Railway entusiasts club 'friends of Selketalbahn'

History of railway "Selketalbahn"

Graphics of railway network


Development of the railway network of GHE. gheent_g.jpg 9,3 KB	Situation after dismantling for reparation in April 1946. ghe_45_g.gif 7,8 KB	Network after its complete reconstruction. ghenet_g.gif 8,9 KB

Time board for the history of the Selketalbahn

For the history of the Selketalbahn a lot of biographies already exist (see literature). Therefore here the reader finds only one time board.

Date
Event

1886/05/10 Establishment of the "Gernrode-Harzgeroder Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft AG (GHE)" (Gernrode-Harzgerode railway company), unofficial designation "Selketalbahn"

1886/09/22 Beginning of the railway construction by Hostmann & Co Ltd. Hannover

1887/03/14 Publication of the concession for the operation of the railway. In the concession is determined among other things the gauge with 1000 mm.

1887 - 1905 Gradually accommodation of the train service with finally six Cn2t (0-6-0) saturated steam machines, supplied of the company Henschel in Kassel. Locomotives were named after the river "Selke" and after villages/towns "Gernrode", "Harzgerode", "Güntersberge", "Alexisbad" and "Hasselfelde".

1905 Procurement of three Mallet-locomotives B'Bn4vt (0-4-4-0) at the company Borsig (Berlin), named after the countries "Preußen" and "Braunschweig" which the railway line crosses.

1908 Re-equipment of rope-winch-brake (system "Heberlein") by vacuum brake (system "Körting") on all vehicles.
A business analysis of the GHE by the federal state parliament of Saxonia-Anhalt brings the realization that the Selketalbahn is an ascending enterprise.

1909 Extensive repair of track bed, rails and sleepers terminates.

1910 Co-ordination of the time-table to that of the state railway. Beginning of sale of "Sundays return tickets" ("Sonntagsrückfahrkarte") Berlin - Alexisbad (only one ticket for two railways: state railway and Gernrode-Harzgerode railway company).

1911 Buying of a saturated steam locomotive Dn2t (0-8-0), named "Bull" of the "Ruhr Lippe- secondary railway" to operate the rising goods traffic.

1912 After further procurements the GHE has a stock of 34 passenger train cars. 12 are summer cars.

1915 The GHE has to give away three Mallet-locomotives and 25 open cars to the military railway for use during World War I.

1920/09/22 Establishment of the "Anhaltischen Landeseisenbahngesellschaft (ALE)" (national railway company of country Saxoany-Anhalt) in Dessau and entry of the GHE to prevent the bankruptcy due to the inflation.

1923 Interrupt of train service of the route Stiege - Eisfelder Talmühle from autumn 1923 until December 1924.

1925/02/24 Opening of bus traffic lines by GHE.
Later with four busses eight lines are operated.

1928 Purchase of two Eh2t (0-10-0) superheated steam locomotives (GHE No. 21 and 22) of "Orenstein & Koppel" Ltd., thus is achieved maximum stocks of 9 locomotives.

1928/06/26 Test run with the rocket-railcar "Eisfeld-Valier" between Stiege and Birkenmoor moorland with 210 km/h top speed.

1931 After the inflation the GHE introduces economy measures for the lowering of the operation and personnel expenditure.

1933 Purchase of the railcar "GHE T1".

1934/05/15 First application of the railcar "GHE T1" on the route Alexisbad - Stiege during off-peak times.

1939 With outbreak World war II 10% of personnel have to go in to the military service. The goods traffic is declining.

1940 Negotiations with the Nordhausen-Wernigeroder railway company (NWE) for the transfer of the unprofitable line Hasselfelde - Eisfelder Talmühle.
The contract does not come at the end because of disagreement over the costs.

1942 Fusion of the GHE with the "Dessau Wörlitzer railway company" for the improvement of the operating result.
The transport performances rise during the war again.

1943 Building of the line to the fluorspat-mine "Herzogschacht" near Straßberg (length 1,5 km) and opening goods traffic.

