The train is powered by an onboard flywheel which is spun up to full speed at either end

When it comes to short lines in North America, the Franklin Ave Shuttle is the most interesting of the NYC shuttles considering unlike the other NYC shuttles, it has a station that's only served by a shuttle service, Park Place (also the only station to have a single-track that's NOT a terminal station). It's just over 2 km long but not a branch line as it connects the IND Fulton Street Line with the BMT Brighton Line. Its original purpose was as part of a line to Coney Island, but extending the D to Coney Island ultimately made it a shuttle. The line was home to the deadliest crash in NYC subway history in November 1918 when over 90 people lost their lives because a speeding train derailed in a sharply curved tunnel when it approached Prospect Park. Basically there was a labor strike and they got a non-union dispatcher with NO experience operating the line. But a favorite short branch line of mine is the MTR's Disneyland Resort Line in Hong Kong which is 3.8 km. Not only because it has special cute rolling stock with Mickey windows and Mickey handholds, but also the designs of the two stations are meant to be like a time machine, as in you're going from the futuristic city of Hong Kong at Sunny Bay, to the fantasy world of the Disneyland Resort (with Victorian-themed Disneyland Resort station). Because taking a trip to a theme park is like going back to your childhood. And not to mention, the line had the first automated MTR trains before the South Island Line

I believe, there’s a shorter branch line in the south of Germany between „Friedrichshafen Stadt“ and „Friedrichshafen Hafen“. It‘s a very similar situation with also just one train serving the line but I think it’s even a bit shorter with the branch being only about 700m long.

The line's a bit shorter than it used to be because twice trains crashed through the buffers and were suspended over the road below. They built the bus station on the site of the original station.

Friedrichshafen to Friedrichshafen Hafen in Germany used to be the shortest regular scheduled train, but it’s probably legally not a branch line

John Parry died Feb 2023 - RIP! May your inventions live on for many years to come...

The Vatican Railway is a branch line, although it doesn't get regular service! The railway is 300 meters or 980 feet long, making it the shortest national railway system in the world. You can take a train from there seasonally as since 2015, during Spring and Summer on weekends, they offer service to Castel Gandolfo which is the Pope's vacation retreat. The Vatican has a railway because it was guaranteed in the Lateran Treaty in 1929. The construction of its viaduct was paid for by the Italian government! The first locomotive entered the Vatican in March 1932, and the station was opened officially in October 1934. However, the first Pope to use it was Pope John XXIII in 1962. The railway station was actually the only thing bombed in Vatican City during WWII as in March 1944, the Vatican discovered that the Germans actually parked a munitions train there! And an interesting short branch line in North America is SEPTA's Cynwyd Line. The line has just three stations, Wynnefield Ave, Bala, and Cynwyd. The Cynwyd Line is a fully grade-separated truncated remnant of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Schuylkill Branch, which ran from Philadelphia to Pottsville. Passenger service ended between Manayunk and Norristown in 1960. In 1980, SEPTA extended service from Manayunk to Ivy Ridge. However, service to Ivy Ridge was suspended in 1986 because of poor track conditions and concerns about the Manayunk Bridge. Thus, service was truncated to Cynwyd. The track between Cynwyd and Ivy Ridge was dismantled between 2008 and 2010 for conversion as an interim rail trail.

I was the tea boy on the track-laying gang that used to maintain that line, in about 1973. Although we were usually working on the line to Brum between Cradley Heath and Old Hill. The guys hated my tea, but because I was youngest in the gang, I had to do the job - it was the law!

This must be prime candidate for HS3. - Easy win.

Woah, idc if its the smallest branch line, 4 times per hour is insane for where i live!

I remember the old station at Stourbridge Town. When I work at Birmingham New Street in the early 1970's, I used to travel in from Stourbridge Junction. I lived only 5 minutes walk from there on Ham Lane. But for an early shift before trains started, I used to have to walk to the Bus Station which was by the Town Station and catch a Bus into the Bus Station by New Street, then just walk through the Parcels area to my job there. I would also use the shuttle to do shopping in Stourbridge Town Centre.

My office used to be in nearby Kingswinford and this used to be the highlight of my commute.

If you eat your sandwiches on the train you can have Europes shortest brunch time on Europes shortest branch line.

It’s had some fun over the years, forgetting to stop at the end of the line ,at one time the crew had a pint on the bar of local pub, did the run returning back to finish pint and have another 😂

I think the Aldwych branch of the Piccadilly line was shorter, but that closed in 1994.

Enjoyed this! Another very short branch line is the Vatican Railway, which runs from Roma San Pietro into the Vatican. Despite being an international railway, it is in fact only 0.42miles long!

This is an adorable little branch line. I could imagine, that this form of very short lines could be quite efficient public transport though.

Just an ideal railbus for a job on any short branch line.

0.8 miles? I'm sorry but the Friedrichshafen Stadt to Friedrichshafen Hafen branchline in Germany is much shorter with just 800 meters

Friedrichshafen Stadt to Friedrichshafen Hafen is probably about the same length or shorter.

Ah, the shuttle. Brings back memories of being absolutely crammed into the Parry People Mover with other students trying to get to King Edward VI College at half-eight in the morning! Not to mention trying to get back and either squeezing on the 16:20 or being stuck at the back of the queue and having to wait for the 16:30! Absolute madness. Eventually I just started walking to and from college straight from the Junction! Nice little train though. Albeit it was a bit of a bumpy ride!

There is a short 300m branch that even crosses international border between Rome/Italy and the Vatican. It's not regularly in service though. In Germany, between Friedrichshafen Stadt and Friedrichshafen Hafen, there is a shorter route which does have regular trains.

This will be part of tram network soon

Still makes me wonder how this survived the Beeching Axe considering many more important lines closed.

Cute! That’s the smallest self-driven passenger rail car that I have ever seen.

Cute little people mover and actually not bad frequencies

Hope you dropped in to say hi to George The Stourbridge Station Cat in town.

Perhaps my minds playing tricks with me but I’m sure in the old days there was a connection between the Seven Valley line that ran to Stourbridge Town?

The Pisa to Pisa Airport branch is very short. It takes five minutes, including a stop at an intermediate station for the car park.

I'm sorry but you're wrong on that one. In Spain we've got Ramal in Madrid's metro (1.1km), but if you don't consider this a branch line (it's a launcher like the Waterloo and City line more than a branch) there are still other options. L12 in Barcelona is a branch of L6, and, until the extend it (which I assure you won't happen before 2040 xd) it is only 600m long!!! Still, the video was really interesting, good job :)

you should have gone down to the ticket office at the junction and met george the station cat,

I used to live opposite the Junction, and when I heard they were closing the line circa 1975, I made some late calls to Sir Stanley Yapp, Chairman of WMCC (If my memory serves me well.) He didn't take to me an ordinary person phoning him but he apparently found the money to keep the line open. Maybe I saved the line. Or maybe other considerations came into play. So thanks for the video reminding me that the line is flourishing. (PS I used it a lot and often got a ride with the driver up front in the old 'Bubble Car' Class 121 .)

There’s a lot of places that could do with little branch lines like this

Hope you managed to say hello to the customer meet and greet agent, also known as George the Stourbridge Junction Cat (who has his own Twitter/X profile).

Another is the Cardiff queen street to the bay may be even shorter !!

A staffed ticket office 🤔

Thought it was Harrods at Christmas.

Well, there is a branch line in southern Germany, from Friedrichshafen Stadt to Friedrichshafen Hafen. This Link between the Harbour and the Train station is double-tracked and only 792 meters long

Friedrichshafen Hafen to Friedrichshafen stadt in germany is way shorter at 800m

I live there and the branchline is such cutr

have travelled this line, sadly no McDonalds in town!

I wouldn’t like a days work on that shuttle! Repetitive work alright

Perhaps I wasn't paying attention but I don't recall you mentioning the length of Europe's shortest branch line--and I don't see it in the notes either.

its just like the Waterloo & City 😂

Are you sure the shortest branchline isn't the track that goes from Italy to Vatican City? Although, maybe it doesn't count because the branch doesn't offer regular passenger service.

Wrexham General and Wrexham Central must be shorter?

Didn't you get to meet George?

I would guess that a close challenger for this title could be the link between Wrexham General and Wrexham Central. Can't find a confirmed distance but it barely takes a minute or so between them, on the Wrexham to Bidston line.

What other country than the UK would contain the smallest of anything? 😂

Home of an ex of mine

I love this short line. In Milan there is MeLA, it's 682 meters, but it's more like an elevated urban train, I guess it doesn't count.

Viva the Parry People Mover

I've never seen or heard of that class of loco before. But it's smart and performs an important service. Long may it continue.

Wrexham general to central is shorter

Uk shortest line not Europe we no longer in Europe

Omg can you believe anyone would use this service unless they have some serious disability?.... Just walk it's good for your health... And I practice what a preach.... I catch a bus daily.... Destination chesterfield, Derbyshire... But what do I do? I get off the bus 6 mile from my destination and walk the 6 mile into town racking up 30mile + over 5 days if more people followed my example the NHS would not be under so much pressure treating obese people... Any reasonably fit person who uses this ridiculous branch line should be ashamed of themselves 😮

I don't quite get it. Is England part of Europe? AFAIK, a few years ago, Britain voted to no longer be part of Europe. That makes this video very, very incorrect. There must be a shortest branch line in Europe but it is most definitely NOT in England.