Feld- und Grubenbahnmuseum Fortuna
Museum railway on the grounds of the Grube Fortuna mine, with steam and mine trains on 600 mm gauge and over 60 field and mine locomotives.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is located on the former colliery grounds of the Grube Fortuna iron ore mine near Solms, which closed in 1983. The two museum halls and the track system are not from the mine's operating period; they were built by the Förderverein Besucherbergwerk Fortuna (friends' association of the Fortuna show mine). The association still runs the museum entirely on a volunteer basis and works every week on locomotives and infrastructure.
The collection comprises more than 60 locomotives of 600 mm gauge built between 1912 and 1996, as well as over 100 small, field and mine railway wagons. Six steam locomotives belong to the museum, five of them operational. The oldest was built in 1912 in Linz, Upper Austria; the youngest came from German hard coal mining and arrived at the museum in 2002. A highlight is a passenger coach that ran on the Braunfelser Ernstbahn from 1894 to 1930. A workshop with a forge, coaling facility and turntable completes the site.
On operating days, steam and mine trains run on a 2.5-kilometer route through the upper Grundbach valley; a ride takes about 20 minutes. Together with the Besucherbergwerk Grube Fortuna, the museum forms the Geowelt Fortuna, the geoinformation center of the Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus Geopark.
Highlights
- Ride with steam or mine train through the Grundbach valley (2.5 km)
- Over 60 locomotives of 600 mm gauge, built 1912 to 1996
- 1912 steam locomotive from Linz
- Passenger coach of the Braunfelser Ernstbahn from 1894
- Workshop with forge, coaling facility and turntable
- Combined with a mine tour at the neighboring show mine
Permanent exhibition
- Lokomotiven und Wagen der 600-mm-Spur – Two halls and the grounds house over 60 locomotives and more than 100 wagons, including six steam locomotives and a passenger coach from 1894.
- Operated by
- Förderverein Besucherbergwerk Fortuna e. V.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 2 · Children aged 3 to 16 |
Only day tickets are sold, which include multiple rides with different trains on one operating day. Combination tickets with the tour in the show mine can be booked via its website; the train ride alone requires no advance reservation.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Playground / play area
The museum is a family day-trip destination. Children aged 3 to 16 pay €5; children under 3 ride free. At the St. Nicholas Train Day, St. Nicholas arrives by train, and the restaurant has a large children's playground. There is a museum education program for school classes.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bahnhof Aßlar-Werdorf · 2.7 km
Regional trains Gießen–Dillenburg to Bahnhof Aßlar-Werdorf; bus stop Solms-Oberbiel Abzweig Altenberg (lines 120/125 and 185, Monday to Friday only).
Navigation address: Grube Fortuna 1, 35606 Solms. From Aßlar-Werdorf station it is a 2.7 km walk, and from the bus stop 2.9 km.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
Refreshments are provided on operating days; the restaurant "Zum Zechenhaus" is on the grounds.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 600 guests.
The entire museum can be rented for company outings and large events with 100 to 600 people; a caterer of your choice may be brought along.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Special trips and tours are possible on request for a date of your choice (register by phone at 06443 8246-0). Group rides with the small-gauge train and diesel locomotive are available from 50 people, with steam locomotive from 200 people. A train ride takes about 20 minutes. |
