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The Museum Railway Association, which maintains the Jokioinen Museum Railway, started a fundraising campaign in the fall of 2023 to raise money to restore and keep the steam locomotive LWR 6, Helga, in running order. Helga, built in 1909, is the oldest Finnish-made locomotive in running order.
As a result of the long-term work of MP Timo Heinonen from Tavastia Proper, the State Finance Committee has today, December 11, granted 20,000 euros for the renovation of the steam locomotive "Helga". This is in addition to the 50,000 euros granted last year for the locomotive's new tubes, flues, valves and superheating units.
The Museum Railway Association is truly grateful for the grant it has received! With the help of the grant, the locomotive's boiler repair can begin this winter.
It is truly wonderful to see that the association's work as a preserver of Finnish cultural and industrial history is appreciated. The unpaid volunteer work of the museum railway staff and various grants make it possible for this unique entity to be preserved as a living museum.
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The traditional Santa Claus Train will run again on the first weekend of December, December 7-8. On Saturday, December 7, the steam locomotive hauled Santa Claus Train will operate between Jokioinen and Minkiö and on Sunday, December 8, between Humppila and Minkiö. During the round trip, which takes just over an hour, you can enjoy the authentic atmosphere of a narrow-gauge train.
On Suanday there is a transfer connection from and to VR trains heading to Turku and Tampere in Humppila. By changing in Toijala, the event can also be reached by VR train from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Hämeenlinna.
Tickets for the Santa Claus train on Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th December 2024 cost 14 euros (7 € for children 4-12 years old) Jokioinen-Minkiö or Humppila-Minkiö round trip. Children under 4 years old and members of the Museum Railway Association travel free of charge.
On Saturday trains depart from Jokioinen station at 10:35, 12:05, 13:35, 15:05 and 16:35. (The last train does not have a return connection to Jokioinen) and from Minkiö station at 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30 and 16:00. The train journey, musical performances and go-karting party take about an hour and a half in total.
On Sunday Trains depart from Humppila station at 10:45, 12:30, 14:10, 15:45 (the last train does not have a return connection to Humppila) and from Minkiö station at 10:00, 11:45, 13:25 and 15:05. The train journey, musical performances and go-karting party take about an hour and a half in total.
The price of the train ride includes warm mulled wine or juice served at Minkiö station and Christmas gingerbread. In addition, Santa Claus is on the trains handing out sweets to all train passengers. In the train carriages, stoves emit atmospheric warmth and Christmas lighting creates an atmosphere.
In addition, Minkiö offers a Christmas-themed music program for children and those with a child's heart. In addition, Minkiö station has Christmas-themed sales. Among other things, souvenirs from the Jokioinen Museum Railway and railway literature are available for purchase in the Santa's container.
Come and create a warm and cozy Christmas event with us that is suitable for everyone! And don't forget to invite your friends along for the Christmas train ride.
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Today it will be 50 years since the last freight train of the Jokioinen railway ran from Forssa to Humppila and back. The last train arrived at Forssa station on March 29, 1974, pulled by steam locomotive number 4 Tubize. The text "Ohi on" (It's all over) was written on the side of the locomotive. After the traffic day, Tubize was driven inside the Forssa locomotive depot for the last time, and the story of the Jokioinen railway ended. In April, the dismantling of the track and scrapping of the rolling stock began.
A few days earlier, the Museum Railway Association had moved its locomotives and carriages to Minkiö station, which over time developed into the center of museum railway operations.
The Museum Railway Association is asking local residents for help in collecting the history of the Jokioinen railway: if you have old photos of the Jokioinen railway (including those with the railway in the background) or personal memories related to the Jokioinen railway, you can send them to us at:
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Christmas is approaching and it's time again for the traditional Museum Jokioinen Museum Railway Christmas card. The Christmas card is again made by PTJ Koskinen, one of the steam locomotive drivers of the museum railway. Like always, the card is very relevant.
In 2023, the new automatic protection system with gates at the Kiipuntie level crossing was inaugurated. The system is the first of the Jokioinen Museum Railway. The municipality of Jokioinen also turned 150 years old and the Jokioinen railway turned 125 years old. Santa Claus and his elves are coming from the direction of Jokioinen and the warning system is working well. Among the gifts, there seems to be something important related to year 2023 in Finland...
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In the autumn, the Museum Railway Association, which runs the Jokioinen Museum Railway, started a fundraising campaign to collect money to renovate and keep the steam locomotive LWR 6, Helga, in running condition. Built in 1909, Helga is the oldest Finnish-made locomotive in running condition.
The fundraising campaign was prominently reported by the news paper Forssan Lehti and radio YLE Häme. The news about the campaign also reached MP Timo Heinonen from Kantahäme, who decided to go help in obtaining funding. As a result of long-term work, the State Finance Committee is today 12.12. granted a grant of 50,000 euros for Helga's renovation.
