At our last AGM, we announced that we would probably be able to take over the photo archive of our late founding member Kurt Niederer, Baden. This has now been done. Unfortunately, we only had a few days to secure the documents. Under the valued coordination of our member Anton Heer, a number of helpers worked tirelessly to sort, separate and transport the documents within the given time frame.
We have now gained an initial overview. It is clear that for Kurt Niederer, a railway had to smoke and steam. Unfortunately, there are only a few pictures of Swiss electric locomotives. However, there are many photographs of steam locomotives and trains from all over the world, with a focus on East Africa. In addition, there are countless reproductions from books, magazines, exhibitions and fellow photographers, all of which are neatly documented with their origins.
Kurt Niederer used these photos and vehicle lists he researched himself (which he also photographed) to create small ring binders on specific topics. A predecessor to today’s Wikipedia! Let’s see what we can do with this part of his legacy, which was obviously very important to him…
Example of a ring binder by Kurt Niederer on the subject of ‘Steam storage locomotives in Switzerland’. There are many interesting details on the back of each photo. Photo: Edi Meier, BülachKurt Niederer compiled this table of Swiss fireless steam locomotives for himself on 27 November 1974 and photographed it for his ring binder. Photo: Kurt Niederer, Baden @bahnarchiv.ch
It will probably be some time before Kurt Niederer’s pictures can be found on bahnarchiv.ch. Nevertheless, I would like to give you a first glimpse into this railway history today and draw your attention to a special type of locomotive: the steam storage locomotive, more commonly known as the fireless steam locomotive.
There are some industries that require large amounts of steam for their manufacturing processes, which they generate themselves in huge stationary heaters. Typical examples include gasworks, paper mills, chemical industries and breweries. The steam reservoirs of their fireless steam locomotives were charged from the steam network at the industrial plant, which was sufficient for shorter or longer journeys depending on the storage volume. This meant that the locomotives hardly needed to be preheated and did not need to be cleaned after use. And there were no maintenance-intensive fireboxes and boiler tubes either…
Kurt Niederer’s archive contains numerous photographs of such locomotives. However, as his accompanying notes show, not all of them were taken by him but are rather well-made reproductions…
The small steam storage locomotive of the Lausanne gasworks (Usine de Gaz Lausanne) was built by SLM in 1910 (2097/1910), scrapped in 1977 and then plinthed as a monument in Lausanne. 18 September 1983 This photograph is also a reproduction from the Bulletin technique Suisse Romande. Reproduction: Kurt Niederer, Baden @bahnarchiv.chHere, the significantly younger and more powerful steam storage locomotive GWZ 1 of the Zurich gasworks in Schlieren is posing. This locomotive was built by SLM in Winterthur (SLM 3566/1932). Instead of the usual chimney, it has a filler neck for steam at the front. It is not an elegant appearance, but a functional design that appears quite robust. June 1 1972 Photo: Kurt Niederer, Baden @bahnarchiv.chThe steam storage locomotive no. 54 of the Attisholz paper mill in full operation. Behind the locomotive, you can see the impressively high pile of wood. Wood and the cellulose extracted from it are, as we know, the basic raw materials for paper production. The locomotive was built by Jung (12126/1955) and the photo was taken by Daniel Heer on 22 April 1960 in Luterbach Attisholz. Kurt Niederer created a reproduction of it, which we are deliberately using here to show the quality of the reproductions… Photo: Daniel Heer, Zurich @bahnarchiv.chOn 14 October 1977, Kurt Niederer was able to capture another locomotive, number 64, at the Attisholz paper mill, and even in colour. To the left of the locomotive is a freight car loaded with paper wood with a special frame at the end of the car. The locomotive was built by Jung (13874/1965). Photo: Kurt Niederer, Baden @bahnarchiv.chThe Lonza company in Visp also had a fireless steam locomotive, which bore the number 2 (originally 1). It was built by SLM (2593/1917) and was decommissioned in 1965. In 1982, it was donated to the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, where Kurt Niederer photographed it on 22 October 1988. It later returned to the Valais and was set up on the factory premises in Visp. Photo: Kurt Niederer, Baden @bahnarchiv.chDespite its chimney, this is a steam storage locomotive. It was in service from 1903 to 1984, originally at the Salmen brewery in Rheinfelden. It was built by Jung (668/1903). Once again, we are using a reproduction by Kurt Niederer. Photo: Daniel Heer, Zurich @bahnarchiv.chThe Salmen brewery was later swallowed up by a competitor and became part of Cardinal, who repainted the locomotive in their own colours. The photo taken by Kurt Niederer at the factory premises in Rheinfelden dates from 17 June 1976. Photo: Kurt Niederer, Baden @bahnarchiv.chThis fireless steam locomotive of the Salmen respectively Cardinal breweries now adorns a roundabout in Rheinfelden. It has been repainted in the old Salmen Bräu colours. My former schoolmate M. Gisler, who lives in Rheinfelden, kindly took this photo for me on 18 July 2025.
Comments and additions to this railway history can be sent to EG at sgeg dot ch, or use the form to our Vice President Edi Meier. Thank you for your help.
