Military Narrow Gauge Railways in Pardubice

This article describes history of a network of Military Field Railways (Vojenské polní dráhy - VPD). This network was operated by the First Railway Regiment. After the rise of Czechoslovakia in 1918 Pardubice was chosen as a suitable place for operation of this railway regiment. At first from spring 1923 a network with gauge 600 mm arose, after six years it followed gradual reconstruction to gauge 760 mm. The railway connected military buildings and storehouses with training-ground. It served for transport of material at construction of practice bridges, for practical teaching of construction and dismantling of track in terrain and for practical teaching of railway transport for needs of railway force. At the end of forties of last century the operation of this military railway was gradually finished.