Credit: Ievgenii Karanov, Chronicle.lu
On Sunday 6 September 2026, Fond-de-Gras, near Niederkorn and Differdange in the south-west of the Grand Duchy, hosted a Train 1900 Open Day dedicated to historic diesel locomotives, attracting around 800 visitors.
The event focused on a collection of post-war Luxembourg diesel locomotives and railcars, including vehicles from the 1604 Classics association, while a Train 1900 steam locomotive also operated throughout the day.
“Our Open Day this year is concentrated on diesel engines. We do this every two or three years because normally, of course, Fond-de-Gras is the centre of steam. And of course there is also a public that really likes diesel engines,” Jean-Marie Thill, Vice-President and co-manager of AMTF Train 1900, told Chronicle.lu.
Jean-Marie Thill explained that AMTF Train 1900 works closely with Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture and the National Institute for Architectural Heritage (INPA), which is involved in preserving architectural and industrial heritage and owns a collection of Luxembourg diesel locomotives from the post-war period. He noted that the locomotives had been restored and are maintained by a dedicated association, but can no longer operate on the main railway network because of regulatory restrictions.
According to Jean-Marie Thill, the Open Day therefore gives the historic locomotives an opportunity to operate at Fond-de-Gras every two or three years. He added that the event also allows visitors to experience scenes reminiscent of Luxembourg railway history spanning several decades, with diesel locomotives and coaches dating from the 1920s to the late 1960s.
Around 60 volunteers from AMTF Train 1900 and 1604 Classics were involved in running the event.
“We have music, we have food, of course. We are in Luxembourg. We always need food and drinks. And in our shed, we have playgrounds for children,” Jean-Marie Thill said. Inside the railway shed, younger visitors could draw locomotives, assemble small train models and play with a wooden railway set, while children's books and a tombola were also available.
The programme also included Dampi, the site’s mascot, and a special narrow-gauge railway service. For the occasion, visitors could travel towards Pétange and Rodange before completing a round trip on the narrow-gauge line. Historic wagons were also displayed along the former loading area to illustrate how iron ore was once transported from the mine and transferred into larger railway wagons.
Beyond the railway programme, the terrace and tables outside Fond-de-Gras station remained busy throughout the day, while visitors moved between the railway displays, food stands and children's activities.