Date
Event

1945/04/11 Invasion of the US army in Gernrode. Stop of the train service due to the war effects.

1945/05/04 Restart of the train service. Vehicles are signed with property characters of the US troops.

1945/07/01 Transfer of the areas around the Selketalbahn into the Soviet occupation zone. Indication of the vehicles with the property character of Soviet zone.

1946 Closing of flagstop Osterteich.

1946/03/01 Transfer of the GHE into the property of the province Saxonia.

1946/04/06 Begin of dismantling railway line facilities and removing vehicle staff as reparations to the Soviet Union. Only the lines Straßberg - mine "Herzogschacht" (for transport of fluorspat) and Stiege - Eisfelder Talmühle (for wood transport) were not dismantled. The locomotive "Gernrode", the railcar "GHE T1" (stored in the shed of Eisfelder Talmühle) and few of freight cars remain.

1946/04/15 The line of Eisfelder Talmühle - Hasselfelde is transferred for management up to the Nordhausen-Wernigerode railway company (NWE).

1946/10/01 Beginning of the partial reconstruction of the GEHE lines.

1948/08/15 Expropriation of the GHE in favor of the province Saxonia-Anhalt.

1949/04/01 Transfer of the management and rights to use to the "Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR)" (German State Railway)

1952 Incorporation from village Lindenberg to Straßberg and renaming the station in Straßberg.

1956 To the procurement of 17 new built locomotives of class 99^23-24 for the Harzquerbahn (Harz-crossing railway) the Mallet-locomotives 99 5901 to 99 5906 could be transferred to Gernrode and secure thus the rising train service.

1958 End of the application of the railcar "GHE T1" (labeld VT 133 522) in passenger service (out of service).

1959/10/01 Introduction of the simplified secondary line service on the Selketalbahn. The station Silberhütte remains vacant.

1963 De-activating of the railcar "GHE T1" (VT 133 522), change to the emergency train car (new number 187 001).

1963/12 First application of locomotive 99 6001 on the Selketalbahn.

1965 The locomotive "Gernrode, the oldest loco of the Selketalbahn, is taken out of service.
Mounting of the reloading crane in Gernrode.

1966 Definition of the end of the Selketalbahn to beginning of the 1970's in the traffic master plan of the GDR (German Democratic Republic)

1967 The locomotive "Gernrode" is scrapped.

1968/10/31 End of ticket sale in Mägdesprung. The station remains vacant, however the building is continued to use.

1971 The bus company Ballenstedt is the new owner of the locomotive shed in Harzgerode. The shed is continued to use as a bus hall.
Mallet-locomotive 99 5905 is stored because of cylinder damage.

1972/09/05 Resolution of the Minister for traffic of the GDR for the functional receipt of the Selketalbahn as technical monument including the reconstruction of the line Straßberg - Stiege.

1973 Begin of extensive renewing of track bed.

1974 Mallet-locomotive 99 5905 is taken out of service and scrapped.

1974/10/04 Heavy accident near flagstop Drahtzug: Four cars derailed and fall down. Train was drawn by locomotive 99 5901. Interruption of the train service up to 1975/04/30.

1975/05/01 Resumption of the train service after the accident on 1974/10/04.
First passenger cars are painted with colours red/cream.

1977/03/10 Due to not attached brake hoses a shunting train with twelve axles and the locomotive 99 5901 left the station Harzgerode and rolled on the free line. The train derails due to the high speed in a curve briefly before the railroad level crossing at the road B 242.

1977/04/29 Rescue of derailed loco 99 5901 (due to accident) using a temporary track.

1978 Closing of flagstop Unterberg

1979/11 Mallet-locomotive 99 5904 is repaired - after it was stored several years - and put back into service.

Date
Event

1981 Beginning of first forest-construction work along the route Straßberg - Stiege. Reason for the reconstruction of this route is a daily requirement of 150-170 t brown coal for the developing heating station in Silberhütte.

