150 Years Muldentalbahn — Wechselburg Festival Weekend

150 Years Muldentalbahn — The Penig–Rochlitz Line

The Muldentalbahn is one of Saxony's most famous branch lines. The section between Penig and Rochlitz opened in 1876 to connect the industrial Muldental valley — with its textile factories, quarries, paper mills, and watermills — to the railway network. Over the following 150 years, the railway shaped the valley: it brought workers to the factories, tourists to the castles of Kriebstein, Mildenstein, and Rochsburg, students to the grammar schools, and mail to the villages. With the closure of passenger services in the 1990s, the line became a historical tradition — today, the Muldentalbahn Preservation Society operates a heritage railway service with historic railcars, primarily the "Schienentrabis" (rail-mounted motor vehicles type VT 2.09 — nicknamed for their sputtering engine, similar to the Trabant car).

Festival Weekend in Wechselburg

The 2026 anniversary festival will take place on the weekend of June 6th/7th around the historic Wechselburg signal box. Wechselburg, located centrally on the line between Penig and Rochlitz, is a significant tourist destination in the Muldental valley, known for its famous Wechselburg Castle and Romanesque collegiate church. The Wechselburg signal box — a preserved mechanical signal box — is the headquarters of the preservation society and the central venue for the festival weekend.

Special Train Rides and Shuttle Services

The program for special train rides is extensive: Shuttle services Wechselburg–Göhrener Viadukt every 30 minutes from 10 am to 5 pm — the Göhrener Viadukt is one of Saxony's most spectacular railway bridges, a rubble-stone structure built in 1872, standing 68 metres above the Mulde river. Services from Rochlitz with a stop in Wechselburg (signal box tour), departures at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. Services from Wolkenburg to Wechselburg with connections to Göhren and signal box tours. The fleet consists mainly of the Schienentrabis (VT 2.09) and other historic vehicles from the society.

Signal Box Tours and Exhibitions

The Wechselburg signal box will be open throughout the festival weekend — tours will showcase the 19th-century mechanical signalling technology that is still preserved here. Additionally, the preservation society will present an exhibition on the history of the Muldentalbahn with historical photographs, tickets, uniforms, and tools. Model railways, a miniature railway for children, and a formal ceremony with society members, politicians, and business representatives will round off the program.

Muldental Valley and the Schienentrabi Cult

The Schienentrabis are a cultural phenomenon in themselves: these rail-mounted motor vehicles were widespread in the GDR, many were decommissioned in the 1990s, and they are now highly sought after by railway enthusiasts. The Muldentalbahn Preservation Society is one of the few organisations that keeps these vehicles in operational condition. A ride on a Schienentrabi through the Muldental valley is therefore more than just a transport service — it's a journey back in time. The Muldental valley in the Mittelsachsen district of Saxony can be experienced from a unique perspective through the window of a Schienentrabi.