Photo: Sonja Notdurfter

Eisenbahnmuseum Südbahn Heizhaus Lienz

Lienz, Tyrol

ausstellungmuseumstour

A train station conveys the perpetual back and forth between wandering afar and being at home, between longing and habit. The interaction between these poles makes us travel again and again. This is also the case with Karl Nothdurfter. Already as a small boy, he observed the colorful hustle and bustle at Lienz train station from his parents' house. Today, he leads tours with exciting stories through the old, listed Lienz Heizhaus (engine shed). Because that's where the "Verein der Eisenbahnfreunde in Lienz" (Association of Railway Friends in Lienz) operates the railway museum. On around 1800 m2, not only railway enthusiasts will get their money's worth. Rare examples of steam-powered locomotives from the 20th century are presented in the large building, with some of the exhibits being accessible. In addition to the older steam locomotives, several diesel and electric locomotives, as well as special vehicles such as crane and silo wagons for grain transport, are shown. The presentation is rounded off by various wagons and freight cars. In 1871, the Villach – Franzensfeste (South Tyrol) railway line, with a length of around 212 km, was put into operation. At that time, a technical age, which literally revolutionized economic and social life, was ushered in in the region with simple machines, water, and coal. We owe a large part of our current prosperity to the inventiveness and achievements of this era. The beauty of the railway museum: You are right in the middle of it, not just observing!