1982 Beginning of the reconstruction of line Straßberg - Stiege (measures to the clearance gauge).

1983 Construction of the connection track to the heating station in Silberhütte.

1983/10/31 Loco 99 6102 (Fiffi) drives as the first tractive vehicle on the completed line Straßberg - Stiege.

1983/11/30 Opening of the rebuilt route Straßberg - Stiege with a special travel (Mallet-locomotive 99 5903 and the olden time train). After this event train service did not start because of further construction work between flagstop Birkenmoor and station Eisfelder Talmühle.

1984 Remove of rocks and other measures to enlarge clearance gauge between Alexisbad and Harzgerode to prepair use jacked up standard-gauge freight carriages.
Application of the first passenger train cars with compressed air brake (system "Knorr").
Reopening of flagstop Osterteich.

1984/02/12 First operation of the brench line to the heating station Silberhütte with a truck car train from Nordhausen.

1984/06/03 Locomotive 99 6001 drives the first sheduled passenger train on line Straßberg - Stiege.

1985/02/12 Derailing of a goods train with locomotive 99 7238 and six loaded truck cars near station Friedrichshöhe. The vehicles are saved with two automotive turning cranes.

1987/01 Beginning of the constant stationing and the use of locomotives of the class 99 ^23-24 in Gernrode.

1987/01/02 Due to strong snows, broken trees and masts in the area of the Selketalbahn traffic service was interupted. Only from 1987/01/06 the train service normalizes itself.

1987/01/06 Loco 99 7222 is used until November 1987 for sheduled trains in the Selke-valley.

1987/01/07 Loco 99 6102 (Fiffi) is put out of operation sometimes before the periodical boiler overhaul was due.

1988/11/16 The regular use of Mallet-locomotives ends due to the termination of the conversion of the cars to compressed air brake. Locomotive 99 5906 was stored as the last one.

1989/01/11 In the context of a measuring travel without cars the first diesel locomotive (199 863) drives on the entire railway network of the GHE.

1989/01/19 Mallet-locomotive 99 5904 is scraped in the maintanance workshop Görlitz.

1989/12/24 Railcar "GHE T1" comes back again to Alexisbad restored as a museum vehicle ready for operation.

1990/04/01 Termination of transporting frieght with narrow-gauge cars between Gernrode and Harzgerode.

1990/04/11 Beginning of the regular use of diesel locomotives of the series 199.8.

1991/11/19 Establishment of the "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB)" (Harz Narrow-Gauge Railway Ltd.) with signing of the partner contract by the municipalities, districts and countries.

1992/10 With the deactivation of the heating station Silberhütte the coal trains from Nordhausen are omitted.

1992/11/24 The "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB)" got from Ministry of economy, technology and traffic of the state Sachsen-Anhalt the cocession to build and to operate railways.

1993/02/01 Transfer of the use and management rights of the Selketalbahn and Harzquerbahn (Harz-crossing railway) by the "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB)".

1993/12/31 Flood, due to thaw and violent rainfalls, is the reason for an interupt of the train service between Straßberg and Stiege for some days.

1994/04/13 A devastating flood of river Selke destroys the track body within the area Straßberg and Alexisbad. Traffic must suspend.

1994/05/01 The waiting house of the station Sternhaus Ramberg is pulled down.

1994/05/12 After extensive reconstruction measures the train operation stopped by the flood was again taken up.
Opening of the new flagstop Straßberg Glasebach

1994/06/29 Loco 99 6001 has an accident on a railroad level crossing in Alexisbad. Because of necessary repair the engine can not operate for a half year.

1994/08 The first automatic barrier system within the area of the Selketalbahn goes into operation. It saves the railroad level crossing of the road B 185 before the station Mägdesprung.

1994/11 Return of the locomotive 99 6001 from the workshop in Meiningen. In the context of the accident repair the locomotive received its black colour back, after it was provided with a green painting from 1990 to June 1994.

1995/11/11 The 120 m of high chimney of the heating station Silberhütte is blowing down.

