- Narrow-gauge railways commemorate railway milestones with thousands of attendees.
The Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (HSB) threw a grand bash. They invited a multitude of attendees to a station festival commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Harzquerbahn and Brockenbahn in Wernigerode, as announced by company spokesperson Dirk Bahnsen to the German Press Agency. The Saturday night extravaganza, filled with music, laser show, and fireworks, drew roughly 3,000 people alone. "We had an incredible two-day celebration. Everything ran smoothly, and we're ecstatic," Bahnsen shared.
Bahnsen noted that visitors from various European nations were also in attendance, including "train enthusiasts" whom he referred to as those who scout for specific trains and travel to specific locations for the purpose. They were there, amongst other things, to film and snap photos of the 125-year-old steam locomotive "Hoya" of the German Railway Association, which was shipped to the Hoya-Syke-Asendorf narrow-gauge railway in 1899. A 1897-built steam locomotive from the early days of the Harzquer- and Brockenbahn was another crowd-pleaser, as was the shuttle ride with the "Schweineschnäuzchen", a 1932 railcar.
At the event grounds in Wernigerode, new steam locomotive workshop and old vehicle workshop, there were technical exhibits, guided tours, rides, and family-friendly entertainment. "We logged around 800 cab rides with a locomotive on the grounds over both days," said Bahnsen. A continuous kids' railway with a mini steam locomotive was also a hit.
In 1899, a steam locomotive chugged its way up to the Brocken, a 1,141-meter-high peak. Simultaneously, the full-scale operation of the entire Harzquerbahn, which links the cities of Nordhausen (Thuringia) and Wernigerode (Saxony-Anhalt), commenced. Prior to this, the Harzquerbahn was already operational on some sections. The HSB's third railway line is the Selketalbahn.
The HSB operates the longest continuous narrow-gauge railway network in Germany, stretching approximately 140 kilometers with a one-meter-wide track. The company's steam locomotives are a major tourist attraction in the Harz region.
Bahnsen mentioned that train enthusiasts from different European countries attended the festival to capture images and film the 125-year-old steam locomotive "Hoya" on the Harz cross-country railway. The Harz cross-country railway played a significant role in the historic operation of the Harzquerbahn, as a steam locomotive chugged its way up to the Brocken in 1899.
