Aurora is a growing digital archive and marketplace dedicated to preserving and sharing railway photography, from steam-era Germany to rare prototypes and wartime logistics. It’s built for collectors, researchers, and enthusiasts who care about history and detail.

The foundation of the archive was built by Rolf Wesemann, a respected German photographer and founder of Eisenbahn Kurier. His legacy forms the heart of the collection, but we are slowly welcoming select contributors.

Over 150,000 images and counting. Only a small fraction is currently visible — we’re working to digitize, tag, and publish more every week.

Yes. All items in the shop are available as high-resolution digital downloads or premium-quality prints. Each listing includes full details on format and licensing.

What does the metadata mean?

Each image is carefully tagged with information like class number, date, location, and operational context. You can learn more on our Metadata Explained page.

We include historical notes and rarity indicators for certain listings. Our future auction section will also highlight one-of-a-kind items or exclusive scans not found elsewhere.

Yes. Museums, publishers, documentary producers, and commercial clients can contact us directly for licensing rights. We offer transparent terms and custom agreements.

Eventually, yes. We’re preparing a framework for verified contributors to join the platform. If you own a photo collection and are interested in preserving it through Aurora, reach out to us.

The archive is currently in German, with English metadata and pages rolling out. We’re building for a bilingual audience from the ground up.

All images are stored securely on Swiss-based cloud infrastructure, with regular backups. File integrity and long-term preservation are a core part of our mission.