Rügensche Kleinbahn, Narrow-gauge railway in Vorpommern-Rügen, Germany.
The Rügensche Kleinbahn is a narrow-gauge railway in Vorpommern-Rügen located on Rügen Island. The network spans approximately 24 kilometers with historic steam locomotives that operate at moderate speeds and connect various coastal communities.
The railway was established in 1895 and quickly grew into an extensive network that supported Baltic Sea resort development. This connection made the island accessible as a tourist destination and played an important role in the region's economic growth.
The railway's nickname, Rasender Roland (Raging Roland), is used in everyday speech on Rügen. The Low German duo De Plattfööt released the song "Up'n rasenden Roland" in 1985 on the AMIGA LP Songs ut Meckelbörg. From 1901 to 1916, trains between Binz and Putbus carried theatregoers to evening performances, with a kitchen car serving warm meals.
The network makes it possible to reach multiple stops along the route, and bicycles can be brought along, which makes exploring easier. It's best to check departure times beforehand, since service is seasonal and trains do not operate daily.
Between 1901 and 1916 the line ran evening trains from Binz to Putbus for theatre-goers, complete with a kitchen car — making it the only German narrow-gauge railway to serve warm meals on board. Prince Wilhelm Malte zu Putbus, the main shareholder, had his own saloon coach.
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