News

15.09.2026: Yes, we can do it!

We are proud to report today on the biggest project we have ever completed in a single day. It was a combination of strength, finesse and a fair bit of hard work.

As mentioned previously, we are currently working on steam locomotive 50 3682, which is due to be back in working order in due course. Unfortunately, its existing boiler is in such poor condition that repairing it would be too labour-intensive. We therefore looked for a replacement boiler that is in far better condition, even if this isn’t immediately apparent from its appearance. This boiler had previously been stored temporarily on a goods wagon.

The task last Saturday was to first lift the replacement boiler onto auxiliary bogies. These have the advantage of not being as high as the goods wagon, and they also provide better access to many parts of the boiler. The auxiliary bogies, which were actually used to transport passenger carriage bodies at the neighbouring repair workshop, had previously been adapted to safely support the round boiler.

The initial plan was to lift the boiler off the wagon using four lifting units, shunt the wagon away and manoeuvre the auxiliary bogies into position. To do this, the four lifting units – which can be operated synchronously via a central control system – first had to be precisely aligned.

The specially made cross-beams, each connecting the opposing lifting systems, were then laid out. They are fitted with special devices that prevent the round boiler from rolling away sideways. Finally, the bogie carrying the replacement boiler was manoeuvred into the workshop and positioned between the lifting systems. At last, the boiler could be lifted and the transport trolley moved away. The boiler was then placed on the auxiliary bogies and pushed in front of our locomotive shed.



After lunch, we turned our attention to the locomotive, whose existing boiler also needed to be lifted off the frame and placed on the transport trolley. We had by now gained some experience with lifting operations, so lifting the boiler off the locomotive’s running gear went quite smoothly, once we had satisfied ourselves that all connections had indeed been released.

The boiler was then lifted off the frame. This required a keen eye to ensure that the hoists were running in perfect synchronisation and that the boiler was lifted evenly. Finally, the boiler was set down on the goods wagon, and the running gear and wagon were manoeuvred to the locations where they were to be stored for further work. By dusk, everything was in its place.



Dear readers, you can probably imagine that this was a mammoth task, one that initially filled us with a great deal of respect. After all, we’d never done anything like this ourselves before, and moving such large and heavy parts always carries a certain risk. We are therefore particularly proud and delighted that everything went according to plan. Thank you to the team – you’re the best! We would also like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to Schienenfahrzeugwerke Wittenberge for their logistical support.

The operation described above went largely unnoticed amidst the museum’s weekend activities. It is worth mentioning here that the Berlin/Brandenburg Chrysler Meet took place on our premises. A good two dozen Chrysler and Dodge cars were positioned photogenically across the museum grounds and were there for visitors to admire.

On Sunday, a truly remarkable classical concert also took place as part of the ‘Klanglandschaft Prignitz’ series of events. Well over a hundred members of the audience didn’t want to miss out on the pleasure. We’d like to say thank you for coming and for your support of the musicians. We’re already looking forward to the next concert in our hall.




So now we turn our attention to our next event in early October. As always, it promises to be great fun. We are already looking forward to the visit of the railcar from Neustrelitz, with which we will be offering special trips to the harbour in Wittenberge and to Osterburg. More details on this in the next newsletter in a few days’ time.

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09.09.2026: Update on the coming weekend

As previously reported, on 12 September 2026 we will be welcoming the Chrysler/Dodge enthusiasts from Berlin and Brandenburg, who will be visiting us with around 30 gleaming and lovingly maintained vehicles. The plan is for participants in this year’s Chrysler Treffen Berlin/Brandenburg (CTB) to arrive at our museum grounds at around 11 am. Naturally, the vehicles will be on display on our museum grounds, and we are sure that the owners will be happy to answer any questions about the cars.



On 13 September 2026, the nationwide Open Monuments Day will take place once again, and we will be taking part. The locomotive shed will be open between 10 am and 2 pm (last admission at 1 pm). During this time, we will also be offering rides in the driver’s cab of a diesel locomotive. Admission will be free on the day. Of course, we have set up a donation box and would be delighted to receive your generous contribution. Thank you in advance!



