Neha Patil (Editor)

Narrow gauge railways in Latvia

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Narrow-gauge railways in Latvia

Around 1935, Latvian narrow-gauge railways consisted of 536 km (335 miles) of 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge, 432 km (270 miles) of 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge, and 48 km (30 miles) of meter gauge.

Contents

One public, one museum, and some industrial peat railways survive.

Common carrier

Track gauges are 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge unless otherwise specified.

  • First Russian Supply Railway Company
  • Valka–Rūjiena–Mõisaküla–Pärnu, branch of the Gulbene Line
  • Liepāja–Alsunga line, 67 km, opened in 1932, extended to Kuldīga (20 km)
  • Liepāja–Rucava line, 52 km, 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) narrow-gauge military line, converted to 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) narrow gauge
  • Liepāja–Aizpute railway, 48 km.
  • Livonian Supply Railway Company
  • Gulbene line, Pļaviņas–Gulbene–Alūksne–Ape–Mõniste–Valga, 202 km, opened in 1903, partially closed in stages.
  • Pāle–Staicele, 16 km, opened 1927
  • Puikule–Aloja, 12 km.
  • Riisselja–Ainaži, 76 km, closed 1975.
  • Valmiera supply railway company, 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge, 1912:
  • Valmiera–Smiltene, 32 km, closed 1969.
  • Valmiera–Ainaži Harbour, 83 km, closed in 1979.
  • Wolmar supply railway at Valmiera.
  • Peat railway

    The peat companies mainly use 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge, but there also exists 700 mm (2 ft 3 916 in) and 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge railways.

  • Peat railway based at Dauguli
  • Peat railway based at Ozoli
  • Other

  • There is an historic train in Ventspils. The track gauge is 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) and the length is a 2 km circle. The locomotives are former "Brigadelok" steam locomotives. From 1918 until the early 1960s they ran a regular service from Ventspils along the coast to Mazirbe and further down to Talsi and Stende.
  • The Riga Pioneer Railway, 2 km long, was in existence from 1956 to 1997.
  • References

    Narrow-gauge railways in Latvia Wikipedia