Kleinbahn-Zeiten zwischen Ruhr und Lippe

In the so-called Hellweg region, located between the southern Münsterland and northern Sauerland, a network of narrow and standard gauge railway lines was developed from municipal initiatives in the early years of the 20th century. This network aimed to connect the predominantly agricultural and forestry-oriented region between the Lippe lowlands and the upper Ruhr valley to modern times. Like almost all narrow-gauge railways, these also experienced a rapid decline after World War II, with only a few short lines remaining today, serving only sporadic freight traffic. The book traces the history of these railways, focusing particularly on the highly interesting vehicles – such as the narrow-gauge Mallet steam locomotives of the RLK/RLE and the rare railcars.