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The Camlik outdoor museum, which was inaugurated in 1991, has one of the largest steam engines collection in Europe. The museum is perfectly located, a few minutes away from Turkey most famous historical site: Ephesus. It sits on the premises of the former Camlik station, now disused because of a realignment of the Izmir Aydin main line. All the original buildings have been retained, including the small three tracks engine shed that housed the banking engines in the era of steam. |
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| Camlik station is on the former ORC line, the oldest line in Turkey. It is at the summit of the most difficult part of the line, with steep gradient and sharp curves. The museum is under new management since 1999 and has been very much improved since. All the engines have been repainted and the junkyard that was formerly in front of the station building has been cleared. The gardening is very nice and the museum has been enclosed using old railway ties. |
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In 2001, the engine shed has been cleaned up and all the tools are now neatly presented. Camlik museum offers a very good collection of the main TCDD steam motive powers. The selection includes almost all the steam engine types used by TCDD since World War II (unfortunately, there are no diesel or electric engines). The engines are in static display in fair outside condition, buck lacking some internal parts. |
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| A few of them use to be in working condition when they joined the museum. Now the weather is taking its toll and despite the efforts of the keepers, the engines are slowly rusting away. All the engines carry an identification plate in English. A nice feature: children and grown ups can climb on all the engines and get a feeling from the cab or the running boards. Climbing is done using the engine ladders, so flex your muscles and beware not to fall! |
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The museum has also lots of railway items ranging from the engine shed, the turntable to cranes, fountain and tools and lamps (see list below). A room next to the shed displays a large collection of Ataturk's photograph, some of them reminding us that Ataturk's was a great railway traveler. |
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