1995/12/01 Railcar "NWE T3" (187 025) is used for regular passenger train service after its reconstruction in the "MaLoWa"-workshop (Mansfelder Lokomotiven- und Wagen-Werkstatt Benndorf). Background is the saving of operating cost. The railcar is still equipped with the original engine, which was excluded from the reconstruction for monument protection reasons. With the further applications the "NWE T3" frequently fails because of damage to the engine.

1995/12/17 Malett-locomotive 99 5906, which was stored five years, is put into operation again after successful repair and installation of a tire pump for compressed air brake.

1996/04/24 Reduction of the last by hand operated barrier within the area of the Selketalbahn on the station Harzgerode. The ticket output is closed and the station remains vacant by this measure.

1996/05 With the again operational loco 99 5906 and regular application of the 99 6001 the locomotives of the class 99^23-24 from the depot Gernrode are taken off.

1997/08/07 From cause of the 110th anniversary of opening route Gernrode - Mägdesprung locomotive 99 6102 (Fiffi) is activated again. The loco was reconstructed by members of the association "friend of Selketalbahn".

Date
Event

1998/01/02-03 Touristic agenturs and railway fan clubs organized first time the event "With full steam in the New Year".
On 2nd January took place a vehicle exhibition in Wernigerode and some special travels between Wernigerode and Nordhausen. On 3rd January the event-program included vehicle exhibition and special travels on the Selketalbahn. As a guest-locomotive loco "Hermann" of the Deutschen Eisenbahnvereins (DEV) pushed special trains through the Selketal.

1998/06/20 Re-opening of the redeveloped station building Hasselfelde with restaurant.

1998/07/27 The HSB puts a new radio net into operation. The necessary radio towers are on the mountains Carlshaus, Poppenberg, Wurmberg and Victorshöhe.

1999/01/02-03 Tour operators and railway fan clubs organized (the second time) the event With full steam in the New Year". On the narrow-gauge railway Selketalbahn and on the standard-gauge routes between Halberstadt, Quedlinburg, Thale, Gernrode and Ballenstedt took place special travels with steam-trains. Steam locomozives "Hermann" from Deutschen Eisenbahnvereins (DEV and "Regenwalde" from Interessengemeinschaft Historischer Schienenverkehr e.V. (Selfkantbahn) as guest-locos operated on the Selketalbahn.

1999/03/17 Introduction of ticket sale by transfer in the trains of HSB.

1999/12/31 In the context of a special travel for quests of the hotel MORADA Hotel Harzquell (Alexisbad, Harz) after Silberhütte finds the old century his worthy termination. "Pyrotechnik GmbH" on the training ground demonstrates its products.

1999/03 The HSB got the first of four newbuilt railcars from the firm Spezialwerk Fahrzeugbau Halberstadt of Deutschen Bahn AG. The vehicle is numbered as 187 016.

1999/03-10 Celebration on the occasion of "100 years Harzquer- und Brockenbahn"
Because the locos 99 5906, 99 6001 and 99 6102 ("Fiffi") were stationed in Wernigerode for e while to take place on vehicle exhibitions and special travels, the trains in the Selketal were pushed by steam locos of class 99^23-24.
During special travels on 4th April (Eastern) all historical steam locomotives of the HSB - 99 222, 99 5901, NWE 13 (99 5903), 99 6001, 99 6101 ("Pfiffi") und 99 6102 ("Fiffi") - came into the Selketal.

1999/06/12-28 On occasion to "60 years 99 6001 - 40 years operation in the Selketal" in Alexisbad and Harzgerode were arranged model-railway-days and special travels with loco 99 6001 between Wernigerode and Gernrode.

1999/07 From March to July 1999 all of the new-built railcars (187 016 - 187 019) were delivered from the Spezialwerk Fahrzeugbau Halberstadt to the HSB. The main use of the vehicles is to operate the pupil and commuter traffic between Nordhausen and Ilfeld and to operate the lower used courses on the Selketalbahn and Harzquerbahn.

