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Railway
Estonian Museum Railroad at Lavassaare
Estonian Museum Railroad at Lavassaare
Estonian Museum Railroad at Lavassaare

Estonian Museum Railroad at Lavassaare

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The Estonian Museum Railroad is located at the village of Lavassaare, 17 km outside Pärnu and deep in the bogs. It was created thanks to the hard work of rail enthusiasts.
The Museum Railroad has over 80 different sets of rolling stock, including 5 steam engines, and a range of technical appliances. Exhibition pieces include working steam engines and handcars; one of the locomotives is in use on the Gulbene-Alūksne railroad. Working vehicles are on display at the depot (1924). The former peat-making residence exhibits photos, items and documents from the history of the narrow-gauge railroad. The most exciting exhibits are the rail bicycle, the hand-powered fire pump, and the uniforms. A narrow-gauge spur has been renovated, and visitors have a chance to ride the old machines into the center of the peat bog.
The main consumer of Lavassaare's peat output was the Sindi Broadcloth Factory. Between 1922 and 1924, the State Central Fuel Materials Committee constructed a 28-km long narrow-gauge railroad from the Lavassaare bog, via Pootsi station, straight to the right bank of the river Pärnu, just across from the Sindi factory. The only surviving part of the Lavassaare peat railroad is the remarkable bridge over the Sauga river, and the bog network, at one end of which lies the Lavassaare Railroad Museum.