The story
Founded by Anton Gmeinder in 1913.1
History
Source:
In 1913 The company Steinmetz Gmeinder KG was founded in Mosbach by Anton Gmeinder and August Steinmetz, six years later the company name was changed to "A. Gmeinder & Cie.". The same year a locomotive with a petrol engine was made. In 1925 another change of identity occurred - with the organisation becoming Gmeinder & Co. GmbH with Anton Gmeinder and Carl and Hermann Kaelble as co-partners.
In 1964 with financial support from the state of Baden-Württemberg Gmeider built a small series of narrow-gauge diesel locomotives of 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) gauge series V 51 and 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge V 52 for the Bundesbahn to replace the outdated steam engines that were still in use.
Its locomotive factory was one of the major manufacturers of small and medium-sized diesel engines as well as producing small locomotives. Although Deutsche Bundesbahn was a major customer many of the industrial locomotives it produced were sold to private companies and exported around the world.
In 1976 merged with the truck manufacturer Carl Kaelble GmbH from Backnang. Due to the truck manufacturer's large contract with Libya and as a result of a trade embargo with that country it became bankrupt in 1996.
From the ruins of that company Gmeider re-emerged again as a locomotive manufacturer Gmeinder Getriebe- und Lokomotivenfabrik GmbH completely split from Kaeble. Kaeble became a construction machinery manufacturer and now is part of the Terex corporation.
In 2003 the sale of the locomotive section of Gmeinder Getriebe- und Lokomotivenfabrik GmbH brings about the existence of two separate companies named 'Gmeider': they are Gmeinder Lokomotivenfabrik and Gmeinder Getriebe- und Maschinenfabrik
Gmeinder Lokomotivenfabrik
In March 2008 at the station of Neckarbischofsheim a new factory was brought into operation in which locomotives are upgraded or repaired, the Krebsbach valley railway is used for test runs.
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Current products include a range of 2, 3 and 4 locomotives; both with hydraulic or electric transmission systems. Locomotive upgrades, repairs, and diagnostics are also carried out for a range of locomotives and engines owned by private companies. Explosion proof locomotives and other vehicles are also made in cooperation with clients.
Gmeinder Getriebe- und Maschinenfabrik
This company produces axle gearboxes which are used in locomotives, trams, metros and other rail vehicles.
In 2019, the Gmeinder Getriebe Gruppe was acquired by the Czech engineering group Wikov Group. In 2020, most of its companies were merged into GGT GMEINDER GETRIEBETECHNIK GmbH.
Historical Series
Amongst others:
Werkslok of Eilenburger Zelluloidwerks, 1949
Kleinlokomotive Kö I
Kleinlokomotive Köf II
Heeresfeldbahnlokomotive HF 130 C: Army Field Railway locomotive
Wehrmachtslokomotive WR 200 B 14: Wehrmacht locomotive
DB Class Köf III
DB Class 329
DB Class V 60
DB Class V 51
DB Class V 52
Railbuses: WEG T 23 and 24
There is a collection of narrow-gauge Gmeinder locomotives at the Wiesloch Feldbahn and Industrial Museum, approximately 20 kilometres to the west of the original factory.
From Wikipedia’s article on Gmeinder, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4