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Travel like in Grandma's day
The year is 1960. It was a time when the modern German Federal Railway (DB) had long since embarked on a new era. But in the Swabian Bottwartal valley, there was still a narrow-gauge railway where the DB operated its last two-axle wooden boxcars from the days of the Royal Württemberg State Railways.
They offered journeys like in Grandma's day, at a leisurely pace, while at the same time TEE trains sped through the countryside at 160 km/h.
This came to an end in 1966, and the ancient wooden-class vintage carriages were destined for the scrap heap.
But then, in 1967, long-discontinued passenger service for transporting schoolchildren was reinstated on the nearby Jagsttalbahn railway. SWEG, the operator of the line, was looking for cost-effective vehicles and acquired four Bottwartalbahn carriages from the German Federal Railway (Deutsche Bundesbahn), designated M-D 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The school trains ran until 1979, and the young people repeatedly enjoyed the unique experience of riding in these carriages with their wooden benches and open platforms. From 1971 onward, these Württemberg carriages also formed the basis for the highly successful heritage train service on the scenic Jagsttalbahn, a line spanning 39 kilometers. Carriage M-D 3 remained in service until the line's closure. It is currently located in Dörzbach, awaiting restoration. It is a true gem, as this two-axle carriage, commissioned in 1924, is the last fully preserved example of this most common type of Württemberg 750 mm narrow-gauge passenger carriage.