As previously announced, a classical concert featuring works by Mozart and Bach will take place at the Lokschuppen from 3 pm as part of the ‘Klanglandschaft Prignitz’ series. We are sure it will be a real treat for your ears. Tickets are available at the venue for €14. By purchasing a ticket.

Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.klanglandschaft-prignitz.de/klassik-im-lokschuppen

On both days, we will also be offering guided tours of the site. Our colleagues will be happy to guide visitors through the locomotive shed and the outdoor grounds on Saturday at 11.00 am and 2.00 pm, and on Sunday at 11.00 am.

On both days, the so-called ‘disaster train’ and our signal box will also be open to visitors during our opening hours. Incidentally, the train’s name does not, in fact, refer to its condition. Rather, according to the official GDR account, it and a total of 13 similar trains of the same design were built for use in the event of any civil disasters.

It was well suited to the task, as, in addition to its own power supply, it has a kitchen waggon and a mobile operating theatre for treating the injured. It remains in working order to this day.

https://www.dampflok-salzwedel.de/fahrzeug_19

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29.08.2026: Summer break over

Dear friends of our museum, summer is irrevocably drawing to a close. We hope you had a lovely summer holiday and that your travels perhaps even brought you to visit us. Our staff have also had a few weeks’ break, and now we are joining forces to tackle the final third of the year.

It is not just us who are hard at work; Wittenberge Council is too. Over the coming months, our access road from the Wm signal box to our gatehouse will be resurfaced. The old and crumbling concrete slabs will then have served their purpose and will be replaced by an asphalt surface. However, the slag stones at the edge will be retained, so that the historic character is preserved. As part of this work, we will also be fitted with a new service pipe to the locomotive shed.



Construction is expected to begin in September. Access to our museum grounds will remain possible at all times. Please do not be put off by the building site.

Now for the upcoming events:

Car enthusiasts take note: on 12 September 2026, we will be welcoming the Chrysler/Dodge enthusiasts from Berlin and Brandenburg, who will be visiting us with around 30 gleaming and lovingly maintained vehicles. The plan is for participants in this year’s Chrysler Meet Berlin/Brandenburg (CTB) to arrive at our museum grounds at around 11.00. Naturally, the cars will be on display on our museum grounds, and we’re sure the owners will be happy to answer any questions about them.




On 13 September 2026, the nationwide Open Monuments Day will take place once again, and we will be taking part. The museum will be open between 10 am and 2 pm (last admission at 1 pm). During these hours, we will also be offering rides in the driver’s cab of a diesel locomotive. Admission is free on the day. We have, of course, set up a donation box and would be grateful for any generous contribution. Thank you in advance!



From 3 pm, another classical concert will take place at the Lokschuppen as part of the ‘Klanglandschaft Prignitz’ series, which have become something of a tradition here. Graduates, teachers and students from the district music school will perform music by Bach and Mozart. We are sure this will be a real treat for your ears. Tickets are available at the venue for €14. By purchasing a ticket, you’ll be supporting the Wittenberge Music School. Further information can be found at the following link:

https://www.klanglandschaft-prignitz.de/klassik-im-lokschuppen

Just six days later, on 19 September 2026, the Germany-wide ‘Day of the Railways’ will take place. This event sees service providers from the railway sector showcase their work to the public, and we’ll be taking part too.

Our next major event will take place on 9 and 10 October 2026 under the theme ‘Autumn Steam’. Further details will follow in the second half of September.

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29.06.2026: An eventful June

Dear friends of our museum,

We can look back on a very eventful June 2026. At last, we are accessible by rail once again. On 14 June 2026, Deutsche Bahn opened the (Hamburg –) Hagenow – Berlin line to public transport, six weeks later than originally planned. On the one hand, we were very pleased about this.

On the other hand, the construction delays unfortunately meant that on 13 June – the first day of our ‘Summer Steam 2026’ event – our visitors could only reach us by road. It was also extremely difficult to bring in guest rolling stock, although the Neustrelitz railcar 771 001 and the electric locomotive 188 105 did manage to make it to us. Unfortunately, the announced diesel locomotive 202 655 could not be transferred, as its commercial operations were not compatible with the limited time slots available for transfer via the construction tracks. It’s a bit of a shame, but what didn’t work out this time will certainly be possible in the future.

