Locomotive 18 528 Is Coming to the Bavarian Railway Museum in Nördlingen

These days, a long-awaited yet equally unexpected journey through time is coming full circle for some of the longest-serving members of the Bavarian Railway Museum association. Founded on 15 June 1969 as "Pfiffclub 52 1919 Kondens," the association was renamed "Eisenbahnclub 18 528 München" as early as the autumn of 1969. One of the young association's first objectives was to look after locomotive 18 528 (J. A. Maffei/1928/5696), which was displayed at the time as a monument outside the headquarters of Krauss-Maffei in Munich-Allach. At the initiative of Gerd Böck, the association approached the company's management in November 1969. Krauss-Maffei subsequently provided tools, materials and paint, while the group of railway enthusiasts contributed the necessary labour. In addition, the fledgling association received 500 German marks per year for its funds. Even after the association moved to Nördlingen and adopted its present name, "Bayerisches Eisenbahnmuseum e.V." ("Bavarian Railway Museum"), it remained loyal to the locomotive in Allach, continuing both to maintain it and to keep in touch with the Allach factory.

Over the decades, a number of changes took place: as part of a site redevelopment, the locomotive was moved onto the factory premises in 1994; in 2001, a dedicated storage shed was built for it at the factory, providing it with a permanent home; and locomotive production is now operated by the successor company, Siemens Mobility GmbH. In May 2026, however, a new opportunity arose for both parties. The expansion of the production facilities for passenger coaches meant that the locomotive would have to be relocated once again. Following joint discussions, a long-term loan agreement was drawn up under which the locomotive will once again be made accessible to the public at the Bavarian Railway Museum (BEM) in Nördlingen. Restoration and long-term preservation are, of course, the primary objectives.