News
15.06.2022: Some progress
Currently, the last painting work is being done on the new tender for steam locomotive 50 3570. Thus, the tender bridge, i.e. the front side facing the cab, was primed and repainted.
Also, the coupler irons were cleaned, inspected for cracks, and repainted. They are now ready to be reinstalled between the locomotive and tender.
Thankfully, a colleague has done some home work to create a cutaway model of a steam locomotive boiler. The model has now been painted and screwed onto a stand. It will soon enrich our exhibition. Good to see are different colored areas inside. The firebox is painted orange, the water-bearing section is blue, and the smokebox is brown.
29.05.2022: Steel hard and classical music
Last Saturday, some active people concentrated on the completion of the tender of our steam locomotive 50 3570. Here, especially the so-called coupling irons were to be examined, which connect the tender with the actual locomotive. These are a total of three approximately leg-thick metal rods that are attached to the tender and the locomotive. These had to be removed, inspected and repainted. This was a tough job because the bolts holding the coupler bars in the tender hadn't moved in years and were rusted solid accordingly. To loosen them, it took a lot of heat from the welding torch and more or less discreet blows with the sledgehammer. Finally, the coupling irons, each weighing around 100 kilograms, could be removed.
In addition, some rust and lime deposits were removed from the tender's water tank. This was done with a compressed air needle, which makes a hell of a noise. It is definitely advisable to wear hearing protection during the work.
Work in the sidecar 197 805 was much quieter, but still busy. Here, the interior work on the walls continued.
In the late afternoon, at least the noisy work had to be stopped, because - as announced - a classical concert was held in the engine shed. If you would like to experience something like this, you will have another opportunity on June 26 from 5 p.m. on. Tickets are available on site.
Already in the course of the past week, work was done again on our tracks. Several wooden sleepers were replaced with concrete ones. In addition, a railroad axle was placed on a piece of track at the street corner opposite our signal box Wm to draw attention to our museum.
vehicles: 50 3570-4, 197 805-5
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Das neue Leben des "197 805-5"15.05.2022: After the party is before the party
After everyone recovered from the quite exhausting last weekend with our first big event this year, some already started cleaning up again. So our steam locomotives 50 3570, Emma and Pritzwalk were stripped and filled with new supplies.
On 50 3570, the supply line from the valve box pressure gauge was also removed because it was leaking. The associated pressure gauge on the locomotive's cab shows the engineer how high the pressure of the steam flowing into the drive cylinders is.
On our steam locomotive Emma, we noticed that some grate bars were bent. These are cast iron bars on which the fire in the boiler burns. Between the grate bars are gaps through which the combustion residues such as slag and ash can fall into a collecting container, the so-called ash box. Due to thermal effects, the grate bars bend over time and have to be replaced. Unfortunately, you cannot buy such grate bars in the store around the corner, but they have to be custom-made. Unfortunately, this is expensive and time-consuming. Do you have the possibility to support us financially? Please donate with the intended purpose "Emma". Donations to our association are tax deductible. If you would like to do so or if you have any questions, please contact our board (info@dampflok-wittenberge.de).
Not without reason the title of our news is "After the party is before the party". The next events are on the horizon. Namely, in the next few weeks our rather robust exhibits will be combined with the fine, beautiful arts. So there will be two concerts in the Lokschuppen as part of the event series "Klanglandschaft Prignitz 2022". At the first concert on Sunday, May 29th, suites by Bach and texts by M. Maeterlinck will be performed starting at 4 pm. The concert on Saturday, June 26th offers "legendary journeys" to the music centers of the 18th century with the Trio Tiefsaits starting at 5 pm. Tickets are available at the box office on site. More information is also available on the website of the City of Wittenberge at https://www.wittenberge.de.
11.05.2022: Review of the spring festival
Last weekend was the first event of this year when our visitors could see our vehicles in action. From our point of view it was a complete success, because we had many satisfied guests, the weather cooperated and the technology also played along. Thank God! So we look back on the past days with satisfaction.
In the week before the event, scheduled track maintenance was still on the agenda, in the course of which various wooden sleepers were replaced with those made of concrete. In addition, remnants of switches and crossings were removed that no longer serve any purpose today.
On the Friday before the event, our operable exhibits were rigged. They were loaded with coal, the water tanks were filled and they were cleaned. Steam locomotive 50 3570 was also decorated because it is celebrating its 80th birthday these days.
The cab of steam locomotive 50 3624 was prepared for visitors. For example, all the controls on the cab have been marked and the lighting has been added. In addition, a friendly mannequin in a fireman's uniform invites visitors to enter the cab.
The "Pritzwalk" steam locomotive has been fitted with new lanterns that look similar to the original.
In addition, the railroad company Potsdam contributed some exhibits for the locomotive exhibition in the outdoor area. Many thanks again for that! In the following picture, you can see the diesel locomotive 221 145 of the former Deutsche Bundesbahn in dark red livery next to its sister 118 692 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
In the following we show some more pictures of the event itself and the photo session on Saturday evening, where we set up some vehicles for railroad photographers to be photographed or to be brought to life with theatrical smoke.
vehicles: 50 3570-4, 50 3624-9, Pritzwalk
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23.04.2022: The track vehicle is running again
There is good news today about our Skl 24 series track vehicle. The vehicle comes from a series of about 700 vehicles that the Deutsche Reichsbahn, some large industrial companies with their own rail infrastructure and streetcar companies purchased in the 1960s and 1970s for track maintenance. It was built at the Reichsbahn's Schöneweide repair plant using truck technology. The maximum permissible speed is 45 km/h.
We reported earlier that we wanted to restore the vehicle's technology to the point where it could be presented in working order. For this purpose we had installed a new starter motor. Now also new starter batteries arrived and the ignition lock was rewired.
The work paid off. At the weekend the engine of the car could be started for the first time in a long time.
Along the way, the boiler of our steam locomotive 50 3570 was completed. Here a refurbished steam regulator was installed.
Already in the course of the last week, some of our vehicles had some run-out. Our two class V22 diesel locomotives hauled a short special train through the port of Wittenberge. The occasion was the retirement of a railwayman from active service.
vehicles: 50 3570-4, Schwerkleinwagen Typ Schöneweide