Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape

Koln-Dusseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt AG
Frankenwerft 15, D-5000 Koln 1, Germany
KD: Official Website
The "KD" oerates an extensive service along the River Rhein, primarily between Cologne (Koln) and Mainz, with Koblenz at the mid-point. Now almost totally a service for tourists, a large fleet of motor vessels and one paddler, PS Goethe, share the busy river with freight barges passing some magnificent scenery and calling at numerous attractive riverside towns and villages.
Details of the operations of PS Goethe can be obtained on the special telephone "Dampfer Hotline" : 0180 5 130 160

Goethe is the last of a long line of paddlers sailing through some magnificent scenery - here after passing the famous Loreley Rock near St Goarshausen

The KD has a long tradition stretching back to the beginning of steamer operations on the Rhine. Click here for Historical Paddle Steamers

KD celebrated their 175th anniversary in 2001, and included in the festivities was a congregation of most of the fleet (but not Goethe!) at Cologne. 

The KD operated 38 paddlers at the outbreak of World War I and 20 at the outbreak of World War II and although the latter war in particular brought severe losses, it was still felt suitable to raise and rebuilt wrecked vessels for further service. The last survivor, Goethe, returned to service in heavily rebuilt form in 1952, and for the 1953 season, there ware 14 large paddlers on the roster. In 1969 this had been reduced to 6 although the shortfall in capacity had been made up by the introduction of similar sized motor vessels. After 1974, with the withdrawal of Cecilie and Bismarck, three paddlers remained, all of which survive. Goethe remains the only vessel now serving with the KD and has been the last example of paddle propulsion since Rudesheim was laid up after the 1981 season. The future looked bleak for Goethe in 1989, but a commitment to save her despite changing ownership of the KD (with a bank becoming the majority shareholder), led to a triumphant return to service in 1996 as a thoroughly modern, yet traditional steamer. During 2008, the KD announced that Goethe was to be converted to dieel-hydraulic drive, thus ending the long history of paddle steamers on the German section of the Rhine.

The majority shareholding in the KD company was bought by Premicon AG in March 2000 (and are now under the same ultimate ownership as the Dresden fleet) and the loss-making long-haul river cruising operation was sold quickly to a rival operator. This left KD operating the day-trip vessels, albeit with the introduction of severe cost cutting measures, particularly on the administration side, in an attempt to return the company to profitability.
OPERATIONAL PADDLE VESSEL

PS Goethe

Built 1913 but superstructure modified several times. Returned to service in late 1996 after a seven-year lay-up and controversially converted to diesel hydraulic operation after the 2008 season

HISTORICAL PADDLERS STILL IN EXISTENCE

Vessel

Entered Service

Withdrawn

Notes

PS Mainz

1929

1980

Museum ship at Mannheim

PS Rudesheim (ex-Rheinland)

1926

1981

Now PS Majesteit in service in the Netherlands

PS Hansa

1886

1924

Laid up at Koln-Mulheim after use as restaurant

Motor Vessels : Webmaster access only

Return to

Paddle Steamer List