Bochum Railway Museum Buys Transrapid 07
In early August 2024, the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum (Bochum Railway Museum) announced that it had acquired the Transrapid 07 from the Max Bögl Group. It is to be transported to Bochum by the end of 2024 - more than 500 km of transport lie ahead of the Transrapid 07, which currently stands in Sengenthal.
In early August 2024, the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum (Bochum Railway Museum) announced that it had acquired the Transrapid 07 from the Max Bögl Group. It is to be transported to Bochum by the end of 2024 – more than 500 km of transport lie ahead of the Transrapid 07, which currently stands in Sengenthal.
The Transrapid 07 (TR07) was in service at the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland from 1989 to 1999, covering 588,000 km, setting the then world record of 450 km/h (1993) and proving the technical readiness for service of the Transrapid system as early as 1991. After the vehicle was replaced by its successor, the TR08, in 1999, both sections were converted into information centers and placed at locations where Transrapid lines were planned.
The TR07 section now standing in Lathen was exhibited in Essen from 2002 to 2004 as part of the Metrorapid project; the section standing in Sengenthal stood at Munich Airport (in front of Terminal 2) until 2008. After the project was canceled for political reasons, the Max Bögl Group acquired the vehicle – since then it has stood on the company’s plant grounds in Sengenthal.
The Max Bögl Group developed guideway girders for the Transrapid for decades. It also developed a novel concrete bending switch, in which a slotted concrete girder could be bent elastically.
Transrapid 06 originally planned
For years, the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum originally planned to acquire the Transrapid 06 section standing in Lathen. According to Nikolai Ingenerf, executive board member of the foundation behind the Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum, it has now opted for the Transrapid 07, since this also gave it the chance to obtain original guideway girders. The transport of the guideway and vehicle will be handled by the Max Bögl Group, which keeps the costs within a reasonable range.
Ingenerf also states that the Transrapid 06 would have been missing in Lathen had it gone to Bochum. Currently, one TR06 section, the TR07 and 3 sections of the TR08 stand in Lathen. The KOMET is also safely stored in Lathen. So the TR06 fortunately stays within “reach” of the Förderverein Transrapid Emsland e.V. (the Transrapid Emsland support association).
€250,000 in support from Sparkasse Bochum
As the museum mentions in its announcement on its website, the foundation of Sparkasse Bochum (a local savings bank) contributed €250,000 to the project. The vehicle was acquired “for a symbolic euro,” but transport and setup will incur major costs.
