Freight wagons and coaches of the CFTR

Train composition

During summer time, our association uses its wagons approximately in the same manner. In the case of a rush, further coach or coashes can be added to the train to adapt the capacity. But the total number of visitors is limited by the boat and amounts to 250.

Our austrian Donnerbüchse are every summer on the road to the pleasure our visitors!

- Photo S.Kieffer, août 97 -

Our train consists of a swiss kind of caboose, a swiss wagon from type "spoutnik" N°29285 with large platforms and some austrian so-called "Donnerbuchsen" (word-for-word "Stormbox"). The name emphasises the fact that these passenger cars had no  sound insulation!

The 8 Donnerbuchsen of our Association CFTR, au nombre de 8,  are numberd 39583, 39715, 39748, 39922 39931, 39933, 39946, 39948 and were built in 1928 for the "Österreichische Bundesbahnen" (ÖBB) wjich use them until... 1983!.

First only two of them could be purchsed in 1983 because the ÖBB didn't want to donate these. But a train can't consist of only two coaches and the volunteer who was in Charge in that time could argue so good that 8 cars could be purchased! Now the second stage could begin: transport them from Austria to Alsace. Without the precious help of our swiss member, it's now clear that these coaches wouldn't have been preserved. 

It was decided very early that some drinks should be offered to the visitors in the train. That's why a dining car was necessary and for this purpose, some power unit was necessary which then has been placed in the swiss caboose. The train was now electrified. Later on the train was equiped with loudspeakers to be able to inform the visitors during the trip. The project was sponsored by the companies Wrigley, Gerriets et Staral.