Already established in a historic location—the front yard of a CFM facility built in 1905—the museum already has a set opening date: September 12th.
According to Antonio Coelho da Cruz, Chairman of the CFM Board of Directors, renovation work is already underway on the museum's site. The museum is expected to house exhibitions and iconic pieces from the company's history, such as historic locomotives preserved to this day and other antique equipment.
Quoted by Angop, Coelho da Cruz emphasized that the museum is intended to be an open-air museum, where the history of railway transportation is accessible to everyone.
The Moçâmedes Railway has a vast historical collection, as well as a technical library, and is therefore interested in establishing a permanent space for the conservation of its collection. The main objective is to preserve the national railway heritage, states the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
António Coelho da Cruz also states that this project represents an important milestone in the country's history, especially in the year of the 50th anniversary of national independence.
It should be noted that the Moçâmedes Railway has been operating since 1905 on a route of over 860 kilometers, connecting the port of Namibe (from Moçâmedes) to Menongue, the capital of the Cuando Cubango province, and passing through Lubango, in Huíla. International expansion, with the possibility of a connection to Namibia, is currently on the table.
