When travelling along the Landwehrkanal, we passed the Technikmuseum and its figurehead DC-47B Rosinenbomber. Once off the boat, we explored the whole museum. I say the whole museum, like many technology museums, it is packed to the rafters with interesting things, and we did leave some of them for the next visit.
It is located on the grounds of the former Anhalter Freight Terminal. At the crossroads of water transport along the Landwehrkanal and train transport from Anhalt in the southwest of Berlin, it was the location of a lot of freight turnover. Two engine sheds are home to the collection of locomotives and passenger cars through the ages. They were accessed via their turntables of 23m diameter which could carry 350t of train. They are still useable, their most recent inspection was in August 2023.
The trains on display range from old steam locomotives to modern diesel trains.
Of particular interest is a carriage from the royal train of Emperor Wilhelm II. It was completed in 1888 as a palace on wheels. From the end of his reign until 1945 it was stored at a sidings in northern Berlin. In 1945 it was used by the Soviet Marshall Sokolowski. From 1950 onwards it was hidden in the Dresden area and restoration started in 1993 after re-unification.
The ex-freight terminal along the tracks towards the Anhalt region is also home to two statues which used to welcome passengers into the waiting room of the Anhalter Bahnhof.
And, in complete contrast to the large statues, the spaces between some train carriages are filled with model railway sets and life-size station accessories and displays.
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