Lehrstellwerk, Educational railway facility in Kornwestheim, Germany

The Lehrstellwerk Kornwestheim is a training signal-box complex in Kornwestheim, about ten kilometres north of Stuttgart. It holds up to 15 signal boxes, mostly mechanical, plus electromechanical and push-button types, split into an older section of 1934 and a newer one of 1962. A wooden track diagram above the lever frames shows trains as small pins that trip contacts and lock switches.

The facility was built in 1934 and served Deutsche Bahn as a training center for signal operators and train conductors until the 1990s. It reflects the evolution of railway safety systems across multiple generations of railway workers.

The site shows how railroad workers once learned their trade and the importance of craftsmanship and precision in rail operations. The preserved installations tell of a work culture where every movement of a signal or switch could save lives.

Visits are typically guided tours where you can watch hand and electrical switching systems in operation. Plan time for demonstrations and consider joining practical simulation exercises if available.

The old section's wooden track diagram above the lever frames shows trains as small pins pushed by hand into grooves; the pins trip contacts and can block electrically checked points from being reversed. The signals on the diagram change aspect with the levers, and at the Mittelstadt boxes some levers are linked to real points and signals outside.