A steam locomotive from the Molli baths railway has arrived in the Baltic Sea resort for the Warnemünde Bridge Festival – but only as an exhibit. The steam locomotive may also travel here regularly in the future.
Warnemünde (dpa / mv) – A steam locomotive from the Molli baths railway is currently on the promenade in Rostock-Warnemünde. The locomotive standing on a piece of track can be admired until Sunday on the occasion of the Warnemünde Bridge Festival, said Molli Managing Director Michael Misslitz on Tuesday. She should also advertise a possible extension of the Molli route to the Baltic Sea resort. Such an extension of the route could help to ensure that more people travel by train instead of by car in the tourist region and thus protect the climate, said Mißlitz.
A feasibility study by the University of Dresden came to the conclusion that the route of the historic train – mostly used by tourists – could be expanded in the west to Rerik and in the east to Warnemünde, thus doubling the number of passengers. So far, the train has operated between Kuehlungsborn and Bad Doberan.
Last week, however, the district council committee of the Rostock district spoke out against the project. District Administrator Sebastian Constien (SPD), as chairman of the shareholders’ meeting of the Mecklenburg Baths Railway Molli, said: “The district committee has sent a clear signal to the shareholders’ meeting of the Mecklenburg Baths Railway Molli GmbH include in our further deliberations on route extensions.”
On September 21, the district council should deal with the topic. Mißlitz is still optimistic in principle. “Today, many members of the district council were there and were also very impressed by the public opinion.” Infrastructure projects are “thick boards”. It cannot be ruled out that the district council will make a different decision on September 21. “In that sense, I’m in good spirits.” Climate change and the planned expansion of local public transport remained issues. If the project does not currently receive sufficient support, this can always happen later.
