The Fränkische Museums- Eisenbahn e.V.: Living Railway History

In Nuremberg, the birthplace of the German railway, a special initiative began in 1984 when rail fans founded the working group of Franconian railroad enthusiasts with the mission of keeping the steam locomotive era and the region’s railway history alive.   By Sigrid Riewe-Scholz

One year later, the working group became a registered association called the Fränkische Museums-Eisenbahn e.V. (FME) or the Franconian Railway Museum – a non-profit association which has since dedicated itself to preserving heritage vehicles with passion and originality and bringing them back into operation on the rails. FME’s premises are on Nuremberg’s Nordostbahnhof, directly connected to the Deutsche Bahn rail network. Nuremberg and Fürth main stations can both be easily reached via the old Ring Railway. As well as maintaining the vehicles for operational use, members enthusiastically tend to the heritage track, small turntable and the green areas.

Back in 1986, the first steam special rolled again through Franconia, at that time still with assistance from Nuremberg`s railway museum. FME then quickly acquired their own vehicles: for example, the small diesel locomotive Köf 4667 and the operational passenger carriage. A new era began with the acquisition of steam locomotive 52 8195 in 1993 and permission to operate as a rail transportation company in 1996. This allowed them to plan and carry out nostalgic train trips by themselves and they have been doing so ever since.

Today, FME has one heritage train from the 1950s and is committed to salvaging and conserving heritage vehicles. With the ongoing restoration of distinctive diesel locomotive V200 001, they continue to make railway history tangible and preserve the fascination of the railways for future generations.

The Franconian Railway Museum is more than just a club – it is a living monument to railway tradition.