THE OLD PATHS OF OGRE’S NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY
THE MUSEUM INVITES YOU ON A HIKE TO EXPLORE THE OLD PATHS OF OGRE’S NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY As spring blossoms, the Ogre History and Art Museum presents the history of the Ogre narrow-gauge railway and invites you to explore the old routes of the narrow-gauge train in nature. From Ogre railway station, a narrow-gauge railway line […]
THE MUSEUM INVITES YOU ON A HIKE TO EXPLORE THE OLD PATHS OF OGRE’S NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY
As spring blossoms, the Ogre History and Art Museum presents the history of the Ogre narrow-gauge railway and invites you to explore the old routes of the narrow-gauge train in nature.
From Ogre railway station, a narrow-gauge railway line once stretched through the forests to Laubere. Today, almost no physical evidence of it remains, but the story of this forest railway might encourage Ogre residents and visitors to walk or cycle along the paths near Ogre, through which the railway once wound.
The historical narrow-gauge railway section near Ogre can be explored by starting your journey at the current Ogre Ice Hall and heading towards Tīnūži, passing the turn-off to Ogre Technical College, and turning right onto the first forest path. After about a half-hour walk (2.3 km), continuing straight along the path, you will reach a gentle turn towards Turkalne Road. From this turn to Turkalne Road is also about a half-hour walk (2.1 km). The former narrow-gauge railway section closest to Ogre ends at the “Norupe” sawmill. Further on, the narrow-gauge train turned towards Turkalne. From this point, walkers can return to Ogre center either by following the deer park path before reaching the highway, or by crossing the paved road to reach the Kartonfabrika residential area via Lībieškalns. From here, the route towards Ogre center can be continued along the Ogre River.
WHEN WAS THE OGRE—LAUBERE RAILWAY IN OPERATION?
Operations on the Ogre—Laubere railway began in early 1933. During World War II, it was used for transporting soldiers, but it was destroyed during the war and never rebuilt.
WHY WAS A NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY NEEDED IN THE FOREST?
The Ogre—Laubere narrow-gauge railway was built for forestry needs. Timber transport from surrounding regions mainly occurred via waterways, with logs floated down the Ogre River and Lielā Jugla, but timber from forest areas further from rivers was transported by the narrow-gauge railway. The construction of the Ogre—Laubere line was carried out by the Latvian government to utilize timber resources more efficiently, preventing trees from overgrowing.
WHO USED THE NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY?
The main purpose of the narrow-gauge railway was industrial, and its primary users were forest workers, but the line was also used by people not involved in timber transport. For example, Laubere farmers used the narrow-gauge train to deliver milk, butter, and vegetables to Ogre. Meanwhile, Ogre residents and summer cottage owners used the train to go into the forest for forest produce. On special occasions, the narrow-gauge train was also used for organizing festivities or pleasure trips. On such occasions, the carriages were decorated with birch branches, and people, accompanied by musicians, traveled to the end of the line, where an open-air dance party was held.
WHAT WAS THE OGRE—LAUBERE NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY LIKE?
The Ogre—Laubere railway had a track gauge of 600 mm. Similar railways were used even before World War I and for front-line needs during the war. They were cheaper and quicker to build than broad-gauge railways, and their rolling stock was relatively easier to maintain due to simpler carriage designs.
In Ogre city, the line ran through Jaunogre, parallel to the current Mālkalnes Prospect, where the depot was located. Employees who maintained the carriages and locomotives worked there. For the residents of Jaunogre, the whistle of locomotives was an everyday sound during those years. The tracks continued to Ogre station, where timber was transferred to broad-gauge wagons for transport to Riga.
The narrow-gauge railway had two branches extending to Jugla and Laubere. The total length of the line was 37.2 km. In areas where logging took place, the line could be extended. These extensions were then dismantled and rebuilt where needed. To help forest workers navigate, various sections and turns in the forest areas were given clever names. One of these is the “Berlin Junction,” still marked in nature, which, when viewed from Ogre, is located beyond Turkalne.
WHY IS THE OGRE—LAUBERE RAILWAY LINE NO LONGER VISIBLE IN NATURE?
80 years have passed since the narrow-gauge train existed. It is not difficult to trace its path in nature, but it is almost impossible to find anything that truly indicates the existence of the railway line. The embankments built for the narrow-gauge railway were leveled after the war to create forest roads, adapting them for cars and tractors. Logging has continued, and in some places, bushes have covered the timber loading sites. Furthermore, the construction of the narrow-gauge railway was relatively easy to install and dismantle, requiring no deep foundations. However, what remains are people’s memories and photographs, which bear witness to the former life of the Ogre region, and the industrial and technological processes of its time.
Information about the Ogre—Laubere narrow-gauge train has been prepared based on the research “Narrow-Gauge Railway Ogre—Laubere” by OVMM history specialist Santa Šustere, published in Volume 2 of the book “Writings of the Ogre History and Art Museum.”
“OGRE KANGARI” HIKING TRAIL
We invite you to explore the hiking trail to better discover the hills of Ogre. View the photo gallery and read the story on the museum's website or Facebook page. By looking at historical images, you can compare how the city has changed over time. We have marked the route in the "BalticMaps" map browser. The “GPX” file is convenient to use with the LVM GEO mobile app. The total length of the hiking trail marked on the map is 14 kilometers (7 kilometers in Pārogre and 7 kilometers in Ogre center and Jaunogre). The hiking trail winds through both the urban part of the city (with asphalt, cobblestone, and gravel surfaces) and green areas (park paths and pedestrian-trodden forest trails without special amenities).