Right up until the very end, test runs were still taking place on the lines around Wittenberge. Heavy freight trains filled with ballast were constantly travelling along the lines to ‘run in’ the new tracks. A test multiple unit was also in operation, which resembles the familiar ICE multiple units in design. The first two pictures show the multiple unit from the outside and a view from its driver’s cab window of the Elbe bridge in Wittenberge.




Our event was well attended. We welcomed around 1,400 guests. That is a pleasingly high figure, given that – at least on Saturday – the only way to get there was by car or bus. One of the highlights of the event was undoubtedly the sightseeing tours through Wittenberg harbour. We would like to extend our warmest thanks to our colleagues from the Hafenbahn Neustrelitz e.V. association, who made these tours possible with their railcars.

The presence of locomotive 188 105 certainly provided a unique contrast. Not only was it painted entirely white, but it was also just a few days old and had not even clocked up 1,000 kilometres on the odometer. Quite a contrast to our museum vehicles, some of which have already clocked up millions of kilometres during their active service. Special thanks go to Steven Schacht, who looked after the locomotive.

The rest of the supporting programme was also impressive. It included turntable demonstrations, handcar rides, rides on the Breuer tractor and opportunities to ride in the driver’s cab of our steam locomotive EMMA, as well as tours of our Wm signal box and our disaster relief train. Our little museum train also made its rounds around the site. A new feature this time was that, during our circular tours around the station area, we now pass through remotely controlled points. Over the festival weekend, the points were operated from Berlin. A big thank you once again to the Berlin signalmen at DB Netz. Everything went extremely smoothly.

On 13 June, the town of Wittenberge also held a grand opening ceremony for the station building. Many of our visitors therefore took the opportunity to explore the newly renovated building and were delighted. We say “Congratulations, Wittenberge!”.

We’ve now been thinking about which photos to share with you in this newsletter. We’ve gathered quite a few, and most of them are excellent and capture the atmosphere well. We’ve therefore decided to include a link to a slideshow here, so you can enjoy the photos at your leisure. The slideshow lasts about 5 minutes. So, what could be better than grabbing a drink now or later and taking your time to look through the photos? Click on the link below to open the slideshow. Enjoy!

https://1drv.ms/v/c/fc75646ec636605a/IQDafcMVRdebRp8UHobPV5X0AV1YHHrUOyzPTm3B1d2W0d8?e=RBf3k6

What else has been happening? First of all, diesel locomotive 118 748 has temporarily left us, as some work still needs to be carried out on an engine and the roof sealing. We are also taking this opportunity to fit a new digital radio system. The following three pictures show it being transferred to Gera and during the fitting of the radio system.





Work has also continued on our steam locomotive 50 3682. The boiler has now been exposed to such an extent that it can soon be lifted off the frame.



As you can see, things are always exciting here. If you were unable to make it to our last event, you’re welcome to visit us on Saturdays between 10.00 and 17.00 (last admission at 16.00) to watch our colleagues at work. Who knows, perhaps you’ll get the itch to have a go yourself? We’d be delighted to have you!
vehicle: 50 3624-9

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07.06.2026: Summer Steam – The guest list is filling up

We are delighted that, with Summer Steam just around the corner this coming weekend, 13–14 June 2026, the list of guest locomotives is still growing. As things stand, we will be welcoming visitors from Gera and Halle in the form of at least one diesel locomotive and one electric locomotive.

As for the diesel locomotive, we will be welcoming another representative of the V100 class, of which we also have one example in our collection. However, the guest locomotive with the registration number 202 655, which still regularly hauls freight trains today, will be presented in green livery, unlike our own locomotive.

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The two electric locomotives will be considerably more modern than the diesel locomotive already presented. Electric locomotive 188 105 was only put into service a few days ago and comes from the Traxx series by the manufacturer Alstom. With around 6,000 hp, it is a powerhouse on German railways. The practical thing about it is that it can draw the electricity required for its propulsion both from the overhead lines of various European countries and from a built-in diesel generator. This enables it to reach our museum grounds under its own power.

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Further locomotives have been requested. Whether they will arrive or, if necessary, be replaced by others depends on the short-term order situation of their commercial owners.

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