Waggonaufzug, Hebebühne für Eisenbahnwaggons in Eberswalde in Brandenburg
The Waggonaufzug in Eberswalde is a steel hoisting machine that could transport railway wagons between two levels with a height difference of about 6 meters (20 feet). This hydraulic and electric system was built in 1908 and featured counterweights to lift loads up to 25 tons.
The facility was built in 1908 for a factory that had been making nails since the 1870s and became a leading German producer. After closure in 1926, the site was used by the railway, then by Soviet forces after 1945, until the factory was permanently shut down in the 1970s.
The lift developed as part of a factory complex that shaped Eberswalde's identity as an industrial center. Today it stands as a witness to early 20th-century working life and shows how manual labor and machinery worked together.
The structure is accessible via Kupferhammerweg in Eberswalde and is within walking distance of the Finowkanal. Visitors can view it from the outside, but should note that the machine is no longer operational and cannot be entered for safety reasons.
The system could work with unbalanced loads, which was unusual since it allowed wagons of different weights to be lifted simultaneously. This flexibility was an advantage when facing the factory's daily changing workload demands.
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