<< Çamlık Outdoor Museum | Railway Museums in Turkey | Ankara Museum >>

İstanbul Rahmi M. Koç Museum

Foreword

In July 2001, Rahmi M. Koç Museum opened a new wing to improve the display of its collection of industrial and scientific artifacts. This new section has some unique rail related pieces, including one of Sultan Abdülaziz railway car. This high quality museum is located in a former Ottoman anchor foundry, for the first building, and a disused 19th century shipyard for the new buildings. The two buildings are in the same street, on opposite sides. The museum is along the Golden Horn, much improved lately by genuine rehabilitation effort. Industrial activity was relocated and replaced by gardens and preserved areas. In my opinion, the buildings and the sites are already worth a visit.

Since then, the museum expanded the collection. Most of the rolling stock is now under cover, under purpose built mettalic covers that are well integrated with the historic buildings.

The museum various exhibits will appeal to everybody in the family, from the youngest to the oldest. A 600mm gauge line was layed along the Golden Horn and the museum offers short trips.

Besides railways, the museum has also a fine collection of cars, planes and boats. Steam enthusiast will be interrested by a stationary and marine steam engines in mint conditition. The museum has also several restaurants and cafeterias.

Address

Rahmi Koç Müzesi
Hasköy cadessi
Hasköy 80320, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel: (90-212) 256 71 73, fax: (90-212) 297 66 37

See the museum website for direction & openning hours
Website in Turkish and English: www.rmk-museum.org.tr

Collection

The following describes only the railway part of the collection. The museum has a small selection of rolling stock including rare industrial equipment formerly used in Turkey. To our knowledge, this is the only attempt at preserving industrial locomotives in Turkey. All equipments are in mint external condition. The museum has also a collection of models and pictures not detailed here.

Steam enthusiast will certainly appreciate also the collection of static steam engines and marine engines.

Steam locomotives

road nbrAxleFirst yearManufacturerGauge (mm)Remark
55022E1913Borsig?1435Ex KPEV G10 engine, transferred in Turkey during WW1. This engine was for a long time in the freight yard of Sirkeci station, in a derelict state. It has now been beautifully restored.
12Bt1930Orenstein & Koppel n°12212600This industrial loco was in a timber yard, in Ayancik, on the Black sea cost.
4Bt1918Henschel n°15943600This loco was most likely part of the pool delivered by the German for the Baghdad railway construction. It stayed on military duty till the end, finishing its active duty at Eskisehir Air Base.
6Bt Davenport (USA)600 

Diesel locomotives and railcars

road nbrAxleFirst yearManufacturerGauge (mm)Remark
 C1961Hunslet n°52411435This industrial loco worked in an oil refinery. It is a more powerfull version of the BR class 05 diesel shunter.
 B1957Mak n°2200251435Another industrial loco still with its Türkiye Petrolleri plate. This is a Mak type 240B
1BB 23 August Works (Bucharest Roumania) N°249971435Type LDH045, Tüpras
3B Ruston600 
4B1973Baguley Drewry n°3700600 
 1AA11937Fiat N°19031435Railcar type Aln56. This one was in service on the company Ferrovia Paola-Cosenza in southern Italy

Tram

road nbrAxleFirst yearManufacturerGauge (mm)Remark
35Bo1928Siemens1000Tramcar of the Moda Kadiköy line

Other rolling stock

  • Sultan Abdülaziz car, 1867, used during a trip to Toulon, Paris, London, Berlin, Wien, Budapest. This car was found in a TCDD shed and restored to its original condition.
  • The original Tünel car, this is a 1875 car from the underground funicular to Galata. This car was replaced by a modern one in the 1960's.
  • 2 narrow gauge passenger cars
  • 3 narrow gauge freight cars
  • one standard gauge flat car loaded with engine heaving lifting jacks

Pictures

Sultan Abdülaziz car, photo: Arman Oymakas, 2001 The wonderfull wood car of Tünel, the historic funicular of Istanbul. This car was taken out of service in the 1960's, after about 90 years of service! March 2005. Photo JP Charrey A strange beast: a Davenport industrial loco. March 2005. Photo JP Charrey Cab side of DE24316. August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Plate of 45062. August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Plates of 56510 August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Henschel Bagdadbau n°15943, August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Henschel 15943, This unit bears the same number manufacturer nbr as its sister still in Eskisehir. March 2005. Photo JP Charrey 55022 August 2011- Photo JP Charrey View of the narrow gauge station from the Golden horn. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Baguley Drewry n°3700 ready to depart. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Plate of Baguley Drewry n°3700. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey The train is made of 1st World War stock. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Davenport loco. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Tender of Davenport loco. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Fiat Aln56 1903. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Hunslet n°5241, August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Hunslet n°5241 plate. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Cab of LDH045.001. August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Mak n°220025. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Orenstein & Koppel n°12212. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Ruston. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Narrow gauge cars. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Flat car. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Horse tramway, August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Platform of the horse tramway Moda tram made by Siemens. August 2011. Photo JP Charrey Salon car n°7 August 2011- Photo JP Charrey Stothert & Pitt crane. August 2011- Photo JP Charrey

Not railways, butt steam nevertheless

1936 harbour tug 'Liman 2' steaming away from the museum for a tour on the mythical Golden Horn. Photo RMK Museum Boats, August 2011. Photo JP Charrey

Ankara branch

The RMK museum has recently opened a branch in Ankara, called "Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum". It is located across the entrance of the citadel, in the historic (and touristic) part of the city. This museum has also a section about railways.