1999/09/11 Termination of the reconstruction of the station building Harzgerode and re-opening of the restaurant.

events description of line

authors: Heiko Fricke, Heiko Zeckai

Copyright (c) Freundeskreis Selketalbahn e. V.
The commercial use of text, graphics, photos, ... of this WWW-pages is only allowed after certification by the association.
For noncommercial use it is common to mention the names of the authors.

created by Klaus Gottschling on 2000/09/09; last update on 2000/09/10;

webmaster@selketalbahn.de

Date	Event
1886/05/10	Establishment of the "Gernrode-Harzgeroder Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft AG (GHE)" (Gernrode-Harzgerode railway company), unofficial designation "Selketalbahn"
1886/09/22	Beginning of the railway construction by Hostmann & Co Ltd. Hannover
1887/03/14	Publication of the concession for the operation of the railway. In the concession is determined among other things the gauge with 1000 mm.
1887 - 1905	Gradually accommodation of the train service with finally six Cn2t (0-6-0) saturated steam machines, supplied of the company Henschel in Kassel. Locomotives were named after the river "Selke" and after villages/towns "Gernrode", "Harzgerode", "Güntersberge", "Alexisbad" and "Hasselfelde".
1905	Procurement of three Mallet-locomotives B'Bn4vt (0-4-4-0) at the company Borsig (Berlin), named after the countries "Preußen" and "Braunschweig" which the railway line crosses.
1908	Re-equipment of rope-winch-brake (system "Heberlein") by vacuum brake (system "Körting") on all vehicles. A business analysis of the GHE by the federal state parliament of Saxonia-Anhalt brings the realization that the Selketalbahn is an ascending enterprise.
1909	Extensive repair of track bed, rails and sleepers terminates.
1910	Co-ordination of the time-table to that of the state railway. Beginning of sale of "Sundays return tickets" ("Sonntagsrückfahrkarte") Berlin - Alexisbad (only one ticket for two railways: state railway and Gernrode-Harzgerode railway company).
1911	Buying of a saturated steam locomotive Dn2t (0-8-0), named "Bull" of the "Ruhr Lippe- secondary railway" to operate the rising goods traffic.
1912	After further procurements the GHE has a stock of 34 passenger train cars. 12 are summer cars.
1915	The GHE has to give away three Mallet-locomotives and 25 open cars to the military railway for use during World War I.
1920/09/22	Establishment of the "Anhaltischen Landeseisenbahngesellschaft (ALE)" (national railway company of country Saxoany-Anhalt) in Dessau and entry of the GHE to prevent the bankruptcy due to the inflation.
1923	Interrupt of train service of the route Stiege - Eisfelder Talmühle from autumn 1923 until December 1924.
1925/02/24	Opening of bus traffic lines by GHE. Later with four busses eight lines are operated.
1928	Purchase of two Eh2t (0-10-0) superheated steam locomotives (GHE No. 21 and 22) of "Orenstein & Koppel" Ltd., thus is achieved maximum stocks of 9 locomotives.
1928/06/26	Test run with the rocket-railcar "Eisfeld-Valier" between Stiege and Birkenmoor moorland with 210 km/h top speed.
1931	After the inflation the GHE introduces economy measures for the lowering of the operation and personnel expenditure.
1933	Purchase of the railcar "GHE T1".
1934/05/15	First application of the railcar "GHE T1" on the route Alexisbad - Stiege during off-peak times.
1939	With outbreak World war II 10% of personnel have to go in to the military service. The goods traffic is declining.
1940	Negotiations with the Nordhausen-Wernigeroder railway company (NWE) for the transfer of the unprofitable line Hasselfelde - Eisfelder Talmühle. The contract does not come at the end because of disagreement over the costs.
1942	Fusion of the GHE with the "Dessau Wörlitzer railway company" for the improvement of the operating result. The transport performances rise during the war again.
1943	Building of the line to the fluorspat-mine "Herzogschacht" near Straßberg (length 1,5 km) and opening goods traffic.

