Lutgenhausen
H0, West German
Description The
Rotenburg Bahn (Red Mountain Railway) lies south of the Harz
Mountains The railway is named after a mountain on the north side of
the valley. In the 1890’s the Prussian State Railway used the Rhume
and Heime Valleys to build a minor cross-country line from a
junction west of Giegoldehausen to Nordhausen running parallel to
and south of part of the Northeim to Nordhausen line. A little later
a branch line was built along the Hubantal (Huban Valley) to
quarries south of Lanhenhagen. The lines were able to continue their
bucolic life until 1945 when the Iron curtain fell. It was not felt
worthwhile to provide customs facilities at the border near Zwing so
the line was split. In the west the Deutsche Bundesbahn cut back the
‘mainline’ to Rhumspringe just east of Lutgenhausen with the branch
becoming part of the new ‘mainline’. This had the advantage that it
closed the difficult section between the Rhume and Heime Valleys.
The layout is set in the prosperous 1950’s to mid 1960’s when the
line was served by a frequent train service. Passenger services are
mostly to Wulften the junction station on the Northeim to Nordhausen
line with some trains extending to Hanover. Interesting features are
railcar hauled couchette coach, mixed trains both steam and diesel
and ‘express trains’ not stopping at all stations. Freight is active
serving the quarries and industries in the Valley. In practise the
area developed without the help of a railway. The Rhume Valley has
become part of the Deutsche Ferienroute Alpen-Ostsee (German Alpine
– Baltic Holiday Route).