First Museum-Railway of Germany

[Steve Smith]

Earlier this year I corresponded with Wolf-Jobst Siedler, living in northern Germany. Some members will recall his visit to our museum a few years back. Wolf is very busy in his job as head of IT for a large railway operation at Hamburg's huge harbor, but still is active with a railway museum in the general area. He and his family have a residence--I think it's a second residence--within sight of the railway museum track. Whatever it is...main, 2nd, 3rd......I think it would be cool to have! (As long as somebody else maintains it, for free.)

I thought some WW&F-ers would enjoy a look at two links Wolf sent, one for the museum's website and one a YouTube clip showing a museum train hauled by a tram type locomotive. (Kind of smoky coming into the station. I hope the fireman was just in training.)

http://www.museumseisenbahn.de/index.php/en/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbshrrmY9ZQ

[Steve Smith]

Even though the narration is in German, this video about the museum is so well done I thought some might like to see it. Just the place they have for breakfast is quite impressive, I'd say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EoMYBXQl8s

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Thanks for the links Steve.  Nice stack talk in the first video, interesting dual-gauge track in the second.

Start

[Steve Smith]

When I corresponded with WW&F member Wolf-Jobst Siedler in November, 2013, I asked his permission to post to the Forum three pictures he had sent me, taken at the First Museum-Railway of Germany. Owing to the pressures of his job and also a family health matter, his reply was delayed, but I now have the go-ahead to show the photos and will paste in his description for the first one.

“See attached photo a visitor from Austria sent to me, the uniform style I am wearing is the one German train conductors wore before 1914 (passenger or mixed train service made no difference!).”
 


He also wrote that “my six-year old son Tobias is also very enthusiastic about trains and can hardly await that day when he will get his first ticket inspector uniform.“ The lad greeting the passengers is Tobias.




The Siedlers have a weekend house adjacent to the right of way, and here is a photo taken from inside. It looks like a fine spot for watching the action on the First Museum-Railway of Germany.








 

[John Kokas]

Give the Germans credit, they have the sharpest uniforms!

[James Patten]

That is a great idea for a handcar - seats for people who don't want to/cannot pump the car.  As long as there's enough people who can pump the car!

[Wayne Laepple]

Even more than seats, the handcar needs railings to keep people from falling off!

[Ken Fleming]

Interlok, Pila (Poland) used to make these and also 610 mm rail bikes.  Their website is out of business, but here is a video of one of their bikes in action.  Easy to build our own.

http://wn.com/interlok,_draisine_%C3%A0_bras_et_locomotives_paradis_de_la_vapeur_part_1

Another interesting "Draisinen (pump trolley) video

http://www.draisinen.de/

[Wolf Siedler]

He and his family have a residence--I think it's a second residence--within sight of the railway museum track. Whatever it is...main, 2nd, 3rd......I think it would be cool to have! (As long as somebody else maintains it, for free.)

I thought some WW&F-ers would enjoy a look at two links Wolf sent, one for the museum's website and one a YouTube clip showing a museum train hauled by a tram type locomotive. (Kind of smoky coming into the station. I hope the fireman was just in training.)

http://www.museumseisenbahn.de/index.php/en/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbshrrmY9ZQ

The home is indeed a weekend home only. To complete the story, it is the left (smaller) part of the building seen in the YouTube video. The right part is owned as retirement home by the museum founder. Who is also serving as station master in the video.
The building was erected in 1991, patterned after an original built in 1899 for a meter gauge railroad in northeastern Germany. Unfortunately, neither construction nor maintenance of the building is free. But the museum visitors keep liking it.

Regarding Steve's remark about smoke amount, well there's a significant difference in the firing style between the museum trained volunteers and those senior engine crews who ran steam engines for a living (the generation now 80+ years old). The latter ones usually operated very economical on steam and typically stopped with the last little bit a steam at the platform, hardly ever touching the brake.

[Wolf Siedler]

That is a great idea for a handcar - seats for people who don't want to/cannot pump the car.  As long as there's enough people who can pump the car!

And I would like to emphasize that the handcar was built that way. It's exact origin is still somewhat unclear but has been built prior to 1930. From 1930 to 1970 it was with another meter gauge common carrier in the German northwest, after which it joined the museum collection.

[Wolf Siedler]

Give the Germans credit, they have the sharpest uniforms!

I take this as a compliment. I can assure you, though, that the wearer feels slightly warm when doing the shunting in 100°F...

It might bee interesting to know that the uniform code of 1900 granted a somewhat relaxed style during extreme summer heat - permitting to exchange the black for white trousers (only). I don't dare to imagine how they looked like after running the mixed train with plenty of shunting...

[John Kokas]

You bet that was a compliment Wolf!  Compared to American uniforms of the same time period, the German uniform is nothing short of spectacular.  At the same time, note the practical application of black into the sleeves especially.  Any area that would be in close contact with oil, grease, or coal dust is a black surface - smart design.  I especially love the gold braid around the collars, probably a Prussian influence there.

And yes the down side is in the summer as these uniforms were usually wool or a wool/cotton blend.  But 100 F temps are very unusual in Germany as well as in Maine.

Thanks so much for highlighting this museum to us, I know the wife and I are planning a trip to Europe in the next year or two and I will be putting this place on my "must see" list for Germany.