Date	Event
1945/04/11	Invasion of the US army in Gernrode. Stop of the train service due to the war effects.
1945/05/04	Restart of the train service. Vehicles are signed with property characters of the US troops.
1945/07/01	Transfer of the areas around the Selketalbahn into the Soviet occupation zone. Indication of the vehicles with the property character of Soviet zone.
1946	Closing of flagstop Osterteich.
1946/03/01	Transfer of the GHE into the property of the province Saxonia.
1946/04/06	Begin of dismantling railway line facilities and removing vehicle staff as reparations to the Soviet Union. Only the lines Straßberg - mine "Herzogschacht" (for transport of fluorspat) and Stiege - Eisfelder Talmühle (for wood transport) were not dismantled. The locomotive "Gernrode", the railcar "GHE T1" (stored in the shed of Eisfelder Talmühle) and few of freight cars remain.
1946/04/15	The line of Eisfelder Talmühle - Hasselfelde is transferred for management up to the Nordhausen-Wernigerode railway company (NWE).
1946/10/01	Beginning of the partial reconstruction of the GEHE lines.
1948/08/15	Expropriation of the GHE in favor of the province Saxonia-Anhalt.
1949/04/01	Transfer of the management and rights to use to the "Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR)" (German State Railway)
1952	Incorporation from village Lindenberg to Straßberg and renaming the station in Straßberg.
1956	To the procurement of 17 new built locomotives of class 99^23-24 for the Harzquerbahn (Harz-crossing railway) the Mallet-locomotives 99 5901 to 99 5906 could be transferred to Gernrode and secure thus the rising train service.
1958	End of the application of the railcar "GHE T1" (labeld VT 133 522) in passenger service (out of service).
1959/10/01	Introduction of the simplified secondary line service on the Selketalbahn. The station Silberhütte remains vacant.
1963	De-activating of the railcar "GHE T1" (VT 133 522), change to the emergency train car (new number 187 001).
1963/12	First application of locomotive 99 6001 on the Selketalbahn.
1965	The locomotive "Gernrode, the oldest loco of the Selketalbahn, is taken out of service. Mounting of the reloading crane in Gernrode.
1966	Definition of the end of the Selketalbahn to beginning of the 1970's in the traffic master plan of the GDR (German Democratic Republic)
1967	The locomotive "Gernrode" is scrapped.
1968/10/31	End of ticket sale in Mägdesprung. The station remains vacant, however the building is continued to use.
1971	The bus company Ballenstedt is the new owner of the locomotive shed in Harzgerode. The shed is continued to use as a bus hall. Mallet-locomotive 99 5905 is stored because of cylinder damage.
1972/09/05	Resolution of the Minister for traffic of the GDR for the functional receipt of the Selketalbahn as technical monument including the reconstruction of the line Straßberg - Stiege.
1973	Begin of extensive renewing of track bed.
1974	Mallet-locomotive 99 5905 is taken out of service and scrapped.
1974/10/04	Heavy accident near flagstop Drahtzug: Four cars derailed and fall down. Train was drawn by locomotive 99 5901. Interruption of the train service up to 1975/04/30.
1975/05/01	Resumption of the train service after the accident on 1974/10/04. First passenger cars are painted with colours red/cream.
1977/03/10	Due to not attached brake hoses a shunting train with twelve axles and the locomotive 99 5901 left the station Harzgerode and rolled on the free line. The train derails due to the high speed in a curve briefly before the railroad level crossing at the road B 242.
1977/04/29	Rescue of derailed loco 99 5901 (due to accident) using a temporary track.
1978	Closing of flagstop Unterberg
1979/11	Mallet-locomotive 99 5904 is repaired - after it was stored several years - and put back into service.

