“All aboard!” echoes in your mind. The Letzter Regensburger Stra\u00dfenbahnzug Tram stands before us. It is a poignant reminder of a bygone era in Regensburg’s history.
This isn’t just any tram. This is the Letzter Regensburger Stra\u00dfenbahnzug Tram. It represents the end of an era. It reminds us of the city’s electric streetcar system that operated from 1903 to 1964.
Let’s journey back to April 21, 1903. The Regensburg streetcar. It started with two lines built by Schuckert & Co. of Nuremberg. One line ran from Stadtamhof. It went over the Steinerne Br\u00fccke and Domplatz to the Hauptbahnhof. The other went from Ostentor over Domplatz to Wilhelmstra\u00dfe. The depot was in Augustenstra\u00dfe. The city took over the lines and power plant in 1909.
The network expanded gradually until the 1930s. A line extended to the new barracks in 1911. Another stretched to the slaughterhouse in 1915. In 1933, a line reached Reinhausen Bridge for the Walhallabahn.
At its peak, the network was 12.3 kilometers long before World War II. War damage reduced it to 10.4 kilometers. The first tram shutdown occurred in 1955. The final section, Line 1 to P\u00fcrkelgut, closed August 1, 1964.
The Letzter Regensburger Stra\u00dfenbahnzug Tram once powered a ship passage under the Stone Bridge. This electrically operated passage used the tram’s energy grid. When the tram closed, so did the ship passage.
Early trams were lit by petroleum lamps. Electric lights improved safety in 1904. During World War II, lights were dimmed for blackouts.
To handle crowds at the 1910 Upper Palatinate Industrial Exhibition. Regensburg ordered three larger trams from MAN. They held 38 passengers. These trams underwent successful testing on July 2, 1910.
The Letzter Regensburger Stra\u00dfenbahnzug Tram has a varied vehicle history. Initially, trams used trolley poles. Later, pantograph current collectors were used from 1947. Car 23 was the first fitted. Early cars had lantern roofs. Later models featured barrel roofs.
Originally, destination signs on the roof were not changed. They showed where the tram was going in front and where it had been in back. Colored glass discs indicated the line color at night. From 1927, lines were numbered.
In 1955, magnetic track brakes improved braking. These were fitted above the track between the wheels. Cars 41 to 44 had these from 1947.
The most modern Regensburg trams were the articulated cars. These were sold to Darmstadt after the closure.
A tram consisting of car 47 and trailer car 79 returned to Regensburg on November 27, 1990. It stood as a monument at the bus depot until 2017.
Helmut D\u00fcmler, former head of RFT, recalls its return. The transport cost 5800 DM plus VAT. The tram itself cost 5000 DM. It arrived in Markomannenstra\u00dfe in the evening. It was unloaded on November 27, 1990.
The Letzter Regensburger Stra\u00dfenbahnzug Tram was an attraction at the 1995 citizens’ festival. After that, it sat for years at the Regensburg transport services site.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the tram’s closure. Bernd Edtmaier and Jan Mascheck organized a special bus trip. This followed the tram’s final route on August 1, 2014. In 2014, the “IG Historische Stra\u00dfenbahn Regensburg e.V.” was founded.
Restoration of the trailer car 79 began in 2017. It was completed in May 2018. Motor tests of both motors were successful in 2020.
The Letzter Regensburger Stra\u00dfenbahnzug Tram now stands as a symbol. It is a reminder of Regensburg’s past. It embodies the spirit of innovation and adaptation. It shows the city’s commitment to preserving its heritage for future generations.