After five years of restoration work, the AEG 620 electric locomotive has finally returned to its original location in Lallange. However, it will no longer run along its former route between the old Parisotto site and Place de l’Exposition. The vehicle was repositioned at its historic site in cooperation with a Belgian company.
The logistics involved were extensive. “The company arrived the day before at 10am to remove the locomotive. That was one aspect that caused some concern, but in the end, there were no issues. Although it was initially planned to load it onto the trailer the following day, the entire operation went so smoothly that we decided to do it on the same day”, explained André Zwally, municipal councillor of Esch-sur-Alzette.
Transporting a nearly 100-year-old locomotive is anything but routine. The route had to be planned in meticulous detail, with particular attention paid to infrastructure such as bridges. In the lead-up to the transport, the entire route was carefully analysed to anticipate potential obstacles, such as bridges. During the journey itself, the truck driver had to proceed with extreme caution to avoid any damage to the historic vehicle.
The AEG 620 locomotive was in use at the ARBED site in Dudelange between 1928 and 1980. As such, it represents an important piece of Luxembourg’s industrial heritage, which is why the Esch-sur-Alzette city council took special care to ensure its preservation.
Restoring the locomotive and bringing it back to its former appearance took five years. By contrast, the actual transport, including laying the tracks and loading the locomotive onto the trailer, was completed relatively quickly, with the entire operation carried out in a single day.