Date	Event
1981	Beginning of first forest-construction work along the route Straßberg - Stiege. Reason for the reconstruction of this route is a daily requirement of 150-170 t brown coal for the developing heating station in Silberhütte.
1982	Beginning of the reconstruction of line Straßberg - Stiege (measures to the clearance gauge).
1983	Construction of the connection track to the heating station in Silberhütte.
1983/10/31	Loco 99 6102 (Fiffi) drives as the first tractive vehicle on the completed line Straßberg - Stiege.
1983/11/30	Opening of the rebuilt route Straßberg - Stiege with a special travel (Mallet-locomotive 99 5903 and the olden time train). After this event train service did not start because of further construction work between flagstop Birkenmoor and station Eisfelder Talmühle.
1984	Remove of rocks and other measures to enlarge clearance gauge between Alexisbad and Harzgerode to prepair use jacked up standard-gauge freight carriages. Application of the first passenger train cars with compressed air brake (system "Knorr"). Reopening of flagstop Osterteich.
1984/02/12	First operation of the brench line to the heating station Silberhütte with a truck car train from Nordhausen.
1984/06/03	Locomotive 99 6001 drives the first sheduled passenger train on line Straßberg - Stiege.
1985/02/12	Derailing of a goods train with locomotive 99 7238 and six loaded truck cars near station Friedrichshöhe. The vehicles are saved with two automotive turning cranes.
1987/01	Beginning of the constant stationing and the use of locomotives of the class 99 ^23-24 in Gernrode.
1987/01/02	Due to strong snows, broken trees and masts in the area of the Selketalbahn traffic service was interupted. Only from 1987/01/06 the train service normalizes itself.
1987/01/06	Loco 99 7222 is used until November 1987 for sheduled trains in the Selke-valley.
1987/01/07	Loco 99 6102 (Fiffi) is put out of operation sometimes before the periodical boiler overhaul was due.
1988/11/16	The regular use of Mallet-locomotives ends due to the termination of the conversion of the cars to compressed air brake. Locomotive 99 5906 was stored as the last one.
1989/01/11	In the context of a measuring travel without cars the first diesel locomotive (199 863) drives on the entire railway network of the GHE.
1989/01/19	Mallet-locomotive 99 5904 is scraped in the maintanance workshop Görlitz.
1989/12/24	Railcar "GHE T1" comes back again to Alexisbad restored as a museum vehicle ready for operation.
1990/04/01	Termination of transporting frieght with narrow-gauge cars between Gernrode and Harzgerode.
1990/04/11	Beginning of the regular use of diesel locomotives of the series 199.8.
1991/11/19	Establishment of the "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB)" (Harz Narrow-Gauge Railway Ltd.) with signing of the partner contract by the municipalities, districts and countries.
1992/10	With the deactivation of the heating station Silberhütte the coal trains from Nordhausen are omitted.
1992/11/24	The "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB)" got from Ministry of economy, technology and traffic of the state Sachsen-Anhalt the cocession to build and to operate railways.
1993/02/01	Transfer of the use and management rights of the Selketalbahn and Harzquerbahn (Harz-crossing railway) by the "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (HSB)".
1993/12/31	Flood, due to thaw and violent rainfalls, is the reason for an interupt of the train service between Straßberg and Stiege for some days.
1994/04/13	A devastating flood of river Selke destroys the track body within the area Straßberg and Alexisbad. Traffic must suspend.
1994/05/01	The waiting house of the station Sternhaus Ramberg is pulled down.
1994/05/12	After extensive reconstruction measures the train operation stopped by the flood was again taken up. Opening of the new flagstop Straßberg Glasebach
1994/06/29	Loco 99 6001 has an accident on a railroad level crossing in Alexisbad. Because of necessary repair the engine can not operate for a half year.
1994/08	The first automatic barrier system within the area of the Selketalbahn goes into operation. It saves the railroad level crossing of the road B 185 before the station Mägdesprung.
1994/11	Return of the locomotive 99 6001 from the workshop in Meiningen. In the context of the accident repair the locomotive received its black colour back, after it was provided with a green painting from 1990 to June 1994.
1995/11/11	The 120 m of high chimney of the heating station Silberhütte is blowing down.
1995/12/01	Railcar "NWE T3" (187 025) is used for regular passenger train service after its reconstruction in the "MaLoWa"-workshop (Mansfelder Lokomotiven- und Wagen-Werkstatt Benndorf). Background is the saving of operating cost. The railcar is still equipped with the original engine, which was excluded from the reconstruction for monument protection reasons. With the further applications the "NWE T3" frequently fails because of damage to the engine.
1995/12/17	Malett-locomotive 99 5906, which was stored five years, is put into operation again after successful repair and installation of a tire pump for compressed air brake.
1996/04/24	Reduction of the last by hand operated barrier within the area of the Selketalbahn on the station Harzgerode. The ticket output is closed and the station remains vacant by this measure.
1996/05	With the again operational loco 99 5906 and regular application of the 99 6001 the locomotives of the class 99^23-24 from the depot Gernrode are taken off.
1997/08/07	From cause of the 110th anniversary of opening route Gernrode - Mägdesprung locomotive 99 6102 (Fiffi) is activated again. The loco was reconstructed by members of the association "friend of Selketalbahn".

