Gatekeeper, train driver, station manager, ticket seller, telecommunications technician — these are all jobs that a transport company needs to carry out its daily work. What is part of everyday life at any station is something very special at the Berliner Parkeisenbahn. Here, the main players are only between 9 and 16 years old. Since 1956, the Berliner Parkeisenbahn has been firmly in the hands of children, and since its founding, around 80% of the more than 6,000 children have pursued a career in the railway industry as adults. To ensure that the children not only operate real trains but also sell tickets using real ticket sales systems, AMCON supports the BPE by providing the software for stationary and mobile sales devices free of charge. On AMCON’s side, this project is also carried out by young professionals.
Training Project on Both Sides
A team of apprentices and dual students at AMCON is responsible for project management and execution, supported by experienced software developers. “We rely on well-trained, in-house young talent to largely avoid the skilled labor shortage in our industry,” explains Managing Director Olaf Clausen. “We are pleased to support an organization that is highly committed to youth work with this initiative. Additionally, we have a passion for narrow-gauge railways and steam locomotives, and it’s great that we can contribute with our UFHO system.”
With the new sales system, tickets can be sold at the stations and on the train. Moreover, the catering services are also billed through the system. “With nearly 60,000 passengers per year, we need a future-proof sales system. At the same time, our over 60 park railway employees are naturally looking forward to the new system,” says Jörg Pfeiffer, one of three volunteer managing directors of the BPE. The UFHO system supplies the sales devices with tariff, inventory, and master data and processes the sales. The young sellers are billed centrally, and inventory management for drinks and snacks is introduced to provide reliable data for the accounting of the non-profit company.