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The Augustusburg cable-railway of yesteryear
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With the development of tourism at the end of the 19th century the demand for a better connection between the town of Augustusburg and the neighbouring station in Erdmannsdorf-Augustusburg grew.
1897: The first concept for a direct train connection with the town of Augustusburg was born. The negotiations for the granting of a franchise for a mountain railway lasted several years.
1910: The provincial government granted the “Drahtseilbahn Augustusburger Aktiengesellschaft” the rights to build and operate a mountain railway on 10th June. Construction began on 31st August.
1911: On 24th June the single track 1,000 mm gauge cable-railway was put into operation.
1924: The public sector buys shares in the venture.
1952: On 1st January the cable-railway becomes a publicly owned operation of the town of Augustusburg.
1955: With 936,000 guests each year, the highest number of passengers has been reached.
1956: The cable-railway with its stations on the mountain and in the valley, together with the technical installations and bridges are added to the list of national monuments.
1971: On 4th October considerable reconstruction work is commenced.
1973: On 1st September, the recommissioning of the cable-railway starts. The passage of the modern cable cars is monitored and controlled electronically.
1993: The cable-railway becomes more and more of a tourist attraction.
1996: At the beginning of the year a reconstruction of the all the installations, tracks as well as the stations begins. On 30th April operation recommences with two new cable cars.
1998: Using computer assisted transport systems, video and ultrasound monitoring the traffic is controlled from the control stand in the mountain station.
2001: The cable-railway’s 90th birthday was celebrated by the town of Augustusburg with a town fair on the 24th June.
2005: The DB RegioNetz Erzgebirgsbahn becomes the new operator of the Augustusburg cable-railway. The transport network of Middle Saxony (VMS) begins extensive reconstruction of the all the installations, tracks as well as the stations.
2006: The recommissioning of the cable-railway for its 95th birthday on 24th June is celebrated with a big family fête.
More information about the history and the background of the cable-railway can be found in the brochure “95 years of cable-railway Erdmannsdorf-Augustusburg” available at the cable-railway-shop at the departure station.
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