Just an hour outside of Prague is the oldest sugar-beet railway which was slowly renewed in the last 20 years. originally built as 700 mm by a local aristocrat to transport sugar beet to the sugar refinery. Here is what their website says about their history:
It linked the refinery of Kolin (today you would find the Kolin Power Plant on the spot) with Frantiskov (today’s Ovcary), Bychory and Jestrabi Lhota. The total length of 10.6 km was further extended with 0.9 km long junction to Frantiskov. The railway was operational for almost 70 years. The original steam engines service was later replaced by two-axle B600/70 and BN60 diesel engines. Each wagons carried 8t of sugar beet.
The club with the aim of restoring this historic railway was established in 2000 and in 2005 things started moving. Since then they built a train station, depo, garages for wagons and other attractions. It is a lovely attraction mainly for families with kids. The gauge was originally 700 mm, but as they obtained a steam loco with the gauge of 600 mm and also due to legislative hassle with railways over 600 mm gauge, they sticked to this one. They operate some diesel engines and one steam on special occasions.
Locomotive ČKD BS-80 about to leave the main station in Kolín.
Let´s go!
On the way to Býchory.
Usually these diesel locos pull the trains.
Depo
Historical pics from the railway (source: https://en.reparskadrazka.cz/about-us/#history)
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