bahn ▁Akt ien - G es ellschaft ), ▁or ▁' LA G ' ▁for ▁short , ▁was ▁a ▁private ▁company ▁based ▁in ▁Mun ich , ▁Bav aria , ▁whose ▁lines ▁of ▁business ▁was ▁the ▁construction ▁and ▁operation ▁of ▁branch ▁lines ▁( the ▁so - called ▁L okal bah nen ▁or ▁Se kund är bah nen ) ▁in ▁Germany ▁and ▁Austria - H ung ary . ▁It ▁existed ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁founded ▁on ▁ 9 ▁February ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁by ▁the ▁Lok om ot iv fab rik ▁Kra uss ▁& ▁Co . ▁and ▁the ▁Le ch ner ▁& ▁Kr ü z ner ▁Branch ▁Line ▁Const ruction ▁and ▁Oper ating ▁Company ▁( L okal bahn bau - ▁und ▁Bet rie bs unter nehm ung ▁Le ch ner ▁& ▁Kr ü z ner ). ▁Kra uss ▁brought ▁with ▁them ▁the ▁narrow ▁gauge ▁Feld ab ahn ▁in ▁Sax ony - We imar , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 / 8 0 , ▁into ▁the ▁new ▁company . ▁ ▁The ▁L AG ▁rapidly ▁grew ▁into ▁an ▁important ▁transport ation ▁organisation . ▁From ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁alone ▁their ▁routes ▁grew ▁to ▁a ▁length ▁of ▁ 4 3 0 ▁kilometres . ▁However ▁this ▁did ▁not ▁const itute ▁a ▁single ▁network . ▁The ▁routes ▁were ▁built ▁where ▁tour ism , ▁min eral ▁resources , ▁industry , ▁agricult ure ▁or ▁forest