photo: whichmuseum.com/Unraveling Rail History at Budapest's Spectacular Hungarian Railway Museum
The Hungarian Railway Museum, also known as the Hungarian Railway History Park, is an expansive site located in Budapest. Housed in a former railway station and workshop of the Hungarian State Railways, the museum spans over 70,000 square meters and presents a myriad of railway equipment, including passenger cars and locomotives. For model railway enthusiasts, a separate building is dedicated to miniature trains.
Established by the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) Plc. and MÁV Nosztalgia Ltd. in November 1999, the museum aims to collect, preserve, and showcase railway heritage. Along with curating a permanent railway exhibition, the foundation supports research projects related to the past and future of railways and is responsible for the maintenance of the displayed vehicles and the overall premises.
The museum's impressive collection comprises numerous locomotives of the Hungarian State Railways, covering a broad range of technologies from steam to electric engines, with some still operational. Beyond locomotives, the museum's exhibits extend to other types of rail transport such as hand-powered cars and inspection cars. Highlights include a teak dining car built for the Orient Express and the Árpád railcar, constructed in 1912 and 1934, respectively. An intriguing feature is a Soviet GAZ-13 Chaika, a luxury automobile formerly used by Hungarian Prime Minister Jenő Fock, which was later adapted by the Hungarian State Railways to function on rails.
In addition to the rail transport exhibits, the main building of the museum offers insights into the history of railway stations, railway equipment, and the evolution of railways in Hungary. For an interactive experience, visitors can operate a handcart and use an engine simulator initially designed for the MÁV V63. The museum is also home to a miniature railway that children can ride and a roundhouse with 34 bays. Operational locomotives from the museum's fleet are occasionally used for nostalgic railway trips within Hungary and abroad.
Source: vasuttortenetipark.hu, Wikipedia