The prototype

The prototype for Holstenberg is Hauzenberg Endstation, situated at the end of a 25 Km branchline (nebenbahn)  from Passau, in southern Bavaria.
 
Hauzenberg can be see at the end of the line to the right of Passau




Plan of Hauzenberg Endbahnhof circa. 1930

Construction of the line began in 1903, and the first official train arriving at Hauzenberg on 15 November 1904. The line was ostensibly constructed  to provide transport for the proucts derived from the granite quarry at Hauzenberg.  The terminus ostensibly comprised, a station building and goods shed, a double engine shed, a small coaling tower and water crane and two loading ramps. I have drawings of a gantry crane that was present at Hauzenberg, but it is not clear where this was situated. In my model I have placed it initially to the right of the larger loading ramp to the bottom left of the plan.



 I've tried to model the key elements of Hauzenberg to give an impression of a typical Bavarian Branchline.

Hauzenberg 1906
Two granite columns destined for the University at Munich; note the stacks of granite pavers in the background.



The station building and staff 1927

 

Prinz Alfons von Bayern, 1932.
 The track traverses a number of bridges between Passau and Hauzenberg, examples of these bridges are shown below.

 

Typical bridges over the Erlau
Faller manufacture a bridge kit that almost exactly matches the above designs, this provides the enterence to the layour:




The station and gantry crane (during construction of the layout).


The trains

Passenger services were provided by a VT135 railbus (possibly with a coach).


VT135



The main loco (lok) used at this time was the Br 64, designed almost exclusivily for branchline use. Although during the war a number of Prussian class 94 loks did make their way to Passau/Hauzenberg.

Br 64 (although this is a picture from the 1950's)



These two photos show huge trunks being loaded and hauled. Although taken on the Wegsheid, line I intend to represent the haulage of this type of load from Holstenberg.






The time table for a branchline was relativily simple, a rail bus (VT135) provided the bulk of the passenger transport, and a mixed goods and possibly passenger train running freight.
From Passau to Hauzenberg it took the rail bus approximately 1 hour. Starting at  approximately 6.30 am railbusses concurrently left Passau and Hauzenberg, arriving their respective end destinations at approximately 7.30. Similar departures continued at 9.30, 10.00pm, 4.15pm and 7.05pm, the final rail bus finally arriving at 8.15.
Each day a mixed goods train would also arrive, drop off and collect wagons and return to Passau. Because of the granite quarry at Hauzenberg 'specials' would be laid on to transport abnormal loads, as seen in the picture above of the granite columns.


Passau - Hauzenberg passenger time table (1939)

As no turntables were present at the terminus it was necessary to have a run around loop, suprisingly the centre track acted as the main line on which passengers boarded and alighted from the trains. Further due to the restrictions on the train length because of the runaround, it was often necessary to leave some wagons at the previous stations, and the loco to return to collect them after decoupling and shunting at the terminus

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References:
1. Das Hauzenberger Bockerl, die Localbahn von Passau nach Hauzenberg und die Zahnrad Erlau - Wegschied. Regional Verkehrsgeschichte, Band 32. Eisenbahn Kurier. EK-Verlag, 2002. ISBN: 3-88255-452-5
2. Nebenbahnen im Passauer Land, Siegfried Bufe, Bufe-Fachbuch-Verlag . Egglham, 1998. ISBN: 3-922138-66-7