Every year in september, peat industry companies from Baltic states and abroad meet together in Baltic Peat Producers Forum (BPPF), which took place this year between 13rd and 15th of September, in Riga, Latvia. Ice-breaker party for the forum took place in the evening of 13rd September in Baloži, in SIA "Pindstrup Latvia" wood fibre factory, which is just besides our railway, thus we were honored to give excursion to all participants of the ice-breaker party on our railway. We showed to the visitors how slowly but steadily we are progressing towards a complete museum railway, restoring railway tracks, rolling stock and other objects with enthusiast efforts to create an interesting object for the peat industry as well.

We welcomed visitors in the warmth and authentic soviet-era atmosphere in the canteen carriage, and gave a tour with a narrow gauge train on the whole restored railway line (up to day 1,1 km, including last parts finished just recently).

During the excursion we received a lot of positive feedback and good wishes for future works, and we also hope that among the visitors we will find new supporters for our project!

Excursion was organized by the society "Bānīša Draugu klubs" in cooperation with Latvian Peat association, general sponsor of the forum and main supporter of Baloži peat museum railway - SIA "Pindstrup Latvia".

Year 2016 was very fruitful and successful, we made a large step towards restoration of the museum railway, largely with the help of financial donation from Pindstrup Latvia Ltd. In that year we had possibilities to use construction machines in road repairs and larger rolling stock repair tasks were carried out by repair workshops.

Only for the second time visitors had the chance to visit and travel on the developing Baloži peat museum railway, this chance being given during the international Museum Night event on 20th of May 2017. From the creation of the peat railway till the nowadays modern peat extraction technologies – visitors could see how industrial heritage is being preserved and history brought alive.

On 22nd of September 2016 we gladly announce that restoration of the canteen carriage BC1-2183, built in 1988, has been finished both internally and externally - the carriage is now pleasant and warming both to the eyes and to our hearts! During the restoration the carriage was fully cleaned from old paint and rust, completely repainted outside and inside the vestibules, and the tail doors were rebuilt for correct operation. Restoration of interior was finished previously, you can find more info here (in Latvian): Noslēdzies KKF projekts - ēdnīcas interjera restaurācijas 1. posms!

We are grateful for the financial support received from Pindstrup Latvia Ltd and State Culture Capital Fund!

Photo: D. Bušs, A. Galītis, S. Tretjakovs