Coal Railway & Museum Meuselwitz

For several centuries, the northern Altenburg region was dominated by coal mining. The coal uncovered in the open-cast mines had to be transported to the briquette factories at low cost and the resulting waste had to be removed at the same time. It therefore made sense to build an extensive rail network and to transport the coal by train.

The history of the "coal railway" begins in 1942: popularly known as the "Kammerforstbahn", it transported the brown coal mined in the Waltersdorf open-cast mine (later also Gröba) to the Haselbach and Regis briquette factories. In the first few years, the railway was operated using steam locomotives, but in the 1960s, similar to the development at the then Deutsche Reichsbahn, a switch to electric locomotives took place.

After the reunification of Germany, there were major changes in the economic structure of the coal-dominated region of southern Leipzig. The closure of open-cast mines and coal processing factories almost meant the "death" of the coal railway. Thanks to the enthusiasm of a few stubborn railway fans, who later founded the Kohlebahn e. V. association and got stuck in, the existence of a section of the track was secured.

Today, the "coal railway" - equipped with a diesel engine - travels across the Saxon-Thuringian border through the northern Altenburg region, rebuilt for passengers from near and far who want to experience the mining tradition, enjoy idyllic landscapes and visit sights along the route. The coal railway has established itself as a tourist attraction in the Leipzig New Lake District. An eloquent example of the commitment of the association's members, but also of the involvement of the Free State of Thuringia and many authorities, offices and institutions, is the new construction of around 1,9 km of railway line to Meuselwitz station in 2000/2001.

At the coal railway depot in Haselbach as well as in the technical museum in Meuselwitz, a constantly growing exhibition provides an insight into rail vehicle technology and how it has worked over the last few decades.

A new attraction on the coal railway is the cinema car, which was converted from the former dance floor into a cinema. During events, you can watch films about the development of brown coal and the Western days, among other things.

Annual highlights on the coal railway are

• Men's Day
• Children's Day
• Industrial Heritage Day
• Western Days
• Advent trips
• Christmas trip