Today's railway station connects the port of Walvis Bay with Windhoek. As soon as the diesel locomotives pull up, one thinks a major fire has broken out, with the plume of smoke emitted.
The "Hope" steam locomotive, delivered in 1899, stands in a small building in front of the station. It served the route from the port to the city center, but later the route to the border of German South West Africa. Due to sand drifts, there was no regular service and the line was closed in 1915.