FEDECRAIL – the Federation of European Museum and Tourist Railways – is an organisation under Belgian law. It was founded in April 1994 in Brussels and was authorised by royal Belgian decree.
FEDECRAIL – is the European parent organisation for all friends of railways who are engaged in the maintenance, preservation and operation of historical railways.
FEDECRAIL - has currently 36 members from 25 countries comprising 527 heritage railways and railway museums.
FEDECRAIL – every European national parent organisation for Museum and Tourist Railways can become a member of FEDECRAIL. Individual associations can only become members if there is no national organisation. Individual members or extra-European associations can join the circle of the “FRIENDS OF FEDECRAIL“ as promoters, patrons or sponsors but only as members without the right to vote.
FEDECRAIL – is a connecting link between the national parent organisations and the European committees (EU parliament, EU commissions, EU executive boards, etc.)
FEDECRAIL – is the forum for discussions and the exchange of information for the European Museum- and Tourist Railways
FEDECRAIL – council, managing committee and technical representatives all come from European member associations and work exclusively on a honorary basis.
FEDECRAIL – publishes a bulletin with important information four times a year
FEDECRAIL – organises an annual conference with specific European topics about the Museum and Tourist Railways, such as the preservation and maintenance of the European heritage, regional regeneration, safety, financing, legislation harmonisation, environmental protection, etc. Study trips to member railways and museums with the opportunity to see 'behind the scenes' are always an element of the conferences. These have thus far been:
1994 - Bruxelles/Belgium; 1995 - Strasbourg/France, 1996 - Birmingham/United Kingdom, 1997 - Stockholm/Sweden, 1998 - Barcelona/Spain, 1999 - Prague/Czech Republic, 2000 - Bad Breisig/Germany, 2001 - Torino/Italy, 2002 - Riga/Latvia, 2003 - Llandudno/United Kingdom, 2004 - Leiden/Netherlands, 2005 - Lyon/France, 2006 - Volos/Greece, 2006 - Odense/Denmark, 2008 - Salzburg/Austria