Driver’s Eye View - Fichtelberg Railway (German: Fichtelbergbahn) - Pt 1- Cranzahl - Oberwiesenthal

Once the standard gauge railway from Chemnitz to Chomutov via Annaberg and Vejprty was opened to traffic in 1872, attention turned to connecting the former mining town of Oberwiesenthal (Germany’s highest town) to the Saxon Railway system. Plans were made in 1884 to build a narrow gauge railway between Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal, although construction didn’t start until 1896. The line opened to traffic on 20th July 1897, proving popular, it carried 67756 by the end of its first year in operation, tourism continued to boost passenger numbers and special transporter waggons enabled the railway to carry standard gauge waggons with around 30 a day serving the quarry at Hammerunterwiesenthal alone. After 1990 traffic began to decline with freight services ceasing in 1992, in 1994 ownership was transferred to Deutsche Bahn and plans were made to either close the railway or sell it. To celebrate the railway’s centenary communities along the route got together with the Pressnitz Valley Railway and the Lößnitzgrund Railway to organized a festival week featuring narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock from all over Germany operating an intensive schedule on all three lines. The popular event attracted over 40000 visitors, leading to local districts making plans to acquire the railway. On June 1st 1998 BVO Bahn GMB took over operating the line and in 2007 the Saxon Steam Railway Company took over, giving the railway a new name “Fichtelbergbahn” to reflect its new roll as a tourist line serving resorts along the route, the line soon acquired a new status recognise throughout Germany and beyond, especially in winter transporting winter sports enthusiasts to the ski areas of Oberwiesenthal. Please sit back and enjoy a ride along this scenic railway line with one of the railway’s powerful steam locomotives to the ski resort town of Oberwiesenthal. Map at 00:35 - Google Maps Map at 00:42 - This visit was part of a rail tour arranged by the “Railway Touring Company” - if it’s something you’d like to know more about, please click on this link - To learn more about the railway, please click on this link - To book your own railway adventure please click on this link - Track Gauge 750 mm ( 2 ft 5 1/2 inches)