Small railroad department of the Provincial Association of Saxony
The small railway department of the Provincial Association of Saxony in Merseburg administered the majority of the standard gauge small railways in the Prussian province of Saxony from 1907 to 1945 .
history
Like almost all Prussian provinces, the Province of Saxony also promoted the construction and operation of small railways by providing financial support and advice to the numerous small railway companies that came into being after the Prussian Small Railway Act came into force . In 1905, the governor proposed to the President of the Province of Saxony to create a separate department in the administration, in which all measures would be bundled, the rationalization of the operation, the reduction of costs through joint procurement of materials and the representation of the interests of the small railways in served the province. As a result, the small railroad department was able to start work on January 1, 1907. At its head was a regional small railway director as the highest operations manager of all connected railways. Although joining the joint administration was voluntary, in 1912 it was already subject to routes with a total length of 500 kilometers.
Uniform regulations were issued for the member companies, which, among other things, regulated the operation, salaries and clothing of the staff. In addition, the "Sächsische Eisenbahnbedarfs- und Maschinenfabrik Sachsenwerk GmbH" was founded in Stendal as a joint repair workshop. The small railway department proved itself particularly in the difficult post-war period after 1918. Through mutual support, all small railway companies, which together now operated over 800 kilometers of routes, could be saved from bankruptcy. The newly created "Kraftverkehrs-GmbH Sachsen-Anhalt", which supplemented the rail network with bus lines and in 1939 had a line length of 131 kilometers, also served the goal of reducing the emigration of passengers.
Member companies
By the end of the Second World War, the number of railways managed had reached its peak with the following 22 companies:
- Altmärkische Kleinbahn AG
- Delitzscher Kleinbahn AG
- Kleinbahn AG Bebitz-Alsleben
- Kleinbahn Bergwitz – Kemberg GmbH
- Kleinbahn AG Ellrich-Zorge
- Kleinbahn-AG Erfurt – Nottleben
- Kleinbahn AG Gardelegen-Haldensleben-Weferlingen
- Kleinbahn AG in Genthin
- Kleinbahn-AG Heudeber-Mattierzoll
- Kleinbahn-AG Könnern-Rothenburg
- Kleinbahn AG Neuburxdorf – Mühlberg
- Kleinbahn AG Osterburg – Pretzier
- Kleinbahn-AG Rennsteig – Frauenwald
- Kleinbahn AG Schildau – Mockrehna
- Kleinbahn AG Wallwitz-Wettin
- Kleinbahn AG Wolmirstedt – Colbitz
- Kyffhäuser Kleinbahn AG
- Langensalzaer Kleinbahn AG
- Obereichsfelder Kleinbahn AG
- Prettin-Annaburger Kleinbahn AG
- Salzwedeler Kleinbahnen GmbH
- Stendaler Kleinbahn AG
The End
After the end of the war and the formation of the Soviet occupation zone, the Ministry of Economics and Transport in Halle took over the tasks of the small railroad department, which in turn was dissolved. From January 1, 1947, the newly founded “ Sächsische Provinzbahnen GmbH ” in Halle was responsible. At least it was possible to save the lines that were managed at the time from being dismantled.
literature
- Wolfgang List, Hans Röper, Gerhard Zieglgänsberger: Archives of German small and private railways. Saxony-Anhalt. (Routes, vehicles, operations). Transpress, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-613-71087-0 .