[Germany] - South-East (Sachsen) - Sächsische Dampfeisenbahngesellschaft

Fahrplan / Tarif | SDG Sächsische Dampfeisenbahngesellschaft mbH This excellent website gives details full details of the three 750mm lines operated by the SDG (Saxon Steam Railway Company): Cranzahl - Oberwiesental, Radebeul - Radeburg and Fretal Hainsberg - Dippoldiswalde - (Kippsdorf), which some of you may remember from the old DDR (East Germany) days. The latter line was completely washed-out by the floods in the Dresden area in 2005(?), and has been restored as far as 'Dipps', with the restoration of the remainder commencing next year. The lines are operated by the SDG, with maintenance being contracted-out to the DB, who sold them off shortly after reunification. Around six return trains run daily, 365 days per year! The motive power is, by-and-large, the same as in DR days: the 99 17xx 2-10-2Ts, but they are now clean, as is the infrastructure!

I made a short visit to the Weißeritztalbahn (Freital Hainsberg - 'Dipps'), at the beginning of August, as I had not previously (in the DDR days) photographed in the Rabenauer Grund, a steep scenic valley between the stations at Rabenau and Spechtritz, and on my previous visit in 2005, the line was closed as the track was considerably 'mangled'. There is a convenient lineside footpath linking the two (1,000m). The loco on duty was 99 1771, the first loco in the DR post-war new-build programme.

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Nice to see the new bridge over the Weisseritz. Made a return trip to Kipsdorf in 1990 .The old bridge was a bit ramshackle
with gaps in the deck from missing planks.

Keith

 

Lovely line that - done it twice since the present section reopened, the most recent at Easter. Both times as part of an organised party. This year, we stopped off part way back down and had our evening meal at the restaurant just acrioss the river from line. Very nice too.

Steven

 

Photos of visits to the Weisseritztal and Zittau lines in 2011 can be seen here:

Weisseriztal:

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...-2011/34802474_rd8t4v#!i=2941186693&k=JrKsFKw

Zittau:

http://andrewstransport.smugmug.com...-2011/35107497_S3CBfR#!i=2944747669&k=JfkXwvq

Cheers

Andrew N