Circus Roncalli unveils custom locomotive at Cologne station

On 5 August 2026 the German circus Roncalli marked its 50‑year anniversary by presenting a dedicated electric locomotive named “Zippo”. Director Bernhard Paul and North‑Rhine‑Westphalia Economy Minister Mona Neubaur christened the locomotive on platform 1 of Cologne Central Station.

The locomotive, built by logistics firm RailBavaria in 2004, can reach 140 km/h and will be used to haul the circus’s historic wagons, tents and equipment, continuing Roncalli’s tradition of rail transport that began with a 1986 cultural‑exchange tour to Moscow. Paul highlighted the eco‑friendly nature of rail travel and urged further support for railway logistics.