Muttentalbahn, Heritage horsecar and archaeological site in Witten, Germany
The Muttentalbahn is a heritage horsecar railway in Witten that runs through the southeastern Ruhr area over several kilometers. The site displays original tracks and reconstructed coal wagons that were pulled by horses to transport coal from mines to loading points.
The railway was built in 1829 and revolutionized coal transportation in the region through horse-drawn wagons. The original wooden rails were later replaced with cast iron, showing the evolution of railway technology on continental Europe.
The preservation of Muttentalbahn reflects the industrial development of North Rhine-Westphalia, with original tracks and reconstructed coal wagons on display.
The site is maintained by the German Mining and Field Railway Museum Zeche Theresia with help from volunteers. Visitors should be aware it is an archaeological site, so paths can be uneven and infrastructure is limited on location.
The rails were initially reinforced with steel bands before being fully replaced with cast iron in 1838. This shows how early engineers combined materials creatively to build durable transport routes.
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