Overview of the History of the
Mansfelder Bergwerksbahn 
1199  Beginning of copper mining in the Mansfeld area. 
1785  August 23: First operation of the first german steam engine in Watt construction at the King-Friedrich-Mine in Burgörner near Hettstedt. 
1880  November 15: Beginning of the regular operation at the 5.5 km long locomotive driven railway between the Glückhilf mine near Welfesholz and the Kupferkammer smeltery Hettstedt for the transport of copper ore and coal. 
1882  Beginning of the transport of miners to/from the mines and smelteries. 
until 1883  All important mines and smelteries are connected by the narrow gauge railway. 
1883  Foundation of the (still existing) repair workshop at the station Mansfeld (now Bf. Klostermansfeld). 
1906  The railway comprises: 29 locomotives, 30 carriages, 705 wagon. 
1930  Maximum extension of the railway (about 95 km rails). The railway connects 13 mines, 6 smelteries and 2 transfer stations to the State Railways. 
1931-1939  The steam locos 6-11 (7-11 are still existing) and the first transporter wagon (for standard gauge wagon) are taken into service. With these new vehicles, the (compressed) air brake is introduced. 
about 1955  Culmination of the number of transported person and goods. 
1961-1962  The Diesel locos 30-37 (V10C) are taken into service. 
1965-1968  The locomotive 10 is the first German narrow gauge loco which is fired by heavy oil (Ölhauptfeuerung). 
1964-1969  The last mines near Eisleben and Hettstedt are closed, so that the transport of passengers ends in 1970. 
1972  The smelting works in Eisleben is closed, the line between Helbra und Eisleben becomes unnecessary and is removed some years later. 
1989  Dezember 29: The Copper-Silver-Smelting Works in Hettstedt is closed, the normal transport between Helbra und Hettstedt ends. 
1990  The raw smeltery (Sept.) and the power station (Oct.) are closed, which means the end of the regular transports in Helbra and therefore at the entire narrow gauge railway. 
1990  The first historic train runs between Klostermansfeld und Hettstedt for passengers. However, all other lines are removed during the following three years. 
1994  The remaining line (11 km) between MaLoWa Bahnwerkstatt GmbH Benndorf (at the station Klostermansfeld of the DBAG) and the station "Lead Smeltery" in Hettstedt becomes the property of the Mansfelder Bergwerksbahn e.V. This club has the aim to keep the rest of the railway as a part of the German mining, industrial and railway history.