On October 5th, 1896, the first narrow gauge railway line was opened between Pärnu and Valga. The lines were extended to Viljandi and Tallinn and by 1939 909 kilometers of narrow gauge railway covered the country.
Originally the Pärnu railway station was located near the center of the town, but in 1944 is was bombed and destroyed by the Soviet air force. In 1972 the narrow gauge railway lines ceased operation.
The locomotive on this photo is said to be the oldest remaining locomotive in the Baltics, it was placed here by the Lavassaare Railway Museum in commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the Pärnu railway station.
Location: 58°23'7"N 24°30'16"E on: Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Maa Amet.
Copyright Otto de Voogd 2008
