Historical move

What is a rarer occurrence than leap year? How about moving 50 locomotives, streetcars and railway cars within the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne? The highlight was moving the “Green Crocodile.” This powerful electric locomotive was a miracle of technology and exported across the globe early last century thanks to its agile nose, which allowed it to take very tight curves.

After twenty years at the same site, the time had finally come on February 29: The locomotive built in 1920 was moved once again – but not forward as usual but sideward instead. At first, the historical vehicle put up some resistance, like a tree that had taken root and did not want to be replanted elsewhere.

After three meters, the spell was broken, however, and the 126t giant rolled smoothly on roller dollies the twelve meters from the south tracks to the north tracks. After the yellow tracks were hydraulically lifted and removed, the electric locomotive stood at its new location the very next day in all its old freshness. After two month the work will be finished on March, the 22th.

Incidentally, Bauberger AG was in the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne exactly nine years ago moving the Gotthard Massif, the Coronado and the Mesoscaphe and last year moving a legendary aircraft, the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (Stork).

Moving the SBB Crocodile
Production: Tele 1 Zentralschweizer Fernsehen

Photos: Bauberger AG