Steam Engine No 41

Steam Engine No 41

In front of the train station in Otjiwarongo visitors to the town can see the old steam engine No. 41, which was built in 1912 by the Henschel Company in Kassel, Germany and used to run on the narrow gauge railway line from Swakopmund to Otavi. The town of Otjiwarongo came into existence mainly because of the need to find a connection between Swakopmund, Windhoek and Tsumeb in order to get the copper ore from the Otavi (Tsumeb) area to the coast for shipping back to Germany.

A number of factors, including the fact that the Waterberg area, with its water supply water and fertile soil was seen as a growth point, saw a link established between Waterberg and Outjo (Otjiwarongo). The narrow gauge rail was completed in 1906 and the first train arrived on the 2nd April 1906.

Steam engine No. 41 was one of the locomotives that ran on that first link and it was given the honorary spot in front of the station building in Otjiwarongo. The narrow gauge operated through Otjiwarongo from 1906 to 1960. There is a story that is told about the first rail accident that was recorded on that line in 1906. The story goes that the investigating team found that a passenger by the name of Suessmann handed the driver a case of beer for the road between Usakos and Otjiwaronog, because, in those days, the journey could be long and arduous and one could become thirsty! It's stories like these that are told by the towns people that brings a special glimmer to the eyes of the story teller as they take you back to an era gone by.