Black plow

Birkpflug in the Knappenrode energy factory

The birch plow is a rail-mounted open-cast mining device for moving overburden or coal masses out of or into the track with the help of a plow . It was coupled to an open pit locomotive. The Birkpflug was named after its inventor Franz Birk from Thräna . The birch plow was built by the GDR's brown coal combine .

Web links

• Some photos of the black plow
• Black plow in the Espenhain opencast mine