Who are the “Tiroler MuseumsBahnen (TMB)”?

The Tiroler MuseumsBahnen were founded in the year 1983 as a non for profit society. Our goals are: install a documentation about the light rail lines in the Europe region of Tyrol, collect old interesting tram- and lightrailvehicles, restore them and make special trips with them. Nearby we run a museum to make a contribution to the historical science of our home country. Also you can order a special-trip with our historical cars.

The mentioned goals are realized by the following:

• workshops, presentations, excursions
• collecting historical and tecnical significant tramcars
• founding a museum for local tramways and railways
• to run a historical tramway and lightrail service with all necessary equipment and facilities
• publishing a society journal

The society is situated in the old Stubaitalbahnhof (Pater-Reinisch-Weg 4, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria)

Since the foundation of the society in the year 1983 many things were realized: A lot of old Innsbruck tramcars were brought back from Austria and Germany to Innsbruck and 14 of them were finally restored. Nearby we installed a big archive about the Tyrolian tramways and light rail lines.

Shortcut of the society's history

n the year 1983 the Stubaitalbahn (Stubai valley railway) changed their power system from 3,000 V 50 Hz (AC) to 850 V (DC). So the old lightrailcars got out of service and it was not known what will happen to them. The motorcars could not be used further because of the different power system, the carriages got out of use because of the big lengths between the axles (damaged track). So in Autumn 1983 Tiroler MuseumsBahnen were founded, to protect the old Stubaitalbahn vehicles of demolition. Further on the club installed a museum, were the old tram and lightrailcars of Innsbruck area are kept for future.

Since 1984 the society is able to use the old depotbuilding of the Stubaitalbahn, were the collection of our tram- and lightrailcars is stored. 1985 were 2 (later 3) rooms of the old station building adapted for our "LOCALBAHNMUSEUM".

Until today 24 cars were restored, some of them are restored in the original fashion of the beginning of the century. Below you have a list of this cars:

• GW 32 AGStB, restored 1984–1989, appearance 1904
• TW 19 IVB, restored 1985–1987, appearance 1955
• BW 147 IVB, restored 1985–1987, appearance 1960
• BW 16 LBIHiT, restored 1986–1990, appearance 1892
• BW 105 IMB, restored 1986–1991, appearance 1900
• BW 111 IMB, restored 1993–1996, appearance 1936
• GW 22 AGStB, restored 1995–1996, appearance 1904
• BW 104 IMB, restored 1997–1999, appearance 1970
• TW 61 IVB, restored 1999–2000, appearance 1980
• TW 54 LBIHiT, restored 2002–2003, appearance 1950
• BW 143 LBIHiT, restored 1991–2004, appearance 1950
• BW 1 AGStB, restored 2004, appearance 1983
• TW 1 LBIHiT, restored 2003–2005, appearance 1970
• Cog locomotive 4 Rittnerbahn, restored 2004–2006, appearance 1966
• Broomcar 100 LBIHiT, restored 2001–2007, appearance 1909
• TW 60 IVB, restored 1991–2008, appearance 1970
• TW 28 IVB, restored 2008-2011, appearance 1967
• TW 53 LBIHiT, restored 2004-2012, appearance 1909
• BW 124 IVB, restored 2012, appearance 1974
• BW 142 LBIHiT, restored 2011-2012, appearance 1977
• TW 4 LBIHiT, restored 1986–2014, appearance 1945
• SK 200 LBIHiT, restored 2015–2016, appearance 2005
• GW 263 IMB, restored 2016–2017, appearance 1971
• BW 8 (ex 120) LBIHiT, restored 2017-2019, appearance 1891

Near the normal exhibition of the Localbahnmuseum, there are showed special exhibitions on a special theme (Jubilee) of one of the tyrolean tram- and lightrailwaylines. Since 1985 there also were printed a lot of booklets describing themes of the tramways and light rail way lines in Tyrol.

Tiroler MuseumsBahnen today

Today the society counts about 280 members worldwide. As journal for our members we publish since 1984 the “Lyra”, our society journal, where you can find near the information about our society and current news of the tyrolean tram- and lightrailwaylines also essays of old railway lines in Tyrol.

Having a large rolling stock in service, we have a lot of annual work to maintaine them which uses a significant part of our work force every year.

The future

One of the biggest problems of the society was the old depotbuilding of the Stubaitalbahn, built in 1903/06, which was in a very bad condition. After a de facto rebuilding it is now unrestricted and optimized for our use. In the moment we are working to make the vehicle exhibition an atractive and living museum. Many thanks to our friends and donators, who helped us with financing this project.

The vehiclecollection of TMB counts today 27 tram- and lightrailcars. Many, for Innsbruck important, tramcars could be brought back, but some cars are missing. In the future we want to complete the collection as it is possible.

 

Become a member

Many things were done the last years, but a lot of things are still to do! This work is impossible without the help of working members. Do you want to restore old tramcars or talk with other people about Tyrolian railways, so visit us. But also a subscription to our society would be helpful.

With your membership you have also the below mentioned advantages:

• Taking of our journal “Lyra”
• Free entrance in the museum
• Reduced prices at slide shows and special trips

The membership fee is EUR 30,00, for family parts, pupils and students EUR 15,00. This fee is in comparison with other clubs very low. You support with your fee the restorationwork of TMB.