A UNIQUE JOURNEY
In today’s world, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is well-known on the international stage, particularly in cultural disciplines such as cinema and sports. However, recently, Luxembourg has been making a name for itself in another realm of the cultural world: railway heritage.
On the other hand, the year 2023 is shaping up to be quite unique. Indeed, a team of around a dozen members from Train 1900 will travel to Wolsztyn, Poland, to operate Jean-Marie Thill’s steam locomotive, the Energie 507 (Type KDL 7). In Wolsztyn, the Energie 507 will take part in a steam festival and a parade on August 19 and 20, alongside other steam locomotives. This event will showcase all the locomotives present, much to the delight of railway enthusiasts.
The KDL 7’s three-week-long stay will not be solely dedicated to the festival and parade. To the great joy of the Train 1900 team, the KDL 7 will have the unique opportunity to pull regular trains along with a Belgian locomotive. This opportunity is indeed unique due to various restrictive regulations in Luxembourg and Belgium that do not allow historical locomotives to operate on the Luxembourgish and Belgian railway networks. The Train 1900 members will take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge, with the hope of bringing similar projects to Luxembourg and Belgium.
After three weeks in Poland, the Energie will be transferred to Mariembourg in September. However, in contrast to the usual practice these days, the Energie will not be transported by road but by rail. The railway transfer through Germany and Belgium, during which the Energie will be operational, will allow it to join the Three Valleys Steam Railway to participate in the fiftieth anniversary of our Belgian counterparts. The festivities will take place from September 22 to 24. This several-thousand-kilometer transfer will also enable the Train 1900 team to test their endurance.
After this long journey of over a month, the Energie will return to Fond-de-Gras. While this is not the first time the Energie has traveled abroad, it is a first for a Luxembourgish railway team to operate a steam locomotive for such an extended period. This will undoubtedly bring them a lot of experience and enjoyment.
However, such a project requires a lot of preparation and planning. Few people can imagine the scale of the preparatory phase of this journey to ensure that Energie 507 is in perfect condition. To mention just a few tasks, Energie 507 underwent an overhaul of its axles, boiler, received an entirely new electrical installation, and its tender was completely refurbished.
Regarding the project’s planning, it was necessary to organize the transportation of railway equipment by road to Poland, arrange accommodations and provisions for the crew, as well as ensure the supply of water and coal for Energie. Additionally, numerous permissions had to be obtained from various railway companies and other authorities.
After a year of administrative battles, the team is finally ready and excited about the adventure that awaits them in the coming months. They will proudly represent the Grand Duchy abroad, and that’s on the railway.
It’s a story of friendship, coal, and iron, of locomotives, in short, a passion.
