Poland

Choszczno (Arnswalde): is situated in the northeast of the old Brandenburg' county called "Neumark" and today part of the Polish district Western Pomerania. The small city became a part of the Prussian railway network in 1848, then the line Stargard -Poznan was erected. Choszczno became a railway knot after the opening of the branch lines to Kalisz Pom. and Mysliborz. The small depot once was home of classes P8 and G8¹, but however in the 70's classes Ty2/Ty42 (DRB-52) and Ok22 (modernized Prussian P8) dominated. With the decrease of railway traffic in the 80's came the end of the depot. After completion of steam services in 1988 Choszczno became a sub-depot of Stargard. Short before the estimated finally close down the decision was felled to resume the depot as a museum. The build-up activities started in 1992, then several steam locomotives were concentrated here, three of them in serviceable condition: Ol49-99 (ex. Krzyz), Ol49-85 (ex. Ełk) and Tkt48-147 (ex. Klodzko). In addition came here some non-serviceable engines for the exposition: Ok1-322 (ex. Szczecin Dabie), Pt47-106 (ex. Bialogard), Ty43-92 and Ty2-1298 (both ex. Gniezno) as well as various diesel locomotives. Two wagons were regenerated for special trains (unfortunately in very terrible lacquer finish) and the area of the depot was cleaned.

The initial euphoria was replaced by disillusionment rapidly and the development into a museum stagnated. Before the museum could be opened in the autumn 1995, the star was already sinking: Without regular steam services á la Wolsztyn visitors came here only rarely. At the same time the traditional operational area melted fast by closing down the branch lines around Choszczno. Services of the particularly freshly overhauled locomotives were extremely rare, so that except some trips around Szczecin and two "Plandampf"-shows organized by German railway enthusiasts no remarkable services took place. The end came fast and silent: The museum was closed definitively in 2001. The steam locomotives were transferred to Wolsztyn in the summer of 2001 - all of them non-serviceable now. The last chapter of steam in Szczecin-area was written…

Both class Ol49 in the shed: Ol49-85 and Ol49-99 in the background.		Ok1-322 was restored.
Tkt48-147 at the turntable.		Tkt48-147 at Zamecin.
Small brigde behind Zamecin.		Tkt48-147 at Lubiana, a former junction to Strzelce Krajeńskie.
Departure at Płotno.		Stone bridge near Barlinek.