The Aukštaitijos narrow gauge railway (LithuanianAukštaitijos siaurasis geležinkelis for highlands narrow gauge railway) is a 68.4 kilometres (42.5 mi) long tourist train from Panevėžys to Rubikiai in Lithuania with a gauge of 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in).
The narrow gauge railway was built from 1891 with a gauge of 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in). The first section was completed on 11 November 1895 from Švenčionėliai to Pastovai and extended in 1898 up to Panevėžys. Regular passenger and goods traffic commenced in autumn 1899. Initially, there were 2 depots, 14 stations, 15 locomotives, 58 passenger carriages of various types, 6 postal carriages as well as 112 covered and 154 open goods waggons. In 1903 approximately 65,000 tons of goods and 40,632 passengers were transported. Panevėžys became a regional centre during Lithuania's independence (1920-1938), and thus a lot of raw materials such as coal, oil, sand, salt and fertilizer were transported as well as agricultural produce such as flax, bacon, sugar, grain, flour and timber.[1]
The German army built during World War I two Heeresfeldbahn track extensions in 1916 from Gubernija to Pasvalys and from Joniškis to Žeimelis with a gauge of 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in). The railway was most successful between World War I and World War II and supported the economic development of the region. The railway was operated by the governmental Lithuanian railway Lietuvos Geležinkeliai after World War II.[1]
Traffic declined in the second half of the 20th century. The operations ceased in 1996 north of Panevezys. The narrow gauge railway was added to the list of immovable cultural objects of the Republic of Lithuania in 1996 and was given the status of cultural heritage object. Subsequently, tourist train services began. The goods traffic was phased-out in 1999. A new department for Narrow Gauge Railways was created on 1 November 1999 within the governmental railways office Lietuvos Geležinkeliai. Even so, the passenger traffic ceased temporarily in 2001. With effect from 2006 tourist trains were run with ТУ2 diesel locomotives and these were well received with increasing passenger numbers.[1]
Cultural heritageedit
The railway stations along the narrow gauge railway track are important historic and cultural structures and are important regarding the urban and architectural development of the region. Thus the railway was added to the list of immovable cultural objects of the Republic of Lithuania and was given the status of cultural heritage object.
The governmentally protected structures include the railway lines from Panevėžys to Biržai, from Panevėžys to Rubikiai and from Joniškėlis to Linkuva with a total length of 179 kilometres (111 mi) and an area of 1340 hectares, railway stations, production buildings and affiliated roads based on a proposal by Jonas Glemža, the Chairman of the Commission of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Lithuania.
Furthermore, the government decided in 2003 to protect some of the railway's structures as cultural monuments according to Article 10.2 of the Law for the Protection of Immovable Cultural Objects:[2]
The narrow gauge railway line from Panevėžys to Rubikiai
The depot, the stores and the viaduct in Panevėžys
The railway stations in Taruškos and Raguvėlė, the stores, water tower, workshop, the station building and the water crane in Raguvėlė railway station
Surdegis railway station
Troškūnai railway station the station building and a house nearby
Anykščiai railway station, the station building, the stores, the water tower, the water crane
aukštaitija, narrow, gauge, railway, aukštaitijos, narrow, gauge, railway, lithuanian, aukštaitijos, siaurasis, geležinkelis, highlands, narrow, gauge, railway, kilometres, long, tourist, train, from, panevėžys, rubikiai, lithuania, with, gauge, aukštaitijos, . The Aukstaitijos narrow gauge railway Lithuanian Aukstaitijos siaurasis gelezinkelis for highlands narrow gauge railway is a 68 4 kilometres 42 5 mi long tourist train from Panevezys to Rubikiai in Lithuania with a gauge of 750 mm 2 ft 5 1 2 in Aukstaitijos narrow gauge railwayTourist train Panevezys RubikiaiTourist train Track layout in 2016TechnicalLine length68 4 kilometres 42 5 mi Track gauge750 mm 2 ft 5 1 2 in Route diagram of 2016Legend0 0 PanevezysTaruskosRekstino miskasBajoriskiaiRaguveleSurdegisTroskunaiAnyksciaiSventojiBicionys68 4 Rubikiai Contents 1 History 2 Cultural heritage 3 Photos along the track 4 ReferencesHistory editThe narrow gauge railway was built from 1891 with a gauge of 750 mm 2 ft 5 1 2 in The first section was completed on 11 November 1895 from Svencioneliai to Pastovai and extended in 1898 up to Panevezys Regular passenger and goods traffic commenced in autumn 1899 Initially there were 2 depots 14 stations 15 locomotives 58 passenger carriages of various types 6 postal carriages as well as 112 covered and 154 open goods waggons In 1903 approximately 65 000 tons of goods and 40 632 passengers were transported Panevezys became a regional centre during Lithuania s independence 1920 1938 and thus a lot of raw materials such as coal oil sand salt and fertilizer were transported as well as agricultural produce such as flax bacon sugar grain flour and timber 1 The German army built during World War I two Heeresfeldbahn track extensions in 1916 from Gubernija to Pasvalys and from Joniskis to Zeimelis with a gauge of 600 mm 1 ft 11 5 8 in The railway was most successful between World War I and World War II and supported the economic development of the region The railway was operated by the governmental Lithuanian railway Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai after World War II 1 Traffic declined in the second half of the 20th century The operations ceased in 1996 north of Panevezys The narrow gauge railway was added to the list of immovable cultural objects of the Republic of Lithuania in 1996 and was given the status of cultural heritage object Subsequently tourist train services began The goods traffic was phased out in 1999 A new department for Narrow Gauge Railways was created on 1 November 1999 within the governmental railways office Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai Even so the passenger traffic ceased temporarily in 2001 With effect from 2006 tourist trains were run with TU2 diesel locomotives and these were well received with increasing passenger numbers 1 Cultural heritage editThe railway stations along the narrow gauge railway track are important historic and cultural structures and are important regarding the urban and architectural development of the region Thus the railway was added to the list of immovable cultural objects of the Republic of Lithuania and was given the status of cultural heritage object The governmentally protected structures include the railway lines from Panevezys to Birzai from Panevezys to Rubikiai and from Joniskelis to Linkuva with a total length of 179 kilometres 111 mi and an area of 1340 hectares railway stations production buildings and affiliated roads based on a proposal by Jonas Glemza the Chairman of the Commission of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Lithuania Furthermore the government decided in 2003 to protect some of the railway s structures as cultural monuments according to Article 10 2 of the Law for the Protection of Immovable Cultural Objects 2 The narrow gauge railway line from Panevezys to Rubikiai The depot the stores and the viaduct in Panevezys The railway stations in Taruskos and Raguvele the stores water tower workshop the station building and the water crane in Raguvele railway station Surdegis railway station Troskunai railway station the station building and a house nearby Anyksciai railway station the station building the stores the water tower the water crane Anyksciai railway bridge 3 Photos along the track edit nbsp Panevezys station nbsp Taruskos nbsp TU2 near Surdegis nbsp Troskunai nbsp Anyksciai station nbsp Bridge near Anyksciai nbsp Zazumbris nbsp Bicionys nbsp Rubikiai terminusReferences edit a b c Aukstaitijos siaurasis gelezinkelis History English Resolution No 1265 9 October 2003 Aukstaitijos siaurasis gelezinkelis State and the narrow gauge railway English 55 44 43 N 24 21 17 E 55 745198 N 24 354678 E 55 745198 24 354678 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aukstaitija narrow gauge railway amp oldid 1197676408, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
