Lettische Staatsbahn (Heeresfeldbahn) 0-8-0T No. ML-611 (HF 694)
Ventspils, Latvia 		Location: Piejuras Brivdabas Muzejs (open air Museum)
Status: Operational
Posted: Nov 30, 2022 @ 02:11:00 by Dale W Fickés
Originally suppliehd to Heeresfeld Depot 1 Brigade, Berlin as No. HF 694, the locomotive probaby first saw service on the Eastern Front in Latvia and following WW1, by now re-numbered as MI-611, was absorbed into Latvian State Railways and used on the remaining military railways therein. It spent its last years of operation on the Viesite field railway network. In 1973, shortly after the closure of the last former HFB routes, the Riga Open Air Museum took over the Ml-611 together with the locomotive Ml-628 (Orenstein&Koppel ?/ 1916). Shortly thereafter, the MI-611 was loaned to a “Kolhos”, a national farm, near Bauska, where it was planned to build a short line and run museum trains. However, there was hesitation in realizing the idea, so that in the meantime perestroika came, which caused the dissolution of the kolhoses. The locomotive stood abandoned in a barn near Bauska for about 30 years. On July 4, 2003 the time of waiting ended, the loco was taken from Bauska to Ventpils in the PBM (abbreviation for “Piejuras brivdabas muzejs” in English “The Ventspils Coastal Open-Air Museum”).