Vaser Valley Railway, Romania - Part 3

The economic changes commencing in 1990 had a devastating impact on the State-run forestry railways of the "CFF".  Within a few years almost all were decommissioned and closed, and their locomotives and wagons were scrapped or sold. Only one of them is still operating - the Vaser River Railway.  Importantly, it still serves its primary purpose - as a forestry railway for logging.

Ever since 2003 the railway system has been managed by the private Romanian corporation: "R.G. Holz Ltd", which is also the owner of the depot area and most of the locomotives and wagons.  However the railway infrastructure, along with most of the forest in the valley, are still State-owned.

Since 2000 the forestry railway has been receiving support from abroad, specifically from the Swiss association "Hilfe für die Wassertalbahn" ("Help for the Vaser Valley Railway"). With assistance from Switzerland, some disused locomotives were restored and put back into service, new passenger coaches were purchased, and the depot and the historic station building at Viseu were refurbished.  Around the station yard in Viseu de Sus, infrastructure is being established that takes account of the increasing demands of tourism in the Vaser Valley.

                                                                                                                                    ......... cont Part 4