Urban exploring doesn’t get much easier than a visit to the Bahnbetriebswerk Pankow-Heinersdorf (far easier to visit than say) an abandoned train yard in Berlin. The train sheds, administrative buildings and turntable are conveniently (for exploring and formerly for repairing and servicing trains) right next to the S-Bahnhof.

Crossing the open land between the road and the main buildings I was a little nervous about being seen from the train station but there are no walls, fences or other barriers.

Opened on 1 October 1893 the train yard and depot operated until the 1990s but has been derelict since. For a more detailed history of the Bahnbetriebswerk Pankow-Heinersdorf read this post on Digital Cosmonaut.

The first building I entered was the Roundhouse.

Back outside, I made my way through a number of outbuildings to the Train Turntable (Drehscheibe).

Then into the Engine sheds.

I went to Bahnbetriebswerk Pankow-Heinersdorf after my visit to the abandoned Iraqi Embassy so the light was fading at this stage and I didn’t have time to check out the administrative building. Watching the sun setting over the buildings I didn’t want to leave but exploring in the dark isn’t easy and is potentially dangerous.

For more impressions of the abandoned Bahnbetriebswerk Pankow-Heinersdorf in Berlin, check out this iPhone video from Albert N Romero.

Güterbahnhof Berlin-Pankow – Abandoned Train Roundhouse