Eurovapor
Encyclopedia
The eurovapor is a European society of railway fans dedicated to the preservation of steam locomotives and historic railway vehicles.
It was founded on 17 November 1962 at the Hotel Victoria in Basle. The headquarters of the society is in Zürich
. Its aim is not merely to preserve steam locomotives and historic wagons as museum exhibits, but to restore the vehicles and to operated them as a living witness to a bygone technological era. eurovapor is mainly active in Switzerland and southern Germany. Its members are organised into sections and they voluntarily maintain and operate 15 steam engines and their associated wagons.
In May 1968 the first steam locomotive, the Class T 3, No.30, was taken over from the Southwest German Transport Company (SWEG) together with three wagons. They were restored to operational condition by 1970 since when they have been working, primarily on the Kander Valley Railway. By 1973 eurovapor could already offer steam services on 5 routes: as well as the Kander Valley Railway, there were also the Solothurn-Zollikofen-Bern railway (SZB), the Vereinigte Bern-Worb Bahnen (VBW), the Waldenburgerbahn
(WB) and the line from Metzingen
to Bad Urach
. From 1974 to July 1980 eurovapor has also looked after steam trains on the Bregenzerwald Railway in Vorarlberg
.
By the end of the 1970s, eurovapor had procured, with the assistand of the Genossenschaft der Dampflokfreunde (GdF) larger locomotives as well, like the DB Class 23
, no. 23 058, DRG Class 41
, no. 41 073, and DRG Class 50, no. 50 2988. Together with the town of Blumberg
the museum railway of Wutach Valley Railway was opened in 1977.
, a railway crane and 60 wagons.
History
eurovapor stands for the Europäische Vereinigung zur betriebsfähigen Erhaltung von Dampflokomotiven und historischem Eisenbahnmaterial which means 'European Society for Preservation of Working Steam Locomotives and Historic Railway Stock'.It was founded on 17 November 1962 at the Hotel Victoria in Basle. The headquarters of the society is in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. Its aim is not merely to preserve steam locomotives and historic wagons as museum exhibits, but to restore the vehicles and to operated them as a living witness to a bygone technological era. eurovapor is mainly active in Switzerland and southern Germany. Its members are organised into sections and they voluntarily maintain and operate 15 steam engines and their associated wagons.
In May 1968 the first steam locomotive, the Class T 3, No.30, was taken over from the Southwest German Transport Company (SWEG) together with three wagons. They were restored to operational condition by 1970 since when they have been working, primarily on the Kander Valley Railway. By 1973 eurovapor could already offer steam services on 5 routes: as well as the Kander Valley Railway, there were also the Solothurn-Zollikofen-Bern railway (SZB), the Vereinigte Bern-Worb Bahnen (VBW), the Waldenburgerbahn
Waldenburgerbahn
The Waldenburgerbahn is a narrow-gauge light rail system in the canton of Basel-Country. The long single-track line runs from Liestal, the capital of the canton, to Waldenburg, with stops in Bad Bubendorf, Höstein, Niederdorf, and Oberdorf. The line is operated by Waldenburgerbahn AG. It...
(WB) and the line from Metzingen
Metzingen
Metzingen is a Swabian city with about 22,000 inhabitants, in the state of Baden-Württemberg in the southwest of Germany, south of Stuttgart.-History:The city is mentioned for the first time in documents from 1075...
to Bad Urach
Bad Urach
Bad Urach is a town in the district of Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 14 km east of Reutlingen, at the foot of the Swabian Alb, and is known for its spa and therapeutic bath.-History:...
. From 1974 to July 1980 eurovapor has also looked after steam trains on the Bregenzerwald Railway in Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein...
.
By the end of the 1970s, eurovapor had procured, with the assistand of the Genossenschaft der Dampflokfreunde (GdF) larger locomotives as well, like the DB Class 23
DB Class 23
The steam locomotives of Class 23 were German passenger train locomotives developed in the 1950s for the Deutsche Bundesbahn. They had a 2-6-2 wheel arrangement and were equipped with Class 2'2' T 31 tenders...
, no. 23 058, DRG Class 41
DRG Class 41
The German Class 41 steam locomotives were standard goods train engines operated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn and built from 1937 - 1941.- History :...
, no. 41 073, and DRG Class 50, no. 50 2988. Together with the town of Blumberg
Blumberg
Blumberg is a municipality situated in the Schwarzwald-Baar region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 19 kilometres south of Donaueschingen, on the southern edge of the Schwarzwald, The Black Forest and lying directly on the border with Switzerland’s Canton of Schaffhausen.-History:The town of Blumberg...
the museum railway of Wutach Valley Railway was opened in 1977.
Vehicle collection
The vehicle fleet since 1987 has comprised 15 steam locomotives, a diesel railcarRailcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
, a railway crane and 60 wagons.
Sections
In the meantime the sections have partly been made largely independent, in order to divide responsibilities better and to make it easier to be able to achieve charitable status in each country. These sections are however still linked to eurovapor. They exist in Wutachtal (WTB e.V.), im Kandertal (Kandertalbahn e.V.) und im Emmental (Verein Historische Eisenbahn Emmental).Film
- SWR: Eisenbahn-Romantik – 35 Jahre Eurovapor (No. 271)