New Non-Profit Established to Safeguard Luxembourg’s Railway Heritage

On Monday 9 November 2026, the constituent general assembly of the non-profit association “National Railway Heritage Centre” (Zuchmusée) was held at Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture in the presence of the Minister for Culture, Eric Thill.

Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Mobility and Public Works reported that, on this occasion, the founding members adopted the association’s statutes and elected its first board of directors, comprising thirteen members. This marks the beginning of a new phase in bringing the National Railway Heritage Centre project to fruition.

The association brings together representatives of the State, the municipality of Pétange, the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL), the associations “1604 Classics” and “AMTF Train 1900”, as well as members of civil society.

According to the ministries, its purpose is to undertake the preparatory work required to establish a public institution responsible for preserving, managing and promoting Luxembourg’s railway heritage and making it accessible to the general public.

“Railways have shaped Luxembourg’s economic and social development and form an integral part of our heritage. The preservation of historic locomotives, railcars and railway carriages has been made possible to a large extent thanks to the dedication of passionate volunteers, who have worked for decades to maintain and conserve them. Zuchmusée will build on their work to introduce the general public not only to these iconic vehicles, but also to the professions, expertise and the women and men who have brought our railway history to life,” emphasised Minister Thill.

The ministries reported that the preparatory work will focus in particular on cataloguing and documenting the collections and archives, preparing the cultural, educational and scientific programme, and defining the requirements and operating arrangements for the future centre.

Planned for Pétange, at the junction of the national railway network and the historic Train 1900 line towards Fond-de-Gras, the future centre is intended to bring together exhibition, documentation and educational facilities, as well as a workshop for maintaining historic rolling stock.

The ambition is to establish a leading centre for the preservation and transmission of Luxembourg’s railway heritage, while encouraging the wider public to discover this important part of the country’s history.

Composition of the non-profit association

Members

• Nima Ahmadzadeh, Director of the General Inspectorate of Finance

• Laurence Brasseur, Coordinator of the Cultural Observatory

• Patrick Diederich, Architect at the National Institute for Architectural Heritage

• Max Dörner, First Government Adviser at the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works

• Jean-Marie Halsdorf, Mayor of the Municipality of Pétange

• Marc Hoffmann, Director of Infrastructure Management at the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL)

• Joseph Kohnen, Head of the Internal Audit Department at the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL)

• Jeannot Poeker, Representative of civil society

• Patrick Sanavia, Director of the National Institute for Architectural Heritage

• Christian Schmitz, President of the non-profit association “1604 Classics”

• Jean-Marie Thill, Vice-President of the non-profit association “AMTF Train 1900”

• Jeanne Tonnar, Head of the Directorate-General for Tourism at the Ministry of the Economy

• Henri Werdel, Representative of civil society

Board of directors

• President: Jeannot Poeker

• Vice-President: Jeanne Tonnar

• Secretary: Patrick Sanavia

• Treasurer: Joseph Kohnen

Board members

• Nima Ahmadzadeh

• Laurence Brasseur

• Patrick Diederich

• Max Dörner

• Jean-Marie Halsdorf

• Marc Hoffmann

• Christian Schmitz

• Jean-Marie Thill

• Henri Werdel