Holtensleben

H0, Deutsche Reichsbahn

Description    set in the area to the north of the Harz the Konigsburg Bahn is a single tracked cross-county line built from a junction at Oschersleben via Hornhausen, Ausleben, Kauzleben and Hotensleben to Schoningen. It serves the brown coal quarries, industry, and agriculture of the area. When the Iron curtain fell the line was severed and Hotensleben became a terminus. The East German railway was surprisingly called Die Reichbahn (The Imperial Railway). Authorities in East Germany saw the Reichbahn’s main role as moving goods so the layout has a relatively frequent goods service. The passenger timetable is based on the nearby Osterwieck Branch. Most passenger services are provided by railcars – called ferkeltaxi (piglet taxi) by the East Germans shuttling between Oschersleben and Hotensleben augmented by the occasional loco hauled passenger train. The towns exist but the railway is fictitious. Many lines in the area were severed when the Iron Curtain fell and were cut back to the nearest suitable terminus point.