| Bad Doberan–Ostseebad Kühlungsborn West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line number | 6996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route number | 186 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 15.4 km (9.6 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | 40 km/h (25 mph) max. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheMolli (German: Mecklenburgische Bäderbahn "Molli"; short:MBB; also:Molli Bahn orMollibahn) is anarrow-gauge steam-powered railway inMecklenburg,Germany, running on900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in) gauge track. It operates betweenBad Doberan,Heiligendamm andKühlungsborn West over a total distance of 15.4 km (9.6 mi) with a running time of 40 minutes. Within Bad Doberan the line runs through the street, and later along alinden tree-lined avenue.
 | This sectionrelies largely or entirely upon asingle source. Relevant discussion may be found on thetalk page. Please helpimprove this article by introducingcitations to additional sources at this section.(September 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
On 19 June 1886,Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg granted alicence for the construction and operation of anarrow gauge railway from Doberan station to Heiligendamm, this first section going into operation on 9 July 1886.[1] It was built by the private railway construction and operating company ofLenz & Co. [de] fromStettin (nowSzczecin) and run by the Doberan-Heiligendamm Railway (DHE). Services on the 6.61-kilometre (4.11 mi)-long route, which was worked by asteam tram and later classified as a light railway orKleinbahn, initially only ran during the summer season from 1 May to 30 September. On 13 March 1890, theGrand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerinnationalized the line and incorporated it into theGrand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway.
On 18 December 1908, it was decided to extend the line as far as the Baltic seaside resort ofArendsee, which was merged in 1938 with the neighbouring communities of Brunshaupten and Fulgen to form the Baltic Sea resort of Kühlungsborn (Ostseebad Kühlungsborn). This extension was opened on 12 May 1910, at the same time the Heiligendamm station was moved about 200 metres further south. In the same year,goods services were started; and trains now ran all year round. From 1 April 1920, it became part of theDeutsche Reichsbahn.
Thetranshipment of goods from theWismar–Rostock standard gauge line to the narrow gauge railway proved to be costly and unprofitable. The carriage of standard gauge wagons on narrow gaugetransporter wagons as was common, for example, on theSaxon narrow gauge railways, was ruled out from the outset because of the narrow urban section through Bad Doberan. Thus, on 31 May 1969, goods services were withdrawn.
The route was worked daily by 13 pairs of trains. In 1976, the thendistrict of Rostock added the train to the district's list of heritage monuments. On 1 October 1995, an operating company, consisting ofBad Doberan district and the towns of Kühlungsborn and Bad Doberan, took over the line from theDeutsche Bahn. Today thepublic-private company, operating under the name ofMecklenburgische Bäderbahn Molli (Mecklenburg Seaside Resort Railway Molli) is based in Bad Doberan. This railway company is not to be confused with theMecklenburgische Bäderbahn AG, which opened the Rövershagen Kleinbf - Graal-Müritz line on 1 July 1925, running it until 1949 whenEast Germany'sDeutsche Reichsbahn took over the enterprise. The terminus of Kühlungsborn West is home to the Molli Museum and thedepot.
On 27 February 1997, theMecklenburgische Bäderbahn Molli, together with the transport companies ofRostocker Straßenbahn,DB Regio AG Nordost,Regionalverkehr Küste,Weiße Flotte andantaris founded the Warnow Transport Association (Verkehrsverbund Warnow). Since then, the Molli Railway accepts weekly and monthly passes from the association's range of services. Tickets from the Deutsche Bahn pricing system, including the state tickets and the Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket ("Happy Weekend Ticket"), are however not recognized since the change of operator.
_2006-09-24.JPG)
At start-up, two locomotives were available. These engines were later classified asMecklenburg Class XVIIIs were designed astram locomotives and were in use until 1915. In 1891 and 1898 the fleet was expanded with triple-coupled locomotives ofClass XIX.
From 1910, locomotives ofClass T 7 (later 99 301-303) worked the line. At the same time, the Class XIX locomotives were transferred to theNeubukow Beet Railway. The locomotive fleet was reinforced in 1923 by theDR Class 99.31 (99 311-313). These locomotives were all mustered out.
In 1932, the Deutsche Reichsbahn had the much larger, faster and more powerful locomotives ofDR Class 99.32 (99 321-323) built. These three locomotives are still working under the numbers 99 2321 to 2323. In 1961, three additional locomotives came to the line from theWismut industrial railways and were classified asDR Class 99.33 (99 331-333). One of the three, no. 99 331 (later 99 2331), is working and acts as a reserve or as a train locomotive in winter (due to its lower risk of derailment). No. 99 332 is a monument at the Molli Museum at Bad Kühlungsborn West station; loco no. 99 333 was scrapped.
In 2009, the locomotive 99 2324 was built for the Molli Railway at theMeiningen Steam Locomotive Works. It is a replica of a standard locomotive, theDR Class 99.32. This was the firststeam locomotive to be built inGermany for regular operations in almost half a century. The reconstruction was based on historic plans using modern manufacturing techniques. To get the rush of photographers out of the way, the new engine bore the running numbers of its sister engines of the same class during trials before being officially accepted into service.
| Number | Name | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99. 2321-0 | Orenstein & Koppel | 99.322-8-2T | 1932 | 12400 | [2] | ||
| 99. 2322-8 | Orenstein & Koppel | 99.32 2-8-2T | 1932 | 12401 |  | [2] | |
| 99. 2323-6 | Orenstein & Koppel | 99.32 2-8-2T | 1932 | 12402 |  | [2] | |
| 99. 2324-4 | Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works | Replica 99.32 2-8-2T | 2008/09 | ||||
| 99. 2331-9 | LKM | 99.330-8-0T | 1951 | 30011 | [2] | ||
| 99. 2332-7 | LKM | 99.33 0-8-0T | 1951 | 30013 | _2006-09-20.JPG) | [2] | |
| 199.014-2 | LKM | V 10 C | 1962 | [3] | |||
| 199.015-9 | LKM | V 10 C | 1962 | [4] | |||
| 199.016-7 | LKM | V 10 C | 1962 | [5] | |||
| 199.017-5 | LKM | V 10 C | 1962 | [6] | |||
 |
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Owing to the low tourist demand in the winter, half the trains are cancelled and replaced by the so-calledMollibus. This bus is route number 121 and runs fromRostockBus station viaBad Doberan,Heiligendamm andKühlungsborn toRerik. It is operated byKüstenbus GmbH. Only buses between Bad Doberan and Kühlungsborn are calledMollibus - not all buses drive the whole route. Some buses operate in the summer also in the morning and evening because of the low demand.
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Mecklenburg duo "De Plattfööt" sing in their song, "Holiday up'n Molli an de See", about the Mollibahn inLow German. It was released in 1989 on theAMIGA LP "Wenn du ok Plattfööt hest" (if you haveflat feet too). Furthermore, De Plattfööt sing in their song "De Isenbahnboomupundal-dreier" (the railway-barrier-up-and-down-winder) about arailway crossing guard's everyday life.
Since the 1990s, the Molli has also been one of the main ways of getting to theZappanale, a festival held every summer dedicated to the music ofFrank Zappa. The site for the past few years has been the Gallopenrennbahn (racecourse) about halfway between Bad Doberan and the coast.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
