The Meininger Dampflokwerk is the only Deutsche Bahn AG plant in Germany that still has the expertise and technology to repair historic steam locomotives. At the same time, it is also the last major repair plant for steam locomotives in Western Europe.

Founded in 1914 as the main workshop of the Royal Prussian Railway, the plant was originally only responsible for the maintenance of steam locomotives. With the gradual disappearance of steam locomotives from Deutsche Bahn's transportation operations, the profile of the workshop also changed.

Since 1998, the work of the steam locomotive works has also included the maintenance of standard and narrow-gauge locomotives operated by DB as well as private and museum railroads. It also modernizes snow ploughs and builds boilers for historic steam locomotives.