Meiningen Steam Engine Days
The Meiningen Steam Locomotive Days are a well-known nostalgic technology event at which operational steam locomotives and wagons are presented in the only steam locomotive factory of Deutsche Bahn AG . The organizers are the Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works and the Meininger Steam Locomotive Association (MDV).
event
This show has been held every year since 1995 on the first weekend in September in the southern Thuringian district town of Meiningen and shows, in addition to steam locomotives, the operating facilities necessary for maintenance, repair and new construction, such as the boiler forge or the unique, in some cases historical, special machinery. The special thing about this event is that you can also examine steam locomotives in different preparation stages from "totally dismantled" to "repainting".
A large part of the locomotives that have come to this exhibition not only from Germany are under steam during the steam locomotive days. Those who are particularly interested can get an "honorary engine driver's license" after prior registration and drive the traditional locomotive 50 3501 of the Meiningen steam locomotive works on the premises. Other offers such as rides in the driver's cab of a narrow-gauge steam locomotive for the youngest visitors, guided tours through the plant, specialist lectures, a model railway fair , souvenir stands, special postings, information stands and a number of stands for physical well-being enrich this major event.
The numerous locomotives exhibited so far have included the Adler , Saxonia , the Luxembourg CFL 5519 and 18 201 , the latter reached a record speed of more than 180 km / h in a test run in 1972 and is currently the fastest operational steam locomotive in the world.
Some of the steam locomotive enthusiasts from Germany and abroad who visit this exhibition travel to Meiningen from all over Germany in special trains hauled by steam locomotives. Around 14,000 paying visitors (children have free entry) are counted on average every year. The visitor record was held by around 17,500 visitors on the 20th Steam Engine Days 2014, which took place at the same time as the 100th anniversary of the steam engine plant.
See also
literature
- Peter Thomas: Meiningen Steam Engine Days . Fire and flame for the steam story. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . September 30, 2012 ( online [accessed October 1, 2012] report on the Meiningen Steam Locomotive Days 2012).
