Feldbahn
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During the First World War, the enormous logistical demands of trench warfare necessitated the development of narrow gauge railway systems called trench railways. Feldbahn (German for "Field Railway") can describe both the strategy of the Imperial German Army and the railway that embodied it. Through out World War I, the British and French also used trench railways, called War Department Light Railways and Decauville Railways respectively. However, the German approach was less improvised and more permanent. With each successful advance, the British and French forces faced ever lengthening supply lines, while the Germans retreated deeper into their homeland. As a result, the Feldbahn was an organic growth of existing agricultural, industrial and mining railways. After the war, much remaining trackage and rolling stock was put to use in more conventional narrow gauge applications throughout Europe.
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[edit] Use
In the processing industry these narrow-gauge railways once an important role. Thus feldbahns were frequently associated with refractory clay factories, brickyard enterprises, sugar factories as well as at the iron and steel industry. Furthermore, feldbahns were used for pulling barges in canals and for military material and personnel transport, and to the materials handling on large-scale building sites clean up and supply of rubble in cities after the destruction of the Second World War. Track Gauges lie between 400 and 1000 mm.
Some trains had a light track framework which could be carried and shifted by two men. can and often, is enough without ties. Tight curves make favorable clearances possible; also in difficult area to a large extent without structures. The movable track is very useful along advancing pit edges; yet on soft ground it leads occasionally to derailing of vehicles. Vehicles often carry rerailing jacks and other lifting tools. Turntables are operated usually by hand. DL-6 Bj. 1957]] Simple and durable vehicles determined the operating everyday life, always with locomotives power. Quite usually individual trucks- also loaded - were to be moved only with human muscle power or with horses. Within with difficulty accessible, and/or narrow ranges in former times also children and young people were used for pushing trucks.
Frequently it concerned with the rolling material around self's buildings or special preparations in small series. Usually no Signal were installed, the low speeds permitted clear views. At railroad overpasses, the larger roads traversed were occasionally laeutwerke, which accompanied a passing of the field course courses. A special form of the feldbahnen were the "pioneer railways" of the former GDR. These became learning and maintenance schools for the Young Pioneers or communist cub scouts in some large cities of the GDR such as east Berlin, Magdeburg, Dresden. They were usually operated by children and young people under supervision of adults. These pioneer courses were contrary to the materials trams, as they transported human beings thus they have signal towers.
In the ammunition depots of the Federal Navy narrow-gauge railways with a track width from 600 mm were used to move ammunition. There 1 locomotive of the type DS 60 and 18 locomotives of the type DIEMA DS 90 were used. The course in the depot Aurich was closed 1982 and the Laboer course was adjusted in December 1996. The route distance amounted to 25 km. In the depot Laboe is still another DS 90 present as monument locomotive
[edit] Today's situation
The use of feldbahnen has reduced considerably in the last 20 years, as their tasks were transferred to road transport and electrically driven conveyor belts. They are now used only where the ground condition (e.g. moorland/peat course) or their existing availability (Bergbau/Erzbahnen) in isolated or self contained brickyards and other enterprises maintains their economic advantages over these methods. But increasingly associations dedicate themselves to the protection of historical field course vehicles. In numerous places closed field railway facilities are restored as museums.
[edit] Literature
- A. Christopher: Die Feldbahn Bd. 6 - Feldbahnbetriebe in Deutschland und Österreich. 144 S., Zeunert Verlag, Gifhorn 2004
- Harald Becher: Feldbahnen in Thüringen - Band 1, Feldbahnen in Bad Langensalza, Erfurt-Gispersleben, Gotha, Höngeda/ Seebach, Laucha, Straussfurt und Stregda, Verlag Rockstuhl, Bad Langensalza, 2002, ISBN 3-934748-96-1
