On every last Saturday of the month, the Mecklenburg Railway Enthusiasts Schwerin e.V. opens the doors of its museum. Its members founded it in 2006 and are passionately dedicated to preserving historical steam and diesel locomotives – all on a voluntary basis.
The traditional steam locomotive 91 134 is undoubtedly the most impressive exhibit in the former Schwerin locomotive depot, located directly next to the main train station. Dating back to 1898, it is the oldest operational mainline steam locomotive owned by Deutsche Bahn. Thus, it still runs – thanks to the Mecklenburg Railway Enthusiasts, who make it possible for enthusiasts to enjoy nostalgic rides. Anyone who has the chance to ride along will surely be amazed by the power, technology, and nostalgia embodied in this locomotive.
But even visiting the museum without taking a ride evokes excitement in many visitors. While experts may engage in technical discussions on-site, families also discover plenty of interesting things to see. The association emphasizes offering a hands-on experience with the railway, allowing even the youngest visitors to climb onto some locomotives and peek through the windows of a driver's cab.
A Look into History
The possibility of experiencing this today is the result of decades of the association's history: Initially, the members focused on preserving and restoring locomotives that had been stored as a collection in the Schwerin goods depot since 1991. Only with growing public interest did the idea for a museum emerge.
The first locomotive supervised by the association was indeed the "old gem" 91 134. The challenge was to get it running again – and once that was achieved, the first special trips with the already existing historic cars followed. Over time, the collection of steam and diesel locomotives grew. Some of them are on loan from the DB Museum in Nuremberg and other companies. Since 2006, visitors have been able to enjoy the collection and immerse themselves fully in the history of railways and technology.
The journey through time begins in the reception building with the waiting hall: The old timetable is made of enamel numbers. A historic clock, a weighing scale, and a station bench complete the ambiance. Those interested can peek through the ticket counter window and learn about the dispatcher's work. Everything is lovingly staged – from work utensils such as the ticket cabinet, duty books, and a typewriter to the lunchbox and the newspaper for the upcoming break of the railway staff. A master clock controls all the clocks on the platform. And visitors learn how stations communicated with each other in the past: namely, with Morse teleprinters, signal bells, and various telephones.
Telecommunications technology as a whole is also an important part of the exhibition. The Mecklenburg Railway Enthusiasts have collected various installations along with terminal devices. Some of them can be demonstrated or even tried out by visitors.
Essential for railway traffic was and is safety technology. Its development is impressively documented in the museum. Visitors discover various signals in the vehicle hall – from the time of the state railways, national railways to Deutsche Bahn. During the demonstration, lights blink, warning bells sound, and barriers lower. And of course, both adults and children learn why this happens and what each signal means.
In addition to the numerous large, real diesel and steam locomotives, the Mecklenburg Railway Enthusiasts also display miniatures. The model signal box system showcases well-known forms of electromechanical and interlocking systems but also offers extraordinary constructions. The system demonstrates regular operations, can switch to special orders with substitute signals, and allows visitors to see how shunting operations in stations are carried out – a truly captivating experience!
