Description
The foundation’s purpose
The ultimate goal of the Stiftung Sächsische Schmalspurbahnen is the long-term preservation of the Saxon narrow-gauge railway cultural property. Values, initiative and projects that have already been established will be secured and new plans will be developed and implemented.
Projects
An integral element of the foundation’s work since the beginning is the presentation of the Claus Köpcke Award for outstanding achievements and projects pertaining to the preservation as well as the further development of Saxony’s narrow-gauge railways and their history. The foundation looks after three locomotives: the 99 604, the 99 606 as well as the “ambassador” of Saxon’s narrow-gauge railways, the I K No. 54. Passenger car 107 K of the already legendary K-Train, which was rebuilt as part of a joint project, was added in August 2016.
New projects
In October 2016, the go-ahead was given for a new project – the track connection between the SBB Museum and vehicle storage in Radebeul. Since 1839, the first German long-distance train has been running through Radebeul. In 1884, the narrow-gauge railway via Moritzburg to Radeburg began running from Radebeul. In 1903, the goods shed was built. This is a special place for the history of transportation. Since the 1960s, efforts have been made to preserve historically valuable narrow-gauge cars for posterity. The Traditionsbahn Radebeul e.V. and the Dresden Transport Museum have made special contributions to this endeavour. After some of the cars were stored in the historic goods shed in 2006, a new and very important step is being taken now. In the near future, and in stages, a vehicle storage facility is to be built at the goods shed through the Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway Foundation in order to permanently preserve the cars that have been maintained over the past decades. With the reconstruction of the track connection to the goods shed, the area to the north of the Ladestrasse will be renewed and the adjacent railway traffic area will get its tracks back bit by bit. Until the reunification of Germany in 1990, freight transport was predominant. In the future, this area is to serve as a museum for the numerous cars located in Radebeul, which all have different owners and date back to the first days of Saxony’s narrow-gauge railway. Making a special chapter in Saxon narrow-gauge railway history a tangible experience will only be possible through the support of many people.
