Kaiserschlucht

When making my train landscape, I like to think of how the landscape and structures came about. Doing so helps me imagine topography that is realistic, and erect structures that fit into the landscape.

I recently completed my valley which includes the remains of an old bridge, so here is the story behind the old bridge....

Kaiserbrücke

Built: 1875
Length: 70m.
Height to valley floor: 30,5m.
Destroyed: 1944

Kaiser Frederick III admired this valley with its unique waterfalls so much that whenever his train crossed this river, he insisted that the train stop on the bridge so that he could admire the view. The bridge became known as the Kaiserbrücke and the valley, Kaiserschlucht. The old single track rail bridge was destroyed by a bombing raid in 1944 and the original foundations can still be seen to this day. It was replaced with a new steel bridge that could carry two tracks shortly after WWII. 

A class 81 steamer brings two 3-axle Prussian clerestory cars across the bridge in 1929.

Here is what the view of the valley above looks like in modern times...

The single track is now used as a siding to load sheep into rail cars, one of which can be seen on the right in the picture above.

The steel bridge now carries the mainline tracks...  Here a BR 03 loco pulls a rake of Umbauwagen across the bridge in July 1970.

The Kaiserschlucht.

---

The steel bridge is Faller 120535
The making of the valley

A Styrofoam bridge was constructed in order to create the historic photographs of trains crossing the valley.