Date	Event
1998/01/02-03	Touristic agenturs and railway fan clubs organized first time the event "With full steam in the New Year". On 2nd January took place a vehicle exhibition in Wernigerode and some special travels between Wernigerode and Nordhausen. On 3rd January the event-program included vehicle exhibition and special travels on the Selketalbahn. As a guest-locomotive loco "Hermann" of the Deutschen Eisenbahnvereins (DEV) pushed special trains through the Selketal.
1998/06/20	Re-opening of the redeveloped station building Hasselfelde with restaurant.
1998/07/27	The HSB puts a new radio net into operation. The necessary radio towers are on the mountains Carlshaus, Poppenberg, Wurmberg and Victorshöhe.
1999/01/02-03	Tour operators and railway fan clubs organized (the second time) the event With full steam in the New Year". On the narrow-gauge railway Selketalbahn and on the standard-gauge routes between Halberstadt, Quedlinburg, Thale, Gernrode and Ballenstedt took place special travels with steam-trains. Steam locomozives "Hermann" from Deutschen Eisenbahnvereins (DEV and "Regenwalde" from Interessengemeinschaft Historischer Schienenverkehr e.V. (Selfkantbahn) as guest-locos operated on the Selketalbahn.
1999/03/17	Introduction of ticket sale by transfer in the trains of HSB.
1999/12/31	In the context of a special travel for quests of the hotel MORADA Hotel Harzquell (Alexisbad, Harz) after Silberhütte finds the old century his worthy termination. "Pyrotechnik GmbH" on the training ground demonstrates its products.
1999/03	The HSB got the first of four newbuilt railcars from the firm Spezialwerk Fahrzeugbau Halberstadt of Deutschen Bahn AG. The vehicle is numbered as 187 016.
1999/03-10	Celebration on the occasion of "100 years Harzquer- und Brockenbahn" Because the locos 99 5906, 99 6001 and 99 6102 ("Fiffi") were stationed in Wernigerode for e while to take place on vehicle exhibitions and special travels, the trains in the Selketal were pushed by steam locos of class 99^23-24. During special travels on 4th April (Eastern) all historical steam locomotives of the HSB - 99 222, 99 5901, NWE 13 (99 5903), 99 6001, 99 6101 ("Pfiffi") und 99 6102 ("Fiffi") - came into the Selketal.
1999/06/12-28	On occasion to "60 years 99 6001 - 40 years operation in the Selketal" in Alexisbad and Harzgerode were arranged model-railway-days and special travels with loco 99 6001 between Wernigerode and Gernrode.
1999/07	From March to July 1999 all of the new-built railcars (187 016 - 187 019) were delivered from the Spezialwerk Fahrzeugbau Halberstadt to the HSB. The main use of the vehicles is to operate the pupil and commuter traffic between Nordhausen and Ilfeld and to operate the lower used courses on the Selketalbahn and Harzquerbahn.
1999/09/11	Termination of the reconstruction of the station building Harzgerode and re-opening of the restaurant.