The Soviet spy steam railway that's still running... A
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Deep in the dense green forests of Germany's Mittelgebirge central mountains lies a remarkable railway that has survived war, political upheaval, Cold War tension and repression, economic hardship and repeated threats of closure. Little known outside Germany, the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen -- Harz Narrow Gauge Railways, usually abbreviated to HSB -- is one of the few places in the world still operating regular timetabled steam trains throughout the year.
And it's not just for tourists. It's an integrated part of the region's transport network.
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Although the mountain was partially open to tourists between 1948 and 1959, from August 1961 onward, the area was declared a military exclusion zone by the East German government and the summit plateau was sealed behind a concrete wall. The railway was retained as a supply route for troops and intelligence agents but would not see tourist traffic again until 1990. Extensive military installations were built on and around the summit, including two powerful listening stations, codenamed Yenisei and Urian, run by Soviet military intelligence and East German state security.
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https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/h...cmd/index.html