

 

Some less than good news for 2018. Due to its financial position, the HSB is withdrawing from the HarzTourCard ticketing agreement. Only the HSB runabout tickets will be valid on the steam trains and they are expected to increase in price significantly. This from the next tariff change, but I'm not sure when this is. It's also withdrawing from the Seleketalticket, although I could never really see the point of that ticket. Although does the HarzTourCard have any future without the HSB? You get the buses free with your Wernigerode 'Ticket' (tourist tax), so it is only the HEX mainline trains that are of interest from the HTC.

This makes bashing the Harz significantly more expensive and I question how often I go in future.

Currently, there have been no trains over the entire system since 18th January, except for the Nordhausen trams, due to the storm that devastated much of Germany. Today, 20th, at least a 2-10-2T was back on the steam duty from Gernrode, but the snow-blower looked to be all that was moving elsewhere.

 

An adult 3 day ticket is 82 Euro about £72 which is £24 a day, some of our UK preserved railways charge circa £20 for a day ticket, at the NYMR an off peak Whitby return is £29.

I'm happy to pay that if it means the HSB are able to continue with their current levels of steam services