The Museum Railway Association is really grateful for the assistance it received! The grant makes it possible to order the necessary materials and parts to be made, so that the renovation of the steam boiler and the entire locomotive can be started at a suitable time.
Because it is an expensive renovation and renewal work, the Museum Railway Association will continue fundraising until next spring. The grant received now makes it possible to start the project and make the necessary purchases.
It is a pleasure to note that the association's long-term work as a preserver of Finnish cultural heritage and industrial history is appreciated. The museum railway volunteers who do unpaid work as well as various grants enable the preservation of this unique railway as a living museum.
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Jokioinen Railway turns 125 years old this year. The railway was opened to traffic on December 9, 1898. However trains have been already runing on the track under construction before. The main owner of the railway company was the Jokioinen manor and the railway was built to meet the industrial needs of Jokioinen and Forssa, as the Turku-Toijala state railway did not connect to Jokioinen and Forssa but Humppila.
The length of the Jokioinen railway was 22.5 km and it ran from Humnppila station via Minkiö halt and Jokioinen station to Forssa. Passenger traffic lasted until 1954, and freight traffic was discontinued twenty years later in 1974.
The predecessor of the Jokioinen Museum Railway, the Forssa-Humppila Museum Railway operated museum trains already during the period of the Jokioinen Railway in 1971-73. After the closure of the line, there was a hard fight to save the line, and finally museum train service could be started again in in 1978 on the Minkiö-Jokioinen railway which was saved from demolition.
In 1994, the reconstructed Minkiö-Jokioinen railway line was opened, so museum train traffic could be again operated between Humppila and Jokioinen. Over the years, the operation has expanded and many wagons and locomotives have been added to the rolling stock. A brand new historic station building has been moved to Humppila and a new workshop hall in Minkiö was erected for vehicle repair and maintenance.
During the year 2023, the 125th anniversary of the Jokioinen railway will be celebrated with the Jokioinen Museum Railway events. The event dates are:
- Opening of the season, mobile day and Humppila day, Sun 11.6.
- Strongest of the Depot, Sun 18.6.
- Minkiö Farmers Market, Sun 2.7.
- Minkiö Harvest Market, Sat 12.8.
- Star Light Train, Sat 9.9.
- Santa Claus Train, Sat-Sun 2.-3.12.
This year, scheduled traffic runs on Sundays from the second Sunday in June to the end of July (June 11-July 30) and on the first three Saturdays of August (August 5-19). Even though the cost level has risen drastically, it was decided not to increase ticket prices. Instead, the aim is to achieve savings by reducing the kilometers run. Because of this, traffic starts a week later and ends a week earlier than before. The decision was also partly influenced by the fact that the corona period that has been going on for many years has significantly reduced the number of people from Talkoo who are active in traffic.
Despite the small cuts in traffic, the jubilee year is to be celebrated throughout the summer and early autumn, and to end the festivities handsomely with the traditional Santa Claus Train, which will be run almost 125 years after the service on the Jokioinen railway began!
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Christmas is approaching and it's time again for the traditional Museum Jokioinen Museum Railway Christmas card. The Christmas card was again made by PTJ Koskinen, one of the steam locomotive drivers of the museum railway. Like always, the card is very relevant this year.
In 2022, The Covid pandemic started to be behind us, but the world was drawn into new crises. At Minkiö depot at the heart of the winter, the museum railway's loyal workhorse, the steam locomotive No. 5 built in December 1917 for the former Hyvinkää—Karkkila railway, has nevertheless decided to pull against.
The artist himself explains the starting idea for the card was a strong man train pulling competition in Minkiö last summer. Then he had to get Ukrainian children to have fun of the problem of dictators, finally the grip slipped a littlöe bit. In the background there is Ukrainian-born Ilja Repin's, who also lived in Finland, painting Barge Haulers on the Volga, where enslaved Russians haule a barge on river Volga. Finnish cartoonist Kari once drew a picture based on the same painting of barge haulers in which Eastern European countries were pulling Soviet leaders.
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The traditional Santa Claus Train will be runing again on the first weekend of December 3/12 - 4/12. This year the Santa Claus Train pulled by a steam locomotive will run on Saturday, December 3 Between Jokioinen and Minkiö and on Sunday, December 4 between Humppila and Minkiö. The round trip takes about an hour and lets you to enjoy the magic of Christmas.
The price of the train journey includes warm mulled juice and Christmas gingerbread. In addition, Santa Claus is present on the trains to hand out sweets to all train passengers. In the train carriages, the fireplaces glow hot and makes you to experience real Christmas feeling.
Minkiö station has Christmas-themed programs and music for children and also thre oler ones.
Come and enjoy a warm Christmas event with us! And don't forget to invite your friends along for the Christmas train ride.