Waggonfabrik Wismar
Encyclopedia
Waggonfabrik Wismar was a manufacturer of railway vehicles from 1894 to 1947. The company was based in Wismar
in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
in Germany.
of Wismar founded a coach factory in 1894. In 1902 it was moved to a site outside the town that was next to the F. Crull iron foundry and engineering works that already belonged to Podeus. The coach factory was then renamed as Wagenbau F. Crull & Co Wismar (F. Crull Coachbuilders & Co, Wismar). After its takeover by Podeus' sons in 1907 it became the Waggonfabrik Wismar GmbH (Wismar Coach Factory). The firm concentrated on the construction of special coaches; both sleeping
and dining car
s as well as insulated and refrigerated vans. In addition to railway vehicles it also manufactured chassis for lorries. In 1911 the GmbH became an Aktiengesellschaft
. In 1917 the Deutsche Waggonleihanstalt AG (German Coach Hire Firm) took a majority shareholding and merged both companies into the Eisenbahn-Verkehrsmittel A.-G. (Railway Transport Co.) On 23 March 1936 the coach factory was spun off again as the Triebwagen- und Waggonfabrik Wismar Aktiengesellschaft (Wismar Railbus and Coach Factory).
In 1926 the firm had 1,600 employees; this rose to 1,930 workers in 1939.
At the 1924 Railway Exhibition at Seddin, the firm exhibited its first railbus
. This had a diesel engine
that was located not in the vehicle body, but in the bogie. It was also an entirely steel construction. The firm also pointed the way to the future through the introduction of electric welding
that enable a much lighter construction.
The firm maintained good relations with the Lower Saxony State Railway Office (Niedersächsisches Landeseisenbahnamt) and produced the Wismar Railbus
in cooperation with them. They also built a number of the Frankfurt variant.
After 1945 the construction of railbuses was concentrated in the Soviet Zone at Dessau. The facilities were given over to the Wismar ship repair firm, Schiffsreparaturwerk Wismar, and the firm was removed from the Trade Register in 1948. Until the early 1990s propellers were manufactured at the site for the diesel engine firm of Dieselmotorenwerke Rostock. Part of the factory facilities have now been demolished.
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state in northern Germany. The capital city is Schwerin...
in Germany.
History
Captain Heinrich PodeusPodeus
The Podeus was a German automobile manufactured from 1911 to 1914; the works at Weimar produced two models, both fours: a 2248cc and a 2536cc sv....
of Wismar founded a coach factory in 1894. In 1902 it was moved to a site outside the town that was next to the F. Crull iron foundry and engineering works that already belonged to Podeus. The coach factory was then renamed as Wagenbau F. Crull & Co Wismar (F. Crull Coachbuilders & Co, Wismar). After its takeover by Podeus' sons in 1907 it became the Waggonfabrik Wismar GmbH (Wismar Coach Factory). The firm concentrated on the construction of special coaches; both sleeping
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
and dining car
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
s as well as insulated and refrigerated vans. In addition to railway vehicles it also manufactured chassis for lorries. In 1911 the GmbH became an Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
. In 1917 the Deutsche Waggonleihanstalt AG (German Coach Hire Firm) took a majority shareholding and merged both companies into the Eisenbahn-Verkehrsmittel A.-G. (Railway Transport Co.) On 23 March 1936 the coach factory was spun off again as the Triebwagen- und Waggonfabrik Wismar Aktiengesellschaft (Wismar Railbus and Coach Factory).
In 1926 the firm had 1,600 employees; this rose to 1,930 workers in 1939.
At the 1924 Railway Exhibition at Seddin, the firm exhibited its first railbus
Railbus
A railbus is a very lightweight type passenger rail vehicle that shares many aspects of their construction with a bus, usually having a bus, or modified bus body, and having four wheels on a fixed base, instead of on bogies...
. This had a diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
that was located not in the vehicle body, but in the bogie. It was also an entirely steel construction. The firm also pointed the way to the future through the introduction of electric welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
that enable a much lighter construction.
The firm maintained good relations with the Lower Saxony State Railway Office (Niedersächsisches Landeseisenbahnamt) and produced the Wismar Railbus
Wismar railbus
The 'Hanover version' of the Wismar railbus was developed in the early 1930s as a light railbus for economical passenger services on branch lines in Germany.- History :...
in cooperation with them. They also built a number of the Frankfurt variant.
After 1945 the construction of railbuses was concentrated in the Soviet Zone at Dessau. The facilities were given over to the Wismar ship repair firm, Schiffsreparaturwerk Wismar, and the firm was removed from the Trade Register in 1948. Until the early 1990s propellers were manufactured at the site for the diesel engine firm of Dieselmotorenwerke Rostock. Part of the factory facilities have now been demolished.
Source
- Christian Schröder, Insa Konukiewitz, Wolfram Bäumer: Der Wismarer Schienenbus der Bauart Hannover. In: Die Museums-Eisenbahn 1/2000, S. 17–19
External links
- private Website zur Wismarer Waggonfabrik
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany