It always surprises me when we discover the most interesting and lovingly designed museums in the smallest places. The Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum in Rittersgrün is just such a discovery.
Narrow-gauge railway Grünstädtel – Oberrittersgrün
9.361 kilometres long was the railway line of a narrow-gauge railway that ran from Grünstädtel to Oberrittersgrün. The railway is also known as the Pöhlwassertalbahn.

The railway comes to the Pöhlwasser Valley
After the decline of mining in the 19th century, more and more iron processing and woodworking companies settled in the Pöhlwasser valley. A railway connection was to contribute to making the businesses more competitive.
After investigations had determined the planned route, it was decided on the basis of local conditions that a narrow-gauge railway should be built from the Grünstädtel junction. Construction work began in the spring of 1888. They laid 11.6 kilometres of track, 28 points, built 15 buildings and created passages in the terrain. The railway line ran from Grünstädtel along the Pöhl stream to Oberrittersgrün.

In the summer of 1889, the railway was opened. The railway was soon dubbed the “Pöhler Pussel” by the locals; with a speed of 15 to 25 km/h, it would have been more appropriate to call it a “Bummelbahn” (Stroll train).
Initially, the transport performance of the line was still moderate, but it rose steadily until the beginning of the 20th century.

The Second World War did not cause any damage to the railway line and when uranium mining began in 1949, the narrow-gauge railway experienced a heyday. The number of passengers and the transport of goods continued to increase, but still did not cover the operating costs. When, from the end of the 1960s, transport was increasingly shifted from rail to road, it was decided to discontinue the uneconomical Pöhlwasser Valley Railway.
The last train ran on the line in September 1971. Then the dismantling of the tracks began. Today, sections of the former railway line are used for hiking and cycling.

Welcome to Oberrittersgrün
Oberrittersgrün was a terminus station and the operational centre of the Pöhlwassertalbahn. When the line opened, the station had three tracks, a reception building, an engine shed and the only water crane on the line. The two-track locomotive shed could accommodate two locomotives of the type IK – (pronounced: One K) this is the name given to triple-coupled narrow-gauge steam locomotives with 750 mm gauge. Later they were called class99.750-752.

Later, a fourth track and another loading road were built, which could be used for loading and unloading railway goods wagons. After larger locomotives were used on the line, the locomotive shed was enlarged and a third shelter was built as a place for repairs.

When railway operations ceased in 1971, the idea of using the site for the Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum in Rittersgrün came up quite quickly.
The Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum in Rittersgrün is being built
The municipality of Rittersgrün decided to buy the site of the station, a locomotive (IV K) and some wagons. The railway line had already been shut down, so they decided to close an existing gap in the track and reactivated the locomotive, which brought the wagons to the station in Oberrittersgrün. Later, when more exhibits were bought for the museum, this transport route was no longer possible.

In 1977, the Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum Rittersgrün opened as the first railway museum in the GDR. In 1984, the reception building was bought from the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
On the tracks of the railway
The best way to reach the museum is by car. There is a large free car park right in front of the door.
We first had a look at the many wagons and locomotives in the outdoor area. The existing track system was being worked on vigorously and some of the exhibits also looked as if restoration work had just been carried out. Railway connoisseurs will surely go from “that’s…” to “wow”, for us it was just “trains”. There were unfortunately no signs to tell us the type or age. But to be honest, that wouldn’t have helped us either. We simply admired the well-preserved narrow-gauge railways.
Then we were drawn to the reception building. There is the ticket office and a small tourist information office. Here you get your entrance tickets, which can be punched like a ticket in the museum.

The reception building is a standard construction; this is how the Royal Saxon Railway built all reception buildings on the narrow-gauge railway. The ground floor was originally the service rooms and the first floor was a flat. Today, the ground floor houses the museum.
We liked the museum very much. Large and clear information boards, multimedia elements and lovingly and well preserved exhibits alternate here. Since the museum is in the immediate vicinity of the Czech Republic and many holidaymakers come from the neighbouring country, everything is described not only in German but also in Czech.

The history of the narrow-gauge railway in the valley is shown. I particularly liked the fact that the original function of the room has been integrated into the exhibition. So you walk through the waiting room, where today puppets sit and wait for the train. Exhibits that fit the theme complete the impression of the place.

The former goods floor is now connected to the reception building by a direct access. An original wagon stands here and many impressive pictures and exhibits show further impressions from the railway history of the region.
I was thrilled by the tour of the museum rooms. Rarely have I experienced such a varied and well-structured exhibition on a special topic. Here, even the layman has fun discovering and is not bombarded with too much technical information.

Finally, a visit to the locomotive shed was on the agenda. You enter the shed through a small door and stand directly between two locomotives. On the third siding, which was added later, was a passenger wagon, which you were also allowed to enter.
The locomotive shed was like a full warehouse where you can go on a voyage of discovery. There was something to see everywhere, from the trolley to the lamp or tools in the forge, just super exciting.

A staircase leads to a model railway exhibition on the upper floor. Here, a model railway runs through the Ore Mountains. Through a window (which can be opened!) you can look at the locomotives in the engine shed.

Address:
Kirchstraße 4,
08359 Breitenbrunn/Erzgebirge
Website
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 10-16 h
Public holidays: 10-16 h
Monday, Good Friday, 24.12, 31.12: closed
Admission fees:
Adults: 5,-€
Discounts are offered.
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